Arriving at NBC's Philadelphia affiliate, WPTZ, for an audition wearing a barrel and shorts got Kovacs his first television job in January 1950. His first show was "Pick Your Ideal", a fashion and promotional program for the Ideal Manufacturing Company. Before long, Kovacs was also the host of "Deadline For Dinner" and "Now You're Cooking", shows featuring advice from local chefs. When Kovacs's guest chef did not arrive in time for the show, he offered a recipe for "Eggs Scavok" (Kovacs spelled backward). Kovacs seasoned the egg dish with ashes from his cigar. The sponsor was a local propane company. Hosting these shows soon resulted in his becoming host of a program named "Three to Get Ready", named for WPTZ's channel 3 spot on television dials.