Food Network, Cooking Channel Announce 2012 Lineup

Of course we all new that Iron Chef would be renewed (although, twist! This season is themed "Redemption"), but Food Network and Cooking Channel have announced a whopping 22 new series. Combined with their renewed 35 shows, that's 57 shows altogether. If there was ever sign of food media overload, this is it.

The Cooking Channel is premiering shows starring chef Gerry Garvin, Eden Grinshpan, Chuck Hughes, and Mo Rocca, but we're mostly excited about Eddie Huang's Cheap Bites premiere in August 2012. Sure, he is everywhere now, and the promo dropped back in December, but word is Grant Achatz sent some Baohaus over to Per Se's staff a while back, so that definitely gives Huang some street cred.

Food Network, in the meantime, is premiering Meat Men, featuring New York City butcher Pat LaFrieda and his meat purveyor business. There's also a revamp of Cupcake Wars in Cupcake Champions (taking Wars winners and pitting them against each other, obviously), and also a show called Undercover Critics.

Jamie Deen also gets his own show on Food Network, although it is a daytime show. Blind Dinner Party, helmed by comedian Margaret Cho, also seems a bit more interesting than standard cooking competitions. In this show, premiering October 2012, the Food Network promises a "bizarre social experiment" where Cho gathers seven strangers for a dinner party. It's like the classic "dinner with strangers," but possibly with famous people.

Check out the full list of shows at the Scripps Network site.