Reality TV

Top Chef Just Desserts is back and better than ever: just ask the show's returning host, Gail Simmons. Simmons talked shop about the Bravo show's second season, not confirming an air date but hinting that "the second season will air before the end of the year."

Will season two have the same frenzied, diva- and drama-filled cast of characters that the first season had? "The chefs, the pastry chefs on this next season are really, really special — really talented. I mean, what they accomplish just blows my mind," said Gail. As for what will change on-set: "I think the way they're going to make it different is just that everything is going to be bigger, higher, sweeter, more colorful, more visual, and the challenges are going to be even more unbelievable."

Sounds like a lot more of, well, everything! Are you excited to tune in to Top Chef Just Desserts 2 when it returns?

We've got more details on one of Food Network's brand-new primetime television shows, Best in Smoke: turns out the reality TV series, which premieres May 8 at 10 p.m., will be hosted by none other than The Next Iron Chef's "linebacker ballerina" Bryan Caswell.

The Texas restaurateur, who's no amateur when it comes to barbecue himself, will follow America's best pitmasters as they compete head to head in venues across Manhattan for a $50,000 grand prize and the title of "best in smoke." He'll be joined by judges celebrity chef Tim Love, cookbook author Amy Mills Tunnicliffe, and James Beard Foundation executive Mitchell Davis.

Contestants include "Famous Dave" Anderson, founder of Famous Dave's America; Chris Hart, winner of the 2009 Jack Daniel's Invitational; Sara Horowitz, runner-up at the Versus National BBQ Championship series; Matt Lang, former head chef at New York's Fette Sau; Chris Lilly, vice president at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q Restaurant; and Brad Orrison, founder of The Shed BBQ.

I'm a huge fan of both barbecue and Bryan, so I can already smell the hickory smoke coming out of my TV screen. Will you tune in to watch?

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Food Network doesn't just have a new wine coming out — it's also got a roster of brand-new shows for both daytime and primetime.

The surprising programming offers a broad range of variety, from the cooking-centric (on the ranch with Pioneer Woman and blogger Ree Drummond) to the reality-heavy (a squabbling, multigenerational family of cookie bakers).

To see the full list, keep reading.

If the conclusion of Top Chef All-Stars has brought about symptoms of foodie reality TV withdrawal, sit tight, because the Food Network's Next Food Network Star is back with a vengeance.

The seventh season, which premieres Sunday, June 5, at 9 p.m., is the network's most star-studded yet and features celebrated figures from Alton Brown to Michael Symon to Ina Garten. Among the challenges? Performing live on the Rachael Ray Show, catering the Guy Fieri-headlined All American Food Festival, and competing head to head in Kitchen Stadium, Iron Chef America-style.

Season seven's challenges aren't the only part of the show that's advanced — the contestants sound like a pretty qualified bunch, too. To see the 15 finalists who'll compete come June, keep reading.