Universal Orlando Close Up | A Behind-the-Scenes Look on the “Food Network Star” Premiere
In addition to being a theme park destination, Universal Orlando Resort is often the backdrop of major TV show, feature film, music and social video shoots. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of your favorite celebrity working in one of our parks.
For example, if you were here in February, you might have spotted Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis filming the season premiere of their hit show, Food Network Star.
Ten brand new competitors competed in a culinary competition that took place all around our theme parks. The challenge of this episode was to transform their favorite signature dish into something that is theme park-friendly and easy for guests to eat.
The production kicked off at Universal’s Volcano Bay where the competitors were introduced to Giada and Bobby. It was incredible to watch the production team bring Waturi Beach and the Krakatau Volcano to life as the show’s set.
Once the competitors were given their challenge instructions, they took over the Volcano Bay pavilions. The Food Network Star production team worked with the Universal Production Group and Culinary team to completely transform one of the pavilions into a working outdoor kitchen.
The next location where we filmed was Universal CityWalk, where two competitors at a time pitched their dishes to park guests. Later in the evening, the production made its way back to Volcano Bay for a nighttime shoot under the lights of the Krakatau volcano. A stage was set up right on the beach for Bobby and Giada to taste each competitor’s dish and judge their CityWalk pitches.
Our final location was the Jurassic Park Discovery Center, where Bobby and Giada revealed which competitor will not move one step closer to being a Food Network Star. This location was chosen because there is a spectacular view of Universal’s Islands of Adventure lagoon and attractions.
You can check out the full premiere episode of Food Network Star Season 14 on Sunday, June 10th, at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network.
Stay tuned to the blog and follow us on social media for more on what’s happening at Universal Orlando Resort.
