Lance Bass reveals 'the toughest part' about competing on a new cooking show

Former NSYNC member Lance Bass got to indulge his passion for cooking on Fox's upcoming culinary competition show, "My Kitchen Rules," which debuts Thursday at 9 p.m.

An adaptation of an Australian show, "My Kitchen Rules" pits celebrity duos against each other as they cook and critique each other's food.

The teams will take turns hosting dinner parties with menus designed to impress their rival competitors - including Brandy, Ray J, Andrew Dice Clay, Naomi Judd, and Brandi Glanville - and the judges, chefs Curtis Stone ("Top Chef Masters") and Cat Cora ("Iron Chef America").

"It was so much fun to film, because cooking is something I'm very passionate about," Bass told Business Insider recently. "And to be able to do it with my mom was really a great bonding experience. It stressed us to death, but it was a lot of fun."

While Bass enjoyed reconnecting with his mother, Diane Bass, he said that the pairing really tested the alpha role he has been accustomed to in his own home.

"The toughest part is definitely realizing she is the boss in the kitchen," Bass said. "Usually, I'm the boss. My husband doesn't really know what he's doing, so he's the sous chef and I'm always in control. So releasing control to my mother was the hardest part for me."

In the end, though, Bass might have gotten the better part of that deal.

"She definitely knows a lot more than I do in the kitchen, so it was really nice to kind of let her lead," he said. "Although she got really sick toward the end of shooting because she was so stressed out doing it."

As for his game strategy, Bass told us that he looked to his roots for an advantage in the competition.

"I have lots of good dishes that I like to make," he said. "I grew up around New Orleans, so one of my favorite things to always make people is gumbo, especially people in Los Angeles. Most people have never had gumbo before, so I love fixing it for them. It's pretty challenging to make. But once you make a good pot of it, people love it."

Watch a preview of "My Kitchen Rules" below: