Last Restaurant Standing

[Claudia Greco]

I, too, like that the British shows (or Brit versions of American shows) don't select candidates for drama - I really feel Ramsay, though naturally volatile and amping up his vitriol for TV, really does get exasperated by the general mediocrity of some of the so-called professional cooks he's stuck with. But, yes, I think LSR does sometimes round up the truly clueless - clueless AND grandiose! "Hey, let's open up a restaurant! No, of course I don't have any culinary/front of house/business or other related experience! And of course I'm totally emotionally/mentally unsuited to be in this business!" God, look at the weepers - Lindsie and Michelle - and the clueless - Ali. And the weaselly, cheap and dismissive of his customers - Mike. Clever, but king of the shortcut, king of stabbing his own chef/daughter in the back through his machinations, and, ultimately, totally disengaged and disdainful of his patrons. I really felt bad that he killed his daughter's dreams. He is what the Brits would call "too clever by half."

Unsuitable Americans? Colleen on HK. DUUUUUUHHHH! A culinary instructor? Oh, dear God, I agree with Gordon - her food looked (and tasted, probably) like the dog's dinner. And Seth? An egotistical, dumb-ass lout who probably burned every omelet he's ever fired. I can't believe HE ever worked a line.

Edited May 1, 2009 by Claudia Greco (log)

[WK2]

I agree that I the show is actually quite enjoyable, and I'd say further that it is unmistakeably British in a very understated way. I studied in the UK, and as I always joke, the first draft of my professor's, to his mind very positive, recommendation for law school back here at home said something like "WK2 is not entirely untalented". The show reminds me of reading that letter for the first time. Things don't always translate as easily as you might imagine between the US and the UK (for that matter, watch some early UK episodes of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - the screaming is toned down by 500%).

But still - the competitors on LRS are so gruesomely bad it really bothers me. Even the winners, to the point that I think even the worst Top Chef competitor would have cleaned their clocks.

[Claudia Greco]

I was just thinking the same thing. But the Top Chef crowd really ARE working chefs, working cooks, which is what makes TC that much more enjoyable - and better.

I watch both the UK and US versions of Nightmares and, yes, the UK is much more toned down. Gordon is still in-your-face but less so, and the British tend to be less challenging to him. The whay it's shot and the general tone is more restrained, mannered and less confrontational - more Brit. The US version is amped up, jump-cutted and hyped, just production-wise, AND the Yanks themselves tend to get right back in Gordon's face - remember the NY shows? The no-neck gorilla from the Italian restaurant on Long Island, I think it was, who got into fist fights with everyone and nearly took Gordon apart? Gordo is a first-class brawler himself and built to battle, but even he looked a bit hesitant to take on that "boombatz", as we say in New York. So it's a difference in both local culture as well as production. Having been a Yank with a Brirtish upbringing, I can see the stylistic differences from both sides of the pond. I imagine our British brethren, watching the Yanks get all up in Gordo's grill, would not even contemplate such confrontation - it just is not "on".

[JudyB]

But still - the competitors on LRS are so gruesomely bad it really bothers me.  Even the winners, to the point that I think even the worst Top Chef competitor would have cleaned their clocks.

What we found amazing with this series in particular was that the competitors were almost queuing up to get thrown out. For example, calling a restaurant "True Provenance" and then not being able to tell people where the meat came from, or "Sorbets and Seasons" not having sorbets (or seasonal food).

Sadly my impression is that being on a "reality" TV show seems to be an end in itself for some people in Britain these days.

I don't know if the latest versions of "Masterchef" in the UK have made it to the US yet, but you see similar people in that. Although there are clearly some talented cooks on that, there is also an assumption that such a programme is a fast track to a successful restaurant without any recognition that running a good restaurant is very different from being an excellent cook...

By comparison the "Masterchef Professional" series - with real working chefs - was much better. The chefs involved were also much more willing to take advice from Michel Roux (junior) who was one of the judges, although in at least one case it looked like the hero-worship may have had a detrimental impact on their performance.

[Lisa Shock]

Season 3 begins tomorrow, Tuesday January 5, on BBC America for those of us in the US. I can hardly wait!

[Lisa Shock]

Well, now season 3 is almost over. The format of the show has been changed, so a couple is now eliminated every week. I am not happy with this change, since we don't get to see as much about the couples and the restaurants as in past seasons.

Also, once again, the competitors are very unqualified. I guess the producers think this will make the show accessible to the mainstream public. I, however, am not enjoying watching the incredibly basic mistakes being made.

[JudyB]

Well, now season 3 is almost over. The format of the show has been changed, so a couple is now eliminated every week. I am not happy with this change, since we don't get to see as much about the couples and the restaurants as in past seasons.

Also, once again, the competitors are very unqualified. I guess the producers think this will make the show accessible to the mainstream public. I, however, am not enjoying watching the incredibly basic mistakes being made.

From your comments it sounds like you saw just one episode per week in previous series, with the "normal" restaurant operation alternating with the challenges?

In the UK we got two episodes per week (Wednesday and Thursday) for the first two series and many people here commented that they felt the last series was much poorer with just a single episode per week.

There has been a lot of speculation here about how the contestants were chosen, with the general suspicion being that looking good for reality TV was much more important than any actual ability. As you say, the level of incompetence in this series was appalling.

There are also those who are threatening to boycott Raymond Blanc's restaurants in future as a result of watching this latest series, although to be honest I am not convinced that many of them would even have visited his brasseries normally, and certainly not Le Manoir.

Personally I just see this as a bad reality TV programme and we will almost certainly to go to Le Manoir again at some point soon-ish (as it is about 8 years since our last, and only, visit).

[Lisa Shock]

Yes, BBC America shows one episode per week -regardless of the season.

The first two seasons, while not perfect by any standard, at least let viewers see more about each contestant and their restaurant. There was less time devoted to fake challenges and more time spent on having the restaurants running. I felt like I got to see a lot more of the day-to-day challenges of running a place in the first two seasons.

I have to agree about the looks issue. The contestants appear to be either pretty (the picnic guys) or drama queens (the Front Room woman who hates everything and vomits on cue) or buffoons. I can practically hear producers encouraging people to act up and act out to create 'drama' for the show instead of looking for stories in their journey as restaurateurs.

I don't blame Raymond so much as the snakes he has bedded down with. I would gladly visit any of his establishments, but, sadly, I have never been to the UK and cannot afford to any time soon. (A visit to Le Manoir would be doubly sweet for me, as I am a huge fan of Chef!) I do think that he should take a long hard look at what has happened and consider saying 'no' to a fourth season. This part of the Blanc empire does not meet the standards he sets for his other ventures.

[Lisa Shock]

I just saw the finale, and, without spoiling it for anyone, I can't believe what happened. I am overawed at the stupidity of it all.

[Doodad]

Unbelievable. Having jumped into the British forum on the show I knew what was coming and agree it was a plant.

[Reignking]

They are having a review show this week on BBC America, chronicling the past and current winners.

[Lisa Shock]

The show about the Cheerful Soul was better than the entire third season. I really enjoyed seeing the process of opening their new place.

[JudyB]

The show about the Cheerful Soul was better than the entire third season. I really enjoyed seeing the process of opening their new place.

Absolutely, I never quite worked out why we carried on watching the third series ...

We haven't ventured in that direction yet (it's about 30 miles from us) but I see from their blog that it has been listed in the latest Michelin Guide (but no Bib etc yet), so they can't be going too far wrong.