Plot Synopsis

Executive produced by Gail Simmons, STAR PLATES is a half-hour reality series that features celebrity guests realizing their culinary dreams by working in the kitchen with world-renowned chefs, who give them a crash course in all things culinary. In the end, the celebs make and serve their favorite dish to a restaurant full of family, friends and patrons who are there to enjoy the star creation. Each 30-minute episode features a different celebrity/chef pairing, including the pilot, which follows Judy Greer as she saddles up side-by-side with Chef Antonia Lofaso at Black Market Liquor Bar in Los Angeles, learning to cook her favorite ravioli and experience life as line cook for one night. Step by step, Judy gets a crash course about the kitchen and food. As dinner service begins and the rack quickly fills up with tickets for ravioli, Antonia also has Judy fill an order for Fluffer Nutters. There's drama at every turn for Judy in the kitchen at Black Market, forcing her to use her acting skills to look calm under intense pressure. Cooking Channel premiered the pilot episode on Monday, November 30, 2015 at 9pm ET/6pm PT, but the cable channel had no other episodes on its schedule at that time. Eleven months later, STAR PLATES debuted as a six-episode series on a new network, Food Network, on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at 11pm ET/PT. On the series premiere, actress Mindy Kaling partners up with Marcus Samuelsson at Red Rooster in Harlem, New York, to make one of her favorite dishes, the signature Fried Chicken Royale. She quickly learns that there is more to this dish than just dredging and frying, but will she be able to perfect the dish for her mentor chef (and a restaurant full of hungry customers) all while trying to avoid the distractions and eye candy in the kitchen? Over the course of the first season, sportscaster Erin Andrews will find herself in a whole new ballgame in downtown Los Angeles at Susan Feniger's Border Grill, as she is forced to step up to the plate and service the ultimate lunch rush, and Alyson Hannigan will be out of her element at L.A. eatery Ink when Michael Voltaggio teaches her some unusual cooking techniques using liquid nitrogen and blowtorches. Skills and friendships will be tested when Colin Hanks learns that there is no palling around in Vinny Dotolo's kitchen at Animal, and in West Hollywood at Estrella, Busy Philipps will try not to crack under the pressure of executing Dakota Weiss' signature egg and avocado dish. Things also get bittersweet for Minka Kelly asshe gets a lesson at Georgie in Beverly Hills on chocolate souffle from Geoffrey Zakarian.