The BEST episodes of Cooks vs. Cons
Every episode of Cooks vs. Cons ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Cooks vs. Cons!
Professional chefs and home cooks compete to impress a rotating panel of judges, who make their decisions based solely on taste and presentation. And it's only after a winner is declared that the contestants reveal their true identities.
#1 - Battle Baked Clams
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 6/14/2017
The pros and amateurs must incorporate carrots into their baked clam dishes in the first round; in the second round, the contestants must fuse tea into their dishes for judges Jeff Mauro and Daphne Oz.
#2 - Tarts and Hearts
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/8/2017
The cooks and cons must combine tarts with vegetable or candy hearts; Alex Guarnaschelli and Jeff Mauro judge the contestants' chocolate dishes.
#3 - Macho Nachos
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/15/2017
Nachos with canned soup for round one; in round two, cake must be used in a savory dish; Sunny Anderson and Daphne Oz judge.
#4 - Burrito Incognito
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/22/2017
The cooks and cons must incorporate cabbage into their burritos; the contestants incorporate ham into their dishes; Sunny Anderson and Amanda Freitag judge.
#5 - Gone Bananas
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/29/2017
The pros and amateurs must pair bananas with pork chops in the first round; in round two, Anne Burrell and Daphne Oz must decide who did the best job of incorporating picnic salads into their dish.
#6 - All About Alfredo
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/5/2017
Contestants spice it up for judges Daphne Oz and Aarti Sequeria by using salsa to create fabulous Alfredo dishes. In round two, the cooks and cons must think outside the takeout box and transform Chinese takeout into a winning dish!
#7 - Patty Meltdown
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/12/2017
In round one, judges Daphne Oz and Russell Jackson pull up a stool for a juicy diner classic -- the patty melt! However, the jukebox gets bumped when the cooks and cons face incorporating cinnamon into the savory dish. Round two has its own record scratch as the cooks need to incorporate party dips into their dishes.
#8 - Fry, Fry Again
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/19/2017
The pros and amateurs sweeten up judges Alex Guarnaschelli and Simon Majumdar when utilizing pineapple in their fried chicken dishes in the first round. Then, the judges keep their eyes peeled for the cooks and cons in round two to decide who smashed the competition with their best potato dish.
#9 - Egg Fight
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/29/2017
In the first round, Judges Aarti Sequeira and Justin Warner fish for the cooks and cons while observing the contestants hook up tuna casserole with milk. The remaining contestants try not to crack under pressure when incorporating eggs in their round two masterpieces.
#10 - Breakfast in Bedlam
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/3/2017
The cooks and cons are a bit sour when tasked with integrating lemon varietals into their round one breakfast sandwiches. Things get a bit sweeter in the second round when they must use maple in their dishes, and Judges Aarti Sequeira and Jet Tila tap a winner.
#11 - Grill Warfare
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 5/24/2017
Judges Alex Guarnaschelli and Carla Hall grill the cooks and cons in round one, while the pros and amateurs try not to stumble incorporating backyard beverages into their burgers. Round two gets wild when the remaining contestants must include buffalo in their dishes.
#12 - Chili Challenge
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 5/17/2017
It gets hot in the kitchen during round one as the cooks and cons bubble up their best chili cheese fries while incorporating apricots. The remaining contestants cook with garlic in round two, and judges Eddie Jackson and Justin Warner must choose the dish they "clove" the most!
#13 - Cajun Nation
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/10/2017
In round one, the cooks and cons churn out great dishes for judges Jordan Andino and Alex Guarnaschelli with butter-infused jambalayas. Then, round two is buzzing with excitement when the judges can't bee-lieve who the pros and amateurs are after watching them make their best dishes with honey.
#14 - Pasta Impastas
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 5/31/2017
Ted Allen and Sunny Anderson try to spot the ``impastas'' while observing the cooks and cons incorporating noodles into their huevos rancheros dishes; the remaining contestants include yogurt in their Round 2 masterpieces.
#15 - Taco Tug-O-War
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/7/2017
The cooks and cons all vie to reel in the win while making fish tacos; judges Daphne Oz and Gail Simmons have a hard time sussing out the pros and amateurs in Round 2, and decide who made the best dish incorporating sausage.
#16 - Tailgate Takedown
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/1/2017
The cooks must incorporate tailgate snacks in their sliders; the pros and amateurs must make dishes out of pizza toppings; Eddie Jackson and Daphne Oz judge.
#17 - Ballpark BBQ
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/5/2017
In round one, the cooks and cons are tasked 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.
#18 - Biscuits and Gravy
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/12/2017
In round one, the cooks and cons must incorporate berries into their biscuit and gravy dishes; in round two, the cooks and cons try to play nice in a battle of licorice.
#19 - High Steaks
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/19/2017
In round one, the cooks and cons create chicken fried steak dishes with peas; in round two, host Geoffrey Zakarian and judges Beau MacMillan and Daphne Oz try to grind out the pros and cons after they are challenged with using pecans in their dishes.
#20 - Meatball Madness
Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 7/26/2017
In the first round, meatball subs sound easy enough, but it takes some pro moves to make them with unusual buns; in round two, the cooks and cons incorporate pomegranates; judges Aarti Sequeira and Justin Warner decide who wins.
#21 - The Whole Enchilada
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/2/2017
In round one, the cooks and cons must create their best enchilada dishes incorporating cereal; in the second round, the judges continue to stalk out the contestants' true identities when choosing who made the best dish using celery.
#22 - Not Your Mama's Meatloaf
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/9/2017
Creating spins on the American classic, meatloaf, by adding a little citrus to the mix; the heat is on in round two when the cooks and cons must infuse their dishes with jalapenos to impress judges Carla Hall and Daphne Oz and take home the win.
#23 - Open Sesame
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 8/16/2017
Fusing sesame into the New Orleans classic po' boy; in round two, the remaining contestants aren't too sad about cooking their best with blue cheese for a $10,000 prize.
#24 - Iron Chef Shake-Up
Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 8/23/2017
Iron Chefs Jose Garces and Alex Guarnaschelli judge round one as the cooks and cons make stuffed mushrooms that incorporate vanilla; in round two, the contestants make un-fig-ettable masterpieces with figs.
#25 - A Lotta Empanada
Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 8/30/2017
Empanadas with hazelnuts; in round two, host Geoffrey Zakarian and judges Josh Capon and Aarti Sequeira are in despair trying to separate the remaining contestants into cooks and cons while they prepare masterpieces with pears.