Alex Guarnaschelli in "Alex vs. America"

Step into the ring for some more fiery kitchen combat.

Following an action-packed first season, chef Alex Guarnaschelli squares off for Round 2 of her latest cooking competition series, "Alex vs. America." Whether she comes out swinging or pulls her punches remains to be seen when Season 2 premieres Sunday, July 31, on Food Network and discovery .

Each week, "Alex vs. America" invites three chefs to duke it out with longtime "Chopped" judge and Iron Chef Guarnaschelli for bragging rights and a cash prize. The challengers aren't alone, though. They have the producers in their corner to keep things interesting. Meanwhile, Guarnaschelli is kept in the dark about the chefs' shared culinary specialties and the episode's theme until she enters the kitchen.

"Top Chef" finalist and "Top Chef Amateurs" judge Eric Adjepong hosts the action as the three competing chefs decide on the particular constraints for each round. When the round ends, two gastronomic experts in each episode judge all four dishes in a blind tasting. The creator of the losing dish is then eliminated from the competition and sent home – even if it's Guarnaschelli herself.

Last season (which debuted back in January) saw Guarnaschelli defending her title in shellfish- and chocolate-themed episodes, but also going down swinging in a beef-themed brawl. This season promises tussles in the arenas of French, vegetarian and modernist cuisines.

Viewers can also catch extra content on FoodNetwork.com, including conversations between Guarnaschelli and Adjepong about the themes and a behind-the-scenes look at each episode. Those with a culinary inclination can also find the digital companion series "Alex vs. America Prep School" to get a breakdown of Guarnaschelli's various techniques.

Longtime food show enthusiasts will know that Guarnaschelli is already quite the heavy hitter in the world of competitive culinary television. She first threw her hat in the ring in "Iron Chef America" in 2007 before becoming a regular judge in the series and going on to win the Iron Chef title in 2012's "The Next Iron Chef: Redemption." Since then, Guarnaschelli has also taken Bobby Flay out in his own kitchen in "Beat Bobby Flay," in addition to hosting her own competition series, "Supermarket Stakeout."

Find out which chefs can roll with the punches after the gloves come off. Season 2 of "Alex vs. America" premieres Sunday, July 31, on Food Network and discovery .