Worst Cooks in America season 26
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 with poor cooking skills undergo a culinary boot camp for the chance to win $25,000 and a Food Network cooking set. 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.Judges
Jeff Mauro joins Anne Burrell to host Love at First Bite. The season premiered on August 6, 2023.Recruits
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 | Team |
| Allegra & Michael | Blue |
| Amy & Etherio | Red |
| Jessica & Kermit | Blue |
| Lou & Denz | Red |
| Sami & James | Red |
| Sterling & Matthew | Blue |
| Terri & Charles | Red |
| Toneata & Zach | Blue |
;Notes