Martha Stewart to Co-Host New Competition Show

If 12 highly skilled but volatile chefs can’t take the heat, then two Emmy-winning, culinary legends will get them out of the kitchen.

On February 13, NBC announced Martha Stewart and José Andrés will co-host a new cooking competition series called “Yes, Chef!” A report from NBC stated that the show, which is scheduled to premiere on April 28, “blends the high-stakes thrill of a cooking competition with the raw emotion of personal transformation.”

According to NBC, Stewart and Andrés, who will also serve as executive producers, will use a mix of “humor and tough love” while putting a dozen chefs, all considered rising stars in the industry, through several grueling culinary challenges. A twist in this “ultimate test” is that the competitors will also be forced to face, and hopefully overcome, significant personality issues that have threatened to derail their careers.

In another twist, the report indicated that the 12 chefs who will compete for the grand prize of $250,000 did not apply for the opportunity, as is typically the case in other reality competitions. Instead, they were nominated by bosses, co-workers, friends, even family members, because they are products of “the chaotic culinary lifestyle” who risk letting their natural talent be overshadowed and ultimately eclipsed by “egos, intensity, stubbornness, or short fuses.”

Martha Stewart Makes Return to Primetime Television

For Stewart, the series offers a second chance at primetime television, one that she hopes proves to be much more successful.

As detailed in a look at Stewart’s career by Entertainment Weekly, she has made her mark in daytime programming, in everything from “Martha Stewart Living” to HGTV‘s “Martha Knows Best.” However, Stewart’s lone attempt in primetime, “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart,” lasted just 13 episodes from September to December in 2005.

Jose Andrés Excited to Co-Host Show With Martha Stewart

Andrés expressed his excitement over the show in a post to Instagram, stating, “Big news, people!! I am so excited to share that I will be co-hosting @nbc’s newest cooking competition show, “Yes, Chef!” with the only and the one @marthastewart48 by my side! We’ll be guiding 12 highly skilled chefs to reach their full potential, with some tough love and a lot of humor!”

Andrés also included a link to an article about the show from Variety, which noted that along with his mastery in the kitchen, Andrés is a humanitarian who has won multiple James Beard Awards and founded World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides meals to people impacted by natural disasters. The report also indicated that Andrés served as the co-chair of the United States President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition from 2022 to 2024.

NBC reported that the show will be produced by Magical Elves, the Emmy Award-winning producers of Bravo’s Top Chef. In addition to Stewart and Andrés, executive producers include Casey Kriley, Jo Sharon, Jimmy Fox, Kevin Lee, Doneen Arquines, Paul Storck, and Richard Wolffe.