The channel is bringing together kitchens and poker in a new Wildcard Kitchen series
Poker fans who enjoy watching chefs prepare a gourmet meal might want to check out the Food Network’s newest show, Wildcard Kitchen, which premiers in March. The limited series has eight episodes and debuts on March 12 at 9 PM ET. It will bring together some of the network’s favorite chefs to test their skills in the kitchen and at the poker table. The program could deliver some real “high steals” as the activity progresses.
“In each episode, host Eric Adjepong takes over the test kitchen after hours with an exclusive invitation for three chefs to bring $5,000 to play across three hands of his underground culinary poker game,” reads the network notes on the show. “The competitors, who all know each other well, have scores to settle and personal stakes to lose as they battle to create dishes based on the cards they are dealt and bet using their own instincts and cold hard cash.”
Similar to an actual poker tournament, challenges are given to the celebrity chefs, with wild cards sometimes put into play to test their skills. Chefs appearing on the show include Chopped judges Marc Murphy, Maneet Chauhan and Brian Malarkey.
Italian culinary experts Rocco Dispirito, Antonia Lofaso and Gabriele Bertaccini will compete, as will close friends Joe Sasto, Stephanie Izard and Justin Sutherland. Judges to make guest appearances on the show include Scott Conant, Anne Burrell and Esther Choi.
“Wildcard Kitchen makes viewers feel like they are behind the scenes for an exclusive late-night poker game with their favorite chefs,” says Betsy Ayala, head of food content for Warner Bros. Discovery. “The competition and good-natured trash talk is fierce, funny, and unlike anything Food Network has offered.”
