Season 1

2010-01-03

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.

2010-01-10

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.

2010-01-17

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

2010-01-24

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

2010-01-31

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.

2010-02-01

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.