Jeff Mauro Says Families Have "Zero Clue" They'll Be Participating in 'Kitchen Crash' (EXCLUSIVE)

The competition is heating up. Food Network's latest cooking series Kitchen Crash features three chefs from across America who are competing to win $5,000. But unlike other culinary competition shows, these cooks have to find ingredients by raiding real people's cabinets, pantries, and refrigerators.

Hosted by Food Network star Jeff Mauro, these home cooks battle it out in three challenges to see who can make the best dishes only using the ingredients available to them.

The winning chef and host family are awarded $5,000. But, just how real is this impromptu cooking competition? Distractify spoke exclusively with Jeff (via email), who partnered with CESAR brand, about the best part of Kitchen Crash and how it differs from other reality shows.

When it comes to shows such as Masterchef or Chopped, amateur cooks are given the finest ingredients to choose from, but Kitchen Crash flips that format on its head.

"The best part about it is that the chefs have zero clue what is going on, and we plop them on a block in a lovely neighborhood and give them 10 minutes to not only find a house to actually answer the door but also agree to play the game and fill up one bin with all the ingredients they can in the remaining time," the Sandwich King exclusively explained to Distractify.

He added, "That bin has to last them through three rounds of intense cooking competition, on the street, in a make-shift kitchen."

According to Jeff, the families participating in the show also have "zero clue" that they are part of a Food Network cooking show until they agree to participate.

"The block and houses know that there is a TV show being filmed on their street and do sign off to participate, but they too, like the chefs, have zero clue that’s it’s a Food Network show or even a cooking competition show," he continued. "We want their fridges, freezers, and pantries in their natural state. Makes things very challenging for the chefs."

While the producers may not add any food items to participating family's pantries, Jeff revealed that "all expired food is tossed out before the first round."

However, "leftovers are fair game" as well as any homemade spices, sauce, pickles, etc.

"That’s the best part of the show!" Jeff said. "Tasting these creations the chefs make using the homeowner’s favorite jam or BBQ rub or home-garden grown veggies."

Kitchen Crash airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on Food Network.

Jeff Mauro partnered with CESAR to create a first-of-its-kind pup-up restaurant. The CESAR brand has teamed up with Postmates to bring this delivery to life offering new CESAR WHOLESOME BOWLS for dogs and a healthy human bowl for pet parents.