: Fans enjoyed watching the "recruits" tackle difficult tasks like breaking down full fish or making Jamaican jerk chicken, though many expressed a preference for "regular folks" over influencers or celebrities.
Reviews for are overshadowed by a major real-world controversy that led Food Network to scrub the entire season from its library . While initial critical reception praised the mentorship of chefs Anne Burrell and Alex Guarnaschelli, the season was permanently pulled from all streaming platforms—including Discovery+ , Hulu , and YouTube—in January 2021. Critical Reception (Pre-Removal)
: Critics from outlets like Bleeding Cool noted that Anne Burrell and Alex Guarnaschelli were "naturally great teachers" who played off each other seamlessly.