It may not be something that most brag about, but two Bronx men were recognized as the nation’s worst cooks.
These culinary disaster artists, Idriss Alison and Adrian Read, will be featured on the Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America on Sunday, August 4 at 9 p.m.
It’s there that this uptown duo will be given the opportunity of redemption in front of celebrity chefs turned kitchen drill sergeants Bobby Flay and Annie Burrell.
Alison’s cooking woes began at age 10, when he singlehandedly managed to ruin Thanksgiving Dinner for his entire family after his mom asked him to simply watch everything on the stove for a brief few minutes.
“We ended up getting takeout that night,” the Kingsbridge native laughed, mentioning that since that dark Thursday he’s now able to whip up a pretty decent peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Being the jokester that he is, it’s not so shocking that Alison does stand-up comedy as well…where his cooking abilities have become a few punch lines.
“Even as a comedian I get shy, especially with my cooking abilities,” he said noting how liberating it was to have those improving skills broadcast worldwide.
“I didn’t die,” Alison joked.
When not crafting up a complicated PB&J, Alison is a motivational speaker at Horizon’s Juvenile Detention Center to help kids stay out of hot water.
Meanwhile Adrian, a fitness guru from East 167th Street and Washington Avenue has seen food more as fuel during his adult life.
“Steaming vegetables, that was about it for me,” Adrian said regarding his culinary endeavors.
As creative guitarist and Zumba instructor, Adrian’s reluctance to cook with oil also required some ‘out of the box’ thinking for a demo to get on the show.
His audition tape that featured fried broccoli with crushed corn flakes certainly made Adrian a standout contender to say the least.
While both contestants are required to keep all details about their episode in the oven until airing, Alison said that the final meal he had to prepare for judges “looked edible.”
Adrian also confessed to learning a vital cooking lesson while on the show.
“Salt is your friend,” he so proudly proclaimed.
