Host Eric Adjepong is back for another round of after-hours culinary poker. In Season 2 of Wildcard Kitchen, longtime Food Network judges, hosts and all-star chefs compete in a "poker" style cooking competition complete with high-risk, high-reward buy-ins, difficult challenges and friendly smack-talking. Each game consists of three rounds. Each round features a dish card, an ingredient card and a wildcard. Competing chefs come with $5,000 and must be ready to bet it all. The chef who impresses the judge after three blind taste tests takes home the final pot. Read on to meet the Food Network stars competing in Season 2.

Food Network legends and longtime friends Rocco DiSpirito, Alex Guarnaschelli and Andrew Zimmern are ready for Season 2. Having lost it all during Season 1 of Wildcard Kitchen, Rocco is ready to best both Alex and Andrew with his restaurant expertise and honed cooking techniques. With plenty of experience judging competitions on Chopped, Guy's Grocery Games and Beat Bobby Flay, and taking fellow chefs down on Alex vs. America, Alex Guarnaschelli is no stranger to the timed competition. Andrew brings a global perspective to the competition that pushes the boundaries of what can be cooked in a twenty minute time period.

Two 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing judges, Michael Symon and Esther Choi, go head-to-head with Season 1 winner, Marcel Vigneron. Michael — an Iron Chef who has won more than 24 competitions and opened over 20 restaurants — and Esther — who started in the Food Network kitchens and has gone on to open her own restaurants and beat chefs like Bobby Flay — are ready to take on the talents of Marcel firsthand. For Marcel, it's all about payback for the many challenges Michael and Esther put him through on 24 in 24.

With a high-risk, high-reward game, you need high-rolling players, which is why host Eric decided to deal in three of the most elite chefs in the food world. Stephanie Izard, Jonathon Sawyer and Karen Akunowicz have all won the title of Best Chef at the James Beard Awards (the Oscars of cooking). Stephanie is not only a Top Chef and Iron Chef, but a repeat player who won her first game on Wildcard Kitchen. Jonathan earned his James Beard in 2017 and has opened more than 18 restaurants, including one in the same city as Stephanie. Karen was awarded her James Beard in 2018 and has competed on Top Chef and Tournament of Champions.