You Need This Alton Brown Show In Your Life

And you thought Gordon Ramsey was bad. Loyal foodie competition viewers are no stranger to The Food Network's policy of backing insane shows and insane chefs alike, and Cutthroat Kitchen only takes it one step further. If you're not watching the cooking challenge show, then you're missing out on the some of the sauciest back-stabbery this side of Bad Girls Club. Hosted by nerdy food enthusiast Alton Brown, the show follows the basic cooking competition format: four chefs prepare gourmet dishes with the hopes of appealing to the taste buds of a panel of judges and a celebrity guest. Except, here comes the twist: the contestants can also bid on the opportunity to sabotage their competitors or one-up themselves from a bank of $25,000 they're given at the top of the show. Sabotages include such goof-em-ups as not being able to salt your food, swapping fresh ingredients for frozen ones, and not being able to use a stovetop.

Forget "pack up your knives and go." If cooking shows have never been your thing, it's about time you start watching this one. The scintillating competition adds some much needed excitement to the realm of restaurant competitions, renovations, and nightmare owners by indulging in the best-of-the-worst parts of reality TV. (Not to mention Brown's never-ending rotation of sweet bowties). Make sure to keep your calendar open for a special celebrity edition in the fall. Wouldn't you just love to see your favorite famous culinary talents like Everyday Italian's Giada De Laurentiis pull one over on other members of The Food Network family of stars? So pour your best Scandal-sized glass of wine and get ready to indulge in the guiltiest food pleasure you'll never eat.

Image: Food Network