Shirley Chung, recovering from cancer, filmed Guy’s Grocery Games before her diagnosis

Top Chef alum and now frequent Food Network competitor and judge Shirley Chung is judging a brand-new episode of Guy’s Grocery Games tonight, “All-Star All Swap,” which features Alex Guarnaschelli’s return to the competition.

While Shirley is currently recovering from cancer treatment, this episode was filmed long ago—so long that it even predates her diagnosis.

Shirley Chung posted this photo of having her head shaved during treatment for stage-four tongue cancer

Last year, Shirley revealed that she’d been diagnosed with stage-four tongue cancer in May 2024. Cancerous cells had spread to her lymph nodes.

Shirley chose an option that would allow her to keep her tongue. She wrote, “Cheer me on, Shirley Chung 2.0 will be reborn in 2025!”

In mid-December, Shirley shared an update: she’d completed 10 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation—though she said it was not easy: “I experienced the hardest / worst days of my life during recovery,” she wrote. A few weeks later, she ate her first solid food since treatment ended.

Guy’s Grocery Games “All-Star All Swap” judges Jonathon Sawyer, Shirley Chung, and Brooke Williamson

Tonight’s episode of Guy’s Grocery Games, hosted and produced by Guy Fieri, is season 38, episode 3, “All-Star All Swap.”

Food Network describes it like this:

Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli makes her triumphant return to Flavortown Market by taking on fellow culinary greats Rocco DiSpirito and Brian Malarkey in one of the most twisted competitions yet. As soon as these all-stars begin shopping for their hometown favorite, Guy Fieri announces the store is closing. Then, Guy hits them with his new swap wheel, which determines whether they have to swap stations, ingredients or places with the judges! In the second round, Guy tells them to swap dishes, turning the burger and fries ingredients they shopped for into a high-end dinner. The chefs continue to swap till they drop, and ultimately the winning chef earns an automatic $20,000.

Shirley Chung judging Guy’s Grocery Games season 38, episode 3

Shirley is judging the episode alongside Brooke Williamson and Jonathon Sawyer.

While it may seem like the episode was just filmed, Food Network competitions are filmed and edited long before their broadcast. For example, this year’s Tournament of Champions will air starting in March 2025, but filmed in September 2024—six months earlier.

Shirley shared on Instagram that this GGG episode was filmed prior to May 2024.

“This was the last episode of GGG I filmed before my diagnosis as Shirley 1.0 ☺️. I am still recovering from my cancer, can’t wait to watch it tomorrow,” Shirley wrote. She added, “I do miss my long long hair.”