Worst Cooks in America season 26

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Contents

Worst Cooks in America
Season 26
Judges
No. of contestants16
WinnerJessica Singer
Runner-upSamantha "Sami" White
No. of episodes8
Release
Original network Food Network
Original releaseAugust 6 (2023-08-06) –
September 10, 2023 (2023-09-10)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 25
Next →
Season 27

Worst Cooks in America 26, also known as Love at First Bite, is the twenty-sixth season of the American competitive reality television series Worst Cooks in America . It premiered on Food Network on August 6, 2023 and concluded on September 10, 2023. Jessica Singer was the winner of this season, with Samantha "Sami" White 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. [1] [2] 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. [3]

Judges

Jeff Mauro joins Anne Burrell to host Love at First Bite. The season premiered on August 6, 2023. [4]

Recruits

ContestantHometownOccupationTeamStatus
Jessica Singer Los Angeles, California Comedian/Pet SitterJeffWinner
on September 10, 2023
Samantha "Sami" White [5] Chicago, Illinois Drag KingAnneRunner-up
on September 10, 2023
Louisa "Lou" Tocquie Rochester, New York Home Health AideAnneFinalist
on September 10, 2023
Sterling Quinn New York City Fashion Designer/Content CreatorJeff
Etherio Noon Chicago, Illinois ModelAnneEliminated
on September 10, 2023
Allegra Melton Jonesboro, Arkansas Personal TrainerJeff
Zach Russell New York City Business Development DirectorJeffEliminated
on September 3, 2023
James Bates Hammond, Louisiana Content CreatorAnne
Kermit Moss Jr. Costa Mesa, California Music ProducerJeffEliminated
on August 27, 2023
Terri Arcelia Atlanta, Georgia BartenderAnne
Toneata Morgan Los Angeles, California Actress/ModelJeff
Charles Osborne New York City Actor/Comedian/WriterAnneWithdrew
on August 27, 2023
Denz Mooney Long Island, New York Content CreatorAnneEliminated
on August 20, 2023
Michael Kazakov Staten Island, New York Demolition ManJeffWithdrew
on August 20, 2023
Matthew Militello Los Angeles, California Makeup ArtistJeffEliminated
on August 12, 2023
Amy Solomon Las Vegas, Nevada Professional OrganizerAnne

Couples

This season features a cast of single recruits eager to learn some cooking skills to impress future dates. As a twist, recruits were selected in pairs to join the Red or Blue Team. Pairs will compete together in all Skill Drills and share a work station for all cooks.

Original Couples [a] Team
Allegra & Michael [b] Blue
Amy & Etherio [c] Red
Jessica & Kermit [d] Blue
Lou & DenzRed
Sami & JamesRed
Sterling & Matthew [e] Blue
Terri & Charles [f] Red
Toneata & ZachBlue
Notes
  1. ↑ The winner of each team's Skill Drill cook receives the power to "recouple" by staying with their current partner or choosing a different one as his new partner.
  2. ↑ In Episode 2, Michael recoupled with Sterling.
  3. ↑ In Episode 4, Etherio chose to be in the "Singles Zone".
  4. ↑ In Episode 4, Kermit recoupled with Toneata, thus leaving Jessica to pair up with Zach.
  5. ↑ In Episode 3, Sterling was automatically paired with Allegra since Michael withdrew from the competition.
  6. ↑ In Episode 3, Terri recoupled with Etherio, thus leaving Charles in the "Singles Zone".

Elimination Chart

  Team Anne
  Team Jeff
RankContestantEpisode
12345678
1JessicaBTMININININWINBTMWINNER
2SamiININBTMWINWININWINRUNNER-UP
3LouBTMINWINININWINBTMFINALIST
4SterlingINININWININBTMWIN
5EtherioINININININBTMOUT
6AllegraININININWININOUT
7ZachININWININBTMOUT
8JamesININININBTMOUT
9KermitBTMBTMINBTMOUT
10TerriININININOUT
11ToneataINININOUT
12CharlesINWININWDR
13DenzBTMBTMOUT
14MichaelINWINWDR
15MatthewINOUT
16AmyINOUT
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.
  (OUT) The contestant lost that week's Main Dish challenge and was out of the competition.
  (WDR) The contestant withdrew from the competition due to illness.

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date  [6]
1911"Love at First Bite: Fiery First Date"August 6, 2023 (2023-08-06)
1922"Love at First Bite: That's Amore"August 12, 2023 (2023-08-12)
1933"Love at First Bite: Double Dish of Love"August 20, 2023 (2023-08-20)
1944"Love at First Bite: Flavor of Love"August 27, 2023 (2023-08-27)
1955"Love at First Bite: Some Like It Hot"August 27, 2023 (2023-08-27)
1966"Love at First Bite: If the Choux Fits"September 3, 2023 (2023-09-03)
1977"Love at First Bite: What Happens in Boot Camp"September 10, 2023 (2023-09-10)
1988"Love at First Bite: All Is Fair in Love and Cooking"September 10, 2023 (2023-09-10)

References

  1. ↑ Lynch, Rene (January 2, 2010). "'Worst Cooks in America' isn't just a title: They're horrible". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  2. ↑ Tucker, Ken (January 4, 2010). "'Worst Cooks in America': Worst thing I watched most of last night". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  3. ↑ Worst Cooks in America (Comedy, Game-Show, Reality-TV), Anne Burrell, Tyler Florence, Bobby Flay, Optomen Productions, January 3, 2010, retrieved July 24, 2025{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. ↑ "Love at First Bite: Fiery First Date". FoodNetwork.com. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Food Network's 'Worst Cooks in America' to feature Fishers' Sami White". The Indianapolis Star . Gannett. July 25, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Shows A-Z - worst cooks in america on foodnetwork". The Futon Critic . Retrieved July 27, 2025.
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