Bobby Flay and Food Network Star Returns

Bobby Flay returns to turn up the heat.

“The Next Food Network Star” is back this summer with a star-studded fourth season on Food Network.

This season Bobby Flay takes a seat with the selection committee full-time and the finalists are put through the ringer to prove that they can take the cake (and the pizza, and the lobster, and the potato salad) to be the last chef standing and winner of his-or-her own Food Network show.

Unlike other cooking shows, this isn’t just about being able to deliver great food.  The winner also has to have star quality — that extra special something that will make viewers want to tune in week after week.

The 10 finalists include: Nipa Bhatt (Victoria, MN), Jennifer Cochrane (Woonsocket, RI), Lisa Garza (Dallas, TX), Adam Gertler (Philadelphia, PA), Cory Kahaney (New York, NY), Shane Lyons (Colorado Springs, CO), Aaron McCargo Jr. (Camden, NJ), Kelsey Nixon (North Ogden, UT), Kevin Roberts (San Diego, CA), and Jeffrey Vaden (White Plains, NY).

Challenges include a late night race through the streets of Manhattan, creating easy versions of complicated dishes for the staff of Bon Appetit magazine, teaming up with girl scouts to create healthy meals and cooking under the bright lights on the Las Vegas strip.

Throughout June and July, the selection committee, aided by a rotating cast of remarkable guest stars including Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Alton Brown, Cat Cora, Sandra Lee, Gina and Pat Neely, Masaharu Moriomto, Tyler Florence, Michael Symon and Season Two winner Guy Fieri, will narrow the field down until the finale.

This season, the selection committee will select the winner and he-or-she will be revealed during the series’ finale on Sunday, July 27th at 10pm ET/PT and will receive a six-episode show that will premiere in August 2008.

Fans of “The Next Food Network Star” can make their voices heard, by logging on to http://www.FoodNetwork.com/Star and participating in the network’s first-ever “fan favorite” vote! Starting Monday, June 2nd, viewers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite contestants throughout the season. The finalist with the most votes will be crowned the “fan favorite” and will win assorted prizes.

The series kicks off with a few friendly Food Network faces on Sunday, June 1st at 10pm ET/PT.