> At a Glance
> – Season 30 of Worst Cooks in America premiered Jan. 4 without longtime host Anne Burrell.
> – Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry now lead the show after Burrell’s death by suicide at 55 last June.
> – The new run features 10 reality stars competing for $25,000 charity prizes.
> – Why it matters: Fans see the franchise move forward while honoring Burrell’s decade-plus legacy.
The Food Network served up a historic premiere on Jan. 4 as Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check became the first season filmed after Anne Burrell‘s death.
New Hosts Take Over
**Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry stepped into the instructional kitchen, guiding celebrity recruits through culinary disasters.
This marks the first cycle since Burrell, who fronted the show since its 2010 debut, died at her Brooklyn home on June 17.
Star-Studded Contestants
The network cast reality favorites from across genres:
- Lisa Barlow (RHOSLC)
- Downtown Julie Brown (VJ/Host)
- Val Chmerkovskiy (DWTS)
- Reza Farahan (Shahs)
- Amara La Negra (Love & Hip Hop)
- Ryan Lochte (Olympic swimmer)
- Manila Luzon (Drag Race)
- Romeo Miller (rapper/actor)
- Beverley Mitchell (7th Heaven)
- CT Tamburello (The Challenge)
Each contestant is paired with a host and faces weekly eliminations until a single winner claims $25,000 for charity.
Tribute and Timeline
Burrell’s final season, Talented and Terrible, wrapped July 28-four days after the NYC Medical Examiner ruled her death a suicide by combined intoxication.
The Food Network honored her with an In Memoriam card: “Anne Burrell. 1969 – 2025.”
| Key Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 17 | Burrell dies at 55 |
| July 24 | Cause of death released |
| July 28 | Final Burrell-helmed episode airs |
| Jan. 4 | New season premieres |
Episodes air Sundays at 8 p.m. EST/PST, streaming next-day on Max.
Key Takeaways
- Anne Burrell hosted 29 seasons before her passing.
- Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry now share teaching duties.
- 10 reality celebs compete for charity cash.
- The Food Network continues the franchise while memorializing its original mentor.
Viewers will watch recruits rise from kitchen zeroes-without the pink-mohawked chef who once turned them into heroes.
