Celebrity Cooking Showdown
Encyclopedia
Celebrity Cooking Showdown is a program that aired on NBC
from April 17-19 and April 22, 2006. It was hosted by Alan Thicke
.
, Cat Cora
and Govind Armstrong
, all of whom had been on Food Network's Iron Chef America
. The program's host was Alan Thicke
; early articles on the show stated that Food Network
host and author Sandra Lee
would serve as co-host, but she never appeared on the program when it aired.http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117940224.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&s=h&p=0 Following a montage of clips showing the chefs teaching their new pupils the ropes, the actual contest would begin.
Each contestant had to prepare three dishes (an appetizer, a main course
and a dessert
) within 50 minutes. To aid them, after the second commercial break had passed (roughly 15–20 minutes into the contest) each team was allowed two "chef's passes" (one by the chef and one by the contestant). In order to activate the chef's pass, either the contestant or the chef must place their towel into a wire basket just outside the kitchen area. A horn as if to end a hockey period would go off,and this would allow the chef to come into the kitchen for two minutes and assist the contestant. Only one chef could be in the kitchen area on a chef's pass at a time. Also, when only five minutes remains in the contest, the chefs are allowed to return for whatever last-minute advice and help they can give.
As a disadvantage for each contestant, two ingredients for their dishes are not in their kitchen area. Instead, they are kept in the pantry located on an elevated stage behind where the chefs stand. Once the contestant realizes that the ingredients are missing, they must run over and find them in the pantry.
When time runs out, the judges (event planner Colin Cowie
and food critic Gael Greene
) evaluate the final product. In order for a dish to be considered, it must be finished and on the judge's platform when the clock hits zero. The judges then evaluate each meal on a scale of 1-10 using two criteria: flavor and presentation. Each judge can give a maximum of 20 points, so a perfect score for a contestant would be 40.
The top winner from each preliminary round advanced to the final round. However, due to low ratings in head-to-head competition with shows like NCIS
, Gilmore Girls
and American Idol
, NBC pulled the plug before the finals were aired due to very dismal ratings (the Tuesday and Wednesday editions finished an embarrassing fifth out of the six broadcast networks in their 8:00 time slots). The network originally announced the two episodes would be available only on nbc.com, and the Thursday night (Day 4) episode was available to watch on NBC.com until the time it would have ended airing in the Pacific Time Zone
(9pm PDT/12am EDT). NBC later reversed its decision not to broadcast the final episodes and ran them back-to-back on the night of Saturday April 22, though only those who watched the final round on nbc.com were able to vote on the outcome.
narrowly edged out Tony's Caprese Salad Tower, Penne á la Vodka
with Salmon and Affogado Italian Sundae. Alison's menu of Marinated Lobster, Blue-Cheese Stuffed Tenderloin and Citrus Crepes finished a close third with 31 points. Alison also suffered a burned hand when she grabbed a hot metal saucepan without a mitt.
On Tuesday, April 18, the pairings were Ashley Parker Angel and Wolfgang, Patti LaBelle and Cat, and Gabrielle Reece and Gorvind. Ashley's choices of Curried Chicken and Shrimp Satays with Peanut Sauce, Vegetarian Pizza with Wild Mushrooms and Pesto, and Caramelized Lemon Crème Brûlée with Fresh Berries defeated Patti's Black-eyed Pea Croquettes with Spicy Aioli and Dandelion Greens-Tasso Ham, Blackened Shrimp and Grits with Spring Asparagus Petite Salad and Coconut Cake with Raspberries by a final score of 36-34. Gabrielle finished a distant third, her meal of Tuna Tartare with Crispy Nori and Fresh Wasabi, Dover Sole with Artichoke Purée, Green Beans, and Marinated Tomatoes, D’Anjou Napolean with Spiced Cranberry Reduction scoring a very mediocre 26 points.
On Wednesday, April 19, the pairings were Tom Arnold with Wolfgang, Chelsea Cooley with Cat and Big Kenny with Govind. Chelsea's menu of Charred Kobe-style Beef with Asian Pear Slaw and Honey-Miso Vinaigrette, Spicy Tuna Belly and Asparagus Roll with Wasabi Crème Fraîche, and Green Tea Parfait with Kiwi and Cashews eked out a 35-34-34 victory over Tom's Scalloped Corn Casserole with Apple Smoked Bacon, Prime Beef Burgers with Gorgonzola and Special Sauce, Molten Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Kenny's Dungeness Crab with White Asparagus and Hazelnut Vinaigrette, Seared Kobe-style Beef with Potato Mousseline and Chanterelle Mushroom Salad and Fried Cookies and Cream.
The finals, broadcast over both NBC.com's website and on television on April 22, paired Cindy with Wolfgang, Ashley with Cat, and Chelsea with Govind. For this round, the contestants were paired up with their chefs by random draw and given just one day to practice their dishes. The competition started badly as Ashley sliced open his hand with a knife while cutting limes. The laceration was severe and required paramedic attention to apply a temporary bandage (he later needed stitches to seal up the wound) and cost him nearly 5 minutes of his 50. Cindy later burned her hand while pulling out her rack of lamb. Cindy's menu consisted of Roasted Beet Napoleon with Goat Cheese, Marinated Rack of Lamb and Butterscotch Apple Crumble. Chelsea's menu was Hamachi Sashimi, Duck Breast with Spicy Soba Noodles and Jasmine Rice Pudding (and a cold bottle of sake). Ashley's menu was Coconut Ceviche, Tequila Lime Steak Fajitas and Mexican Chocolate Fondue. Each judge weighed in, but withheld scores so that America could vote on the winner. Cindy won the competition.
Lucky Case Game, only the correct guesses were entered into the contest. From there, the winner was picked amidst the correct guesses.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from April 17-19 and April 22, 2006. It was hosted by Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
.
Format
The competition was divided into three "preliminary rounds", where each celebrity was paired with a famous chef. The three chefs participating were Wolfgang PuckWolfgang Puck
Wolfgang Johannes Puck is an Austrian-American celebrity chef, restaurateur, businessman and occasional actor. Wolfgang Puck restaurants, catering services, cookbooks and licensed products are run by Wolfgang Puck Companies, with three divisions...
, Cat Cora
Cat Cora
Catherine "Cat" Cora is a Greek-American professional chef best known for her featured role as an "Iron Chef" on the Food Network television show Iron Chef America.-Early life:...
and Govind Armstrong
Govind Armstrong
Govind Armstrong is an American chef who specializes in California Cuisine. He has appeared on the Bravo series Top Chef as a guest judge as well as the Food Network series Iron Chef America as a contestant...
, all of whom had been on Food Network's Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show is produced by Food Network, which also carried a dubbed version of the original Iron Chef. Like the...
. The program's host was Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
; early articles on the show stated that Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
host and author Sandra Lee
Sandra Lee (author)
Sandra Lee is an American television cook and author. She is known for her "Semi-Homemade" cooking concept, which involves 70 percent pre-packaged products with 30 percent fresh items.-Early life:...
would serve as co-host, but she never appeared on the program when it aired.http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117940224.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&s=h&p=0 Following a montage of clips showing the chefs teaching their new pupils the ropes, the actual contest would begin.
Each contestant had to prepare three dishes (an appetizer, a main course
Main course
A main dish is the featured or primary dish in a meal consisting of several courses. It usually follows the entrée course, and the salad course. In North American usage it may in fact be called the "entree"....
and a dessert
Dessert
In cultures around the world, dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal, usually consisting of sweet food. The word comes from the French language as dessert and this from Old French desservir, "to clear the table" and "to serve." Common Western desserts include cakes, biscuits,...
) within 50 minutes. To aid them, after the second commercial break had passed (roughly 15–20 minutes into the contest) each team was allowed two "chef's passes" (one by the chef and one by the contestant). In order to activate the chef's pass, either the contestant or the chef must place their towel into a wire basket just outside the kitchen area. A horn as if to end a hockey period would go off,and this would allow the chef to come into the kitchen for two minutes and assist the contestant. Only one chef could be in the kitchen area on a chef's pass at a time. Also, when only five minutes remains in the contest, the chefs are allowed to return for whatever last-minute advice and help they can give.
As a disadvantage for each contestant, two ingredients for their dishes are not in their kitchen area. Instead, they are kept in the pantry located on an elevated stage behind where the chefs stand. Once the contestant realizes that the ingredients are missing, they must run over and find them in the pantry.
When time runs out, the judges (event planner Colin Cowie
Colin Cowie
Colin Andrew Wilkie Cowie is a South African lifestyle guru and party planner to the stars, television personality and writer.Cowie was born in Kitwe, Zambia, but educated in South Africa. He moved to the United States in 1985...
and food critic Gael Greene
Gael Greene
Gael Greene is an American restaurant critic, author and novelist. She became New York magazine's restaurant critic in fall, 1968 at a time when most New Yorkers were unsophisticated about food and there were few chefs anyone knew by name. She was a passionate early "foodie" before that word was...
) evaluate the final product. In order for a dish to be considered, it must be finished and on the judge's platform when the clock hits zero. The judges then evaluate each meal on a scale of 1-10 using two criteria: flavor and presentation. Each judge can give a maximum of 20 points, so a perfect score for a contestant would be 40.
The top winner from each preliminary round advanced to the final round. However, due to low ratings in head-to-head competition with shows like NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
, Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
and American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, NBC pulled the plug before the finals were aired due to very dismal ratings (the Tuesday and Wednesday editions finished an embarrassing fifth out of the six broadcast networks in their 8:00 time slots). The network originally announced the two episodes would be available only on nbc.com, and the Thursday night (Day 4) episode was available to watch on NBC.com until the time it would have ended airing in the Pacific Time Zone
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
(9pm PDT/12am EDT). NBC later reversed its decision not to broadcast the final episodes and ran them back-to-back on the night of Saturday April 22, though only those who watched the final round on nbc.com were able to vote on the outcome.
Celebrities participating
- Alison SweeneyAlison SweeneyAlison Sweeney is an American dramatic actress and reality show host. Sweeney is best known for her portrayal of Samantha "Sami" Gene Brady on NBC's long running Days of our Lives, a role she has played under contract with the show since January 6, 1993...
(Days of our LivesDays of our LivesDays of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
) - Chelsea CooleyChelsea CooleyChelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
(Miss USAMiss USAThe Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
2005) - Cindy MargolisCindy MargolisCynthia Dawn "Cindy" Margolis is an American glamour spokesmodel and actress.-Personal life:Margolis was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Karyn O. and William C. Margolis...
(Actress/Model) - Tony Gonzalez (Tight End, NFL's Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
) - Big Kenny (Half of Country Music Duo Big & RichBig & RichBig & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
) - Patti LaBellePatti LaBellePatricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
(Singer) - Gabrielle ReeceGabrielle ReeceGabrielle Allyse Reece is an American professional volleyball player, sports announcer, fashion model and actress.-Early life:...
(Former professional beach volleyballBeach volleyballBeach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
player) - Tom ArnoldTom Arnold (actor)Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
(Actor/Comedian) - Ashley Parker AngelAshley Parker AngelAshley Parker is an American singer and actor also known as Ashley Parker Angel.-Early years:Ashley Parker was born Ashley Ward Parker, the child of Darren and Paula Parker, and raised in the town of Redding, California. His grandparents are of German and Irish descent...
(Singer) - Colin CowieColin CowieColin Andrew Wilkie Cowie is a South African lifestyle guru and party planner to the stars, television personality and writer.Cowie was born in Kitwe, Zambia, but educated in South Africa. He moved to the United States in 1985...
(Celeb Party Planner) Served as a judge on the show.
Results
On Monday, April 17, the three contestants were Cindy Margolis (paired with Wolfgang), Tony Gonzalez (paired with Cat) and Alison Sweeney (paired with Govind). In a 34-33 decision, Cindy's menu of Chinois Chicken Salad, Pan-seared Szechuan Beef and Baked AlaskaBaked Alaska
Baked Alaska is a dessert made of ice cream placed in a pie dish lined with slices of sponge cake or Christmas pudding and topped with meringue. The entire dessert is then placed in an extremely hot oven for just long enough to firm the meringue...
narrowly edged out Tony's Caprese Salad Tower, Penne á la Vodka
Penne alla vodka
Penne alla vodka is an Italian American pasta dish always made with vodka and penne pasta often with heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, onion, and sometimes sausage or bacon.-Origins :...
with Salmon and Affogado Italian Sundae. Alison's menu of Marinated Lobster, Blue-Cheese Stuffed Tenderloin and Citrus Crepes finished a close third with 31 points. Alison also suffered a burned hand when she grabbed a hot metal saucepan without a mitt.
On Tuesday, April 18, the pairings were Ashley Parker Angel and Wolfgang, Patti LaBelle and Cat, and Gabrielle Reece and Gorvind. Ashley's choices of Curried Chicken and Shrimp Satays with Peanut Sauce, Vegetarian Pizza with Wild Mushrooms and Pesto, and Caramelized Lemon Crème Brûlée with Fresh Berries defeated Patti's Black-eyed Pea Croquettes with Spicy Aioli and Dandelion Greens-Tasso Ham, Blackened Shrimp and Grits with Spring Asparagus Petite Salad and Coconut Cake with Raspberries by a final score of 36-34. Gabrielle finished a distant third, her meal of Tuna Tartare with Crispy Nori and Fresh Wasabi, Dover Sole with Artichoke Purée, Green Beans, and Marinated Tomatoes, D’Anjou Napolean with Spiced Cranberry Reduction scoring a very mediocre 26 points.
On Wednesday, April 19, the pairings were Tom Arnold with Wolfgang, Chelsea Cooley with Cat and Big Kenny with Govind. Chelsea's menu of Charred Kobe-style Beef with Asian Pear Slaw and Honey-Miso Vinaigrette, Spicy Tuna Belly and Asparagus Roll with Wasabi Crème Fraîche, and Green Tea Parfait with Kiwi and Cashews eked out a 35-34-34 victory over Tom's Scalloped Corn Casserole with Apple Smoked Bacon, Prime Beef Burgers with Gorgonzola and Special Sauce, Molten Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Kenny's Dungeness Crab with White Asparagus and Hazelnut Vinaigrette, Seared Kobe-style Beef with Potato Mousseline and Chanterelle Mushroom Salad and Fried Cookies and Cream.
The finals, broadcast over both NBC.com's website and on television on April 22, paired Cindy with Wolfgang, Ashley with Cat, and Chelsea with Govind. For this round, the contestants were paired up with their chefs by random draw and given just one day to practice their dishes. The competition started badly as Ashley sliced open his hand with a knife while cutting limes. The laceration was severe and required paramedic attention to apply a temporary bandage (he later needed stitches to seal up the wound) and cost him nearly 5 minutes of his 50. Cindy later burned her hand while pulling out her rack of lamb. Cindy's menu consisted of Roasted Beet Napoleon with Goat Cheese, Marinated Rack of Lamb and Butterscotch Apple Crumble. Chelsea's menu was Hamachi Sashimi, Duck Breast with Spicy Soba Noodles and Jasmine Rice Pudding (and a cold bottle of sake). Ashley's menu was Coconut Ceviche, Tequila Lime Steak Fajitas and Mexican Chocolate Fondue. Each judge weighed in, but withheld scores so that America could vote on the winner. Cindy won the competition.
Home viewer contest
Every night during Celebrity Cooking Showdown, one lucky viewer won a 4-piece GE kitchen. All viewers had to do to enter the contest is to text to 51515 with a letter that corresponded to the celebrity they thought would win over the judges. As with the Deal Or No DealDeal or No Deal (US game show)
Deal or No Deal is the American version of the international game show of Dutch origin of the same name. The show was hosted by Howie Mandel, and premiered on December 19, 2005, on National Broadcasting Company . The hour-long show typically aired at least twice a week during its run, and included...
Lucky Case Game, only the correct guesses were entered into the contest. From there, the winner was picked amidst the correct guesses.