Stacey Poon-Kinney

Twelve hopefuls come to LA to compete for their own Food Network show. Their celebrity mentors help them prepare to audition, and each finalist makes a tape and a dish to present to Bob Tuschman, Susie Fogelson and a focus group.

Food Network Star throws an over-the-top Burger Bash. The finalists must create the best burger of their lives and present it to 100 enthusiasts. Afterward, the fans decide whose burger they want to try, based on the live-demo presentations. After a vote on which burger is best, the least successful finalist is sent home.

The finalists must be adventurous onscreen and in the kitchen. Each must use an unusual ingredient in a dish to auction off. The better the presentations, the higher the bids; the chef whose dish fetches the highest price is safe.

A Food Network Star must be able to offer solutions for any culinary situation. Robert Irvine leads an "impossible" challenge: to rehabilitate a restaurant's failing or outdated dishes. The least successful finalist is sent home.

A Food Network Star must take any combination of ingredients to new culinary heights. Each finalist identifies an exotic ingredient; the top two join Alex Guarnaschelli as judges as the rest battle it out Chopped style.

In teams, the finalists film a three-minute "food story show" about a pizza joint and a doughnut shop. Guest judges from The Hollywood Reporter screen and critique the shows; the least successful team lands in the bottom three.