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Reality Cooking Shows
Jan. 12th, 2019 08:12 pm1. Been binge-watching The Big Family Cooking Showdown on Netflix while going through my files, throwing out stuff I didn't need and trying to organize it. Did get rid of a bag full of papers today, the other bag will go to work for shredding.
The show is really comforting and better than Great British Baking Show...in that it is both more diverse in regards to casting, contestants and food choices. Also locations which are the set kitchens and the family's home.
Also proves the British are better at Cooking reality series than the Americans, or I prefer them. More informative, less depressing, highly comforting and kind. (With the possible exception of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown -- which made me cry. I watched the first episode of the last season -- which took place in Manila, Phillipines -- I was admittedly curious because co=worker (Lando) keeps regaling me with tales of Manila and the Phillipines.
I love the hosts, Nadiya and Zoe Bell (although Nadiya dropped out after the first season to host her own cooking series), and the judges (British-Italian judge, Giogio) and Brit Rosemary Stranger.
Everything about this show is just lovely. Each episode has a different pairing of two families, the families are diverse along with their cooking styles. We've had Syrian, Pakistani, Caribbean, Swedish, Italian, and Anglo - all British citizens -- demonstrating how wonderfully diverse Britain truly has become, not to mention kind. And how much like everyone else these folks are. We have more in common than we know. Watching it makes me less misanthropic.
They have three contests...1) a meal (usually a lunch, brunch or dinner) that costs no more than 10 pounds (no clue how much that is in American Dollars), 2) two dishes that they love to death -- a main dish and a dessert, 3) two courses to impress the neighbors (an appetizer and a main course)
They have between 90 minutes to two hours per contest. The middle one is done in their home without the judges peering over their shoulders -- the judges appear at the end.
It shows how the families work together and what they choose, telling us a little about them as a family, their home life, and their culture -- which is shared.
It's a kind competition -- if such a thing is possible. And takes you all over Britain and into different homes. I love reality shows like this.
What keeps throwing me is that the Brits call dessert "pudding", whether it is a cake or a pie. In the US -- pudding is a soft custard or what the Brits call a sauce. We call a sauce something runny that has no real substance.
2. Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown is a lovely American food and travel series -- that takes us into another culture, the people, and shows the political and cultural issues. Also various foods and how they are cooked.
The episode I saw focused on Manila in the Phillipines. (I got to go there, without actually going -- and this is a place I do not want to visit. It's desperately poor, and densely populated. But the people are exceedingly kind -- which I've discovered in my own travels is very true of poorer areas. They are also less safe. It's like a contradiction in terms.)
One woman -- who was featured, had spent most of her life in the US taking care of others children and houses in order to send the money home to her family and ensure their education and higher quality of living. Many of her children didn't get to know her until they were adults. Bourdain visited her family for a Christmas dinner - which they held outdoors, and featured a classic ox-tail stew. Bourdain loves anything he eats and is curious about the culture and people. He tells us how much these people give to others. They go elsewhere, raise others kids with great kindness, send the money home, and return. Many of the people are musicians -- and work as cover bands on cruise ships and various resorts, etc.
Christmas is highly celebrated in the Catholic culture. They start celebrating it 1200 days prior to the holiday. (Lando told me it starts in September or July, and they hold onto it until April. They adore it.) I can see why -- the Phillipines as Bourdain explains have been through hell -- under Spainish regime they suffered greatly, then invaded by the Japanese and half the population massacured, then the horrible regime of the Marcos, and while democratic now...they still have issues with crime, etc. And corruption. Yet the people are kind, generous, and always smiling. They are just lovely.
I cried watching this. I dare you not to.
3. Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen - Save a Restaurant in 24 Hours.
I can't watch Gordon Ramsey. He's a Brit who has come to the States, so he can be an asshole. (I think he's a narcissistic personality with no soul.) In the US we apparently worship assholes and encourage asshole behavior -- see Trump. And Ramsey is a complete ass in this and all series he's in. I always want to punch him. Paul Hollywood also gets on my nerves at times... but he is more restrained. Ramsey is an egotistical ass.
And this series starts by humilating the staff and owner of the restaurant. It would be kinder to just shut it down. But as cubical mate states..."Some people will do anything to be on television." And that's evident here. But I can't watch.
I switched it off. Found it depressing, painful, and nasty. Made me dislike people. And wished that they had just shut the restaurant down. I certainly will avoid it.
The show is really comforting and better than Great British Baking Show...in that it is both more diverse in regards to casting, contestants and food choices. Also locations which are the set kitchens and the family's home.
Also proves the British are better at Cooking reality series than the Americans, or I prefer them. More informative, less depressing, highly comforting and kind. (With the possible exception of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown -- which made me cry. I watched the first episode of the last season -- which took place in Manila, Phillipines -- I was admittedly curious because co=worker (Lando) keeps regaling me with tales of Manila and the Phillipines.
I love the hosts, Nadiya and Zoe Bell (although Nadiya dropped out after the first season to host her own cooking series), and the judges (British-Italian judge, Giogio) and Brit Rosemary Stranger.
Everything about this show is just lovely. Each episode has a different pairing of two families, the families are diverse along with their cooking styles. We've had Syrian, Pakistani, Caribbean, Swedish, Italian, and Anglo - all British citizens -- demonstrating how wonderfully diverse Britain truly has become, not to mention kind. And how much like everyone else these folks are. We have more in common than we know. Watching it makes me less misanthropic.
They have three contests...1) a meal (usually a lunch, brunch or dinner) that costs no more than 10 pounds (no clue how much that is in American Dollars), 2) two dishes that they love to death -- a main dish and a dessert, 3) two courses to impress the neighbors (an appetizer and a main course)
They have between 90 minutes to two hours per contest. The middle one is done in their home without the judges peering over their shoulders -- the judges appear at the end.
It shows how the families work together and what they choose, telling us a little about them as a family, their home life, and their culture -- which is shared.
It's a kind competition -- if such a thing is possible. And takes you all over Britain and into different homes. I love reality shows like this.
What keeps throwing me is that the Brits call dessert "pudding", whether it is a cake or a pie. In the US -- pudding is a soft custard or what the Brits call a sauce. We call a sauce something runny that has no real substance.
2. Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown is a lovely American food and travel series -- that takes us into another culture, the people, and shows the political and cultural issues. Also various foods and how they are cooked.
The episode I saw focused on Manila in the Phillipines. (I got to go there, without actually going -- and this is a place I do not want to visit. It's desperately poor, and densely populated. But the people are exceedingly kind -- which I've discovered in my own travels is very true of poorer areas. They are also less safe. It's like a contradiction in terms.)
One woman -- who was featured, had spent most of her life in the US taking care of others children and houses in order to send the money home to her family and ensure their education and higher quality of living. Many of her children didn't get to know her until they were adults. Bourdain visited her family for a Christmas dinner - which they held outdoors, and featured a classic ox-tail stew. Bourdain loves anything he eats and is curious about the culture and people. He tells us how much these people give to others. They go elsewhere, raise others kids with great kindness, send the money home, and return. Many of the people are musicians -- and work as cover bands on cruise ships and various resorts, etc.
Christmas is highly celebrated in the Catholic culture. They start celebrating it 1200 days prior to the holiday. (Lando told me it starts in September or July, and they hold onto it until April. They adore it.) I can see why -- the Phillipines as Bourdain explains have been through hell -- under Spainish regime they suffered greatly, then invaded by the Japanese and half the population massacured, then the horrible regime of the Marcos, and while democratic now...they still have issues with crime, etc. And corruption. Yet the people are kind, generous, and always smiling. They are just lovely.
I cried watching this. I dare you not to.
3. Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen - Save a Restaurant in 24 Hours.
I can't watch Gordon Ramsey. He's a Brit who has come to the States, so he can be an asshole. (I think he's a narcissistic personality with no soul.) In the US we apparently worship assholes and encourage asshole behavior -- see Trump. And Ramsey is a complete ass in this and all series he's in. I always want to punch him. Paul Hollywood also gets on my nerves at times... but he is more restrained. Ramsey is an egotistical ass.
And this series starts by humilating the staff and owner of the restaurant. It would be kinder to just shut it down. But as cubical mate states..."Some people will do anything to be on television." And that's evident here. But I can't watch.
I switched it off. Found it depressing, painful, and nasty. Made me dislike people. And wished that they had just shut the restaurant down. I certainly will avoid it.