Plot Synopsis

Hosted by Geoffrey Zakarian, COOKS VS. CONS features a combination of home cooks and trained professionals, whose true identities are concealed as they battle it out in the kitchen under the watchful eye of a rotating panel of judges. In order to win, they must tackle two rounds of challenges where a surprise ingredient, such as fruity cereal, orange soda or sour dill pickles, must be incorporated into preparing mouthwatering classic meals like burgers, tacos, meatballs, and mac 'n cheese. The contestant whose dish does not make the grade is eliminated after the first round. Then, the three remaining cooks go head-to-head in another round with a new secret ingredient. With a level playing field, the judges determine the winner based on taste and presentation, and only after the decision has been made do the contestants reveal their true identities. If a professional's dish is best they will home a prize of $10,000, but if an amateur can beat the odds and the competition, they are rewarded with an even bigger prize of $15,000. Judges include Kardea Brown, Josh Elkin, Graham Elliot and Daphne Oz. The 12-episode second season of COOKS VS. CONS premiered on Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network. Each episode the contestants battle it out in two rounds of timed challenges to create delicious restaurant quality dishes using a secret ingredient. The pressure is on as a rotating panel of judges, including Richard Blais, Anne Burrell, Josh Capon, Monti Carlo, Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli, Katie Lee, Marc Murphy, Daphne Oz, Marcus Samuelsson, and more, decide who is a novice in the kitchen and whose cooking skills have been seasoned to perfection. Season 3 of COOKS VS. CONS premiered on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network. Geoffrey Zakarian returns for a third season with a rotating panel of judges that includes Ted Allen, Sunny Anderson, Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli, Eddie Jackson, Jeff Mauro, Daphne Oz, Curtis Stone, Jet Tila and Justin Warner. In the season opener, "Pumpkin Thumpin," Contestants must be on gourd for the French toast battle, as surprise ingredient pumpkin gets carved up into the dishes. Then, in round two, judges Alex Guarnaschelli and Curtis Stone attempt to separate the pros from the home cooks as they determine whose dish is tops, when ice-cream toppings are used to accent savory staples. On Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT, Food Network premiered the fourth season of COOKS VS. CONS. In the season opener, "Burrito Icognito," the cooks and cons try not to come unwrapped in round one when they're faced with incorporating cabbage into their burritos. Then, will judges Sunny Anderson and Amanda Freitag have their hunger cured when the contestants incorporate ham into their round two masterpieces? Food Network premiered the fifth season of COOKS VS. CONS on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at 10pm ET/PT. In the season opener, "Ballpark BBQ," host Geoffrey Zakarian and judges Daphne Oz and Marcus Samuelsson throw the cooks and cons a curve ball in round one by tasking them with fusing corn and hot dogs. After one contestant strikes out, the remaining contestants continue to round two in hopes of making their best dish incorporating barbecue.
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On Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 10pm ET/PT, Food Network premiered the Season 5 finale of COOKS VS. CONS. In the season ender, "Endless Pastabilities," the cooks and cons have host Geoffrey Zakarian and judges Jose Garces and Justin Warner raving about their chip-infused ravioli dishes in round one. In the second round, the contestants must make peace with the surprise ingredient and incorporate chickpeas into their dishes.