In January, the Food Network will be debuting a new reality show called Dinner: Impossible. The show features chef Robert Irvine, who has cooked for the British royal family and four US presidents, and his two sous chefs (both named George), all of whom are put into strange situations in which they have to prepare gourmet food while overcoming various obstacles. By obstacles, we're not referring to any Indiana Jones-like traps, but more along the lines of extremely unusual working conditions. For example, one episode will feature the chefs having to shop for and prep dinner for 150, to be served on a train - assuming that they don't get left at the station. Another will feature the chefs cooking with 18th century equipment and utensils, also on a tight timeline. Essentially, the chefs will not know where they are going, where they will be working or who they will be cooking for before they arrive and will have to cook the best food they can in the circumstances. Perhaps the only downside is that, unlike Top Chef, which also features some somewhat extreme cooking situations, no one will be voted off on this show so the only thing that really will keep the chefs motivated is their own desire to beat the odds.

The Food Network loves Paula Deen and they are about to do what they always do with their favorite stars -Rachael Ray, Emeril, Bobby Flay, Alton Brown - and give her a new show. Paula's Cooking Party is an hour-long prime time show staring Paula, a kitchen and a live studio audience. The network describes it as a "non-stop rollercoaster of food, fun, stories, recipes and surprises" and it will have far less emphasis on straight cooking instruction, which her current show is based around. Well, that and butter, anyway.

Deen, 59, just recently became a grandmother, so it is something of a surprise that the network is opting to promote her when they have been trying to attract a younger audience. Granted, Paula's show and her specials have attracted the some of the largest tv audiences on the network, but is "Paula unplugged" going to attract viewers? And when one of the early episodes featured Paula "trying on a young audience member's stilettos, telling jokes and staging a live crab race," will it keep viewers accustomed to seeing her cook satisfied?

The show premiers September 29th, so we'll just have to wait until then to find out.