Worst Cooks in America 17 is the seventeenth season of the American competitive reality television series Worst Cooks in America. It premiered on Food Network on August 4, 2019 and concluded on September 22, 2019. Adrian Read was the winner of this season, with Juliann Sheldon as the runner-up.
Format Worst Cooks in America is an American reality television series in which contestants (referred to as "recruits") with poor cooking skills undergo a culinary boot camp for the chance to win $25,000 and a Food Network cooking set. The recruits are trained on the various basic cooking techniques including baking, knife skills, temperature, seasoning and preparation. Each episode features two core challenges: the Skills Drill, which tests their grasp of basic techniques demonstrated by the chef mentors, and the Main Dish Challenge, where they must apply those skills to recreate or invent a more complex dish under specific guidelines. The weakest performer is eliminated at the end of each episode. The final two contestants prepare a restaurant-quality, three-course meal for a panel of food critics, who evaluate the dishes based on taste, presentation, and overall improvement.
Judges Bobby Flay joins Anne Burrell to host season 17. The season, featuring 14 recruits, debuted on August 4, 2019.
Recruits ContestantAgeHometownOccupationTeamStatusAdrian Read29 Bronx, New YorkZumba Instructor for Seniors BobbyWinneron September 22, 2019Juliann Sheldon28Charlotte, North CarolinaProfessional CheerleaderAnneKayla Longstreth23Firestone, ColoradoDance InstructorBobbyEliminatedon September 15, 2019Father Adam Young34Cranston, Rhode IslandPriestAnneGina Lam28San Diego, CaliforniaBanker BobbyEliminatedon September 8, 2019Peter Smerlas36Waltham, MassachusettsConstruction Worker & Rapper AnneLaith Wallschleger26Tampa, FloridaFormer Professional Football PlayerBobbyEliminatedon September 1, 2019Sharon Grant53Dallas, TexasMinisterAnneMercedes "Sadie" Manda20Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaCollege Student BobbyEliminatedon August 25, 2019Karma Ann Moody 47Hayesville, North CarolinaBridal Shop Owner AnneJonathan Beyer37New York, New YorkOpera singerBobbyEliminatedon August 11, 2019Terry Grawey62Peoria, IllinoisHypnotistAnneIdriss Allison30Bronx, New YorkTransformational CoachBobbyEliminatedon August 4, 2019Nina Kharoufeh25Cliffside Park, New JerseyNews CuratorAnne
Elimination Chart
* Initially a member of the other team
RankContestantEpisode1 2 3 4 5 6 7 81Adrian* WIN INSWAP WIN IN IN BTM WIN WINNER2Juliann IN BTM IN WIN IN WIN BTM WIN RUNNER-UP3Kayla BTM WIN IN IN IN WIN WIN OUT 4 Adam IN WIN IN BTM BTM BTM WIN OUT 5Gina IN IN IN BTM BTM BTM OUT 6Peter IN IN IN BTM IN IN OUT 7Laith IN BTM IN BTM WIN OUT 8Sharon* IN INSWAP IN WIN OUT 9Sadie WIN IN IN IN OUT 10Karma IN IN IN IN OUT 11Jonathan IN OUT 12Terry BTM OUT 13Idriss OUT 14Nina OUT
Since the Red Team won the Ice Cream Skill Drill game in Week 3, Chef Anne had the choice of taking one of the Blue recruits and swapping with one of her own. She chose Adrian from her own team and Sharon from the Blue Team to swap.
Key (WINNER) This contestant won the competition and was crowned "Best of the Worst". (RUNNER-UP) The contestant was the runner-up in the finals of the competition. (WIN) The contestant did the best on their team in the week's Main Dish challenge or Skill Drill and was considered the winner. (BTM) The contestant was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Main Dish challenge, but was not eliminated. (SWAP) The contestant get switched by a mentor to the other team. (OUT) The contestant lost that week's Main Dish challenge and was out of the competition.
Episodes
References
External links