America's Culinary Cup
Top chefs compete in challenges testing creativity, endurance, presentation and leadership skills in America's Culinary Cup.
- 2026-2026
- 1 season
- CBS
- Game Show, Reality
Top chefs compete in challenges testing creativity, endurance, presentation and leadership skills in America's Culinary Cup.
Season 1 Episode Guide
11 Episodes 2026
Episode 1
Spoiled for Stroganoff
Wed, Mar 4, 2026
Sixteen elite chefs compete in Padma Lakshmi's intense culinary competition for a $1 million grand prize.
Episode 2
Meat the First Commandment
Wed, Mar 11, 2026
Chefs visit a farm to butcher a 250+ pound beef hind saddle, then create memorable dishes for over 100 guests at America's Culinary Cup Carnivore Classic.
Episode 3
Nice Big Squash
Wed, Mar 18, 2026
Chefs harvest ingredients, then face the Sustainability Commandment at the Penthouse. They must create elevated dishes using farm-fresh produce and hyper-sustainable items like ants and mussels. The bottom two compete using only scraps.
Episode 4
Let's Get Saucy
Wed, Mar 25, 2026
The top 10 chefs battle it out in a full-scale Tournament of Sauces. Across three rounds, the tournament reveals who truly understands the art of a great sauce.
Episode 5
The Roots of Success
Wed, Apr 1, 2026
The remaining chefs face off in teams of three to deliver a vegetarian three-course menu to a dinner party of elite guests. Each chef must stay within their vegetable family parameters, with one creating an all-vegetable dessert.
Episode 6
Good vs Evil
Wed, Apr 8, 2026
At the halfway point of the competition, the final eight competitors must each create two desserts, one heavenly and one devilish, using a shocking forbidden ingredient chosen by their lowest-ranked rival.
Episode 7
The Gastronomic Gauntlet
Wed, Apr 15, 2026
The commandment of culinary science and technology not only pushes the Final 7 to merge food and science, but battle in the most strategic cook off yet. The chefs will showcase different molecular gastronomy techniques.
Episode 8
Consistency Is Key
Wed, Apr 22, 2026
For the Final 6, it's time to master the Consistency commandment. The chefs must whip up 30 identical fish dishes in teams of two, but when push comes to shove, it's every chef for themselves.
Episode 9
Passport to Pressure
Wed, Apr 29, 2026
Five remaining chefs face a global cuisine challenge: three hours, three dishes, three nations.
Episode 10
Bittersweet Semifinals
Wed, May 6, 2026
The final four chefs compete to reach the finale by showcasing five flavor profiles. Strategy matters as much as taste. Three advance to the finale tonight, while one chef departs.ICA'S CULINARY CUP.
Episode 11
Million-Dollar Menu
Wed, May 13, 2026
Three chefs compete for a $1M prize, reimagining dishes from Eric Ripert, Suzanne Goin and Daniela Soto-Innes. After one elimination, two finalists serve three-course menus showcasing their culinary journey.
