Season 2 of Sweet Genius Premieres March 15th
Beware the Ides of March indeed, Sweet Genius returns. From the Food Network:
NEW YORK — February 14, 2012 — Master Pastry Chef Ron 
Ben-Israel returns to Food Network for the second season of the sugar-packed competition series Sweet Genius, premiering Thursday, March 15th at 10pm ET/PT. Back with more whimsy and wonder, each episode has four of America’s premier pastry chefs competing against one another through three rounds of challenges judged by Ben-Israel, along the way testing their creativity, ingenuity and imagination. The chefs are given surprise ingredients, an inspiration and a limited amount of time; with those three elements as a guide, they must create a delectable chocolate, candy and cake dessert. The winners from each round will advance for a final test, with Ben-Israel crowning the remaining chef Sweet Genius and receiving a $10,000 cash prize.
“Sweet Genius viewers will be on the edge of their seats as we continue to push the limits with inspirations and ingredients, while showcasing the talents of some of the best pastry chefs around,” said Ron Ben-Israel. “As a result, the desserts that the chefs create are truly outrageous.“
Over the thirteen-episode season, the chefs experience a myriad of new inspirations and ingredients, testing their pastry prowess. Whether it is making flamingo-inspired chocolate desserts with pink lemonade; creating candy desserts from rolled fruit snacks and shortbread cookies; or incorporating the inspiration of a music box to bake a cake using avocado and stinky cheese, each pastry chef will prove their imagination and skills worthy, but in the end, there can only be one Sweet Genius!
As Chef-Owner of Ron Ben-Israel Cakes, one of the country’s finest couture cake studios, Ron Ben-Israel’s cakes have been hand-delivered to destinations throughout the continental U.S and abroad. Ron started his confectionery adventures after a fifteen-year career as a professional modern dancer. Upon retiring from performing with companies spanning three continents, he utilized his art training, military background and ballet regime into the discipline of pastry arts. After arriving in New York City, Ron’s cakes were discovered by Martha Stewart while on display in the windows of Mikimoto on Fifth Avenue. In 1999 he established his flagship design studio and bakery in Manhattan’s fashionable SoHo neighborhood. He is a Master Pastry Instructor at the International Culinary Center in New York City, and has been awarded prestigious gold medals for his confectionery achievements.
Sweet Genius Season 2 Premieres Thursday, March 15th at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network.
Cooking Channel Is Looking For Perfect Recipes
A wise man once said that perfection is a journey, not a destination. Well, he never tasted my Perfect Bacon Mushroom Burger. But soon the folks at the Cooking Channel will. Heading into its second season, the network is launching a new show called The Perfect 3. Though there is a little mystery as to just what the format of the new show will be my guess is it will involve viewers sharing their perfect recipes.
I base this on the Cooking Channel’s new Perfect 3 Recipe Contest. Here’s the gist:
Have you perfected pie? Is your burger the best? Are your cookies unrivaled? Now is your chance to prove it. We’re looking for our fans’ perfect recipes in 13 different categories: cookies, brownies, pies, burgers, tacos, sandwiches, pancakes, salads, hot and spicy chili, cakes, potatoes, chicken and exotic dishes. Share your original recipe for one of the 13 categories for an opportunity to win a trip to New York City to meet Kelsey Nixon and create a short Web video about your winning recipe. Your video will be part of our upcoming summer television show, The Perfect 3.
Simply download their Recipe Submission Form, fill it out with your original recipe that fits in one of the 13 categories, and e-mail it along with a photo of the recipe to perfect@cookingchanneltv.com. That’s it! You’re entered.
That’s some pretty nifty swag – free trip to the Big Apple, your own segment on a national cooking show and the chance to tell Kelsey in person that she was robbed on NFNS 4. The regulations are pretty straight forward but if you have any questions check out the official rules. But again, I warn you, if your idea is for a bacon mushroom burger don’t waste your time. That category is as good as won. Lockbox.
BH Chef Sasha’s Tahitian Vanilla Cake
So the Private Chefs of Beverly Hills is blowing up. People are eating it up (pun intended). Gal-pal Sasha Perl-Raver is the leading search item in conjunction with the show and in episode three she unveiled a cake that is all the buzz. Sasha recently published the recipe for her much talked about Tahitian Vanilla Cake.
After having suffered hundreds of hours of boring Food Network Cake Challenges I have finally seen a cake that I would actually like to try. Why does this cake sound better to me than those lame Disney cakes or even the masterpieces churned out by the talented gang at Charmed City Cakes? No F’ing fondant! Sure it makes the cake prettier but fondant is devoid of flavor and has an uncomfortable texture. It’s like eating glue and the last time I checked we are not supposed to eat glue. Anyway, here is Sasha’s recipe for Tahitian Vanilla Cake.
Food Network Challenge: Last Cake Standing
I don’t know why but this was the most popular post I had in 2009 and pretty much ever. I don’t get watching people decorate cake after cake that everyone knows do not taste good, but to each his own. I’m satisfied with one episode of Aces of Cakes each week.
The special four-week stunt “Food Network Challenge: Last Cake Standing” premieres April 5th at 8pm ET/PT.
NEW YORK – March 5, 2009 – Since 2005, Food Network Challenge has captivated viewers with exciting food battles from around the country. Now in it’s first-ever elimination-style competition, Food Network Challenge: Last Cake Standing, six Challenge all-stars vie for the title of “Best Cake Artist in America.” Premiering Sunday, April 5th at 8pm ET/PT, the series throws the pastry chefs into a grueling four-round cake competition. The Challenge alumni will be thrown a number of difficult tasks, from creating one-of-a-kind wedding creations to undergoing a 24-hour cake-making marathon. Each week the judges eliminate one cake artist, and the winner takes home the biggest prize in Challenge history: $50,000! Challenge emcee Keegan Gerhard serves as host and notable pastry chef Patrick Coston and famed cake designer Kerry Vincent lead the judging panel.
“Last Cake Standing super- charges our popular Food Network Challenge series to make it the toughest, longest, most extreme cake competition ever,” said Bob Tuschman, Senior Vice President, Programming and Production. “Viewers will be amazed, not just at the brilliant creations, but at the fierceness of the competition. Who knew cake decorating was an extreme sport?”
The six Challenge all-stars are: Michelle Bommarito (Ferndale, MI), Courtney Clark (Ann Arbor, MI), Mary Maher (Chicago, IL), James Rosselle (Los Angeles, CA), Elisa Strauss (New York, NY), and Bronwen Weber (Dallas, TX). Food Network Challenge: Last Cake Standing was shot in Denver, CO.
Episodes include:
Episode 1 – Premiering Sunday, April 5th at 8pm ET/PT
In the premiere of Food Network Challenge: Last Cake Standing, six enthusiastic Challenge all-stars receive their first task: illustrate one aspect of their lives through cake! The action-packed competition begins with surprise instructions to move into their kitchens and immediately start creating their signature cakes. At the elimination ceremony, a curveball shocks the competitors when they, instead of the judges, are told to eliminate the first cake artist.
Episode 2 – Premiering Sunday, April 12th at 8pm ET/PT
The five remaining competitors take a field trip to Denver’s City Hall where they embark upon an exciting, but complicated challenge: create a top-notch wedding cake in only eight hours. The competitors serve as wedding ceremony witnesses and consult with the newlyweds before completing impromptu cake sketches. The judges reveal the next elimination and the winning cake is served at the reception that very night.
Episode 3 – Premiering Sunday, April 19th at 8pm ET/PT
The competition heats up when the four remaining competitors design over-the-top cakes based on an original superhero, decked out with extreme elements like moveable parts and fireworks. Hours before the competition, they are divided into teams and required to combine their cake designs. The winning team advances to the finale, and the losing duo faces off in an intense, 30-minute “cake-off” to determine who will move on and who will go up in smoke!
Episode 4 – Premiering Sunday, April 26th at 8pm ET/PT
The final three competitors endure a 24-hour cake-making marathon – the longest competition in Challenge history! The finalists create a unique five-foot birthday cake for a set of sextuplets. Upon completion, they must transport their cakes 20 miles to the birthday party. Strategy, endurance and skills are tested and one talented cake artist is finally crowned the winner!
