"worst cooks in america" news and stories

In a continuing effort to make us all feel better about our own kitchen skills, the Food Network's Worst Cooks in America is set to return this winter. Premiering January 2, Season 1's winning chef-coach Anne Burrell will return to defend her title against Dinner: Impossible's chef Robert Irvine.

Contestants on the show have been nominated by their friends and family for generally being recognized by anyone remotely near their culinary creations as perpetually terrible. At the beginning of the season, the12 contestants will be divided into two teams: Anne's red team and Robert's blue team. From there, the chefs teach the contestants valuable cooking skills, with the "worst" being eliminated at the end of each episode.

If the allegations in a recently leaked discrimination suit against celebrity chef Anne Burrell are true, contestants on her new Food Network reality show may have gotten an earful about more than their poor stirring techniques.

Former employees say Burrell, whose "Worst Cooks in America" competition debuts next month, "constantly harassed (them) with sexually discriminatory and derogatory remarks." The complaint, filed earlier this year, was publicized today by blogger Abbe Diaz, whose husband, Sasha Muniak, owned the New York restaurant where the incidents allegedly occurred and is named as a defendant.