Fritz Knipschildt is a master chocolatier who creates cocoa confections combining the very best of savory and sweet flavors, stimulating all the senses. Widely regarded as one of the top chocolatiers in the country, he has been asked by the Food Network to teach a chocolate class to culinary students at Long Island City High School. What he doesn't know is that Bobby Flay has been honing his own chocolate chops to throw down the ultimate Chocolate challenge, bonbon against bonbon, sculpture against sculpture.
New York City firefighter Keith Young is a seasoned veteran with a culinary-school degree and a chicken cacciatore recipe with five-alarm flavor. The self-proclaimed "Firehouse Chef" is getting some face time on the Food Network, but he doesn't know that his star turn is really a Throwdown against Bobby Flay. And in this challenge, both competitors have to prepare their meals on a firehouse budget. In this Throwdown, cacciatore glory belongs to the man who can shop on the cheap but deliver gourmet.
Fourth generation restaurateurs Jack and Rocco Collucci have been honing their comfort food skills at their Collucci Brother's Diner in Hyannis, Mass. They think the Food Network has tapped them and their renowned Meatloaf to be featured in a special and they're getting ready to celebrate by throwing their father a big birthday bash. But the real surprise is that Bobby Flay's showing up to challenge them to a Meatloaf Throwdown! It's the hometown heroes versus the gourmet Goliath.
With her boisterous personality, warm smile and delicious Soul Food, Delilah Winder is a local legend in Philadelphia. And when her Mac-n-Cheese was voted best in the nation on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Delilah was dubbed America's Mac-n-Cheese queen. Delilah thinks the Food Network is throwing her a cookbook release party, but she doesn't know that Bobby Flay is a surprise VIP guest ready to challenge her to a Mac-n-Cheese Throwdown. Of course, there's only one Big Cheese in this game!
Mat Arnfield has been flipping fish and chopping potatoes since he was a kid in Northern England, today frying up his critically acclaimed Fish and Chips at A Salt And Battery in New York, where customers are utterly hooked on his special recipe. Mat thinks Food Network has asked him to show off his culinary skills for a hungry crowd, but just as the beers are poured and the fish get frying, Bobby Flay appears and challenges Mat to a surprise Fish and Chips Throwdown! Can Bobby's recipe compete against Mat's time-honored tradition?
In New York City, Junior's is a name synonymous with cheesecake. This famed Brooklyn restaurant, opened by Harry Rosen in 1950, is now in the hands of his grandson, Alan. Alan has stuck to his grandfather's original recipe while expanding the cheesecake menu with creative combinations and modern flavors. Alan thinks that his cheesecake chops have landed him on the Food Network, and he's really excited to show off his creativity and his new Junior's location in the heart of Times Square. Of course, he has no clue that Bobby Flay will be part of the festivities. It's a big-time bake-off with a sweet finish, on this Cheesecake Throwdown.
Roberto Guerra and his father started a successful catering company in Miami, Fla., drawing on their Cuban heritage and created a signature roasting vessel, which Roberto has been invited to showcase for a Food Network Cuban Barbecue, but Bobby Flay is rolling into town to challenge Roberto to a Roast Pork Throwdown. Roberto's warm Cuban flavors will face Bobby's heated competition.
The place to go in Virginia for authentic, old-fashioned barbecued spare ribs is Buz and Ned's Real Barbeque in Richmond. Buz thinks he has been picked to teach the tricks of the trade for a new Food Network special, but doesn't know that Chef Bobby Flay is showing up to teach a little lesson called Throwdown! Bobby's betting his Asian-inspired spare ribs score top marks over Buz's barbecued beauties and it's up to the judges to decide who gets to move to the head of the class.
When Terri Wahl was tired of life on the road as a punk-rock musician, she turned back to her first love, food. Now, chef and owner of Auntie Em's Kitchen in Eagle Rock, Calif., famous for its super-sized and super delicious cupcakes. Terri thinks the Food Network is filming her at a CD release party with her Red Velvet Cupcakes. Little does she know that Chef Bobby Flay has been sweetening his own cupcake recipe on the sly. When he rolls up to the Echo, the tune is changed at the sweetest of all Throwdowns -- the cupcake challenge!
Pink's Hot Dogs has been a Hollywood legend since 1939. Now Pink's has become the Mecca of the all-American hot dog, with people lining up around the block waiting to get their hands on a Pink's masterpiece. Second-generation owners Richard, Beverly and Gloria have been told that Food Network is filming a 4th of July special but have no idea that while they serve their juicy dogs to a hungry lunch crowd, Bobby Flay will pull up with his own hot dog cart to challenge them to a throwdown. Will Bobby's Nacho Dog be able to steal the spotlight from Pink's signature Chili Cheese Dog?
Developed in Buffalo in 1964, the spicy chicken wing has become an American snack food staple. Buffalo is also home to the National Buffalo Wing Festival, created by Drew Cerza, who thinks the Food Network has tapped him to be the city's Wing Ambassador for a Food Network show, but little does he know that Bobby Flay will be firing up his burners to challenge him to a Chicken Wing Throwdown! Will Drew's hometown advantage and unique flavor combinations put him out on top, or will Bobby and his spicy sweet recipe help him steal the Wing King crown?
Joanne Chang has a degree in applied mathematics from Harvard and is the brain behind the famous "Sticky Sticky Buns" of Flour Bakery in Boston. Because of unique background, she's been told she's starring in a special, but what she doesn't know is that Bobby Flay is showing up to challenge her to a sticky-bun Throwdown. Will the Iron Chef get schooled by this bun-baking genius, or can Bobby's sticky buns add up to number one?
For food lovers, the Kentucky Derby is a chance to indulge in the region's famous dish, the Hot Brown. John and Joe Castro have become the go-to chefs in Louisville for anyone who wants to indulge in this classic dish. The Castro Brothers think they have been tapped to serve up their Hot Browns at a pre-Kentucky Derby party for the Food Network's new special, with no idea that Bobby Flay will be showing up to crash their party and challenge them to a Hot Brown Throwdown!