NBC is preparing save the best til’ last this summer with a hugely anticipated new cooking competition series Yes, Chef! with culinary icons Martha Stewart and José Andrés serving as hosts. Don’t miss the show’s premiere on Monday, April 28, at 10 p.m. ET! Or you can stream it the next day on Peacock.
The television series will feature 12 food industry professionals who will battle each other in exciting, high-energy culinary competitions. Contestants won’t just be tested on their culinary skills, but their capacity to cook as a team while facing the heat of a high-pressure environment. The show seeks to highlight that keeping your ego in check is just as crucial when you’re cooking.
Martha Stewart, the quintessential authority on home cooking and entertaining, expressed her dismay over conduct in the high-pressure food culture. She said, “For too long, the heat of the kitchen has been an alibi for abusive behavior.” Celebrity chef José Andrés is the personification of this aversion to elitism. He is a well-respected Spanish American chef, known for his culinary skills and for his humanitarian work. Andrés went on to say, “That’s not the way of a great chef, chef. That’s an anchor.”
Over the course of the competition, chefs will be thrust into culinary and relational challenges aimed at pushing their teamwork and collaboration to the limit. Each week, the series will feature one MVC. This recognition is awarded to individuals who not only exhibit exceptional culinary skills but demonstrate outstanding transformation in their demeanor.
Stewart pointed out the important role character plays in attaining culinary breakthroughs. As he proclaimed, “In our kitchen, winning takes more than good food.” This philosophy speaks to one of the central lessons of “Yes, Chef!” Building respect and collaboration is critical to creating a diverse culinary landscape.
This year the competition features a gan prize of $250,000. This significant prize pushes competitors to shine in the kitchen, more importantly, show great conduct. With the stakes high and tensions likely to rise, viewers can anticipate a thrilling series that combines culinary artistry with valuable life lessons.
Stewart candidly acknowledged her own challenges with perfectionism: “I have been known to be a perfectionist, and that kind of holds you back sometimes.” With this confession, the series takes on a more intimate feel. It challenges competitors to prioritize iteration over flawless delivery.