Wauconda brothers the worst cooks in America?

WAUCONDA – A tin foil pack might not be the height of gourmet cooking. For most, it is a steppingstone to achieving a Boy Scout patch. For Spencer and Skyler Nick, it is the signature dish they make whenever they feel like getting creative in the kitchen.

“It’s ground beef and vegetables,” Spencer said. “It keeps you going. It’s not about tasting good.”

It’s these cooking skills – or lack thereof – the Wauconda twins hope will impress renowned chefs Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence on the premiere of season 12 of Food Network’s hit show “Worst Cooks in America.”

“Kicking off the year with a new roster of ‘Worst Cooks’ has become a Food Network tradition,” said Courtney White, senior vice president of programming for Scripps Networks Interactive, in a news release issued by the Food Network. “Watching Anne and Tyler turn these kitchen misfits into confident cooks is a fun ride from start to finish.”

This will not be the Nicks’ first foray into reality television. What began as a simple tweet replying to a casting call on Twitter launched an accidental career on reality television: The brothers previously have appeared on WGN-TV’s “Twinterns” and VH-1’s “Twinning.”

By day, Spencer and Skyler recently completed their master’s degree and work for a mortgage company.

This will be their first attempt at cooking for professional chefs on a national stage, although they are no strangers to the Food Network.

Raised by a single mother, the Nick brothers say the cooking channel was always on in the background.

It was their mother who pushed them to apply for “Worst Cooks in America.”

“Worst Cooks in America” is a 10-episode competition during which Spencer and Skyler will compete against 14 of the country’s worst cooks striving to become the most improved under the tutelage of professional chefs for a chance to win the $25,000 grand prize.

Spencer and Skyler have special plans for that prize money should one of them emerge the victor: They want to give it to the woman who provided thousands of home-cooked meals for them, shooing them out of the kitchen and telling them to go sit down and relax – their mother.

For these men, there is no greater role model than their mother, who raised them by herself while working three jobs and obtaining her master’s degree. In addition to that, Spencer said they would like to take a portion of the prize money and donate it to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Before that can happen, though, they have to win.

Since production on the show has wrapped, the brothers have been practicing the skills they learned from Burrell and Florence. Both brothers agree the experience has boosted their confidence in the kitchen tremendously and cooking has become more enjoyable for them.

“The house hasn’t burned down yet,” Spencer said, laughing.

“It’s all about cooking with family,” Skyler added. “Putting the devices away – the iPhones, the tablets – and really connecting with my mom and my brother.”

The Food Network’s news release states that Burrell and Florence have several challenges prepared for the hapless cooks, including “a fun fish market challenge, a round of a food trivia game ‘Family Food,’ a sweet Valentine’s Day challenge and the return of ‘Remote Control Chef.’”

The season premiere of “Worst Cooks in America” airs on the Food Network at 8 p.m. Jan. 7.