Worst Cooks In America »
Worst Cooks In America: Episode 1
Published on: January 4, 2010 – 11:51 am by Jillian Madison 
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The premiere episode of Worst Cooks In America left me with more questions than answers. In what dark culinary nightmare did they find these contestants? Could they really be that clueless about food preparation? And more importantly, why on Earth is Anne Burrell wearing mismatched green and orange socks with a 2-toned pink skirt and fire engine red patent leather shoes?
The premise of the show is simple: find the 10 worst cooks in America, and train them until they can prepare something that’s actually fit for human consumption. There are a few fundamental flaws with that, though. First, I’m not entirely convinced these contestants are really as awful in the kitchen as they’re claiming to be. What’s to stop these people from lying? It’s simple to fake being a bad cook, and I think many of them are doing just that. Come on now. Unless you just emerged from a lifetime in an underground fallout shelter, you know not to boil a whole chicken and slather it with American cheese.
Second, the show is clearly setting these awful cooks up to fail. The “training” they received in the first episode was a joke. Chef Anne and Chef Beau briefly showed the contestants how to make an intricate seafood dish, and then told them to go to their kitchen station and recreate it. If this show is truly about making people better chefs, why didn’t they receive some basic culinary tips… like, say, HOW TO USE A KNIFE? And if we’re to believe these people are as bad as they originally claimed to be, how did so many of them supposedly re-create dishes that were nearly identical in taste and appearance to the original?
And by the way, is Rachel Coleman a dead ringer for Velma from Scooby Doo or what? And how did she get my glasses from 8th grade? I thought I ran over them with my bicycle the day my mother let me get contacts.
For me, though, Anne Burrell made the show worth watching. She was funny and passionate, and her dry, witty commentary actually made me laugh out loud more than once. That was a nice change of pace for me, considering Secrets Of A Restaurant Chef makes me want to blow up my television.
Overall, I can’t shake the feeling that these contestants are just a group of people who are desperate to get on television. Blue team member Sophia Gettys posts videos on YouTube about all the different auditions she’s gone on. Red team member Rebecca Hooper actually has an AGENT, and has more headshots on her website than Tom Cruise. For the show to really work at the end of the day, it has to feel real. And right now, it doesn’t.
(Did you watch Worst Cooks In America? Did you like it? Will you watch again? Speak your mind, FNH! You know we’re the Food Network’s free focus group, so let’s hear it!)
Other posts on Food Network Humor:
---Food Network Has The “Worst Cooks In America”---Worst Cooks In America: The Video Game
---First Look: Worst Cooks In America Promo Video
---Iron Chef America: White House Episode
---Beau MacMillan Worst Traffic Violator in America
I just posted something on the forums talking about how Sophia Getty’s is a fake.
I missed the show, does anyone know when it will be aired again?
Mon, Jan 4 2:00am
Wed, Jan 6 10:00pm
Thu, Jan 7 1:00am
Sat, Jan 9 2:00pm
Sun, Jan 10 6:00pm
That’s all? That’s so unlike Food Network. I would have expected no less that 25 rebroadcasts over the course of this week.
Too bad you missed the show…I found it very entertaining. I would just like you to know and understand that Sophia is not a fake, I have known her many years. Sophia has many interests, is Artistic, Expressive, Enthusiastic and True to Herself. One of the great things about Sophia is that she really takes actions on things that inspire her. She is living life to the fullest, learning, exploring lifes opportunities. To me that’s an inspiring way to live.
Hi, Sophia! (or Sophia’s publicist) You keepin’ warm in your part of the country?
As Elaine said to Jerry, “Fake, fake, fake, fake, fake.”
I love you guys! You really think I have a publicist?! Robin just told me to check this out, thanks for the shout out!
Keepin it Real Denver!
Sophia
PS-it’s supposed to snow tomorrow;)
Nope not snowing here in Maryland…maybe tomorrow. Nope I am not Sophia or her publicist, I only spoke my truth. But thanks for making me laugh…I have never been accused of being a publicist!! You have a great day!
I can’t not watch crap like this.
While the chef’s did not teach them any skills, they did have the recipe on the board. How hard is it to follow instructions? Why did a couple people add too much soy sauce (the black lady added at least 3 tablespoons, while Chef Beau only added one)? This makes it seem disingenuous at best. I don’t want to believe its out and fake (NO!!!??!?!?!?!?!??!!).
Anne Burrell surprised me too! She even cracked me up a few times as well. Now, I could see my sister in that mix, she thinks slopping Hambooger Hack is cooking! I know there was acting involved, and they’re just not very good at that either!
And that dark haired chick Jenny, I kept seeing BettyBoop and Amy Winehouse!!
@BOO: I called her “Little Red Riding Hood”. Jennifer Cross’ bio on FN says that she’s a waitress. Jenny probably waits tables while waiting for her agent to send her out on auditions for acting gigs or modeling jobs.
nope. she’s just a waitress. and actually clumsier than she appears on the show. <3 her
Actually, when I first saw her, my thought was Bettie Page reincarnated.
She’s TOTALLY that pretty! And a sweet heart!
She’s clearly a “rockabilly girl” cashing in on the retro scene and rat rod magazine scene right now. Sooo cookie cutter: black hair, bettie bangs, leopard prints, bright pink cheeks, red lipstick. She digging to get a cover of Ol Skool Rodz magazine. It stinks of desperation. I own a bunch of classic cars, hit many car shows, and I’m tired of these vampire looking girls.
any girl that has the cash and that knows how to slather some red lipstick on can get into ANY hot rod/rockabilly magazine. i have been in this culture way too long and have had shoots at my clubs garage, no one just gets picked for this stuff, they got to pay.
i was happy to see someone in the culture on FN but she doesn’t quite get it. its obvious the look she’s going for but can’t seem to afford it or pull it off.
Oh I watched it, and I would definitely watch it again. My biggest problem with it was that it totally came off as fake. I did not believe these contestants either. OMG I can’t believe that one lady’s website, with all those headshots and acting roles. You know she just saw this as another way to get some exposure for herself.
VELMA FOR THE WIN!
Did you catch at the end when Anne and “Velma” raised thier arms in victory….Velma had a big old hole in the armpit of her shirt! CLASSY! Maybe she can buya new one with the 25K
You know who the truly bad cooks were on this show? The 2 poor saps who were eliminated on the first episode. They are the ones who should have stayed, technically, because they were the worst. That’s why this show makes no sense to me.
I almost died when that poor clueless black girl on Beau’s team tried to cover her plate up with silverware because her dish was so nasty. Now that’s funny.
This site totally is a free focus group for Food Network. That’s hilarious.
I didn’t watch Worst Cooks. I was too pissed off after the suckfest that was Iron Chef at the White House.
AMEN, NEO! That was the worst excuse for a showdown ever. However, it was fun watching Emeril and Mario together. They were the bright light in an otherwise dismal, rediculous program
I think the contestants are actors, especially Rachel “Velma” Coleman. I mean come’on I use to wear those gigantic glasses when I was 8 years old because my mom picked them out. Some of the people could be real contestants but I think most are actors.
I think there’s a cottage industry out there for professional “reality show” participants. If Velma or whatever her name is could get on “Flavor of Love,” she would.
I’ve been doing a little research on some of the contestants, and it seems that Rachel Coleman “studied” reality television in college and had been looking for an appropriate casting call. I think it’s safe to say that this was the goal of most, if not all of the contestants on this program. FTR, Coleman has a blog called popjew.
Life’s too short to watch this. Consider getting a life, folks
If life’s too short to unwind and watch television, it should also be too short to write idiotic comments on a website. Get a fucking life, pal.
Well said;)
Who invited the party pooper “Gen”?
Love your -tinis.
hah! velma? I thought it was ugly betty – y’know back when she was ugly.
Rebecca Hooper looks to be the lovechild of Mrs Brady and the Clown from Saw. Ick. http://www.rebeccahooper.com/Headshot3.jpg
When I saw the Velma look alike, at first I thought it was Bitchy Alex.
I was kinda thinking of Marcie from Peanuts (you know, Mrs. Peppermint Patty).
Totally ridiculous… I think all of them are actors. None of them came across as genuine human beings. At least on NFNS you got to see the contentants real personalities (whether you liked them or not)… here, it seems like they are all playing parts in a bad high school play. I have no interest in watching it again.
On the show, they put everyone’s title under their name, and the one for Rebecca Hooper said, “Real Estate Agent,” I think! But her crazy website looks like she’s an actor.
And the girl with the glasses – come on.
And the lady who, “just opened up a bunch of cans of soup.”
Are you freaking kidding me with all of this!!
You are right. Rebecca WAS listed as being a “real estate agent” last night. But on the official Food Network press release, she’s listed as being a “salon owner.” Something fishy is up with this woman.
Rebecca Hooper does own her own hair salon which she opened in 2009. She was a real estate agent while she was making the show, but went back to her passion – hair. She may not be the most talented one on the show, but she is a nice lady and stylist. Just because you once were an actor, had an agent, want to be an actress, doesn’t mean you can cook!
Wow! Thanks for sticking up for me. This was real for me. I never had a mother figure to cook with me and I was on my own from the age15. I was the only one in my family to finish high school. I went to college and then worked 7 days a week to live. I opened a salon in Baton Rouge and ended up doing Celebrity hair. I wanted to follow my dreams at the age of 32, so I sold the salon and moved to Utah, because it was a Union state. My plan was to go to Calf., but I found true love. I had never been loved before by family or other. My husband is a Real Estate agent and I was helping him at the time of the show. Yes I did some acting while I was here, but that doesn’t make me fake. I wanted to learn to cook for my children and husband. I learned so much on the show and it was very emotional for me. I am a strong woman but my weakness was cooking. Not any more.
I noticed Ms. Hooper listed a natural Southern accent as a special skill or talent or something. Maybe she could offer assistance to Pauler.
“The Ghostbuster Chronicles” lol
There’s definitely something fishy going on but on the other hand, I volunteer at a place that offers hands-on cooking classes, and there really are people out there that are THAT bad.
uh how about the guy who tried to garnish his plate w/ nori & spring onions fanning them out on the rim of the bowl so it looked like a green sunburst? that part made me laugh so hard because did he honestly think it looked good?
Did anyone notice how this guy’s title was “Beer Salesman”? My boyfriend and I were pondering if that meant he worked for like Miller Brewing Co as a sales rep, or if that was a euphanism for “cashier at liquor store” .
The biggest thing I don’t understand is that they’re supposed to help these folks be better cooks, but if you don’t get that dish right, you’re out. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? When you get it right, you’re good enough to go home and cook on your own, if you don’t, you need more help.
Maybe I’m crazy that way.
Exactly!
I totally agree that should be the way it is. the worse they are the more help they need.
“Unless you just emerged from a lifetime in an underground fallout shelter, you know not to boil a whole chicken and slather it with American cheese.”
I dunno, haven’t you ever watched Paula Deen?
Yes, on one episode she made a gigantic hamburger and sandwiched it between two doughnuts. If that weren’t bad enough, she also slathered it in other crap to make it look “edible” and about 10,000 calories. So, boiling a chicken and covering it in cheese seem to be right up her alley.
” I don’t know why they call this stuff hamburger helper. It does just fine by itself, huh?”
Comment is, again, supposed to go with the one below this…anybody else have this happened to them?
ADITL1979, that happened to my comment the other day… just a system flaw maybe?
The posters are right. There really are cooks that are that bad out there. My daughter in law won’t cook anything but haburger helper (generic) and in a crockpot with no meat. For 8 hours.
God I hope my mother-in-law doesn’t read this site! AS IF! But honestly FN has taught me just about everything I know about cooking. Good for me since my husband is a great cook but not very patient with a not such a good cook wife. Ina has always been my inspiration, just not on her level. I’ve yet to hit the lottery.
LOL- My sister put a $40 rib roast (not prime) in the crock pot for 11 hours and just didn’t understand why nobody could chew it! She said but it was a GOOD roast! Our own mother called her a dumbass!
LOL! :) That DIL of mine hasn’t got the common sense of a paper bag. My stepson won’t get a job and sponges of his dad and she won’t get off the couch unless it’s for a smoke or a trip to the bathroom. The really sad part is, it’s not like we as a family haven’t bent over backwards to give her nice things, teach her everything we could think of. The little shit just doesn’t care. Too sad.
Jamie, One time my clueless aunt cooked two turkeys with the giblets still wrapped in paper inside. I don’t think I ever ate at her house after that.
Oh good lord. I do not blame you. It’s funny, that’s one mistake I’ve never made. I guess because I hear about it happening so much, it’s made me paranoid. LOL
On the FN website, it says that the red team has been called a ‘Scrappy Bunch’ I think it has something to do with Velma…
I don’t know what to make of this show. It seemed fake to me, and I don’t believe I’ll be watching it again. I mean, these are the worse cooks, yet, after only one lesson, they can make perfectly cooked shrimp and clams? And shrimp is easy for anyone to overcook, even pros. I’m not buying it.
really? I’m always confused as to how people ruin shrimp. All you have to do is not overcook it!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. WHY WHY WHY can’t this network just hire a few of the million or so good chefs out there and put them on to show us how a really good cook does it. The world would be a so much better place and everyone would see that we can get along perfecetly well without Rachael, Emeril, Guy, Flay, Ina, Paula and her relatives and all these other hacks that they throw at us everyday.
Amen
When one “contestant” said she added a can pineapple for crunch, I knew for sure that this whole mess was a sham. Will I watch it again? Probably… just for the snark.
I got a kick out of the 31-year-old attorney…right, you’re going to give up (or take a sabbatical from) your $150K+/year salary for a shot at $25K and public embarrassment for your terrible cooking skills? Oh, and you cry when you think you’ve screwed up? Way to handle pressure, Counselor…
I happen to know this girl personally. If she wanted to learn how to cook she could have simply stepped into the kitchen of her father-in-law’s restaurant which has been in business here in Tempe, AZ for oh…’bout 25 years. He’s the chef there, and her husband also cooks there. But then that wouldn’t have gotten her face on TV now would it?
Worst Cooks in America and The Jersey Shore are now my vices.
Not one of them mentioned any FN chefs… They wouldn’t want to be associated with the crap they made!
Seems like it’s already being set up for Velma or the actress to win. They’re both getting a lot of air time. Actress keeps crying and telling us how much she needs this, and Velma is showcasing her “quirky” personality for almost every scene.
I like David, he seems somewhat genuine.
Totally sincere and genuine! Good person all around!
I can’t believe I missed this last night :[
My what an attractive looking group of people…
That’s what matters.
I know many people made fun of Mrs. Obama for her skirt…But Christ, did anyone look at Jennifer on Anne’s team? Is that girl stuck in the 80s or what? Or Wilhelmina’s hair? What the hell.
I guess if I want anyone to win, it’s Marque Hernandez. His dish he gave to the judges looked edible and he gets laughs out of me. He’s like Michael from “The Next Food Network Star” where he’s just entertainment.
It’s not 80’s. It’s 1950’s rockabilly/psychobilly look. But done poorly. Think about it, no one’s grandmother dressed like that back then, with bandanas and covered in tattoos. But that’s the new take on the 50’s.
I agree. VERY boring. Anne is not ready for prime time and the other guy is just god awful. The premise is awful. Not fun. The food looks terrible. Just a boring show.
Sadly, I was was hoping to find some kind of humor or charm in this show. Chef Anne is a genuine teacher, and I enjoyed her–Chef Beau is just unappealing as a host and teacher. He is brusque and not particularly likable or even helpful. The candidates come across as false, just like the American Idol contestants who are just woefully unbelievable. I am not surprised to see the portfolio of the “Mom who entered to impress her daughter”… I want her to be the one gone next!! And seriously, I am not a seafood soup chef, by any stretch, but they should have at least started them on something “every day”–like a chicken breast bone-in, or a pork chop. LOL, a seafood stew with bok choy?!! That is something that someone is seldom called on to re-create.
Whatev!!
I enjoyed Anne as well, both on this show and on Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. I am a self-taught cook who was most comfortable making pastas, and salads and soup. I was even getting comfortable with my fish cookery. But I’d always avoided cooking the more expensive cuts of meat because I knew I’d regret really screwing up a beautiful piece of meat. But Annie’s show kind of kicked-started my adventures with meat and so far so good. Her brined pork chops are to die for. So I will give this train wreck of a new show (hate the obvious holes in the premise) because I think she’s a heck of a teacher.
I agree that these recipes are a bit complicated for people who are trying to simply LEARN how to cook for their families or themselves. I consider myself a decent cook, and even some of these recipes would be above my head. And for them to have erased the recipes tonight were ridiculous. I have to see the recipes for my favorite recipes every single time, even though I’ve made them 20 times over. So how could they expect them to remember a brand new recipe? I will keep watching because I want to see these people improve, but I wish it was a bit more realistic…
On Hooper’s bio on her website it says she SOLD her salon in 1997…that’s THIRTEEN years ago! And why? “to pursue her lifelong dream of an acting and film writing career.”
IMO, they are ALL actors. Fake show.
At first glance, I seriously thought that the Rachel Coleman screen cap was of Alex Guarnaschelli in some sort of costume. Are we sure it’s not Alex doing a segment for Best Thing I Ever Ate: 1989?
My dad once cooked Mexican rice with chopped up hot dogs … he was only allowed to grill and fry fish after that.
I seriously wanted to see more train wrecks with more commentary about what a boiled chicken or that turnip casserole actually tasted like, rather than “oh he’s going on her team.”
I mean how are us terrible cooks at home supposed to balance sweetness and acidity without the chopped style constructive criticisms?
So, Anne B was entertaining? Really? I’m in that group that can’t bear her “Secrets” show. I keep anticipating her retelling stories of how she “got even” with demanding customers with snot in their fancy foo-foo food.
I’d rather a Cooking Intervention show — where they literally pull the spatula out of someone’s hand because they were turned in by a family member for crimes against Betty Crocker. Like Danny Boome meets What Not To Wear.
I would enjoy that very much actually. And would turn in my mother immediately!
Wait, crimes against me? LOL.
Betty, I am afraid things have gotten worse since your day. Avert your eyes, as this whole network is a crime against you.
Those fancy chefs gave these kitchen challenged space marshalls who couldnt cook a can of soup, 1 hour to recreate a Bouillabaisse, using saffron, clams, shrimp and kale with a garnish.
They could have started them with a grilled cheese sandwich.
I like Anne, both in this show and Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, even though she doesn’t really tell us any secrets. Other than no matter what’s wrong with your food, the answer is always more salt. But I think she’s a good teacher and I enjoy her casual attitude. I’ll watch this again for her.
Did you guys see when Alex Guarnaschelli threw away all that saffron? Chef Anne will cut a bitch.
Lol, I think she said something like “that is 40.00 worth of saffron you just threw away”! She is right, though. I hate to see good, expensive ingredients wasted like that!!
She did say that. And then it cuts to Velma/Alex crying and acting all upset that she offended Anne. Didn’t Anne tell you how expensive that stuff is during the demo? Pay attention, woman! Pick that saffron out of that bowl and stop your crying! This isn’t the Cooking Loft.
The programs where a chef teaches a non-cook some cooking skills one-on-one and helps that person prepare a nice meal from start to finish are more interesting and helpful. Even TyFlo used to do one. Unfortunately, FN (Bob and Susie, that is) seems to believe everything has to be dumbed down to “I Love New York” levels of reality show stupidity.
TyFlo? Really? *sigh*
I thought it was kind of funny and I will definitely be watching it again.
Personally, I think that if anyone tuned in expecting to see real bad cooks and real cooking lessons will be disappointed. But knowing how tv land works, you know they picked the contestants that would make us laugh (or cringe) the most, and then instruct them to be at their very worst. AND, seeing as there are so many shows on FN that are “cooking lessons” (think Cooking Loft with Alex), then why would they waste our time making this a real cooking lesson? LOL
Anyways, I just wanted to tune everything out and watch something stupid and I got my money’s worth. I laughed out loud several times with Anne!
Totally backwards concept. If it’s a “Worst Cook…” show, then why are the ‘worst’ cooks being systematically eliminated? I refuse to believe that someone thinks opening a can of tomato soup is cooking though. I think there is a fair amount of sand bagging going on and some of the people that can really cook will gradually make fewer ‘on purpose mistakes’ as they make their way to the 25K prize.
But no matter what, there are to many flaws in the show to make it valid. I can’t imagine any class of any discipline that would have their students on day 1 re-create something that you’ve supposedly had zero training to do. Hmmm, imagine the mess a demolitions class could make.
I would watch but I have CABLEVISION..Just a hunch but maybe this show is a way to make the talentless bunchh of “real chefs” at FN look good..just saying…
I am a chef. I am embarrassed to watch Anne Burrell involved in this mess. Her weekend show is somewhat informative and she has an interesting style … her growling is a little creepy but OK. No chef who wants to teach her craft or help out an up and comer would speak to them as she does. No kitchen would run well with that woman at command center. Wonder how many spits in food she gets from her staff??? And laughs at the expense of another cook … oh no. Anne, the almighty dollar has taken you to the dark side. Shame on you.
I absolutely agree. I like the “Secrets” show because it is one of about only 4 only shows on Food Network that is above an 8th grade level. This show was horrible. I can’t watch it again.
I watched this show and absolutely will not waste my time watching another episode. FN is continuing to take a downward slide with this one! The website from that woman who looks like Mrs. Bradybunch and shows her acting talent(?) by whining that she wants to learn to cook for “her daughter” just proves that FN’s competitions are a stew of acting wannabes. The “velma” look-alike is just downright creepy. Nobody from this show came across as genuine. FN used to be such a great channel. It is now longer about the love or appreciation of food for dining purposes–it is purely about food as entertainment–what a disrespect.
I’m sticking to PBS/Create shows such as Lidia, Jacques Pepin, Julia Child, and John Folse. Those are the shows that give me a want to learn more and a love for cooking.
This show is the demise of the Food Network.
“FN used to be such a great channel. It is now longer about the love or appreciation of food for dining purposes–it is purely about food as entertainment–what a disrespect.”
Sorta like what happened to MTV back in the day when they too jumped the shark.
This picture could also pass for a high school yearbook picture of Alex Guarnaschelli, which makes me think that we need to take a look at ALL of our favorite Stars’ HS yearbook Pictures!!
I don’t have cable so I missed the show. Does anyone know where I can watch it at. I checked the food network website and fancast but I don’t want just clips I want to watch the entire episode.
Am I the only one who finds Anne to be sexy?
Yes, yes you are…you twisted freak ;)
Yes I watched the show. To me it seemed sort of fake. I’m not the worlds best cook, but I can make a dish or two that would be considered the worlds worst. Take the stew I made the other day. Now my Grandmother would have been considered the world worst cook, and sometimes my mother was the worlds worst. Who would put brown bread on white bread with lettuce and mayo?? My mother. That was the worst meal my father ever had that my mother made him for lunch when they were first married. She didn’t consider any vegatable fully cooked unless it was cooked to death. Now that was the worst cook. I probably will still watch the show, there is nothing else on Sunday night.
i couldnt agree more with what jillian wrote. it is everything that i was saying to my roommate as we watched this horrible show unfold. why, if these people are SO BAD at cooking, would you start them with such a hard dish? not that it is very hard to normal cooks, but seafood shouldnt come first on the list of items to learn. why are you pushing them so fast to replicate intricate dishes when they are such ‘horrible cooks’? looks like a bunch of fakery to me. i’m not watching again, but i’ll (as always) keep coming here for updates on the show.
I am so glad I’m not the only one who thought that about Rachel! My fiance saw it too, but when I told my mom, she looked at me like I was crazy!
And I agree as well about it being easy to fake being a bad cook. Some of that stuff was just like…who would eat this stuff? Not even getting into whether it was cooked well or not, some of the recipes sounded inedible. Plus that one woman, I think it was Rebecca, having a freaking sobfest every time they showed her because her daughter kept begging her “please mommy, learn how to cook!” Did it never occur to any of these people to take classes? The whole think comes off as a bunch of rejects from a “real” reality show on CBS finally getting some air time.
That chick looks like Alex Guarnaschelli.
I laughed instantly when Anne took notice of Jennifer’s dish and called it a plate of brown.
Rachel Coleman is actually a very talented improv actress I’ve worked with on several occasions and I’m waaaaaaay happy to see her on TV. But I wouldn’t be surprised if she could fake being a hopeless cook. She’s a smart girl.
If these “contestants” are really talented actors (if you say so, Russell), then why does FN continue to insult our intelligence by pretending it’s a reality show? The entire thing is contrived and, ultimately, a stupid waste of time.
I don’t get this show. Why does FN need to search for the worst cook when they have Sandra Lee, Melissa D’Arabian, Sunny Anderson and Guy Fieri already on the network???
Amen.
Don’t forget McCargo.
Ouch… but true.
I have to agree that this show seems to be set on making these people look as bad as possible. Why would you take people who claim to have no cooking skills and tell them to replicate an intricate shrimp dish perfectly in an hour on day one. The chefs kept saying how easy and effortless the dishes are and maybe it is for people who have years of training and experience, but not for people who have no idea what they’re doing.
It’s like you take a bunch of art students and tell them to replicate the Mona Lisa on their first day of art school.
Anyone else think rachel coleman looks like alex guarnaschelli in disguise?
I really think thexe two chef’s are truly mean and rude to the contestants, I mean come on now wiping off the blackboard only after a few minutes. A few minutes is not long enough to be able to read a recipe and memorize it. and then to constantly bug and nag while they are cooking doesn’t help out either. I think these two chefs should be given a recipe they have never done before and give them just about a minute to read and memorize then tell them they have only 15 minutes to cook it THEN see how well they do. I’ll bet they can’t do it. The show Hells Kitchen is by far the BEST show. Worst Cooks in America show is kind of like a poor version to Hells Kitchen.
I agree. I am a clasically-trained chef with many years of experience and I still have to cook a dish a handful of times before I remember every little detail from a recipe. This show is a joke…like every other show on this network. They’re ok for entertainment value, but unfortunately people actually try to get their cooking instruction from these fiascos.
Yet another lame attempt by food network to get us to like Anne Burrell. At the food network exec meeting: “Why don’t the viewers like Anne? Is it the fact that she is obviously colorblind and dresses inappropriately for her body-type? No, couldn’t be that. Is it the fact that she turns every fifth word into a moronic fake growl? No, probably not that either. Maybe she just needs a new show. Let’s put her in a fake reality cooking competition show teaching a bunch of terrible reality show actors how to pretend to cook…oh, and pair her with a big, fat, water-headed retard of dubious credentials. That’ll be money!”
Seriously though, I love the tag-line in the commercials where the two of them say that they are putting their reputations on the line. The first thought that comes to mind is, “what reputations?”. These two were complete unknowns before FN whored them out to the rubes that are their viewers. Just because FN says Beau MacMillan is some big deal in the industry does not make it true. This kind of thing is just one of the many reasons “real” chefs have no respect for the network or about 90% of the so-called chefs on it. Don’t even get me started on all the sanitation travesties that happen frequently on most of the shows. Sorry to rant but these people actually do quite a bit of damage to our industry. We are constantly barraged with cooks who took some cookie-cutter culinary program and now think they are going to be the next celebrity chef. Then, they come on my line and take 45 minutes to cook a rare steak. This industry is not glamorous. It is very hard work and a lot of self-sacrifice. It requires great dedication and takes a hell of a toll on your health too.
ITA, Sean. You nailed it.
I completely agree- I’m not a chef by any means but I have worked FOH for about 10 years. Seems like every dummy without a job thinks they are going to graduate culinary school and have a show and line of cookware handed to them at graduation due to FN.
“(Did you watch Worst Cooks In America? Did you like it? Will you watch again? Speak your mind, FNH! You know we’re the Food Network’s free focus group, so let’s hear it!)”
A little of it; couldn’t watch a whole episode
No
No
Nothing here that is enjoyable to listen to or watch
The commercials were ok…definately preferential to the show itself.
This was real for me. I never had a mother figure to cook with me and I was on my own from the age15. I was the only one in my family to finish high school. I went to college and then worked 7 days a week to live. I opened a salon in Baton Rouge and ended up doing Celebrity hair. I wanted to follow my dreams at the age of 32, so I sold the salon and moved to Utah, because it was a Union state. My plan was to go to Calf., but I found true love. I had never been loved before by family or other. My husband is a Real Estate agent and I was helping him at the time of the show. Yes I did some acting while I was here, but that doesn’t make me fake. I wanted to learn to cook for my children and husband. I learned so much on the show and it was very emotional for me. I am a strong woman but my weakness was cooking. Not any more. And yes, I have a salon that I opened in July 2009. It’s doing great! http://www.Celebrityhairandnails.com
I actually wrote a letter to The Food Network the next day telling them what an awful show it was and that I have no intentions of watching it ever again. I really hope they pull the show off the air mid-season to make room for something that might actually teach and inspire their viewers.
Jen Cross is hot.
How about Rachel looks Marcie from Charlie brown?
I liked Eddie… he seemed more genuine than the others, but perhaps I am just gullible? When I was watching the show introduce the contestants, it never crossed my mind that they were actors. Schooled. =/