Contestant Sheri West is mentored by Chef Tyler Florence in “America’s Best Cook”

Just who is the best home cook in America?

It's a question that Fox has been asking for the past several years with "Masterchef," to huge ratings success, and now the Food Network is looking to get its own piece of that ratings pie.

It's kind of the opposite question to the one that the Food Network's been asking up until now -- after all, "Worst Cooks in America" isn't exactly seeking out culinary experts. The channel's new show, though, "America's Best Cook," is flipping things around and looking for the best amateurs that the nation has to offer. Premiering Sunday, April 13, the show will whittle down the competitors until the best is crowned -- and, naturally, awarded a handsome sum of cash.

A "Masterchef" clone, though, this is not. Style-wise it's a bit closer to home with some recognizable "Worst Cooks" and "Food Network Star" influences. Sixteen home cooks will enter the competition, with four each representing the north, south, east and west of the nation.

Why the divvying up into regions? Because, much like "Worst Cooks," the competitors will compete in teams, with each grouping mentored by one of the Food Network's acclaimed TV chefs. Cat Cora, Alex Guarnaschelli, Tyler Florence and Michael Symon will act as mentors and coaches to their teams, while "Chopped" host Ted Allen will oversee the competition as host.

Sixteen hopefuls may have made it this far, but unfortunately for them, only eight will make it past the first time-sensitive challenge. The four mentors are in this to win, and only two home cooks will be picked to be on each team.

You can't really blame them; these chefs are putting their reputations on the line. They'll be training the members of their team, helping them perfect their culinary techniques, refining their understandings of flavor, bringing out the best in their signature dishes and, ultimately, guiding them down the path to being named America's best home cook.

The stakes are high, what with someone being sent home each week. At the judge's table each week is a special guest judge, with big names such as Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, Ron Ben-Israel, Geoffrey Zakarian and Marcel Vigneron all dropping by to taste the best food that these home cooks can prepare.

While its premise -- bring together some of the best home cooks in the country and whittle down their numbers until one is crowned as the best -- is amusingly similar to "Masterchef's," the competition itself is a very different beast. "America's Best Cook" is an exciting new addition to the Food Network's lineup, and the $50,000 cash prize should certainly give a lot of home cooks something to think about.