Here we go! Without my Top Chef fix, I'm hoping this show fills that void, but I'm a little reluctant. Famous chefs Curtis Stone (hello, hottie) and Cat Cora are the hosts as chefs travel the world cooking local cuisine for natives. The winner gets 150K and a car. Not bad.
We meet the chefs quickly and so far, looks like we have a pretty crazy bunch. This one chick Sai used to be in the army, but now is a chef/wannabe sex pot? I'm confused. "Who do you think people want to f*ck -- Paula Deen, Rachael Ray or Sai?" Third person? Really? Don't like her already.
Meanwhile some dude is the executive chef for the Boston Red Sox, which is pretty cool. His nickname "Nookie" is not. The chefs arrive in London and it's hard to keep track of who's who. But, these people are already really cocky. This one weirdo calls himself "Cheven." *Eye roll*
The chefs divide themselves into two teams and are given the rules. Basically, they will be given a "Course" challenge, which is a smaller challenge (kinda like the "Quickfire" on Top Chef). The winners of that get the "exceptional ingredient" for "The Takeover," the big challenge where they take over a local restaurant and serve food to the local people.
The teams are given a map to three pubs for the "Course" challenge. When they get there, they must order the food and finish all of it before the other team. One team takes a taxi and the other just runs.
"I'm kind of the bird at the peak of the flock." - Cheven
Shutup. They get lost. The first team arrives and it's clear some people are going to be eating more than others.
"My first impression of Nicole... it doesn't look like she's eaten much in her life." - Nookie
They are eating "black pudding," which is apparently blood. Yum. Crazy Sai is still leading her other team the wrong way. Just as they head in, the other team leaves. At the second pub, they get yards of beer. Doesn't sound bad to me.
"Can we get a cute British guy to hold these for us?"
"My last job was at a sorority house. I feel like I have an advantage in this competition. Thank you, Kappa Phi Delta."
Sidenote: How and why does a sorority have their own private chef?
At the third pub, they find the judges sitting there drinking beer and doing nothing. Half the chefs are drunk at this point and it's great. They have to eat fish now, which I'm sure they'll regret later. The first team still wins.
"I'm drunk and I don't feel good."
For "The Takeover," they take over two gastropubs. They have to make five dishes, two of which have to be something they ate earlier. The winning team earned the exceptional ingredient, which is potatoes. They can use them for any or all of their dishes. The losing team doesn't get any.
Sai is doing front of the house for the black team and she's telling customers they need to lose weight. Good strategy, dumbass. Since the customers are deciding the winner and all. There are so many dishes and British people talking, I really don't know what's going on.
When the judges (who basically do nothing, right?) talk to the teams, the claws come out a bit. The black team ends up winning. The judges choose Chaz as the MVP and he has immunity for the next challenge. That Cheven guy is pisseddddd and I love it.
The red team deliberates and the Boston guy has some strategy to make people hate his food then at the last minute turn the attention to someone else. Hm. Sounds stupid yet it seems to be working. Clara gets thrown under the bus.
"My dish was worse than Clara's dish. At this point, I'm going to need a miracle."
When it comes down to it, Clara is an idiot and votes for Nicole instead of Nookie, thereby setting up her own elimination. REAL DUMB.
SumOlogy: Not a bad start. I could get into this show.
Grade: B
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What did you think of the premiere?
Follow Sharon Tharp on Twitter: @sharontharp
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