DIY Network and Food Network Magazine Surprise Lake Wales Homeowners as Winners of Third Annual “Worst Kitchen in America” Contest

Interior Designer Alison Victoria Crashes One Couple’s Kitchen for a Much-Needed Makeover for Original DIY Network Special, Kitchen Crashers: Worst Kitchen in America, and Food Network Magazine Feature

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Lake Wales, Fla., family got the surprise of a lifetime yesterday when DIY Network’s Kitchen Crashers host Alison Victoria delivered the news via Skype to Brigitte and Chase Ratzlaff that they are the winners of DIY Network and Food Network Magazine’s “Worst Kitchen in America” contest. The Ratzlaffs, U.S. Marine Corps veterans, were selected based on a video submitted to DIYNetwork.com showing Alison how their current kitchen is small, outdated and falling apart. DIY Network’s Kitchen Crashers: Worst Kitchen in America special premieres Jan. 28, 2013, at 10 p.m. ET, and will be featured in Food Network Magazine’s January/February 2013 issue.

“Brigitte has two little ones and a husband. I’m excited about getting in there to overhaul it and give her a space that she can use for her family.”

Brigitte, a former Marine Corps welder, is now a wife, student and mother to two young children, and she wants an inviting space where she can prepare meals for her family. The Ratzlaff’s current kitchen is small, lacks adequate storage space and is equipped with old and non-functioning appliances. Brigitte’s plea for help from Alison and her Kitchen Crashers crew was one that stood out from over 2,000 video and photo submissions.

“After seeing their video, I knew I had to rescue the Ratzlaffs from their tiny outdated kitchen,” commented DIY Network expert and interior designer, Alison Victoria. “Brigitte has two little ones and a husband. I’m excited about getting in there to overhaul it and give her a space that she can use for her family.”

In her video submission, Brigitte described her style as “cottage-antique or rustic.” Alison, with the help of DIY Network and Food Network Magazine, will incorporate her ideas to gut the old kitchen in three days and transform it into the Ratzlaff’s dream kitchen, outfitted with all of the latest appliances and features.

Kitchen Crashers airs every Monday at 10 p.m. ET. For more information on DIY Network’s Crashers franchise, visit “Crashers Central” at www.diynetwork.com/crashers. Viewers can also become fans of DIY Network and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts and do-it-yourselfers through facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. DIY Network is available nationwide on DISH Network Ch. 111 and DIRECTV Ch. 230, and additional cable channel designations may be found by checking local listings and www.DIYNetwork.com/tv.

About DIY Network

DIY Network, from the makers of HGTV and Food Network, is the go-to destination for rip-up, knock-out home improvement television. One of the fastest growing digital networks and currently in more than 57 million homes, DIY Network’s programming covers a broad range of categories, including home improvement and landscaping. The network’s award-winning website, DIYNetwork.com, is a leader in the Nielsen Online Home and Garden category and features multiple resources, including thousands of do-it-yourself home improvement projects, expert advice, how-to videos and images, and user-friendly reference guides with step-by-step instructions.

About Food Network Magazine

Food Network Magazine is the best-selling epicurean title on newsstands, appealing to food lovers of all ages and culinary abilities, offering accessible recipes and tips, and unprecedented access to America’s favorite culinary stars. Every issue showcases great kitchen tools, food products, new restaurants and a behind-the-scenes look at some of the network’s most popular shows. Food Network Magazine is a joint venture of Food Network, a unique lifestyle network distributed to more than 96 million U.S. households, and Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com). With its acquisition of Lagardère SCA's 100 titles in 14 countries outside of France, Hearst Magazines now publishes more than 300 editions around the world, including 20 U.S. titles. Hearst Magazines the largest publisher of monthly magazines in the U.S. (ABC 2011) and reaches 82 million adults (Spring 2012 MRI).