Iowa woman vies for title of worst cook in America

DES MOINES, Iowa — Erika Rumsey never learned how to cook. And that could be to her advantage.

She's a contestant on season two of the Food Network show "Worst Cook in America," which debuted recently.

Sixteen chefs will compete to be the best of the worst. The winner receives $25,000.

In the debut episode, contestants are split into teams with the head chefs picking team members for the other chef's team. In the main challenge, they must butcher a whole chicken and replicate an entree taught by their chef.

One night, Rumsey was scrolling through channels and saw an episode of the show's first season.

"My boyfriend and I were like, 'Oh my gosh, I totally need to be on the show,'" Rumsey said.

After a quick Internet search, she was in luck. Open call auditions were being held in Chicago a few weeks later.

"I went to the open call and prepared my macaroni and cheese and hot dogs," she said. "It's the only thing I actually know how to make."

Taping of the show lasted June through August in New York City.

As an account manager for restaurant.com, Rumsey said her office was great to work with during her leave of absence.

"It was hard being away," she said. "You're not allowed to talk to anyone while you're there."

The show itself was hard work, she says.

"It was nice, but definitely not a vacation," said she. "It was a boot camp.

"They have a pantry of food and I didn't know what any of the spices were. It was really confusing for me," Rumsey said. "I'm totally out of my element in the kitchen and grocery store. I'm not into that at all."

The show pits two teams against each other, led by chefs Ann Burrell and Robert Irvine.

"We basically compete in challenges," Rumsey said. "They would teach us to make something and then we would have to attempt to recreate what they had made."

Rumsey said she learned a lot, but still doesn't consider herself a great cook.

"I didn't know anything about cooking. I barely used a stove, except to make macaroni," she said. "I learned a lot on the show. I feel like I could cook what we made on the show. I still go to the grocery store and feel confused. I can't just whip things together."

Rumsey was part of Burrell's red team.

During auditions, Burrell called Rumsey a Barbie doll and was pretty intimidating.

"We butted heads a little bit," Rumsey said. "But in the end, I was really grateful for what she taught me. I gained a lot of respect for her."

Competitions are incredibly stressful, Rumsey said.

"I don't know the first thing about cooking," she said. "Everyone there had attempted to cook, but they were just bad at it, where as I just avoided cooking altogether. It was very nerve-wracking."

Rumsey's mom, Marsha Olinghouse, said she never taught her daughter to cook, because she didn't know how.

"I don't ever remember cooking a meal ever," she said.

Her kids grew up eating healthy good foods — vegetables, fruit, meats and cheeses.

"I always watched the nutrition labels," she said.

After returning from New York, Rumsey got engaged and was married in October.

"I feel like I could be a better wife now," she said.

Olinghouse said she's seen a change in her daughter since the show's taping ended.

She made dishes for Christmas dinner and baked cookies for a friend.

"She never would have made that before," she said.

Rumsey, 27, grew up in Ankeny, attending Bondurant schools. She graduated from Bondurant-Farrar High School in 2001 and Grand View University in 2004.

This isn't the first reality show she has been a contestant on.

After being a contestant on the CW show "Beauty and the Geek," Rumsey said she moved to L.A. to pursue a career in acting. Her then-boyfriend was in Chicago, which is where she eventually landed.

"Chicago was a happy medium," she said. "L.A. was a little nuts and Des Moines was a little tame."

Olinghouse isn't surprised her daughter has been on two reality television shows.

"I've always been an outside-the-box thinker," she said. "My kids have always been the same way. They're not afraid of the world. It's exciting."

Rumsey and her sister have been taught more important things than cooking, Olinghouse said.

"Both of my daughters are hysterically funny, beautiful, confident women. So if they can't cook, who cares?" Olinghouse said.

Rumsey plans to have a premiere party in Chicago, while her mom will be gathering with friends in Ankeny.