Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mystery cooking competition free of violence and suspense.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Crime Scene Kitchen
What's the Story?
Each episode of Crime Scene Kitchen features teams of chefs racing to recreate classic desserts based on clues found from an earlier mystery bake. Teams of two compete to figure out what dessert was made in each "crime scene," then to make their own version of that dessert. Joel McHale (Community, The Soup) hosts, with help from judges Yolanda Gampp (How to Cake It) and Curtis Stone (Top Chef Masters).
Is It Any Good?
It's one thing to have an intriguing premise, but it's another thing for that premise to remain exciting after a season's worth of episodes. Crime Scene Kitchen has a sharp hook, as teams of chefs try to figure out what happened in a kitchen before they got there. But it feels like the series is simplified to the point where the premise becomes dull. The "crime scenes" only feature desserts, which puts a limit on the types of ingredients and techniques that are seen. Contestants still have a tough time cracking the puzzles, but because baking is such a specific skill, it's easy to see right away which teams are good and which aren't. For a show about solving mysteries, it's unfortunately light on suspense.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about desserts. What are your favorite desserts? Do you know how they are made? Are you familiar with the desserts featured on Crime Scene Kitchen?
How do the contestants figure out what was made in the Crime Scene Kitchen? What strategies are successful or unsuccessful? How would you approach the puzzle?
What obstacles do the contestants face while cooking? How do they deal with them? What qualities do the successful chefs have? Are you rooting for any teams? What makes you like them?
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 26, 2021
- Cast : Joel McHale , Yolanda Gampp , Curtis Stone
- Network : Fox
- Genre : Game Shows
- Topics : Baking , Competition , Cooking
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 7, 2025
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