Food Network Star Season 9 Contestants Announced

Today the Food Network announced the cast and guests appearing in the ninth season of Food Network Star. The show will premiere on June 2nd, and it's going to be pretty much exactly the way it has been for the past few seasons.

Food Networkpeople Alton Brown, Bobby Flay, and Giada De Laurentiis are still leading the action, and Food Network execs Susie Fogelson and Bob Tuschman are returning as judges. Viewers should get excited for guests appearances from Alex Guarnaschelli, Robert Irvine, and Guy Fieri (of season two).

The cast includes a mix of restaurant chefs, private chefs, enthusiasts, and people who have already appeared on food tv shows before. Two contestants stand out for having gained national attention for their culinary endeavors: Cleveland's food truck guru Chris Hodgson and Utah chef Viet Pham.

Hodgson — the chef of the Hodge Podge and Dim and Den Sum food trucks and the restaurant Hodge's— was a Food & Wine People's Best New Chef nominee in 2013. Pham is the chef of Forage, and was a Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2011. Both Hodgson and Pham have appeared on Food Network before. Hodgson competed on season two of the The Great Food Truck Race, while Pham has beaten Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America and was the runner-up of Extreme Chef.

Food Network hasn't released any bios yet, but Food Network Gossip has a list of their past television appearances. Below, a video preview and information gathered from research on the contestants to tide you over.

The Finalists:

Nikki Dinki (New York)
Job: Food Blogger and Voice Over Actress
See: www.nikkidinkicooking.com

Andres Guillama (Waynesville, NC)
Job: Regional Representative at Mindy's Bakery
See: www.mindysbakery.com

Rodney Henry (Baltimore)
Job: Founder, Dangerously Delicious Pies
See: www.dangerouspies.com

Chris Hodgson (Cleveland)
Job: Chef at Hodge's, Dim and Den Sum, Hodge Podge
See: hodgescleveland.com

Connie "Lovely" Jackson (Los Angeles)
Job: Private Chef, Sometime Recording Artist
See: www.cheflovely.com

Russell Jackson (San Francisco)
Job: Chef For Hire
See: www.russelljackson.com

Danushka Lysek (New York)
Job: Private Chef and Cooking Instructor
See: https://twitter.com/Danushkacooks

Daniela Perez-Reyes (Haleiwa, Haw.)
Job: Unconfirmed
See: outlawagency.com/women/daniela-perez-reyes (Is this her?)

Viet Pham
Job: Chef, Forage Restaurant
See: www.firstpresspr.com/case-vietpham.html

Damaris Phillips (Louisville, Ky.)
Job: Writer for LouisvilleBeer.com, Culinary Instructor
See: louisvillebeer.com/blog/author/dphillips/

Stacey Poon-Kinney (San Diego)
Job: Chef/Owner of the The Trails Eatery
See: thetrailseatery.com

Chad Rosenthal (Ambler, Penn.)
Job: Barbecue Enthusiast
See: @ChadRosenthal

Video: The Next Food Network Star Supertease Video

· NEW ROSTER OF HOPEFULS VIE FOR CULINARY STARDOM IN SEASON NINE OF PRIMETIME COMPETITION SERIES FOOD NETWORK STAR [Food Network]
· All Food Network Star Coverage on Eater [-E-]