Bettendorf booted from 'Worst Cooks'

Sarah Bettendorf turned in her apron on the Food Network show "Worst Cooks in America."

The 33-year-old Apollo High School and St. Cloud State University graduate was one of the final four contestants on the sixth season of the reality cooking show that started with 14 contestants.

She was eliminated by celebrity chef and show co-host Tyler Florence on the sixth episode, "Blast From the Past," that premiered Sunday night. The season's final episode, "Final Food Fight," premieres at 8 p.m. Sunday.

"This whole experience was amazing and rare," Bettendorf said in an exit interview on Food Network's website.

"I am truly grateful for it. I got to learn from two heroes of mine, and I got to learn innovative recipes from gifted chefs. This competition gave me a chance to make new friends, go to New York and learn more about the culinary arts. Life is a journey, not a race."

Bettendorf was vying for the $25,000 grand prize.

On her final episode, Bettendorf was surprised by her brother Ted Norris III, the executive chef at Unique Dining Experiences in Andover. Norris previously cooked at Ciatti's Ristorante and Granite City Food & Brewery in St. Cloud, and has worked at restaurants in six states.

Bettendorf cooked steak frites with a homemade truffle butter for her brother. Each contestant cooked for a family member on the episode.

"It gave us a chance to reconnect and bond," Bettendorf said of being surprised by her brother. "I am truly grateful for that experience. My brother is a talented chef and a caring dad, so I felt really proud to have the chance to cook for him."

Also on the episode, Bettendorf made angel hair pasta with clams — revisiting the first dish she made for judges. On the show's first episode, judges complained she used too much wine in the dish.

"She put the cork back in (this time)," joked celebrity chef and show co-host Anne Burrell on the episode. "She is growing up."

Florence said on the show that Bettendorf had progressed to the point that he would hire her in the kitchen of his own restaurant.

But Bettendorf was eliminated after judges deemed her steak frites was a bit rare and that she ran out of time, only getting frites on one of the three plates. Her elimination was accidentally revealed before it was announced on the show by an advertisement for the season's final episode.

"Blast from the Past" re-airs next at 11 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday.

"I always think positively," said Bettendorf, who moved to Los Angeles in July to pursue a voice-over career. "Every challenge made me a better student of the culinary arts. I thought the new challenges between us would be difficult, and all I could do was try my best."

Follow Jake Laxen on Twitter @jacoblaxen

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