For season 9 , Alton Brown , Bobby Flay , and Giada De Laurentiis mentored and judged twelve Food Network Star competitors .
The contestants were not divided into teams as in season 8 .
For season 9 , Alton Brown , Bobby Flay , and Giada De Laurentiis mentored and judged twelve Food Network Star competitors , although the contestants were not divided into teams as in season 8 .