Wildcard Kitchen: release date, cast, premise and everything we know about the Food Network series

Late-night poker games have taken place in kitchens for years and years, and now the game is coming to Food Network with Wildcard Kitchen. The show features some of the hottest celebrity chefs competing against each other to create dishes based on the cards they're dealt, which means that the success of the meal really comes down to Lady Luck. 

Food Network favorite Eric Adjepong will serve as the host of this late-night competition that features chefs putting their own money on the line to take home the win. 

"Wildcard Kitchen makes viewers feel like they are behind-the-scenes for an exclusive late-night poker game with their favorite chefs," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, at Warner Bros. Discovery. "The competition and good-natured trash talk is fierce, funny and unlike anything Food Network has offered."

Here's everything we know about Wildcard Kitchen. 

Wildcard Kitchen release date

Wildcard Kitchen premieres on Tuesday, March 12, at 9 pm ET/PT on Food Network. 

Food Network is widely available as part of cable packages. If you've cut the cord, you can find the channel through several live-TV streaming platforms including Sling, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo TV, Philo and YouTube TV.

We don't have any information about a premiere date for Wildcard Kitchen in the UK, but it's likely to show up at some point on Discovery Plus. 

Wildcard Kitchen premise

Here's the official synopsis of Wildcard Kitchen from Food Network: "All bets are off as Food Network’s test kitchen opens up its doors late night in the new eight-episode series Wildcard Kitchen, where fan-favorite chefs put their money where their mouth is during a high-stakes culinary card game. 

"In each episode, host Eric Adjepong takes over the test kitchen after hours with an exclusive invitation for three chefs to bring $5,000 to play across three hands of his underground culinary poker game.  The competitors, who all know each other well, have scores to settle and personal stakes to lose as they battle to create dishes based on the cards they are dealt and bet using their own instincts and cold hard cash.  

"The luck of the draw determines the dishes and cooking time, while wildcards deal unpredictable challenges into the mix that test the chefs like never before. From surf-and-turf with peanut butter to live crab with kimchi, anything can happen in Wildcard Kitchen as mystery guest judges use blind taste tests to determine who walks away the high roller with bragging rights and cash from their fellow chefs."

Wildcard Kitchen cast

Chef Eric Adjepong hosts Wildcard Kitchen. He was a finalist on Top Chef season 16 and is currently hosting Alex vs America. 

Some of the chefs who will be participating in the innovative poker game include Chopped's Maneet Chauhan, Brian Malarkey and Marc Murphy. Italian chefs will be well-represented by Gabriele Bertaccini, Rocco Dispirito and Antonia Lofaso. We'll also see best friends and chefs Stephanie Izard, Joe Sasto and Justin Sutherland. Guest judges for the competition include Anne Burrell, Esther Choi and Scott Conant.

Wildcard Kitchen trailer

Take a look at a preview of Wildcard Kitchen below: