Worst Cooks in America - A new cooking show

[Laury]

Just read in my local paper about this new show starting Sunday, Jan. 3rd on the Food Network. It's called the "Worst Cooks in America" featuring Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan. The author of the article in my newspaper is a well known food critic in these parts so I value his opinion. He said he was fully prepared to hate this show, but ended up calling it "captivating, sweet, funny and inspirational". The cooks on it truly are terrible cooks and they are taught very basic skills. There is also a contest aspect to it. Don't know about you but I just TIVO'd it! Should be fun watching it.

 

[Selkie]

I've watching the commercial for it for weeks. It does look like it could be fun!

 

[Kitchen Mama]

Maybe they will have some helpful ideas to pick up

 

[HowToBroil]

Should be interesting to watch adults fumbling around in the kitchen.
Growing up in Canada in the 80`s, there was a show that aired called "Just Like Mom", which showed kids attempting to cook a meal with their moms. Let`s just say that the final result of the meal was a big mess.

I can definitely see the same results here with these contestants, albeit with them being a few decades older than those kids from the 80`s show. Should be fun to watch.

 

[Randy_]

Where do I apply??

 

[CharlieD]

I know some people who would benefit from show like that.

 

[Culture]

Worst cook ever!

 

[luvs]

that show is lower than low. if the hosts owned self-worth of thier own, they probably wouldn't be picking on kitch feebs.

 

[kitchenelf]

I haven't seen the show, but, it's not the hosts that have picked these people...it's their friends. I do believe, in the end, they'll realize cooking isn't so hard...I think anyway.

 

[Alix]

that show is lower than low. if the hosts owned self-worth of thier own, they probably wouldn't be picking on kitch feebs.

Kitch feebs?

 

[luvs]

elf, the hosts themselves chose 12 people from a slew of nominees.
my point was that these seasoned kitchen professionals treated the guests like lower beings. a few cried.
i don't get that.
so some people lack the knack for cooking. so?

 

[Chile Chef]

I'm not a shabby cook, But I would love to learn some basic's I haven't learned yet.


for an example, Learn to molisfiy stuff, egg basics such as like making them light and fluffy for some dishes that calls for that. And what not.

 

[Andy M.]

I agree with luvs. Apparently treating contestants badly on these competition shows it the in thing to do and I don't need to watch that.

 

[Robo410]

wow the "cooks" were unable to multitask, couldn't measure, follow verbal or written directions, and were intimidated from the start.

well, it's not how I teach cooking.

 

[ChefJune]

I haven't seen the show, but, it's not the hosts that have picked these people...it's their friends. I do believe, in the end, they'll realize cooking isn't so hard...I think anyway.

I really dislike the concept of making fun of peoples dysfunction. When I teach cooking I like to emphasize the things my students do well, and not make fun of their mistakes.

 

[Selkie]

Unless you actually saw the show, comments about it are most likely inappropriate.

After the initial selection process, none of the contestants nor their first challenge dishes were ridiculed. To the contrary, they were given positive feedback, suggestions for improvement, and realistic comments. (One of them had tried to throw $40 of Saffron into the trash.)

They were first shown a demonstration of how to cook the dish, and then given 1 hour to duplicate it (twice as long as it would ordinarily take.) The simplified step-by-step instructions were listed on a large blackboard, and some of them even helped each other. The enticement to improve is a show finale prize of $25,000 - to the most improved contestant within a 10 day period.

From what I saw, none of these people were mentally challenged, illiterate nor unable to follow simple directions with a little concentration - in other words, typical Americans. If anything, their greatest handicap is not knowing how to properly express their obvious desire to be creative through cooking. They all show a desire to please their family, friends and themselves.

 

[Andy M.]

Unless you actually saw the show, comments about it are most likely inappropriate.

After the initial selection process, none of the contestants nor their first challenge dishes were ridiculed. To the contrary, they were given positive feedback, suggestions for improvement, and realistic comments. (One of them had tried to throw $40 of Saffron into the trash.)

They were first shown a demonstration of how to cook the dish, and then given 1 hour to duplicate it (twice as long as it would ordinarily take.) The simplified step-by-step instructions were listed on a large blackboard, and some of them even helped each other. The enticement to improve is a show finale prize of $25,000 - to the most improved contestant within a 10 day period.

From what I saw, none of these people were mentally challenged, illiterate nor unable to follow simple directions with a little concentration - in other words, typical Americans. If anything, their greatest handicap is not knowing how to properly express their obvious desire to be creative through cooking. They all show a desire to please their family, friends and themselves.

Sadly, the promos that are intended to get you to watch the show are nothing like that and paint the opposite picture. It is based on the promos that I decided I would not watch.

 

[kadesma]

I found the promo's to be misleading. Annie Burrel is a kick in the pant's but I've seen her on Iron Chef and her own show and enjoy watching her. I didn't find her rude to the contestant's only helpful and she found something good in just about everyone's dish. The other chef tries to be gruff, but he too, seems to want to help. So I'll watch off and on to see what happens.
kadesma

 

[Chile Chef]

Sadly, the promos that are intended to get you to watch the show are nothing like that and paint the opposite picture. It is based on the promos that I decided I would not watch.

Bait & switch eh?

 

[CookLikeJulia]

I dont know whats to be excited about, I mean its a competition for cooks who doesnt really know how to cook? Did I get it right?