Wishing on a (Food) star
Food Network readies new offerings for 2022
Hopefully you’ve been more “nice” than “naughty” this year, because Food Network is ready to fulfill your holiday wish for new programs in 2022.
This year, we saw several Food Network stars land exclusive multi-year deals, and that means we can expect to see tons of new content from them in 2022 — series, seasons, episodes, podcasts, streaming specials, you name it.
One of those stars is Ina Garten, who signed a deal that allows her to expand her reach beyond the “Barefoot Contessa” franchise.
Her first project is the tentatively titled series “Be My Guest,” in which Garten welcomes viewers into her home (hopefully with a giant cocktail in hand). What’s interesting about this one is that there will be three versions of “Be My Guest”: a halfhour show on Food Network, a companion podcast and an hour-long, extended cut on discovery+.
Guy Fieri’s contract was big news last spring, when his $80-million deal made him the highest-paid chef on TV, and if you’re looking forward to seeing new projects from him, you don’t have much longer to wait: on Dec. 26, discovery+ subscribers are getting a sneak peek of the new sixpart series “Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime,” which premieres Jan. 2 on Food Network.
“We rolled cameras around the clock on ‘Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime,’ documenting every aspect of this unprecedented, grueling, 24/7 job interview,” Courtney White, president of Food Network and streaming food content for Discovery, said. “To win [one of Fieri’s Chicken Guy franchises], these applicants study through the night then rise at dawn to apply their new skills on the real-life restaurant line, with Guy assessing their every move. The pressure and stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s an intense journey and thrilling to watch.”
Speaking of intense journeys, Bobby Flay seemed poised to chart a new course in 2022. With his contract expiring at year’s end, everyone was bracing for Flayxit after reports surfaced that contract talks had broken off and the two sides were far apart.
In the end, Flay and Food Network are not uncoupling: they agreed on a multi-year deal that extends their relationship until 2024, so expect to see “Bobby and Sophie on the Coast” among the new series that will be gifted to us in 2022.