The seventh season of the renamed American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 reality television series Food Network Star

The Next Food Network Star

The Next Food Network Star is a reality television series produced by and aired on the Food Network in the United States that awards the winner his or her own series on the Food Network...

premiered Sunday, June 5, 2011. Food Network

Food Network

Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....

 executives, Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson, are joined again by Bobby Flay

Bobby Flay

Robert William "Bobby" Flay is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur and reality television personality. He is the owner and executive chef of 12 restaurants: Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, New York City, and the Bahamas ; Bar Americain in New York City and Uncasville, Connecticut; Bobby Flay Steak...

 and Giada De Laurentiis

Giada De Laurentiis

Giada Pamela De Laurentiis is an Italian American chef, writer, television personality, and the host of the current Food Network program Giada at Home. She also appears regularly as a contributor and guest co-host on NBC's Today...

 as the judges for this season. The series was filmed in Los Angeles, CA.

After the first episode of this season aired as "The Next Food Network Star", the series was retitled "Food Network Star" and this name was used for the second episode onward.

Eliminated

(In order of elimination)

• Howie Drummond - Highlands Ranch, Colorado
  Highlands Ranch, Colorado
  Highlands Ranch is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 96,713 at the 2010 census; it is one of the most populous unincorporated communities in the United States...
  
  
• Juba Kali - New Orleans, Louisiana
• Katy Clark - Long Beach, California
  Long Beach, California
  Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
  
  
• Alicia Sanchez - New York, New York
• Justin Balmes - Marietta, Georgia
  Marietta, Georgia
  Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
  
  
• Justin Davis - Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Orchid Paulmeier - Bluffton, South Carolina
  Bluffton, South Carolina
  The weather in the Bluffton, SC area is typical of the Southeast with generally mild temperatures from Fall through Spring and a warm and humid Summer. There can be occasionally snow flurries in the winter but that is quite unusual....
  
  
• Chris Nirschel - Hoboken, New Jersey
  Hoboken, New Jersey
  Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
  
  
• Penny Davidi - Los Angeles, California
• Jyll Everman - Glendora, California
  Glendora, California
  Glendora is a municipality in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the population of Glendora was 50,073....
  
  
• Whitney Chen - New York, New York
• Mary Beth Albright - Washington, D.C.
• Vic "Vegas" Moea - Las Vegas, Nevada

Contestant Progress

{|class="wikitable" align=center style="text-align:center"
|-
! Contestant !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11
|-
|Camera
Challenge
Winner
| Orchid
| Penny
| Jyll
| Jyll
| None
| N/A
| Whitney
| Jyll
Mary Beth
| Jeff
| N/A
| Susie
|-
!Jeff
| style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:cornflowerblue;"|HIGH|| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN ||style="background:orange;" | LOW || style="background:turquoise;" | WINNER
|-
!Susie
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:PINK;" |LOW || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN|| style="background:cornflowerblue;"|HIGH || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:PINK;" |LOW || style="background:cornflowerblue;"|HIGH ||style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:lightblue;" | RUNNER-UP
|-
!Vic
| style="background:orange;" | LOW || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN ||style="background:cornflowerblue;"|HIGH || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:PINK;" |LOW || style="background:cornflowerblue;"|HIGH ||style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT
|-
!Mary Beth
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:orange;" | LOW || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN ||style="background:offwhite;" |IN || style="background:pink;" | LOW || style="background:pink;" | LOW || style="background:pink;" | LOW || style="background:orange;" | LOW || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT ||colspan=3 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Whitney
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:PINK;" |LOW || style="background:offwhite;"|IN || style="background:orange;" | LOW || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:cornflowerblue;"|HIGH || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT ||colspan=3 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Jyll
| style="background:pink;" | LOW || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN ||style="background:pink;" | LOW || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:orange;" | LOW || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT ||colspan=4 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Penny
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN ||style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:PINK;" |LOW ||style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:cornflowerblue;"|HIGH || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT || colspan=5 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Chris
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:orange;" | LOW|| style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN ||style="background:offwhite;" |IN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT || colspan=5 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Orchid
| style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:orange;" | LOW || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT || colspan=6 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Justin D.
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:PINK;" |LOW ||style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT || colspan=7 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Justin B.
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:limegreen;" | WIN || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT || colspan=7 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Alicia
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:PINK;" |LOW || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT || colspan=8 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Katy
| style="background:offwhite;" | IN || style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT || colspan=9 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Juba
| style="background:limegreen;" | WIN ||style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT ||colspan=9 style="background:darkgray;"|
|-
!Howie
| style="background:lightgrey;" | OUT || colspan=10 style="background:darkgray;"|
|}

(WINNER) The contestant won the season and became "Food Network Star".

(RUNNER-UP) The contestant made it to the final challenge, but did not win, becoming a Runner-Up of the season.

(WIN) The contestant won that episode's Star Challenge.

(HIGH) The contestant was one of the Selection Committee's favorites for that week, but did not win the Star Challenge.

(IN) The contestant was not one of the Selection Committee's favorites nor their least favorites. They were not up for elimination.

(LOW) The contestant was one of the Selection Committee's three or four least favorites for that week, but was not eliminated.

(LOW) The contestant was one of the Selection Committee's two least favorites for that week, but was not eliminated.

(OUT) The contestant was the Selection Committee's least favorite for that week, and was eliminated.

Week One: Lights, Camera, Cook

• Camera Challenge: The contestants created breakfast dishes representing their culinary points of view and presented them on camera.
  • Winner: Orchid (Breakfast Tortilla)
• Star Challenge:
  • Winners: Juba (Boil Spiced Shrimp with Whole Tomato Ketchup), Jeff (Chicken Slider on Ciabatta Bread) and Orchid (Hot Asian Pork Skewer with Cole Slaw) (collaborative dish: "Que" Lime Pie with Mango Coulis and Chili Whipped Cream)
  • Eliminated: Howie (Potato Gnocchi with Lemon Zest)
• First aired: June 5, 2011

Week Two: In the Line of Fire

• Camera Challenge: The contestants created pizzas that reflected their culinary points of view and presented them on camera. For the first time on Food Network Star, a contestant was eliminated after the Camera Challenge.
  • Winner: Penny (Middle Eastern Pizza with Roasted Eggplant, Mint and Feta Cheese)
  • Eliminated: Juba (Three-Pepper "Holy Trinity" Pizza with Toasted Pinenuts, Clam Juice and White Wine)
• Star Challenge: As the Camera Challenge winner, Penny was tasked with creating the teams for the Star Challenge. The challenge was to render dishes that were time-consuming, technically difficult and that had expensive ingredients accessible to untrained home cooks. The teams presented their dishes to the selection committee and to guest judges Anne Burrell, Scott Conant and Pat and Gina Neely. The contestants were not only judged on their culinary merits but also on their personalities in the kitchen.
  • Winners: Whitney (Ginger-Orange Biscuit, Bacon and Pan-Sausage Gravy), Mary Beth (Rib-Eye Steak in Red Wine Sauce with Marrow Bone) and Justin B. (Pan-Fried Calamari Steak with Clams)
  • Eliminated: Katy (Pepper Short Ribs on Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Apple-Walnut Shallot Compote)
• First aired: June 12, 2011

Week Three: Dueling Desserts

• Camera Challenge: Each finalist went to a vending machine filled with Hershey candy. The type of candy they got was what they had to use in their dish. They then presented to Camera once cooking was complete.
  • Winner: Jyll (Almond Joy Coconut-Fried Shrimp)
• Star Challenge: The finalists were put into two groups with six people represented by Robert Irvine
  Robert Irvine
  Robert Irvine is a celebrity chef who has appeared on a variety of Food Network programs, including Dinner: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, and Restaurant: Impossible.-Career:Irvine began his cooking career upon enlisting in the Royal Navy at the age of fifteen...
  
   or Duff Goldman
  Duff Goldman
  Jeffrey Adam "Duff" Goldman is a pastry chef and television personality. He is the executive chef of the Baltimore-based Charm City Cakes shop which is featured in the Food Network reality television show Ace of Cakes...
  
  . As Jyll was the winner of the Camera Challenge, she picked which chef her group would be based on (Chef Duff), and who would be in her group. Each made a desert for 150 people and for the Selection Committee, as well as two group collaboration dishes.
  • Winners: Team Robert (Chris, Jeff, Justin B., Justin D., Penny, and Vic)
  • Eliminated: Alicia (Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Fondant Star)
• First aired: June 19, 2011

Week Four: Cougar Town and Paula Deen

• Camera Challenge: The finalists were given a Kelloggs product to cook with and had to present their dish to camera. Michael Symon
  Michael Symon
  Michael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
  
   and Melissa d'Arabian
  Melissa d'Arabian
  Melissa Donovan d'Arabian is an American television personality from Tucson, Arizona. She is best known for being the winner of the fifth season of The Next Food Network Star, and is the host of Food Network's Ten Dollar Dinners....
  
   were the guests for the challenge and helped give advice for further success.
  • Winner: Jyll (Rice Krispies Crab Fritter with Spicy Aioli)
• Star Challenge: The finalists were paired with someone to create a lunch for 150 people on the set of the TV show Cougar Town
  Cougar Town
  Cougar Town is an American television sitcom that premiered on ABC on September 23, 2009. The series focuses on a recently divorced woman in her forties facing the often humorous challenges, pitfalls and rewards of life's next chapter, along with her son, ex-husband, and friends who together make...
  
  . Paula Deen turned out to be the surprise guest and helped give the contestants words of wisdom about their personality. Each pair had to base their meal off of a specific job on the set and what the workers of the job would like to eat for lunch. Once all groups served a large amount of the workers, contestants then served a small table of people, including the selection committee, Courteney Cox
  Courteney Cox
  Courteney Bass Cox is an American actress, she is best known for her roles as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom Friends, Gale Weathers in the horror series Scream and as Jules Cobb in the ABC sitcom Cougar Town, for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination....
  
   and Brian Van Holt
  Brian Van Holt
  -Early life:Van Holt was born in Waukegan, Illinois and raised in California. Despite his Dutch surname, he is of mainly Scotch-Irish ancestry. Van Holt has a degree in Sociology from UCLA. At 18 years of age, he struck the perfect image of a Huntington Beach, California surfer...
  
  . (During the judging, the judges stated they had originally planned to declare one winning team, but felt that it was more appropriate to choose one winner from each team.)
  • Winners: Jeff (Thai Basil Tofu Lettuce Cups), Mary Beth (Buttermilk-Soaked Panko Meatloaf), Orchid (Dirty Rice and Collard Greens), Susie (Chicken and Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers) and Vic (Roasted Vegetable Baked Penne)
  • Eliminated: Justin B. (Seared Tuna over Israeli Couscous and White Balsamic Vinaigrette)
• First aired: June 26, 2011

Week Five: Diners, Drive-Ins and Fourth of July

• Camera Challenge: Guy Fieri
  Guy Fieri
  Guy Fieri is an American restaurateur, author, television personality, and game show host. He co-owns five restaurants in California and is widely known for his television series on the Food Network....
  
   took the finalists to a Mel's Diner in Hollywood. They were broken into five pairs and were assigned to do a specific segment similar to those done on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: open the show, interview the owner, interview the executive chef, interview the head server, and close the show. No winner was declared in this challenge.
  • Winner: None
• Star Challenge: The finalists had to prepare a Fourth of July meal for 150 people. They were first assigned an original summertime meal that had to be re-created by them. The finalists had two hours to prepare their meals in the Food Star Kitchen before packing up for presentation the next day. Once they got to the field where the Fourth of July event was, a special challenge was presented. The challenge was that they had to give a three minute demo to all 150 people and the Selection Committee, before handing out the food. (Props were allowed to use during the presentations)
  • Winner: Susie (Ribs and Coleslaw as Spicy Pork Ribs with Tangy Avocado-Lime "Slaw")
  • Eliminated: Justin D. (Burger and Watermelon as Pork Burger with Grilled Pickled Watermelon Salad and Blue Cheese)
• First aired: July 3, 2011

Week Six: Food Truck Face-Off

• Camera Challenge: None
• Star Challenge: The finalists were greeted by Tyler Florence
  Tyler Florence
  Tyler Florence is a chef and television host of several Food Network shows. He graduated from the College of Culinary Arts at the Charleston, South Carolina campus of Johnson & Wales University in 1991...
  
   and put into three teams of three. Their task was to create food to be sold to 150 people from a food truck. Before the cooking started, each team had a few minutes to come up a name for their truck, create a theme and decide what dish each contestant would cook. Each team filmed a commercial to be shown to potential customers, designed to entice them to the truck. When the customers arrived, the commercials were shown, and each person picked up a ticket for the truck they wanted to patronize.
  • Winner: Vic (Philly Cheesesteak Burrito with American cheese)
  • Eliminated: Orchid (Adobo Pork Taco with Coleslaw)
• First aired: July 10, 2011

Week Seven: Dinner Party for Wolfgang Puck

• Camera Challenge: Each contestant had to make their own signature dish based on their point of view. They had two hours to cook and once the cooking was complete, they had to do a two minute demo to camera.
  • Winner: Whitney (Gazpacho)
• Star Challenge: Bobby Flay arrives at the finalists' house and announces their star challenge: create a meal for Wolfgang Puck and the Selection Committee. The chefs were to cook at the house, and were limited to items in their pantry and refrigerator. Whitney, as the Camera Challenge winner, assigned everyone a specific course to cook. Penny and Mary Beth were selected to shop for their table settings. They were met at the store by designer Sabrina Soto, who provided tips on how to select table settings.
  • Winner: None
  • Eliminated: Chris (Chocolate Fudge Cake with Tahitian Creme Anglaise) and Penny (Sauteed Prawns over Baby Arugula and Figs)
• First aired: July 17, 2011

Week Eight: Ina Garten and Rachael Ray

• Camera Challenge: The finalists left Los Angeles and went to New York City. Once they arrived, they went to Chelsea Market
  Chelsea Market
  thumb|267px|The Ninth Avenue entrance to Chelsea MarketChelsea Market is an enclosed urban food court, shopping mall, office building and television production facility located in the Chelsea neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan, in New York City...
  
  , and were greeted by Ina Garten
  Ina Garten
  Ina Rosenberg Garten is an American author, host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and former White House nuclear policy analyst...
  
  . She presented them a coconut, almond cupcake that each contestant had to remake using their point of view. Once cooking was complete, they presented to camera and the Selection Committee.
  • Winners: Jyll (Chocolate-Orange Cupcake) and Mary Beth (Roasted Strawberry Cupcake)
• Star Challenge: All the finalists were going to be on The Rachael Ray Show. They were given a classic American dish and had to remake it with a modern twist. The day before they were going to be on the show, they prepared their dishes in the Food Network Kitchen. On the day of presentation they were greeted by Rachael Ray
  Rachael Ray
  Rachael Domenica Ray is an American television personality, businesswoman, celebrity chef and author. She hosts the syndicated talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray and three Food Network series, 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels and $40 a Day...
  
  . She told them that they had to do an opening that was 30 seconds to entice possible viewers. They also had to do a 3 minute demo and during that time, they had to answer an audience member's question.
  • Winner: Jeff (Braised Pork Sandwich with Slaw, Gorgonzola Spread and Sweet Potato Chips)
  • Eliminated: Jyll (Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Vegetables)
• First aired: July 24, 2011

Week Nine: Comedy Roast

• Camera Challenge: The contestants searched Chelsea Market
  Chelsea Market
  thumb|267px|The Ninth Avenue entrance to Chelsea MarketChelsea Market is an enclosed urban food court, shopping mall, office building and television production facility located in the Chelsea neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan, in New York City...
  
  , sampling different food to describe for a segment of The Best Thing I Ever Ate
  The Best Thing I Ever Ate
  The Best Thing I Ever Ate is a program on the Food Network which premiered on June 22, 2009 . The program originally aired as a one-time special in late 2008...
  
  . Each chef made a selection, then presented that dish to camera, directed by Bobby Flay. None of the contestants prepared any food.
  • Winner: Jeff (Reuben sandwich with Gruyere cheese and Russian dressing)
• Star Challenge: The contestants had to prepare a traditional roast, which they would serve to the Selection Committee and a group of stand-up comics, while being roasted themselves. Jeff as the winner of the Camera Challenge, assigned his fellow contestants the roast they would prepare. Guest comedians included: Louie Anderson
  Louie Anderson
  Louie Perry Anderson is an American stand-up comedian. Anderson created the cartoon series Life with Louie, has written three books, and was the initial host of the second revival of the game show Family Feud, from 1999 to 2002....
  
  , Gilbert Gottfried
  Gilbert Gottfried
  Gilbert Gottfried is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his trademark comedic persona of speaking in a loud, grating tone of voice. He has played numerous roles in film and television, perhaps most notably voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin , and...
  
  , Judy Gold
  Judy Gold
  Judy Gold is an American stand-up comic and actor. She won two Daytime Emmy Awards for her work as a writer and producer on The Rosie O'Donnell Show...
  
  , Anthony Anderson
  Anthony Anderson
  Anthony Anderson is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He has starred in his own sitcom All About the Andersons, as well as the Fox sitcom The Bernie Mac Show during the fifth and final season of the show. He is also known for his leading roles in television dramas such as K-Ville, The...
  
  , and Aubrey Plaza.
  • Winner: Jeff (Italian beef sandwich with suet-fried chips and jardinere)
  • Eliminated: Whitney (Roasted pork with greens stuffing and roasted tomatoes)
• First aired: July 31, 2011

Week Ten: Iron Chef

• Camera Challenge: None
• Star Challenge: The contestants were divided into pairs to be pitted against each other in an Iron Chef America
  Iron Chef America
  Iron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show is produced by Food Network, which also carried a dubbed version of the original Iron Chef. Like the...
  
   competition, completing three dishes within an hour. Jeff, as the winner of the last challenge, was allowed to pick who he would go up against - Susie. The contestants were also assisted by a former finalist as sous chef: Jeff with Whitney, Susie with Chris, Mary Beth with Penny and Vic with Jyll. The contestants were asked to judge their opponent's dishes and to provide kitchen-side commentary during the battle they were not participating in. Vic and Mary Beth's secret ingredient was rack of lamb while Susie and Jeff's was lobster.
  • Winners: Susie (Lobster Ceviche, Lobster Enchilada in Swiss Chard & Lobster Stew over Potato Cake) and Vic (Seared Loin of Lamb with Arugula Salad, Lamb Burger with French Fries & Broiled Lamb Chop with Mint-Grand Marnier Glaze)
  • Eliminated: Mary Beth (Grilled Lamb Chop with Israeli Couscous, Pan-Cooked Lamb Chop with Fall Pears & "Umami Explosion" Roast Lamb Chop with Roast Tomatoes)
• First aired: August 7, 2011

Week Eleven: Cook for Your Life and Pilots

• Camera Challenge: The finalists had two hours to cook the best dish of their life. Once cooking was complete, they had one minute to present to camera. Once everyone presented, one finalist was eliminated; a first in Food Network Star history.
  • Winner: Susie (Pork carnitas with grilled cactus salad)
  • Eliminated: Vic (Zuppa di pesce)
• Star Challenge: The two finalists joined Guy Fieri
  Guy Fieri
  Guy Fieri is an American restaurateur, author, television personality, and game show host. He co-owns five restaurants in California and is widely known for his television series on the Food Network....
  
   to film their pilots. They had four tries and had to be sure to have a story behind their dish and demonstrate how to make the dish. Once filming was complete, they presented their pilots to the Selection Commitee, and a focus group, which was made up of previously eliminated contestants.
  • Runner-Up: Susie
  • The Next Food Network Star: Jeff
  • New Show: "Sandwich King" - premiered on Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 11:30/10:30c AM
• First aired: August 14, 2011