Worst Cooks in America season 29

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Worst Cooks in America
Season 29
Judges
No. of contestants16
WinnerTodd Zimmerman
Winning mentorGabriele Bertaccini
Runner-upCari Westerman
No. of episodes7
Release
Original network Food Network
Original releaseJuly 28 (2025-07-28) –
September 1, 2025 (2025-09-01)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 28
Next →
Season 30

Worst Cooks in America 29, also known as Talented & Terrible, is the twenty-ninth season of the American competitive reality television series Worst Cooks in America . It premiered on Food Network on July 28, 2025 and concluded on September 1, 2025. Todd Zimmerman was the winner of this season, with Cari Westerman as the runner-up.

Contents

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 performers from each team are 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

Gabriele Bertaccini joins Anne Burrell to host Talented & Terrible. This season was recorded in early 2025, but broadcast after Burrell's suicide in June 2025. [4]

Recruits

ContestantHometownOccupationTeamStatus
Todd Zimmerman Orlando, FL Circus clownGabeWinner
on September 1, 2025
Cari Westerman Boston, MA RapperAnneRunner-up
on September 1, 2025
Mikki YamashiroProfessional wrestlerGabeEliminated
on September 1, 2025
Preshous JordanProfessional roller skaterAnne
Matthew Anchel New York, NY Opera singerAnneEliminated
on August 25, 2025
Kyle Torrence Brooklyn, NY Musical theatre performerGabe
Julia WatkinsViolinistGabeEliminated
on August 18, 2025
Nick Thomas Sterling Heights, MI JugglerAnne
Rebekah "Bean" RipleyGymnastGabeEliminated
on August 18, 2025
GloZell Green Performer & pianistAnne
Portia LangeBelly dancerAnneEliminated
on August 11, 2025
Chris TannerVisual artistGabe
Lee ColeeDancer, singer, & performerAnneEliminated
on August 4, 2025
Ricky DownesComedian, voice actor, & puppeteerGabe
Shinobi Poli Tampa, FL Parkour instructor-Eliminated
on July 28, 2025
Olive HuiPerformance artist-

Elimination Chart

  Team Anne
  Team Gabe
RankContestantEpisode
1234567
1ToddINIMMWINWINWINBTMWINWINNER
2CariININWINWINWINBTMWINRUNNER-UP
3MikkiINWININININWINOUT
4PreshousINWINBTMININWINOUT
5MatthewININBTMBTMBTMOUT
6KyleINININBTMBTMOUT
7JuliaINBTMININOUT
8NickBTMINININOUT
9BeanBTMININOUT
10GloZellINBTMINOUT
11PortiaINIMMOUT
12ChrisININOUT
13LeeINOUT
14RickyINOUT
15ShinobiOUT
16OliveOUT
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 and was considered the winner.
  (IMM) The contestant won immunity and was safe from elimination in the week's Main Dish Challenge.
  (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

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date  [5]
2131"Talented & Terrible: Boot Camp's Got Talent"July 28, 2025 (2025-07-28)
2142"Talented & Terrible: Culinary Pageant"August 4, 2025 (2025-08-04)
2153"Talented & Terrible: The Da Vinci Cook"August 11, 2025 (2025-08-11)
2164"Talented & Terrible: Flavor Freestyle"August 18, 2025 (2025-08-18)
2175"Talented & Terrible: Big Top Boot Camp"August 18, 2025 (2025-08-18)
2186"Talented & Terrible: Encores and Entrees"August 25, 2025 (2025-08-25)
2197"Talented & Terrible: Culinary Curtain Call"September 1, 2025 (2025-09-01)

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. ↑ Rella, Emily (July 29, 2025). "Food Network Pays Tribute to Anne Burrell During the Premiere of Her Last Season of Worst Cooks in America". People. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Shows A-Z - worst cooks in america on foodnetwork". The Futon Critic . Retrieved July 27, 2025.
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