Valerie Gordon

Nine professional bakers battle it out on the new season of Best Baker in America, premiering Monday, May 13th at 9pm ET/PT. Food Network's Scott Conant returns to host, tasking the bakers over seven episodes with challenges designed to put their baking skills and technical proficiency to the test for a chance to walk away with $25,000 and the coveted title. During each episode the bakers must create elegant and delicious baked goods through two rounds - a Skills Challenge that tests their mastery of the essential technical skills of baking, followed by a Master Challenge that tests the bakers' prowess working with specific flavors and ingredients. Returning judges, Jason Smith and Marcela Valladolid, are joined by special guest pastry experts each episode, including Florian Bellanger, Elizabeth Chambers, Valerie Gordon, Shinmin Li, Nancy Silverton, Sherry Yard and Zac Young, to determine which baker possesses the artistry and creativity needed to earn the grand prize and be crowned Best Baker in America!

Food Network gets the new year started right with new series, new seasons and new episodes of fan-favorite shows in January. First, Guy Fieri welcomes Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives families to Flavortown for the tournament premiere of Guy's Grocery Games: DDD Family Tournament on Wednesday, January 2nd at 9pm. Next, Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence welcome a new batch of hapless recruits to whip into shape on the season premiere of Worst Cooks in America on Sunday, January 6th at 9pm. Next, 12 talented young bakers enter the kitchen with the hopes of impressing Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman on a new season of Kids Baking Championship premiering Monday, January 7th at 9pm. Then, at 10pm, Giada De Laurentiis hosts brand-new competition series, Winner Cake All, with four of the best cake-baking teams in the country facing off each episode to create epic cakes for clients such as TLC's The Busbys, Rashad Jennings, Apolo Ohno and more. Also, catch primetime premieres of Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy's Grocery Games and Triple D Nation. In daytime, Giada De Laurentiis is sharing her hosting tips and tricks on a new season of Giada Entertains premiering Sunday, January 20th at 11:30am. Also, in daytime, don't miss premieres of Girl Meets Farm, Guy's Ranch Kitchen, The Kitchen, The Pioneer Woman and Trisha's Southern Kitchen. FoodNetwork.com is serving up healthy options for the new year and seasonal recipes perfect for the cold weather. Join the Food Network conversation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat Discover.

Flapjack Entertainment begins production this week on a feature documentary following three-Michelin-starred chef David Kinch ( The Mind of a Chef ) of Manresa restaurant in Los Gatos, CA, on an epicurean mash-up with some of the top chefs in France.

Today's issue focuses on cookbooks--a genre that we at the Shelf love more than most things (except chocolate). Consider Cowgirl Creamery Cooks by Sue Conley and Peggy Smith (Chronicle Books, $35), cofounders of the famous Point Reyes Station artisanal creamery. From their buttery classic grilled cheese sandwich to Lemon-Ginger Crème Fraîche Granita to Tomato Watermelon Panzanella Salad with Feta, you'll be inspired to increase your dairy consumption.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a TV alien, a silver screen starship pilot, a Tony Award nominee, a Mini-Me and others join the collection of stars from the worlds of stage, screen, radio, politics, music, food, fitness, spirituality and interplanetary transport (both real and imagined) who had already signed on for special cameo performances in the world premiere of The Second City's "A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens!" at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre.

Center Theatre Group and The Second City are assembling an eclectic collection of stars from the worlds of stage, screen, radio, politics, music, food, fitness, spirituality and interplanetary transport who will drop in, one by one, for a special cameo performance in the world premiere of The Second City's "A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens!"