TV dinner – Anderson family will reap the benefits of winning DIY network’s ‘Worst Kitchen in America’ show

Winthrop residents Billy and Kelly Anderson have the worst kitchen in America – but not for long.

For Bill and Kelly have won the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Network and Food Network Magazine’s contest in the first-ever search for the worst kitchen in America.

And the couple’s grand prize is a $50,000 renovation of the kitchen in their Winthrop Street home. The construction/renovation project is being documented for a one-hour TV special. “Worst Kitchen in America,” hosted by licensed contractor Matt Blashaw, that will premiere on the DIY Network on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, at 8 p.m.

Commenting on why their kitchen is the worst, Bill and Kelly said, “It hasn’t been upgraded for decades. From layers of wallpaper and bad linoleum floors to pink laminate counters and painted beige appliances, it’s certainly not a good space for food lovers.”

Add thick grey tile, a range with only one operating burner, a dishwasher kept together by duct tape, the refrigerator in the pantry and the laundry room in the kitchen, this couple’s fixer upper is definitely in need of a unique and specially tailored renovation.

Courtesy of DIY Network’s home improvement experts and Food Network Magazine, the Andersons will have their ultimate chef’s $50,000 kitchen completed by October 6.

Executive producer and designer Patrick Jager said the Andersons’ kitchen was selected from thousands of entries. “The scouts loved Bill and Kelly’s kitchen – but this was a challenging job. This one meant we had to do a full demo of plaster walls, electrical, plumbing, ceiling – everything had to go, which was daunting. But we embraced them.”

Jager said the construction crew gutted out the Andersons’ entire kitchen last Friday. “We’ve started from scratch. We’re trying to pay homage to the house which was built in 1900. So we have hickory floors, venetian plaster walls, really strong subway tile, a tin ceiling, and  1905 reproduction pieces for the lights.”

But there will be a modern look to the kitchen with sleek countertops and state-of-the-art appliances. “By next Wednesday, they’ll have a new kitchen,” said Jager.

Billy Anderson, a musician who is originally from Oregon and works at Berklee College of Music, said winning the contest was “completely amazing.”

“It’s like I’m living in a dream,” said Anderson, 33, who moved to Winthrop in December. “Patrick first called us to tell us that we hadn’t won and that sort of took the wind out of or sails. We came downstairs for breakfast and then we looked outside and we saw a cameraman running toward our front door. Sure enough, the doorbell rings and there are 12 people standing there and it was chaos. The crew is great. They’re the nicest people in the world.”

Kelly Anderson, 27, who is expecting the couple’s first child in November, said about winning the contest, “This is absolutely surreal – the most exciting thing that has ever happened in my life. On a whim, we entered a contest, thinking that we would never win. The next thing you know, there’s a television crew and a construction crew all in my house – which is totally awesome.”

In addition to the grand prize, Bill and Kelly are receiving a lifetime subscription to Food Network Magazine and their brand new kitchen is being featured in the January/February 2011 issue.