NEED TO KNOW
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Terry Crews says he will host the program «100 Cooks» It's a perfect fit for him because he's a longtime fan of the Food Network.
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The show pits 100 home cooks against each other in a stadium kitchen where they face unpredictable challenges for a $250,000 prize.
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The film crews bonded with the contestants and judges, praising the warm and collaborative atmosphere on set.
Terry Crews says his new role as host of the show «100 Cooks »" suits him well, as he is one of the Food Network's "biggest fans.".
The new season will see 100 amateur chefs compete in the stadium kitchen arena, where they will face unpredictable challenges and compete for prizes of up to $250,000.
The 57-year-old actor, former NFL player and show host «America's Got Talent »", he told PEOPLE that he watches the channel's programs "nonstop.".
«"Just watching Guy Fieri bite into something was always the best thing," he adds. "And when I found out what it was, I just thought it was genius.".
Host Terry Crews and judges Alex Guarnaschelli and Nick DiGiovanni conduct the judging. Photo: Rob Price/Warner Bros.
«The fact that home cooks have a chance to get that kind of exposure, that kind of attention, and that’s who I am,» he adds. «I love cooking. I love hosting… This is the biggest event they’ve ever done, and I thought they needed a great host. I said, «This is like… AGT , "Just for food." And it was a perfect match. Believe me, it was one of the best decisions of my life.".
The show's cast includes firefighters, college students, corporate lawyers, and homemakers who share a passion for food.
Crews says what surprised him most about the project was the "soul of the show.".
«"If you compare a home cook to a chef, a home cook just wants to please people," he says. "And I've been to restaurants where chefs say, 'You have to order the dish the way I like it, or you can leave.'".
«"But here was a whole room of people who just wanted to make everyone happy," he continues. "That's what they live for.".
Terry Crews attends the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2026 presentation at the Madison Square Garden Theatre on May 13, 2026, in New York City. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Despite the large cash prize, Crews insists that for everyone, "it wasn't about the money.".
«"It was about watching you eat it, watching you enjoy what they'd prepared with their own hands, and it was truly touching," he says. "Believe me, I feel like all 100 of these chefs are part of my family because I saw that warmth in them.".
For Crews, there were "so many" personal stories in this group that stood out, but he especially empathized with the former athletes who competed.
Alex Guarnaschelli. Photo: Jason Koerner/Getty
«"We've had baseball players, former basketball players, who, because their careers likely ended much earlier than they wanted, turned to cooking to get what they needed to continue," he says. "For me, it was fun, but I could have easily changed my profession to chef and gone to culinary school. Because people forget that skill is more valuable than money, and if you have a skill, no one can ever take it away from you.".
According to Crews, the competitors were like "family" on set.
«"I thought it would all turn into a fight, but it didn't. People were actually cheering each other on," he adds. "A few people were doing tasks, and everyone else was like in a stadium... They were shouting out what to do, what to pay attention to, and yelling, 'Your fries are overheating.'".
«"They were actually shouting out instructions, and I thought that was one of the coolest things," he says. "I think they realized that the better everyone looked, the better they would look.".
Nick DiGiovanni. Photo: Michael Locchisano/Getty
The crew also found common ground with the show's judges, content creator Nick DiGiovanni and chef Alex Guarnaschelli.
«"They're my friends now," he says. "I call them all the time. I saw Nick in Miami. We hung out at the Grand Prix, and I went to Alex's restaurant, Butter, in New York.".
Crews is an avid Formula 1 fan and recently hosted a series of videos on YouTube called called Crews Control, which introduces fans to the behind-the-scenes activities of the Cadillac F1 Team.
«I learned so much about food because I didn’t have a single question,» he adds of the judges. show "100 Chefs" »"I think I pestered them more than anyone else just to ask, 'What's the best way to sear a scallop?'"«
Show premiere «100 Cooks» will take place on Sunday, June 7 at 9:00 PM ET.
Read the original article on People.