Picture this: It’s dinnertime at a popular restaurant, and a peek into the kitchen shows a bevy of chefs layering ingredients into a single meal as fast as they can. Shouts boom across an almost-there feast of fresh ingredients as they’re transformed from a singular idea into a cohesive experience — something comfortingly familiar, something unmistakably fresh — as pots bang and spoons dip and tweezers perfect. Soon, a plate appears in a flash, and just as quickly, it disappears to a stranger’s table where it will be judged by taste alone.

Every contestant on Pressure Cooker knows this scenario well. But here’s something they may not be as accustomed to: In this reality series, not only will their technique be fair game for criticism, but so will their likability. As these 11 chefs face off in the recognizable format of timed competitions and international ingredients, the thing that puts a spin on the menu is that these chefs live together, judge one another’s plates and have the power to vote each chef into victory or defeat. In the end, the winner gets $100,000 and the satisfaction that they are personally as respected as their food.

Are you ready to order what Pressure Cooker has to offer? Here’s what you need to know about this take-no-prisoners competition.

When does Pressure Cooker premiere? 

Pressure Cooker debuts on Jan. 6 as an eight-episode season. Each part is about an hour long, consisting of multiple competitions and the ensuing consequences that unfold. At least one contestant is voted off per episode, making for a fast-paced environment.

Where can I watch the Pressure Cooker trailer?

Get a look at the trailer above to start building an appetite.

Who are the contestants?

Each of the 11 contestants has a culinary background; collectively they hail from every part of the United States. A few own their own private chef businesses, while others work at restaurants — and you may even recognize a couple from stints on the Food Network and daytime talk shows. Either way, these chefs are not fazed by a big, shiny kitchen in the middle of their shared home. Just wait until you hear the trash talk flying as soon as they fire up the burners.

Who are the judges?

The chefs are also the judges! Whereas many food-based game shows may primarily rely on industry experts to weigh in on the perfect texture of grilled seafood or the correct thickness of a pasta noodle, the fun of Pressure Cooker is that the chefs play each role: peer, judge and juror. After every competition, expect to see a black book where the reviews are recorded — and yes, these are (usually) blind tastings. Once the reviews are in, the competitors learn whose trash talk held weight, and who had nothing but hot air.

To create some variety in later episodes, though, some outside opinions are introduced in the form of loved ones and professional restaurant reviewers. As if the heat couldn’t get any hotter…

Wait, they’re going to be living together?

All of the contestants share a kitchen, yes, but they also share sleeping arrangements. Before and after each competition, the chefs disperse to bedrooms — featuring twin beds mere inches from one another — and a living area complete with a pool table and spots for lounging. There’s also a dining table and, naturally, a confessional.

Ingredients for the competitions are delivered in a “loading dock” area off the main kitchen, and the chefs prep and clean up together once the tasks are complete. It’s a lot of time spent together, which means that you’re bound to see the clink-clink of celebratory drinks, late-night sleeper cams, and maybe even an office flirtation. Then there’s everything else that happens when you’re sleeping with the enemy: tears, lies and treachery.

How do the chefs know when it’s time to play? 

As is the case in any buzzing restaurant, the ticket machine is the boss. That’s the point-of-sale system that relays an incoming order to the kitchen in the real world, but in Pressure Cooker, it’s used to dispense everything from the rules of the next competition to the votes cast by the chefs. As the stakes get higher, the beep-beep-beep of this machine only gets more stressful.

Will we see some real cooking techniques in the kitchen? 

In the beginning of Pressure Cooker, every chef thinks that their culinary skills and knowledge will save them. But the road to $100,000 is not that easy. While there are dozens of beautiful plates that cross the screen— seafoods and meats! Pastas and desserts! Classic and modern takes! — there are others that splatter against a time crunch and too much stress. While it’s clear that each chef knows how to cook, it’s also quickly evident that not every chef can keep their cool in this high-stakes environment.

The contestants jump between playing solo, in pairs and in groups, showing off how well they attend to every last detail while making it easier for others to criticize their every move. The range of ingredients, the variety of meal plans, the teamwork and how each chef actually pulls off a plate carries into how they all feel about one another.

As the show unfolds, these beautiful plates are supplemented by how well the chefs can strategize outside of the kitchen. Those who remain learn that a well-liked chef could become the winner even if their dish wasn’t as good as the others.

Terence Patrick/Netflix

Who gets eliminated from the show?

While we won’t hang the losers out to dry like a one-star review, we will say that no one appreciates raw chicken, tough pasta, broken sauce or a melted panna cotta. But because this show isn’t just about the food, look out for chefs who vote for those who might have more skill, and others who may be more interested in protecting alliances than celebrating stellar food. In the Pressure Cooker, all bets are off.