Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out is a high-octane culinary competition series on Food Network that launched as a refreshed iteration of the original Cutthroat Kitchen series. It premiered in 2025, eight years after the original series concluded. The reboot retains the core concept of the original show, but introduces notable changes to the format.
Like Cutthroat Kitchen, the Knives Out reboot features professional chefs battling for control of their cash while outcooking rivals under increasingly unpredictable conditions. Each episode of the show starts with four chefs receiving a bankroll — typically $25,000 — that they can spend on advantages or sabotages during the competition.
The series consists of two main rounds, down from the original three, with chefs first racing to gather ingredients in a timed pantry run and then facing a second round of sabotage auctions and cooking challenges. The contestants must use strategy and culinary skill to emerge victorious.
Unlike the original series, this reboot showcases the remaining funds on screen. It also structures the challenges around creative, themed obstacles that often require chefs to adapt on the fly—for example, using unconventional ingredients or limited equipment. Sabotages can vary widely in format and effect, adding tactical complexity and unpredictability to each contest.
Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out is hosted by chef and restaurateur Brian Malarkey, who guides the competition and interacts with the contestants. Judges rotate across episodes and have included notable culinary figures such as Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli, Aarti Sequeira, and Jet Tila. They evaluate dishes in blind tastings, determining which chef performed best despite sabotage.
