Celebrity TV chef Guy Fieri recently revealed what fans can expect to see in the upcoming season of Food Network’s Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas.
Fieri, the host of TOC, said fans can expect to see some new twists this season as the show takes on a holiday special, in a post on Instagram. The new season is changing how chefs compete, creating 16 two-person teams in a competition to make holiday dishes.
Guy Fieri Talks Upcoming TOC Christmas Special
“Well, we’ve never had two chefs cooking together. I mean, that’s really something special,” he said. “And we have to hope that the chefs are picking the right partner.”
The chef revealed that changes will be coming to the set.
“Fortunately, I have an amazing production team around me. The kitchens have to be extended, the pantry has to be developed and extended, decorations have to be on point,” he said.
Fieri said he’s excited about the addition of Christmas decorations to the kitchen, saying, “Christmas is a very special time of the year. And I think that our art department has really knocked it out.”
“I think it’s beautiful,” he continued. “I think it really sets the theme, sets the tone. It feels like Christmas when you come in.”
What is Tournament of Champions and What is the Christmas Special?
GettyTOC first started in 2020 and is a reality TV show that gathers 32 of the “world’s greatest chefs for the most-intense culinary competition ever held,” according to Food Network.
“Emotions run high in the single-elimination, sudden-death bracket tournament as the competitors face off in head-to-head battles to stay alive,” the network added.
The Christmas special series premiered on November 5 and is set to run for six episodes total. The teams of two chefs are competing for a $100,000 cash prize and an additional payment that will go toward charity.
This season has some fan-favorite chefs like Alex Guarnaschelli, known for her Food Network Shows Alex vs. America, Alex’s Day Off, The Cooking Loft and Supermarket Stakeout. Guarnaschelli is also a recurring judge on Chopped.
Guarnaschelli is paired up with Antonia Lofaso, a celebrity chef who has also appeared on Chopped, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Worst Cooks in America and The Kitchen — a beloved show that was recently canceled.
Fieri said his favorite part of hosting TOC is “Seeing [his] really good friends reach milestones that they’ve never hit.”
“Seeing a champion be crowned. Seeing the audience lose their mind because their favorite chefs come out and battle. I mean, this is the MMA [mixed martial arts] of the culinary world,” Fieri added.
The chef also said one of his favorite parts is the way the show connects with people, saying he loves when people come up on the street to talk to him about it.
The next episode of TOC: All-Star Christmas will air on November 12 at 8:00 p.m. EST on the Food Network.
