‘America’s Culinary Cup’ pits the best chefs against each other

Pitting some of the best chefs in the world against each other, the new series will reward the winner with $1 million and the kind of bragging rights that come with a Michelin star or a James Beard award.

“When all other shows are zigging, I wanted to zag,” says Lakshmi, the former “Top Chef” host. “I want to do a show that just tests the mettle of every great chef in every way possible. There are no tricks. I’m not going to be putting obstacles in their way.”

Instead, she provides her contestants with all the cooking tools and ingredients they could desire. They don’t have to share kitchens with one another, and they’re not given tricky ground rules to complete the tasks. Chefs go head-to-head with one another, and Lakshmi and chefs Wiley Dufresne and Michael Cimarusti judge the results.

Presentation isn’t everything, Dufresne insists.

“There were times when I looked at a dish and thought, ‘Wow, we’re not off to a good start here,’ and then I tasted it and I was blown away," he says. "It’s not the final thing, but it is a beginning.”

Dufresne says most people judge first with their eyes, then their nose and, finally, their tastebuds.

Considering the contestants run some of the biggest restaurants in the United States, they’re well aware of expectations.

“Anytime you get a bunch of people who are captains of their industry, you know already they care about being the best at what they do,” Lakshmi says. “Our group is no different. Some of them know each other, some of them cook together, but they all want to win. It’s all very sportsmanly. This is not a show on another network, so you’re not going to see sort of that lowest common denominator reality show.”

The money is a pretty good incentive, too. Executive producer Susan Rovner says, “even post-COVID, it’s a meaningful amount of money. So these chefs brought their A++ game.”

“America’s Culinary Cup” should fare well with average consumers because it adheres to the “10 culinary commandments,” Cimarusti says. “Whether or not you’re a professional chef, each one of these 10 commandments is something that you’re doing in your home kitchen. We’re talking about sauce-making and desserts and consistency. These are all things that everyone strives for as a cook — whether you do it for a living or whether you don’t.”

Presentation is important to Lakshmi.

“If I’m getting a babysitter, wearing a pair of high heels and going out on a weeknight and spending $100, $150 a head on dinner, it better look pretty, too,” she says.

The three judges verbalize their assessments and use a numerical system to determine who stays and who goes home.

“I wanted it to be quantifiable,” Lakshmi says of the system. “I wanted it to be apparent for the audience at home.”

And, if “America’s Culinary Cup” happens to draw “Survivor” viewers (it airs after the long-running competition show), Lakshmi says she’ll be thrilled.

“We’re very lucky to have the timeslot we do. But I also want to get people don’t care about food, who just eat what is put in front of them because they watch March Madness or PGA Golf or NFL Football. I wanted this to be a big tent show,” she says.

“America’s Culinary Cup” premieres Wednesday, March 4 on CBS and Paramount+.