Food Network Star ( season 12 ) - wikipedia Food Network Star ( season 12 ) Food Network Star ( season 12 ) Country of origin United States No. of episodes 11 Release Original network Food Network Original release May 22 ( 2016 - 05 - 22 ) -- July 31, 2016 ( 2016 - 07 - 31 ) Additional information No. of contestants 13 Winner Tregaye Fraser Season chronology ← Previous Season 11 Next → Season 13 The twelfth season of the American reality television series Food Network Star premiered May 22, 2016 on Food Network. Food Network chefs Bobby Flay and Giada de Laurentiis returned to the series as judges. This season featured thirteen contestants rather than twelve ; the thirteenth contestant, Martita Jara ( who originally appeared in the series ' eighth season ), was chosen via a three - week spin - off series called Comeback Kitchen, where seven former Food Network Star contestants competed for a chance to participate in season 12 of the main series. Comeback Kitchen was hosted by chef Tyler Florence and chef / actress Valerie Bertinelli ; and it premiered on May 8, 2016, although it initially became available on demand in some markets in April 2016. This season also continued the inclusion of Star Salvation, a six - week webseries that featured the most recently eliminated contestant competing against the remaining previously eliminated contestants for a chance to re-enter the main Food Network Star competition. Unlike previous seasons, executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson did not assist in the judging ; nor did chief executive Brooke Johnson appear in the finale to introduce the winner ( Tuschman left Food Network and Johnson retired prior to the start of the season ). Contents 1 Contestants 1.1 Winner 1.2 Runners - up 1.3 Eliminated 2 Contestant progress 3 Comeback Kitchen contestants 3.1 Contestant progress 4 Star Salvation 4.1 Contestant progress 5 References 6 External links Contestants Winner Tregaye Fraser -- Atlanta, Georgia Runners - up Jernard Wells -- Atlanta, Georgia Damiano Carrara -- Moorpark, California Eliminated ( in order of elimination ) Havird Usry -- Augusta, Georgia Aaron Crumbaugh -- Spokane, Washington Melissa Pfeister -- Los Angeles, California Martita Jara -- San Diego, California Monterey Salka -- Nashville, Tennessee Rob Burmeister -- Staten Island, New York Joy Thompson -- Thomasville, North Carolina Erin Campbell -- Woodbury, Minnesota Ana Quincoces -- Coral Gables, Florida Yaku Moton - Spruill -- San Francisco, California Contestant progress Contestant Week 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Mentor Challenge Winner N / A Erin Martita Joy Damiano Tregaye Monterey Jernard Yaku Damiano Tregaye Damiano Tregaye Tregaye Jernard Jernard Damiano N / A Tregaye IN HIGH LOW HIGH HIGH HIGH IN HIGH IN LOW WINNER Jernard IN HIGH HIGH LOW HIGH HIGH HIGH LOW LOW IN RUNNER - UP Damiano IN HIGH IN HIGH IN IN IN HIGH IN IN RUNNER - UP Yaku IN IN LOW OUT OUT Ana HIGH HIGH LOW HIGH LOW IN LOW LOW OUT Erin IN LOW IN IN IN IN HIGH OUT Joy IN IN HIGH IN HIGH LOW OUT Rob HIGH HIGH IN LOW LOW OUT Monterey HIGH LOW IN IN OUT Martita IN HIGH OUT Aaron LOW OUT Melissa LOW OUT Havird OUT ^ Note 1 : Because of the challenge outcome, the judges did not select a winning team. Instead, they identified the three best individual cooks. ^ Note 2 : Yaku returned to the competition after winning Star Salvation. ^ Note 3 : Melissa did not appear in the finale. ^ Note 4 : Damiano was eliminated from the final three midway through the finale. ( WINNER ) The contestant won the competition and thus became the next Food Network Star. ( RUNNER - UP ) The contestant made it to the finale, but did not win. ( HIGH ) The contestant was one of the selection committee 's favorites for that week. ( IN ) The contestant performed well enough to move on to the next week. ( LOW ) The contestant was one of the selection committee 's least favorites for that week, but was not eliminated. ( OUT ) The contestant was the selection committee 's least favorite for that week, and was eliminated. Comeback Kitchen contestants Contestant Orig. season Penny Davidi 7 Matthew Grunwald 11 Martita Jara 8 Brianna Jenkins 6 Chris Kyler 10 Michele Ragussis 8 Dom Tesoriero 11 Contestant progress Contestant Week Martita IN IN WIN Dom LOW IN OUT Matthew IN IN OUT Michele IN IN OUT Chris IN IN OUT Penny LOW OUT Brianna OUT ^ Note 1 : Chris was eliminated after the mentor challenge. ( WIN ) The chef won Comeback Kitchen and returned to the main competition. ( IN ) The contestant performed well enough to move on to the next week. ( LOW ) The contestant was one of the selection committee 's least favorites for that week, but was not eliminated. ( OUT ) The contestant was the selection committee 's least favorite for that week, and was eliminated. Star Salvation This season of Star Salvation was hosted by Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and season 11 winner Eddie Jackson. Contestant progress Contestant Week 5 6 Yaku IN IN IN IN IN WIN Monterey IN IN IN IN OUT Ana OUT Erin OUT Joy OUT Rob OUT Aaron IN OUT Havird OUT ( WIN ) The chef won Star Salvation and returned to the main competition. ( IN ) The chef continued in the competition. ( OUT ) The chef lost in that week 's Star Salvation and was eliminated from the competition. References ^ Jump up to : Russo, Maria ( March 31, 2016 ). `` Food Network Star, Season 12 Star Blog ''. Food Network. Scripps Networks Interactive. Retrieved April 24, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Matt ( April 1, 2016 ). `` Food Network Gossip : Food Network Star Alumni Return For Season 12 Of Food Network Star In ' Comeback Kitchen ' ''. Food Network Gossip. Blogger. Retrieved April 24, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Time Warner Cable On Demand ''. Time Warner Cable. Retrieved April 24, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Star Salvation ''. Food Network. Scripps Networks Interactive. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2016. Jump up ^ Steinberg, Brian ( August 19, 2015 ). `` Food Network Chief Brooke Johnson to Retire Variety ''. Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 31, 2016. Jump up ^ Steinberg, Brian ( January 21, 2016 ). `` Food Network SVP Bob Tuschman to be Replaced by Deirdre O'Hearn Variety ''. Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 31, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Meet the Food Network Star, Season 12 Finalists ''. Food Network. Scripps Networks Interactive. Retrieved April 24, 2016. External links Official website Food Network Star on IMDb Food Network Star at TV.com Food Network Star season 12 Finalists Tregaye Fraser Jernard Wells Damiano Carrara Other contestants Yaku Moton - Spruill Ana Quincoces Erin Campbell Joy Thompson Rob Burmeister Monterey Salka Martita Jara Aaron Crumbaugh Melissa Pfeister Havird Usry Food Network Star Seasons 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Winners ( series ) Dan Smith & Steve McDonagh Party Line with the Hearty Boys Guy Fieri Guy 's Big Bite Diners, Drive - Ins, and Dives Guy Off the Hook Minute to Win It Rachael vs. Guy : Celebrity Cook - Off Guy 's Grocery Games Amy Finley The Gourmet Next Door Aaron McCargo, Jr. Big Daddy 's House Melissa d'Arabian Ten Dollar Dinners Aarti Sequeira Aarti Party Jeff Mauro $24 in 24 The Kitchen Kitchen Sink Sandwich King Justin Warner Rebel Eats Damaris Phillips Kids BBQ Championship Southern at Heart Lenny McNab Eddie Jackson BBQ Blitz Clash of the Grandmas Kids BBQ Championship Tregaye Fraser Kitchen Sink Jason Smith Best Baker in America Other contestants ( series ) Damiano Carrara Halloween Baking Championship Nikki Dinki Junk Food Flip Adam Gertler Will Work for Food Kid in a Candy Store Kelsey Nixon Kelsey 's Essentials Kelsey 's Homemade Jeffrey Saad United Tastes of America Selection committee Current Bobby Flay Giada De Laurentiis Former Alton Brown Gordon Elliott Marc Summers Spin - offs Food Network Star Kids Production Food Network CBS EYEtoo Productions Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Food_Network_Star_(season_12)&oldid=814898097 '' Categories : 2016 American television seasons Food Network Star Hidden categories : Infobox television season articles that use the season name parameter Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 11 December 2017, at 15 : 47. 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Question: who won the food network star in 2016
Answer: Tregaye Fraser; Tregaye Fraser; Tregaye Fraser; Tregaye Fraser