Search Results - Celebrity Cooking Showdown

The competition was divided into three "preliminary rounds", where each celebrity was paired with a famous chef. The three chefs participating were Wolfgang Puck, 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.[1] 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.