Ep 5. Waited on Hand and Foot

In season 16 episode 5 of Worst Cooks in America titled "Waited on Hand and Foot," the remaining contestants were in for a tough, but educational challenge as they learned under the wings of Chef Anne Burrell and Chef Carla Hall.

The episode began with a Skill Drill Challenge that tested the recruits' ability to replicate a dish after only seeing it once. Chef Carla demonstrated how to make a shrimp scampi and the recruits had 10 minutes to focus and memorize the recipe before attempting to recreate it on their own. Some struggled with missed measurements and others had trouble remembering all the ingredients, but ultimately, Chef Carla was impressed with the outcome of the dishes and chose Rebecca as the winner for the challenge.

Next up was the Main Challenge. Chef Anne and Chef Carla split the recruits into teams of two, and each team was assigned a dish and paired with a professional server who would guide them through the process of taking orders and serving guests. The chefs themselves would be judging the overall performance of each team. The catch? The recruits would have to cook blindly, meaning they were only allowed to rely on their partners and the server to complete the dish.

Team Red, consisting of Kelsey and Cody, was assigned to make beef stroganoff. The two recruits worked well together, with Cody handling the beef and Kelsey taking on the noodles. However, they received some harsh criticism from Chef Anne for their plating, as it looked messy and unappetizing.

Team Blue, made up of Aziza and Najah, had the task of preparing shrimp and grits. Najah took the lead on this dish and impressed Chef Carla with her grits, but Aziza struggled to properly cook the shrimp, and the team ultimately received criticism for not properly seasoning their dish.

Last but not least was Team Green, which consisted of Rebecca and Devin and had the task of replicating chicken cacciatore. This team seemed to communicate well and executed their dish expertly, receiving high praise from both chefs for their flavors and presentation.

After serving their dishes to the guests and receiving feedback, it was time for the chefs to decide which team performed the worst. While all teams received criticism, Chef Anne and Chef Carla ultimately chose Team Red as the worst performers, with Kelsey being sent home as a result.

Overall, the episode emphasized the importance of communication, teamwork, and attention to detail in cooking. While the recruits had their share of struggles, they also showed significant improvement from the beginning of the season, and it will be interesting to see how they continue to develop in future episodes.