Two minutes are left on the clock. A frantic cook rushes to the oven to see if his cookies are done while another starts to plate his gorgeous berry sorbet. A third chef adds the finishing touches to her pastry and the panel looks on with amusement. Then of course, there’s the best part: When the judges get to taste these creations, leading up to the final moment of truth: Who will make the cut?
We can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen this scenario unfold on reality TV competitions, but of course, they’re not the only kind of cooking series that appeal to our taste buds. Allow us to introduce 20 of the most unique, binge-worthy cooking shows on Netflix, from Million Pound Menu and Ugly Delicious to Michelle Obama’s playful series, Waffles + Mochi.
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You might remember Nadiya Hussain as the winner of the The Great British Bake Off in season six but the popular food personality has been making major moves since her reality TV debut in 2015. Aside from publishing multiple and baking a birthday cake for the queen, Hussain also launched her own series, and it just might become your newest “happy place.” Throughout the series, Hussain teaches fans how to bake a number of delicious treats, from blueberry scone pizza to mango coconut cake.
Reheating leftover meals is one thing but trying to make them into brand-new dishes takes a whole new level of skill—as you’ll learn after just one episode of Netflix’s Best Leftovers Ever! In this series, three home chefs compete to create the most impressive, five-star dish, using whatever leftovers they have, whether it be day-old fries or Chinese takeout. After making it through two challenges, the lucky winner walks away with $10,000.
From her Let’s Move! initiative to her efforts to improve food labeling, Michelle Obama has always been passionate about improving children’s health. So it comes as no surprise that she launched her own cooking show to encourage kids to eat healthy. In this fun series, aspiring chefs Waffles and Mochi travel around the world and embark on various culinary adventures, with the help of Mrs. Obama, the supermarket owner and a magical shopping cart.
Fans of MasterChef are likely to enjoy this series, although the format of it is quite different. The competition show consists of twelve international teams of pro chefs who compete to create the best dishes, inspired by the selected country for each episode. By the last round, the final two teams are broken up to compete as individuals.
Nailed It! will appeal to literally anyone who has tried and epically failed to recreate Instagram-worthy foods (*raises hand*). In this fun and quirky series, we follow a group of amateur bakers who compete to replicate over-the-top cakes. And for the grand prize, the winner gets $10,000 and a “nailed it” trophy. BTW, this series was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, twice for Outstanding Competition Program and once for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program.
Would you ever eat tendons from deer’s feet? Well, David Chang did, and it’s all part of his mission to explore different cultures while learning how they prepare certain dishes differently.
Allow us to introduce the cannabis cooking show where, for $10,000, expert cannabis chefs compete to get the judges stoned through their most delicious marijuana-infused dishes. The show’s cast includes Kelis and Leather Storrs, but each episode features a rotating cast of special guests.
Up for a feel-good cooking show that’ll give you some laughs? Get ready to binge every season of The Great British Baking Show. In the cult-favorite British competition series, a group of amateur bakers go head-to-head as they vie for the title of Britain’s next best baker.
Created as a spin-off of Jon Favreau’s 2014 film, Chef, this cooking show follows Favreau and chef Roy Choi as they explore new recipes and techniques with the help of major celebrities. Just to give you an idea of who they’ve worked with, guests have included Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland and Gwyneth Paltrow.
In this insightful docuseries, David Chang blends his love of food with his desire to connect with others and learn about different cultures. He visits cities around the globe and teams up with different celebrities as they sample local dishes and chat about food. Guest stars include Chrissy Teigen, Seth Rogen and Lena Waithe.
This fascinating documentary series centers on food writer and chef, Samin Nosrat, who wrote a book of the same title. In each episode, she explores the four elements of successful cooking by eating her way around the world.
The critically acclaimed series, which serves as a follow-up to David Gelb’s Jiro Dreams of Sushi, gives fans an intimate look at four brilliant chefs by revealing their unique approaches to cooking. The cooking show was nominated for seven Emmy Awards. Yes, s-e-v-e-n.
Even if you’re not that fond of sweets, it’s hard to resist Sugar Rush, where time is considered the “most important ingredient.” In this series, we follow four professional duos who compete for a grand prize of $10,000. Each episode features three rounds, each focusing on a specific treat, but it’s worth noting that season three comes with a twist, where any contestant who wins in the first two rounds can either add 15 minutes to their final round or walk away with $1,500.
In Million Pound Menu, a few lucky next-gen restaurateurs get the opportunity to impress a group of U.K. investors who are looking for the next big idea. At the beginning, three concept teams get to prepare their best dish for four potential investors, and by the end, after having launched a two-day pop-up, the investors are expected to make the team an offer.
In this feel-good series, restaurateur Nick Liberato, designer Karin Bohn and chef Dennis Prescott launch their very own restaurant rehab as they circle the globe to revive eateries on the brink of collapsing.
The BBC series follows teams of family members as they compete in different cooking challenges for the title of Britain’s Best Home Cooks. FYI, season one is hosted by Great British Baking Show alum Nadiya Hussain.
David Gelb and Brian McGinn teamed up for the educational docuseries, where fans can learn more about street food through face-to-face interviews with street food chefs. It’s worth mentioning that the doc comes in two volumes: Asia and Latin America.
Set in Covington, Georgia, the series centers on eight talented backyard smokers who, according to Netflix, engage in a “fierce but friendly faceoff” for the title of American Barbecue Champion. Kevin Bludso and Melissa Cookston serve as judges while Rutledge Wood and Lyric Lewis shoulder the hosting duties.
This definitely isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill cooking show. It’s more of a Chopped meets Willy Wonka and Alice in Wonderland series, where competitors get to pick their ingredients from a garden that’s almost entirely edible. Each contestant is tasked with creating the most unique dish to impress the formidable food gods (aka, the judges). As for the grand prize? Winners take home a sparkly golden apple, of course.
In this series, contestants face off in a battle for $100,000 as they recreate some of the best treats made by dessert genius, Adriano Zumbo. While it does sound rather intense, it’s actually quite charming and also kid-friendly.