Guy's Chance Of A Lifetime: Release Date, Grand Prize, And More - What We Know So Far

Guy Fieri has done it again. The Food Network star and mayor of Flavortown has returned with another sure-to-be hit show, "Guy's Chance of a Lifetime." The upcoming series features seven contestants who will not only compete in intense culinary competitions, but will also learn the ins and outs of running a franchise restaurant — specifically, one of Fieri's Chicken Guy! locations. Fieri described the unique nature of the show to The Hollywood Reporter, stating that there will be "no eliminations, no meaningless cook-offs each week. It's a real deal job interview for a life-changing opportunity. The candidates on 'Guy's Chance of a Lifetime' have to prove that they are the best all-around talent in the food business." 

Besides Fieri, the show will feature a star-studded panel of judges including Robert Earl, Maneet Chauhan, Hunter Fieri, Anthony Hoy Fong, Antonia Lofaso, Christian Petroni, and John Thall. Are you hooked yet? Here's everything we know so far about "Guy's Chance of a Lifetime."

So, you're thinking that this show sounds pretty awesome and can't wait to tune in, right? Well, you'll have to wait until the new year but not too much longer after, as "Guy's Chance of a Lifetime" will premiere on Sunday, January 2 at 9 p.m. Eastern on the Food Network, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, the first episode of the six-episode series will also air early on December 26 on the discovery+ streaming service. 

The premiere will introduce the contestants to Chicken Guy! University, where they will learn absolutely everything they would ever need to know about operating Chicken Guy! restaurants, including how to work every station on the line and how to make each and every menu item (via Food Network). Everyone will be surprised when customers suddenly show up for lunch, and they'll have to make meals on the fly. Of course, Fieri and the judges will be closely watching to see who is killing it in the competition from the get-go — and who is just not cutting it.

The winner of "Guy's Chance of a Lifetime" will walk away with an incredible prize. No, we're not talking cash, we're talking ownership of a Chicken Guy! franchise location (and, of course, Food Network fame and bragging rights), per Food Network. The contestants will be evaluated not only on their cooking skills, but also on their business and marketing skills. 

Courtney White, president of Food Network and streaming food content at Discovery Inc., described the difficult competition, which will push contestants to their limits to determine who is really worthy of this amazing prize. To really get the full picture of each contestant's performance in the "24/7 job interview," the camera crews worked around the clock. "To win, these applicants study through the night, then rise at dawn to apply their new skills on the real-life restaurant line with Guy assessing their every move," White said. "The pressure and the stakes couldn't be higher. It's an intense journey and thrilling to watch." 

The seven contestants on "Guy's Chance of a Lifetime," listed on the Food Network website, are cooking professionals and business owners from across the country, all with high stakes in the competition and a drive to win. Kevin Cooper is an executive chef located in the Philadelphia area, per LinkedIn. Chase Davis is the owner of a specialty kabob food truck in Atlanta, reports Voyage ATL. Cayton Flippen is a food and beverage business development manager based in Paris, Texas (via LinkedIn). Eboni Henry, also of Texas, has previously been featured on "MasterChef," reads her website. Yet another Texan, Chelsea Sargent Lira, is the chef and owner of Houston Grazing Tables, based on her LinkedIn profile. Phillip Tomasso is a baker and business owner in Rochester, New York (via LinkedIn). And last, but certainly not least, Douglas Walls of Asheville, North Carolina is an executive chef at the Billy Graham Training Institute and the owner of a catering company, per D.a.T. sauce.

You'll find out the winner when you tune in to the finale on Sunday, February 6, when the contestants will compete at the "Fly or Fry" Food Festival. There they'll be in charge of marketing food tents in which they will pitch their unique talents to Fieri, the judges, and hundreds of hungry food festival attendees.