Worst Cooks in America poster

TV series

Worst Cooks in America

2010TV-G30 seasons6.6 / 10

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 cook a restaurant quality three-course meal for three food critics.

Streaming, rental and purchase options

Where to watch in United States

Checked Jul 22, 2026

Worst Cooks in America is available to stream on DirecTV On Demand, Discovery+, Discovery+ (Via Amazon Prime), Disney+, HBO (Via Hulu), HBO Max, Hulu, Max (Via Amazon Prime), Philo, YouTube TV, Plex, Spectrum On Demand, and The Roku Channel in United States. You can also buy it from Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.

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Synopsis

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 cook a restaurant quality three-course meal for three food critics.

Season 1 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

Episode 1

Into the Fire

In the series premiere, 24 terrible home cooks arrive in New York City, hoping to be selected for a 10-day culinary boot camp with chefs Beau MacMillan and Anne Burrell. Then, the field is narrowed down to 12 hopefuls and they begin competing for a $25,000 grand prize.

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Episode 2

Looking Good

The recruits learn five fundamental knife skills at the Arirang Hibachi Steakhouse. Then, each attempts to prepare a teppanyaki-style dish. For the Main Dish Challenge, Anne and Beau post a recipe on the blackboard, only to erase it halfway through the challenge.

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Episode 3

Feelin' the Flavor

The importance of flavor is emphasized when the recruits learn to make crepes. Then, Anne and Beau teach the basics of marinating and grilling.

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Episode 4

Multitasking

The recruits learn how to make fresh pasta. Then they prepare a variety of hors d'oeuvres while catering a 30-person cocktail party.

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Episode 5

Are You Ready

The final four recruits learn to cook a complicated dessert before teaching the dish to a group of high-school football players. Then the finalists must reinvent the terrible dish they cooked for Anne and Beau on their very first day.

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Episode 6

The Final Test

finale

Season 1 comes to a close as the final two recruits prepare a three-course meal for food critics, who think they're eating dishes prepared by Anne and Beau. Then, the amateur chef who serves the best-executed meal is declared the winner.

Where to watch Worst Cooks in America

Episode information updated Jul 25, 2026

More about Worst Cooks in America

Cast

Anne BurrellSelf - Host
Beau MacMillanHimself - Host
Robert IrvineSelf - Host
Rachael RaySelf - Host
Tyler FlorenceSelf - Host
Alton BrownSelf - Host
Alex GuarnaschelliSelf - Host
Darnell FergusonSelf - Co Host

Production details

Status
Returning Series
Series type
Reality
Episodes
226
Original language
English

Networks & production

  • Food NetworkUnited States
  • Optomen ProductionsUnited States
  • All3Media AmericaUnited States
  • Objective Media GroupUnited States
  • Optomen TelevisionUnited Kingdom

Themes

competitioncookingcooking competitionculinary artsunskilled