Worst Cooks in America - Season 30

First aired: 1/4/2026 3 episodes

This season, Chefs Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry are on a mission to transform an all-star cast from cooking disasters to kitchen masters with an intense culinary boot camp like no other. Each chef takes a team of celebrity recruits through their paces with entertainment-themed challenges including Blockbuster Bites, The Worst Lotus and Agents of Flavor, but only the last competitor standing wins $25,000 for the charity of their choice and bragging rights for their mentor.

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Episodes

1. Lights, Camera, Boot Camp

Aired: 1/4/2026

The newest batch of celebrity recruits are trading scripts for spatulas as they enter culinary boot camp. Chefs Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry are ready to mold these stars into kitchen MVPs -- but first, they need to see what they're working with. In the baseline challenge, the celebs whip up red-carpet-worthy dishes to show off (or expose) their culinary chops. Then, in the main dish challenge, the chefs turn up the heat and teach their teams bold and spicy piri piri chicken. Some recruits rise to the occasion, while others fizzle out. The least successful celebs must face off in a blind elimination cook-off, and only one will survive to cook another day.

2. Hollywood's Next Culinary Star

Aired: 1/11/2026

The teams go head-to-head in movie genre-inspired challenges that test their palates, culinary knowledge and dramatic instincts. For the skill drill challenge, the celebs must nail a classic combo: soup and a sandwich. Later, the spotlight shifts to the main dish challenge, where chefs Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry roll out a show-stopping pairing: eggplant parmesan and handmade pasta. The stars with the best performances move on, but the bottom two must battle it out in a blind elimination cook-off featuring a sweet and savory appetizer.

3. The Worst Lotus

Aired: 1/18/2026

The celebrity teams hustle during "The Worst Lotus," a head-to-head relay race through a faux-luxury resort to create poolside platters. After sweating it out, the recruits tackle a seafood classic: crab cakes. In the main dish challenge, chefs Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry have their teams dive into the deep end with seafood curry. The recruits who shine move on, while the bottom two face a blind elimination cook-off, preparing seared fish with a tropical sauce.