Food Network Sets ‘Chocolate Meltdown’ Competition Series, Taped After-Hours in Hersheypark (Exclusive)

Food Network has a new primetime competition series taped after hours in Hersheypark that’s about to give all chocoholics a nervous bakedown waiting for its arrival. The Sunny Anderson-hosted show is called “Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey’s After Dark” and it will make its sweet debut Monday, Sept. 27 at 10/9c on the cable channel, TheWrap has learned exclusively.

The four-episode “Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey’s After Dark” will see three skilled pastry chefs locked inside the iconic 121-acre Pennsylvania amusement park “without a soul in sight” and tasked with creating “mind-bending” chocolate showpieces.

Per Food Network, “In each hour-long episode, they must solve clues and brave the thrilling rides to use Hershey’s sweets for their colorful and spectacular creations before the night is over. Working at breakneck speed with the help of just an assistant within Hershey’s largest candy store, Chocolate World, the competitors race against the clock as judges Ralph Attanasia (Food Network’s “Buddy vs. Duff”) and Maneet Chauhan (Winner, “Tournament of Champions”) keep a watchful eye to determine who was the most successful at molding chocolate and spinning sugar into works of art. The winner of each episode earns a year’s supply of Hershey’s candy, a Hersheypark vacation and a cash prize.”

Here’s the description for the series’ hourlong debut installment:

“In the premiere episode, the competitors prove themselves with inspired takes on a Creepy Crawly Carnival. After running through the park on a chilly and rainy night, the pastry artists take a spin on one of the park’s most dizzying rides. Back in Chocolate World, a self-taught and gravity-defying cake artist quickly runs into problems, forcing them to adjust the design on the fly. Meanwhile, a sugar artist almost loses a battle against a 33-pound slab of dark chocolate, and a sculpting enthusiast uses enough Hershey’s candy to empty the whole store. Other episodes include the pastry chefs using Reese’s Pieces and Almond Joy candies to create a Scary Sci-Fi chocolate showpiece. And the competitors have their work cut out for them as they create Frightful Forest-themed chocolate displays incorporating Twizzlers Twists and York Peppermint Patties.”

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“Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey’s After Dark” is part of Food Network’s Halloween-themed programming lineup, which, with 36 hours of content this year, is the cable channel’s largest-ever slate for the season.

The show is produced by Beyond Productions for Food Network and in partnership with the Hershey Company, the candy innovator founded by Milton S. Hershey that’s behind 90 iconic brands, including Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher and more.

“This brand-new series, the first ever to film overnight inside Hersheypark and Hershey’s Chocolate World, is a viewer’s ultimate Halloween fantasy brought to life,” Courtney White, president of Food Network and Cooking Channel, said. “Our partnership with the iconic candy brand and the show’s no-holds-barred access to rides, sweets, and everything Hershey, Pa. offers, makes ‘Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey’s After Dark’ an addictive new highlight to our supersized Halloween lineup.”

Anderson added: “‘Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey’s After Dark’ combines two of my all-time passions, going to amusement parks and creating art with food. I cannot wait to share these amazing chocolate displays with viewers, featuring some of the most talented pastry chefs on the planet.”

Viewers will be able to go behind the scenes of “Chocolate Meltdown” and watch Sunny, Maneet and Ralph compete in their own chocolate-themed challenges at FoodNetwork.com/HersheysAfterDark.

Read original story Food Network Sets ‘Chocolate Meltdown’ Competition Series, Taped After-Hours in Hersheypark (Exclusive) At TheWrap