Worst Cooks in America, Season 2: Behind the Scenes of Episode 1
Meet the recruits and get a behind-the-scenes look at the Season 2 premiere of Worst Cooks in America on Food Network.
Related To:
Welcome to Boot Camp
Chefs Anne Burrell and Robert Irvine welcome their recruits. "You guys know who you are: 16 of the Worst Cooks in America," Anne says. "But we're here to change all that."
Let the Cooking Begin
For the first Skill Drill, the recruits must attempt to wow Anne and Robert with a dish created from the boot camp pantry in 60 minutes. Erika breaks out the squeeze cheese.
Erika's Skill Drill Dish
Needless to say, Anne and Robert are not impressed by Erika's bologna quesadilla with saltines.
Oil Overload
Anna tries to prepare a frittata, but douses her vegetables in olive oil. "I never know how much to use!" she tells Chef Robert.
Anna's Skill Drill Dish
Anna's frittata turns to mush thanks to all that olive oil.
Need a Knife?
Jeff has a unique method of cutting chicken: He tears it with his hands.
Jeff's Skill Drill Dish
Jeff's torn-up chicken is far from successful. "With cooking, I'm just totally lost," he admits.
Keep It Clean, Cooks
Chef Anne is appalled when Eric doesn't wash his hands after touching raw chicken. He gets the message: "Apparently, I'm the dirtiest cook in America."
Eric's Skill Drill Dish
Anne and Robert are afraid to even taste Eric's chicken dish, which turned pink from the maraschino cherries.
Kitchen Disaster
When attempting to flip his dish — a beef-and-vegetable concoction — Joshie makes a huge mess of his station.
Joshie's Skill Drill Dish
Joshie's dish is such a train wreck that Robert immediately picks him first for Anne's team.
60 Minutes and No Recipe?
Kat is freaked out by the first challenge: "I only have 60 minutes, and no recipe? That's never a good scenario for Kat. My kids eat PB&J pretty much every night, because I can't cook."
Kat's Skill Drill Dish
Anne and Robert are horrified when Kat throws a ton of whole peppercorns into her quiche.
Perplexed
Anthony has no idea how to tell if his chicken is cooked.
Anthony's Skill Drill Dish
Anthony's attempt at a salad with chicken did not fare well.
Out of Her Element
Kelly decides to prepare beef, even though she's a vegetarian.
Kelly's Skill Drill Dish
Kelly's beef is so overcooked, Chef Robert says it looks like jerky.
Pasta Problems
Jen tries to explain her pasta dish to Chef Robert, who can't hide his disgust.
Jen's Skill Drill Dish
"This chicken is yuck," Robert says after one bite of Jen's Chicken Mac.
Clueless
Matt says he loves food — but he has absolutely no clue how to prepare it.
Matt's Skill Drill Dish
Anne and Robert wonder what tastes so odd and sour in Matt's dish — turns out it's the canned mangoes.
Kitchen Zero
Priscilla, a teacher, is completely clueless in the kitchen. "I've been married to my husband for 27 years and I haven't cooked 27 meals," she says.
Priscilla's Skill Drill Dish
Priscilla serves Anne and Robert salmon that's completely burnt. "Turn it over and get some from the bottom!" she encourages.
Spicing It Up
Kelsey thinks that adding tons of spice will save her dish: "If I add a lot of flavor, it might cover up the fact that I don't know what I'm doing."
Kelsey's Skill Drill Dish
Anne and Robert can barely take a bite of Kelsey's chicken, which is coated in cayenne pepper.
Head Cheerleader
In the kitchen, Ty is full of team spirit. "If Ty spent as much time on his dish as he does as a cheerleader, he'd make a perfect dish," says Chef Robert.
Ty's Skill Drill Dish
Ty inexplicably decides to plate a whole apple with his fish and rice dish: "I'm calling the dish Ty Surprise because it was a surprise to me!"
Really?
Chef Robert expresses concern when Georg tells him what she'll be making: Fruity Turkey Ball Spaghetti.
Georg's Skill Drill Dish
The final product is as unappetizing as it sounds.
New Surroundings, New Tools
Lina is confused as to what to do with this pepper mill.
Lina's Skill Drill Dish
Lina's "Bloody Eggs" dish, made with loads of ketchup, does not pass muster with the chefs.
Early Favorite?
When Anne and Robert pick each other's teams, Carlos is chosen last, which is actually a compliment to his skill drill dish: "It made me feel good in a way. I guess I'm the best of the Worst Cooks?"
Carlos' Skill Drill Dish
Even though Carlos' "Hawaiian" chicken-and-potato dish is the least offensive of the bunch, it's not exactly a beauty plate.
Team Blue
The recruits split into their teams, and some are intimidated by Chef Robert right off the bat: "I'm not sure I'm the military-style kind of girl," says Georg.
Main Dish Challenge
The recruits have 60 minutes to make a chicken dish — but first, they have to break down a whole chicken.
Chef Robert's Dish
The blue team will prepare Chef Robert's Pan-Seared Chicken Breast With Herb Jus and Potato-Vegetable Hash.
Get the Recipe: Pan Seared Chicken Breast with Herb Jus and Potato-Vegetable Hash
Chef Anne's Dish
The red team will make Chef Anne's Chicken Cacciatore With Sauteed Green Beans.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore
Knife Skills?
Erika's not quite sure where to start: "I've never picked up a knife like that before. I know there are going to be big problems."
A Few Pointers
Chef Robert reminds Matt how to cut the airline chicken breast he'll need for the blue team's dish.
Chicken Anxiety
"I'm terrified to make the Chicken Cacciatore. Chicken's something that I do screw up on a regular basis," says Kelsey, who came on the show after giving her husband food poisoning — twice.
Change of Heart
Kelly, a vegetarian, overcomes her fears: "I realize if I'm not going to do this right, then what's the point in me being here? I finished chopping up the chicken and I did it correctly."
Intimidation
Ty is puzzled by what to do with the chicken placed before him: "I can't even cook for my family. Let alone gourmet judges and all this stuff."
Ace Student
Jen's butchering is the best of the group: "I'm an operating room nurse, so once I had the knife in my hand, I really felt like I was back at work. Before you knew it, the chicken was cut up."
Fire Drill
Erika is the first recruit to start a fire: "That's the reason I don't even go into the kitchen, every time I do, it starts a fire." Carlos jumps in to help, but within minutes his pan is flaming, too.
Problem Student?
"The way I cook has always been by my rules, and I happen to like it. I'm creative, I'm all over the place, I'm colorful," says Joshy. Chef Anne's response? "I think I might kill him on the first day."
Time's Up
Lina lost valuable time (and part of her chicken) by butchering upside-down. How will her plate fare with Anne?
Beauty Plate
Georg is proud of her plate, but it wouldn't have been finished without the help of every one of her teammates in the last seconds.
Judging From Above
Anne and Robert watch the kitchen madness unfold. They're a little nervous about judging (and eating) this food.
Elimination Time
Lina and Eric are the first recruits booted from boot camp.
