Anne Burrell & Robert Irvine

Today’s Friday Fives is a team effort from Anne Burrell and Robert Irvine, Food Network celebrities and hosts of the current season of Worst Cooks in America. Ever seen it? The basic premise of the show is that they find the most disastrous of home cooks and teach them not to put Skittles in omelets. Anne and Robert are each in charge of a team of “kitchen zeros”, and put them through a culinary boot camp, hoping to turn them into “kitchen heroes” by the end of the season. Hijinks ensue.

Check out Worst Cooks in America Sundays at 9:00pm on Food Network, and read away to find out where Anne and Robert go when they’re not eating the sad things that their contestants put in front of them.

Anne & Robert’s “Perfect For” Picks

Celebrity Sightings (Anne)

The Spotted Pig (314 W. 11th St.) – “It’s a place where you can see anyone from Mario Batali to Michael Stipe to Bono to Jay Z to Bill Clinton…everybody has been through the Spotted Pig. It’s a really cool, hip restaurant and April and Ken are very talented.”

Special Occasions (Robert)

Alto (11 E. 53rd St.) – “Not only is it great Italian, but they make everything fresh, obviously. It’s a three star Michelin restaurant. The wine list is great, the ambiance is great, the service is impeccable. If you want a really great special meal, Alto is the place to go.”

Damn Good Steaks (Robert)

Keens (72 W. 36th St.) – “The steaks here are amazing. They have a mutton chop that’s so big it could probably feed about twenty people. Great ambiance again, great wine list, and the service is great. It’s a place to be comfortable.”

Late Night Eats (Anne)

Blue Ribbon Brasserie (97 Sullivan St.) – “When I first moved to New York, it was the first known chef hang out, so being a young cook in New York City, I was like, we have to hang out at Blue Ribbon. And what chefs are going to be there? To me that was like a celebrity sighting. They’re open until 4am every single night, and the food is consistently delicious no matter when you go. My favorite things are the roasted marrow bones, the fried chicken, the foie gras terrine, and the pu pu platter. Who serves a pu pu platter anymore!? And the duck club is one of my favorite sandwiches of all time.”

Full On Pork Indulgence (Anne)

Ippudo (65 4th Ave.) – “My only annoyance with Ippudo is that they don’t let you take your ramen home. They’re such sticklers for quality that they say their soup has an expiration. And everything on the menu is so good. Their pork buns are amazing, the tempura shrimp are so delicious…and then you get into the bowl of noodles and you can’t decide what’s more delicious, the broth or the noodles. Then you’re so full, or at least I am, that I only get through about half a bowl of ramen – but they won’t let me take it home! I swear I am going to smuggle in my own to-go containers.”