“I’m not a cook at all” – Family Recipe Showdown host Octavia Spencer makes a confession about her kitchen skills

Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer has opened up about her own kitchen skills, or lack thereof, while promoting her latest television project, Family Recipe Showdown. The new cooking competition series, which premiered July 17 on Food Network and is also streaming on HBO Max, features Spencer co-hosting alongside New Orleans chef Edgar “Dook” Chase. In an interview with PEOPLE, Spencer admitted,

“I’m not a cook at all. When I said I'm the taste expert, I stand 10 toes down. I'm a taste expert. But, I mean, we had fun because the questions I asked you were reflective of people like myself who don't really know what to do in a kitchen.”

Despite not being a culinary expert, Spencer’s role in Family Recipe Showdown is designed to bring a relatable, non-expert voice to the audience while participants cook for a $10,000 prize.

Family Recipe Showdown host Octavia Spencer reveals her kitchen struggles and New Year’s cooking tradition

During the July interview with PEOPLE, Spencer shared that even though she doesn’t consider herself a cook, she makes one dish every year without fail: Hoppin’ Johns with collard greens and ham hock. The Southern dish is traditionally made on New Year’s Day and is believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

“I do not miss a New Year's without my Hoppin' Johns and my collard greens — I like ham hock in it,” she said. “Now that's the thing that I will make for myself, because I don't need to feed it to anybody else, and it could taste as weird as it does.”

When her co-host Chase responded, “I’m sure it tastes great,” Spencer quickly added, “But I'm very superstitious about it.”

Spencer described her role on the series as ideal for people who are unfamiliar with kitchen terminology or cooking methods.

She noted that her curiosity allowed her to ask questions that viewers might also wonder about. “I didn't know what a broil did. I only recently found out,” she laughed, again during her PEOPLE interview. This approach positioned her as an observer and learner, engaging with the show in a way that allows audiences to connect, especially those who aren’t confident in the kitchen.

Inside the format, guests, and filming of Family Recipe Showdown

Family Recipe Showdown brings together pairs of family members who compete by cooking traditional family recipes. These teams, ranging from grandparents and grandchildren to sisters and in-laws, cook Southern-inspired dishes in a timed challenge.

The show is filmed in New Orleans, a city known for its rich culinary heritage. In the interview, Spencer highlighted the unique feel of the setting, noting that despite being in the South, it carried a distinct, almost European atmosphere while maintaining Southern charm. Chase added that the city’s culture is a rich blend shaped by French, Spanish, and Italian influences, all coming together in a tightly woven community.

Each episode of the show begins with three teams competing. The two strongest teams advance to a final round where they reinterpret a recipe submitted by a celebrity guest.

This format continues across the show’s eight-episode season. Guest judges featured on Family Recipe Showdown include Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain, Danielle Brooks, Eric Stonestreet, Tina Knowles, Kandi Burruss, Tim Gunn, and Al Roker with his daughter Leila. Witherspoon also serves as a co-executive producer on the show.

In episode four of Family Recipe Showdown, the theme revolves around food traditions rooted in family superstitions, aligning with New Orleans culture. Spencer and Chase both discussed the dynamic relationships between the cooking pairs on Family Recipe Showdown. According to Chase,

“You might've had a grandmother and a grandson. You might've had two sisters. You might've had a son-in-law and a mother-in-law – that dynamic in and of itself, in a 60-minute challenge, is a challenge.”

He added that the presence of celebrity guests, often friends of Spencer, further intensified the pressure.

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Fans can stream Family Recipe Showdown on Food Network GO.

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