Lorraine Pascale hosts “Bakers vs. Fakers”

Four culinary contestants, a secret ingredient, a panel of judges and a big cash prize. It's a formula that works, and it works well. But for one Food Network baking competition to stand out from the crowd, it needs a distinct little twist. 

Season 2 of "Bakers vs. Fakers" premieres Wednesday, May 24, on Food Network, with its familiar format and an all-new host. English TV cook Lorraine Pascale takes the reins from last season's Buddy Valastro, with some new judges and a whole host of talented new contestants all fired up for some healthy competition.

Like so many cooking and baking shows, "Bakers vs. Fakers" features four talented contestants prepping delicious confections using a secret ingredient for a pair of judges. The big twist here -- and it's a good one -- is that only two of the four bakers are professionals: the other two are just home baking enthusiasts.

No one knows who's who: not the judges, not the other contestants, not even the audience. If one of the professionals beats the competition and impresses the judges the most, he or she wins a sweet $10,000. On the other hand, if one of the "fakers" manages to outbake the pros, then he or she earns a bundle of extra cash, getting a whopping $15,000 prize.

In the premiere episode, two bakers and two fakers face off in a fruit tart battle, but in an ingredient twist, they must use pistachios in their confections. Then, once one contestant has been sent packing, the three remaining bakers and fakers are given a variety of mustards to incorporate into their sweet treats -- a challenge, even for a seasoned pro.

Folks who keep an eye on Food Network programming have probably noticed that "Bakers vs. Fakers" is awfully similar to the network's "Cooks vs. Cons" -- so similar, in fact, that it's essentially the same show but features baking instead of cooking. That's no mistake: cooking and baking are two sides of the same coin, and this is far from the first (and almost certainly not the last) time that Food Network has carbon copied one of its cooking competitions and reworked it into a baking one.

"Cooks vs. Cons" has been a hit for Food Network, and with a second season starting this week, "Bakers vs. Fakers" is likely to do well, too. Lorraine Pascale takes over for the season 2 premiere Wednesday, May 24, on Food Network.