Rachael vs. Guy — Food Network’s New Celebrity Cook-Off Show

In one of the best new concepts to hit the Food Network since The Great Food Truck Race, two of the Food Network’s biggest icons, Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri, will square off against each for culinary bragging rights in their new celebrity cook-off show. Rachel vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off will premiere Sunday, January 1st at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The show’s concept falls into a six-episode competition series where Emmy-winning talk show host Rachael Ray and offbeat cookbook author and restaurateur Guy Fieri will act as coaches to eight celebrities. Teams will be split into groups of four off the bat, divided into ‘Team Rachel’ and ‘Team Guy’, with each episode ending a blind tasting elimination challenge. The last contestant standing will be crowned king or queen and win $50,000 for the charity they are playing to support.

Who will you be rooting for!?

The Contestants

Did we mention the eight celebrities battling it out on the show? Here they are, and it’s a conglomerate of relevant-last-decade heroes. Here’s who they are and why you should care (or not):

Aaron Carter

  • Aaron Carter is a triple-platinum recording artist who achieved an enormous amount of success before he was a teenager. He also spent a month in rehab earlier this year for his addictions, along with making an appearance on the E! reality show Celebrity Rehab 2 and was treated for substance abuse.

Alyssa Campanella

  • 2011 MISS USA, recently featured on the movie poster for “Get Him to the Greek.” In her newfound post as Miss USA, she will serve as the spokeswoman for breast and ovarian cancer education, research and legislation.

Cheech Marin

  • Cheech Marin is best known as one half of the hilariously irreverent, satirical, duo of Cheech and Chong. He will appear next in an untitled sitcom for CBS starring Rob Schneider.

Coolio

  • A multi-platinum rap star whose album Gangsta’s Paradise, released back in 1995, was certified double platinum and the song of the same name was one of the most successful rap songs of all-time. Coolio also has a few TV acting credits, but in our opinion, none of them chalk up to his intro song work for the Nickelodeon series Kenan & Kel.

Joey Fatone

  • Former member of multi-platinum mega boy band *NSYNC and “Dancing with the Stars” contestant, Joey Fatone is currently racking up acting credits. Our favorite role is his ethnic variety in the 2002 sleeper hit film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Lou Diamond Phillips

  • Lou Diamond Phillips maintains a professional career that spans theater, television, and feature film as well as directing, writing and producing. His Hollywood film debut occurred in the critically acclaimed box office hit “La Bamba.”

Summer Sanders

  • Summer Sanders was the most decorated U.S. swimmer in the 1992 Olympic Games, winning four medals — two gold, a silver, and a bronze. Following her retirement from swimming, Sanders pursued a career in television. She co-hosted several television programs and is correspondent on several more, including “Good Morning America”, “The Rachael Ray Show” and spent eight years co-hosting “NBA Inside Stuff” on NBC.

Taylor Dayne

  • Taylor Dayne is a musician that has netted several best-selling gold and platinum albums over the span of her career. In fact, she’s sold more than 75 million albums and singles worldwide, garnered three GRAMMY nominations and appeared in several film, television, and stage roles.

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Episode Guide

Premiering Sunday, January 1st at 9pm ET/PT – SEASON PREMIERE!
“Celebrity Food Festival”
  • Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri welcome eight celebrity contestants to the first ever Celebrity Cook-Off! The competition begins immediately as Rachael and Guy pick their teams, and after teams are picked it’s time to get the party started as the teams must throw a food festival and each celebrity must cook one dish that serves 150 people. At the end of the festival the bottom two celebrities  compete in a sudden death challenge,  and one  celeb isn’t cut out for the culinary world and is eliminated from the competition.
Premiering Sunday, January 8th at 9pm ET/PT
“Let Them Eat Cake”
  • This week, Rachael and Guy sweeten things up when they challenge the seven remaining celebrity contestants to a dessert-making contest.  Each team must create four desserts, including one with a secret savory ingredient. The treats will be judged by 13 pastry students and  instructors from a professional culinary institute. A surprising evaluation from the pastry chefs puts Rachael and Guy in a tough position, but they must  decide which celebrities performed the weakest. Finally, the bottom two competitors are chosen to go head-to-head in the elimination challenge.
Premiering Sunday, January 15th at 9pm ET/PT
“Chopping Block”
  • Chopped judges Alex Guarnaschelli, Marcus Samuelsson, and Scott Conant are stepping into the Cook-Off kitchen to judge the remaining six celebrities as they go head-to-head  in one-on-one battles. Each team is put on the chopping block when the celebrities are challenged to cook their version of a judge’s signature dish. In the end, the judges pick the winners of each challenge leaving two surprising front runners to compete in the elimination challenge. One celeb doesn’t make the cut and is “chopped” from the competition.
Premiering Sunday, January 22nd at 9pm ET/PT
“Lunch Cart Showdown”
  • With five celebrity contestants remaining, it is time for Rachael and Guy to wheel out the next challenge. The celebs discover that each team will operate their own curb-side lunch cart to serve more than one hundred New York City pedestrians. The customer is always right, and in this challenge the patrons will decide which lunch cart was able to serve up the more delectable lunch to determine the winner. Then, the bottom two celebrities battle it out in a sudden death elimination challenge to decide who remains in the competition.
Premiering Sunday, January 29th at 9pm ET/PT
“Friends and Family Favorites”
  • Things get personal this week when Rachael and Guy invite their closest friends and family over for an intimate supper club catered by the four remaining celebrity contestants. Each contestant prepares a family-style meal for the table to be judged by the hosts nearest and dearest.  The winners are picked to go onto the finale and compete for the coveted prize of $50,000 for their charity. Two celebrities  are eliminated in this round, but the bottom two will have a chance compete in the “last chance challenge” to earn some last minute money for their charities before they get sent home for good.
Premiering Sunday, January 29th at 10pm ET/PT
“Restaurant Battle”
  • In the final round of Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off, the two remaining celebrity contestants face the toughest challenge yet. Each will open up their very own restaurant where they will design everything from the menu to the theme and décor in one day. With the help of surprise partners, each restaurant serves a packed house full of hungry guests including Tim and Nina Zagat, founders of the Zagat Restaurant Guide. The Zagat’s reveal the winner with one celebrity contestant earning the $50,000 grand prize for charity.

 

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