What is Worst Cooks in America about?

12 to 16 contestants with poor cooking skills are taken through an eight-week culinary boot camp, to earn a cash prize of $25,000. The recruits are trained on the various basic cooking techniques including: baking, knife skills, temperature, seasoning and preparation. The final challenge is to co...

Worst Cooks in America

Name: Worst Cooks in America
Genre: Reality, Comedy
Released: 2010-01-03
Rating: 6.6
Cast: Anne Burrell

TV Show TV-G 2010 42m/ep 6.6 /10 Returning

A Food Network Original

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Streaming availability last verified: January 24, 2026

About Worst Cooks in America

An eager but under skilled group of hopeful cooks is assembled for an eight week boot camp that tests more than knife skills. They come with limited kitchen confidence and a mix of personalities that promise both laughs and tension. Under the steady guidance of Anne Burrell, they learn the fundamentals of the kitchen from proper knife technique and precise temperatures to seasoning balance and smart prep. The aim is to prove you can work with a team, stay calm under pressure, and steadily improve week to week. Contestants vie for a $25,000 prize as they tackle challenges, refine techniques, and gain confidence, without spoilers about what happens along the way.

The series premiered on Food Network in 2010 with Anne Burrell guiding the contestants. It follows an original reality competition format that puts amateur cooks through an intensive eight week training and elimination style, featuring demonstrations, tasting, and frank critique.

Awards: While the show has earned affection from viewers and is part of a long running food competition slate, Worst Cooks in America has not landed major nominations or wins at Emmy, Golden Globes, or other top award ceremonies. The focus remains on skill building and entertainment rather than accolades.

The show helped popularize a kitchen boot camp vibe on mainstream cooking TV, pairing strict coaching with light hearted humor and total kitchen chaos. Its format influenced later competitions that mix skill drills with timed challenges and crowd pleasing mishaps, creating a template for aspiring cooks everywhere today around the world.

Reception among critics has been mixed but affectionate, praising Burrell's blunt practicality and the show's focus on fundamentals. Themes center on transformation, perseverance, teamwork, and learning from mistakes, all wrapped in a comedy friendly, accessible tone that keeps audiences engaged and coming back for more, season after season worldwide.

Details

Release Date: January 03, 2010
Episode Length: 42m
Rating: TV-G
User Ratings: 29 votes
Type: TV Series
Seasons: 30
Episodes: 226
Network: Food Network
Status: Returning Series
Genres: Reality, Comedy
Country: United States
Studio: Optomen Productions +3 more
External Links: View on IMDB

Cast

Anne Burrell

Self - Host

Seasons (30 seasons, 226 episodes)

Season 1

6 episodes - 2010

Season 2

8 episodes - 2011

Season 3

8 episodes - 2012

Season 4

7 episodes - 2013

Season 5

7 episodes - 2014

Season 6

7 episodes - 2015

Season 7

6 episodes - 2015

Season 8

7 episodes - 2016

Season 9

8 episodes - 2016

S10

Season 10

10 episodes - 2017

S11

Season 11

8 episodes - 2017

S12

Season 12

10 episodes - 2018

S13

Season 13

6 episodes - 2018

S14

Season 14

7 episodes - 2018

S15

Season 15

9 episodes - 2019

S16

Celebrity Edition

7 episodes - 2019

S17

Season 17

8 episodes - 2019

Season 18

10 episodes - 2020

Celebrity Edition

6 episodes - 2020

Season 20

8 episodes - 2020

S21

Season 21

8 episodes - 2021

S22

Season 22

6 episodes - 2021

Season 23

8 episodes - 2022

Celebrity Edition

7 episodes - 2022

Viral Sensations

8 episodes - 2023

Love at First Bite

8 episodes - 2023

Spoiled Rotten

7 episodes - 2024

Celeb Heroes vs. Villains

7 episodes - 2025

S29

Talented & Terrible

7 episodes - 2025

S30

Reality Check

7 episodes - 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Worst Cooks in America is available to stream on Disney+, Max, and Hulu. You can also rent or buy it on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Video.

Yes, Worst Cooks in America is available to stream on Disney+.

Yes, you can buy on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Video.

Worst Cooks in America has 30 seasons with a total of 226 episodes.

With a rating of 6.6/10 from 29 viewers, Worst Cooks in America is considered decent by viewers and may be worth checking out.

Worst Cooks in America stars Anne Burrell.

Worst Cooks in America was released on January 03, 2010.

Worst Cooks in America is a Reality and Comedy series.

Worst Cooks in America is a reality competition featuring real contestants. There isn't a single narrative based on a true story driving the show.

Contestants compete for a cash prize of $25,000. The prize is awarded after completing the boot camp and final challenge.

The final challenge is to cook a restaurant-quality three-course meal for three food critics. This tests the basic cooking techniques the recruits learned during the eight-week boot camp.

Anne Burrell serves as the host of the show. As host, she guides the contestants through the boot camp and serves as the on-screen presence of Worst Cooks in America.