Photo courtesy of Amy Decker
Amy Decker will compete on "100 Cooks" on the Food Network, debuting Sunday, June 7 at 9 p.m. ET.
When Amy Decker walked into the Los Angeles soundstage for Food Network’s newest competition series debuting next month, she was competing with 99 other hopeful home cooks, bright studio lights and what she calls “absolute mayhem.”
For most contestants, the pressure of cooking on television would be intimidating enough. But Decker had already spent years navigating high-stakes environments in an entirely different world: the CIA.
Now the Alexandria resident is trading intelligence briefings and other positions in the corporate world for kitchen battles as a contestant on 100 Cooks, Food Network’s ambitious new culinary competition premiering Sunday, June 7 at 9 p.m. ET. Hosted by Terry Crews and judged by celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli and culinary creator Nick DiGiovanni, the series pits 100 home cooks from across the country against one another in a seven-week series elimination gauntlet for a chance to win up to $250,000.
Make plans to attend the "100 Cooks" premiere watch party with Decker and two other DMV contestants on Sunday, June 7 at 9 p.m. at Cooper Mill in Old Town Alexandria, 10 Duke St. at the waterfront. Tickets can be purchased here: pay.deckerdelights.com/100CooksWatchParty.
For Decker, the experience marked the latest — and perhaps most unexpected — chapter in a career that has already taken several dramatic turns.
Photo courtesy of Food Network
"100 Cooks" premieres Sunday, June 7 at 9 ET on Food Network hosted by Terry Crews.
“I loved working at the CIA. I loved the mission,” she said. “But there was so much bureaucracy and red tape. It got to the point where I thought, ‘Before I get bitter, what do I want to do when I grow up?’”
The answer, it turns out, involved food.
Decker’s path to becoming a nationally televised home cook was anything but predictable. Raised largely in Southern California, with childhood stops in Oklahoma, Florida, Michigan and Boston, she said cooking was never part of the dream growing up.
“I hated cooking,” she said, laughing. “When you’re a little girl, everybody expects you to be in the kitchen. I played with Corporate Barbie. I literally made my doll's business clothes.”
Still, food quietly lingered in the background. She has a photo of herself at age 3, standing beside her mother making chocolate chip cookies. Baking always appealed to her, even if cooking did not.
The real turning point came years later, when she was 27 and unhappy in a job.
“I saw some recipe at Walmart and thought, ‘I can do this,’” she said. “And it worked out. From there, it just kind of took off.”
Another major influence came from a friend who introduced her to the transformative power of fresh ingredients. He taught her how to make scrambled eggs with cherry tomatoes, thyme, basil and goat cheese using herbs straight from the garden.
“It completely changed how I thought about food,” she said. “Fresh ingredients transform everything.”
Today, Decker and her husband, German-born Alex Schneider, grow herbs and vegetables at their Old Town Alexandria home whenever possible. The couple bought the renovated 1800s-era house in 2020, just before the pandemic.
“We fell in love with Old Town,” she said. “We were always going to dinner here, walking around here, spending weekends here. One night over too much wine at dinner, we basically looked at each other and said, ‘Why don’t we just live here?’”
The house became more than a home. With its oversized chef’s kitchen and outdoor entertaining space, it also became the headquarters for Decker Delights, her cooking and entertaining business focused on helping people host approachable gatherings and stress-free meals.
The lessons she learned during her years in intelligence work unexpectedly translated well to entertaining.
“As a CIA officer, preparation is everything,” she said. “What can you freeze? What can you label? Set the tablescape the day before. Prep everything before guests arrive. You haven’t even put your clothes on yet, and people are already stressed.”
Her approach resonates with busy professionals and aspiring hosts looking to simplify cooking. Decker teaches appetizer prep, meal planning and entertaining strategies through in-person gatherings and virtual classes.
The transition from government work to food wasn’t immediate. After leaving the CIA, she moved into tech and operations work, first with Amazon Web Services and later Google, helping agencies modernize workflows and technology systems.
“I couldn’t even update my iPhone,” she joked. “My husband said, ‘Baby, you’re going into tech?’”
Then came another abrupt shift: A layoff last July.
At nearly the same moment, Food Network came calling again.
The network had first reached out to Decker in 2020 after discovering Decker Delights. Several potential projects came and went, including conversations tied to Guy’s Grocery Games and other programs, but nothing materialized.
“They’d say, ‘We’ll keep you on file,’” Decker recalled. “So when they called again about this show before it even had the green light, I thought, ‘OK, sure.’”
Months later, after applying to roughly 250 jobs following her layoff, she got another phone call.
“They asked, ‘What are you doing in January?’” she said. “And then they told me 100 Cooks was officially happening. I was so excited.”
The production filmed in Los Angeles over two weeks, placing contestants into a chaotic culinary pressure cooker. Challenges ranged from noodle dishes and rotisserie chicken battles to party bites and egg-focused creations.
“My only goal was not to get cut in the first episode,” Decker admitted.
She won’t reveal how far she advances, but she will say this: “I met my goal.”
Preparing for the competition became an obsession. She hosted mock cooking sessions at home, cooking multiple lunches and dinners a day for friends and gathering feedback under timed conditions.
“I wanted noise. I wanted distraction,” she said. “People talking to me while I cooked. Looking me in the eye. Asking questions. Because on the show, you have to cook and communicate at the same time.”
Not every practice meal or competition meal was a flawless success.
“We’d get mixed feedback,” she said. “‘This is delicious, but it’s spicy.’ But honestly, feedback is important.”
If the competition was intense, the camaraderie surprised her most. Despite 100 contestants battling for one prize, Decker said the experience quickly became collaborative.
“There were 100 people there and only maybe two jerks,” she said with a laugh.
True to her Type-A background, she immediately organized a massive WhatsApp group for contestants that remains active long after filming wrapped.
“I’ve somehow become the liaison between the cooks and the show,” she said. “Everybody jokes, ‘When is Amy going to start working at Food Network?’”
That possibility may not be entirely out of reach.
Decker’s warm entertaining style, combined with her unusual backstory, already makes her stand out in the crowded world of television food personalities. One minute she’s discussing plating techniques and portion control learned from her Depression-era grandmother; the next she’s casually referencing operational strategy from her intelligence career.
At home in Alexandria, though, the focus remains simpler: Good food, generous hospitality and an open door.
The couple’s Old Town house has become a gathering place for friends who often linger well past midnight over wine, appetizers and whatever Decker happens to be testing in the kitchen.
“We never kick people out,” she said. “There’s always food in the refrigerator if you get hungry later.”
For someone who once dreamed of being “Corporate Barbie,” Decker has found herself building something far more personal — and far more flavorful.
And now, with millions of viewers about to watch her compete under the bright lights of Food Network, the former CIA officer may be cooking up her biggest mission yet.
Recipe
Want to try your hand at one of Decker's creations? She shared a quiche recipe with Alexandria Living readers that looks delicious:
Roasted Sweet Potato & Pepper Jack Quiche
Photo courtesy of Amy Decker
Amy Decker's quiche recipe
Prep time: 15 mins | Bake time: 60 mins | Yields: 6 to 8 servings
This vibrant, savory quiche pairs the natural sweetness of caramelized roasted sweet potatoes with the gentle kick of pepper Jack cheese. Encased in a flaky crust, it makes a stunning centerpiece for any weekend brunch. (Beware: it’s addictive!)
Ingredients
The Roasted Filling
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes (1 large or 2 medium), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
The Custard & Assembly
• 1 frozen pie crust, thawed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups milk (whole or low-fat)
• 4 scallions, finely sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• 3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped (divided)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
1. Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a shallow roasting pan, toss the cubed sweet potatoes with the minced garlic, ground cumin, and olive oil until evenly coated. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the potatoes are tender and lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
2. Prepare the Custard
Lower the oven temperature to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Fold in the sliced scallions, 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro, the salt, and a generous grind of black pepper until fully combined.
3. Assemble the Quiche
Scatter the slightly cooled sweet potato mixture evenly across the bottom of the thawed pie crust. Top with an even layer of the grated pepper Jack cheese. Carefully pour the egg custard over the filling, ensuring the ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Bake to Golden Perfection
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the custard is beautifully set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
