It’s about consistency that such a show would need and that’s tough with kids to get - it’s more gambling if you have no idea what your benchmark will be.

Alternatively you could lean fully into it and the contestants could have a brief interview with each judge before each round.

Now that I think about I like your idea better and better, just needs a few details to lean into the chaos kids would bring!

Talk about a 180 … And I’m supposed to be the “stable adult”.

Kids in general fucking suck at determining good food… I don’t know many people who’d want to watch who can make the best chicken nuggets or french fries.

Put judges on the panel who can at least determine a well balanced/cooked meal from a crappy one. Doesn’t have to be a professional chef, just someone with some level of experience with cooking… Home cooks, line cooks, etc. Not some 14 year old who thinks stouffers French bread pizza is a meal. That opinion is null and void in the world of cooking.

@CptHacke I did really enjoy Great American Recipe PBS show for having a positive atmosphere while being mildly competitive, but the home chefs were all really good and cooked with a well-stocked pantry. 

I had a similar idea where I would try cooking what I used to cook when I was right out of school, but maybe a little better. This would be an effort to provide simple recipe without fancy or niche spices/ingredients to show that you can eat dinner without ordering expensive takeaway or delivery.

For me it would be either pasta with a basic pasta sauce with seared boneless chicken and a (bad)...