Worst Cooks in America 25, also known as Viral Sensations, is the twenty-fifth season of the American competitive reality television series Worst Cooks in America. It premiered on Food Network on January 1, 2023 and concluded on February 5, 2023. Nick Trawick was the winner of this season, with Michael Judson Berry 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.
During this season, a new gimmick to the show has been added. It is known as a Chef Like, which is a pin awarded to the winner of the Skill Drill Challenge on both teams and the Main Dish Challenge on both teams. The respective mentor of the team decides the winner. The recruit who accumulates the most will have a game-changing advantage. In episode 5, the recruit with the most Chef Likes on each team was able to choose one team member to switch to the opposite team.
Judges Darnell Ferguson joins Anne Burrell to host the first run of Viral Sensations. The season premiered on January 1, 2023.
Recruits ContestantHometownOccupationTeamStatusNick TrawickLos Angeles, CaliforniaSocial media influencerAnneWinneron February 5, 2023Michael Judson BerryJersey City, New JerseyActorDarnellParis NicholsonLos Angeles, CaliforniaSocial media influencerAnneFinaliston February 5, 2023NaJe' ElmoreTexarkana, TexasSocial media influencerDarnellDavid ChenFort Lauderdale, FloridaFlight attendantDarnellEliminatedon January 29, 2023Tessica BrownViolet, LouisianaStay at home mom AnneEliza PetersenWest Jordan, UtahAmateur paleontologistDarnellRich AronovitchNew York CityProfessional comedianAnneMitchell Tyler RalstonHuntington Beach, CaliforniaGhost HunterAnneEliminatedon January 22, 2023Sabrina RiosLos Angeles, CaliforniaSocial media influencer DarnellTina KimLos Angeles, CaliforniaSocial media influencerDarnellEliminatedon January 15, 2023Adam KreutingerBuffalo, New YorkPuppeteerAnneEliminatedon January 8, 2023
Elimination Chart
*Initially a member of the other team
Rank ContestantEpisode1 23 4 5 6781NickININININ BTM BTM BTMWINNER2Michael INININ WIN WIN BTM BTMRUNNER-UP3Paris BTM ININ WIN WIN IN WINFINALIST4NaJe'IN WIN WIN BTM IN WIN WIN5David BTMINININ BTMIN OUT6Tessica IN BTM IN BTM BTM WIN OUT7Eliza*IN WIN WIN INSWAP OUT8Rich*ININININSWAP OUT9MitchellINININ OUT 10SabrinaININ BTM OUT 11TinaININ OUT 12AdamIN OUT
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. (FINALIST) The contestant was a finalist in the finals of the competition. (WIN) The contestant did the best on their team in the week's Main Dish Challenge 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