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ITV cooking program - Chef Versus Britain


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According to Digital Spy they are replacing Ramsay with Novelli and Marcus Wareing. No indication of whether or not if one of them is notionally in charge, or if there might be someone else involved.

According to today's Sun (I just glance at it online, promise) it will be Gary Rhodes vs Jean-Christophe Novelli.

Edited by dallardice (log)
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anyhoo next!!!

hell's kitchen!!

should know if i get on that one at the end of the month!! :wink:

Did you get a call back?

I got my call back for Hell's Kitchen. I'm in the final 40. :biggrin: Had the last audition yesterday... Fingers crossed.

Edited by UkFoodie (log)
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anyhoo next!!!

hell's kitchen!!

should know if i get on that one at the end of the month!! :wink:

Did you get a call back?

I got my call back for Hell's Kitchen. I'm in the final 40. :biggrin: Had the last audition yesterday... Fingers crossed.

cool!!! good luck!!

nah haven't had a callback

guess i'm not through :sad:

ho hum can't really complain will be on tv twice :wink:

although both times i lost :angry:

Hell's kitchen will be a lot better

you got two well known chefs are presenters

also rhodes and novelli are both meant to be quite nice chaps.

keep us updated!!

and remeber to have fun!!

"so tell me how do you bone a chicken?"

"tastes so good makes you want to slap your mamma!!"

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In a moment of insanity, I've agreed to take part as a contestant in the filming of a pilot for a new Channel 4 tv cookery show. Part of the reason I said yes was that I was approached by the company and I am dumb enough to be flattered by that, and the producer was responsible for the updated version of Top Gear which I think is a great show. The company also produced Nigella Bites so they have at least some sort of track record with quality food programmes.

I don't know a huge amount about it and I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say in advance, but the filming is on Wednesday, so I'll check then and report back what I can. As its a pilot, it won't be shown on the TV, but there is a chance that I will be involved in the broadcast version, depending on how much they really want a miserable old git on their programme and how much I enjoy doing the thing.

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It is Flashback. Now I know why they asked me if I could supply my own Jackboots.

I used to work for Flashback! They are (or at least were) great people to work with - I only left to move to the states. Hope this works out for you Andy!

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So it turns out that this mornings session was to film a short interview that will be used as an audition tape. The producers will then choose who they want on the show based on what they see and hear. As the initial e mail from the producer said that they were looking for a 40 year old male who can cook to Masterchef standards, I was labouring under the impression that they had found their man.

I think I did OK, but I'm not the most extravert of people and I certainly made no attempt to play up to the camera. Not exactly brimming over with star quality it has to be said.

I'm not sure that I said the right thing when the researcher asked me "Whats the funniest cookery related thing that's ever happened to you" and I replied, "Well, there was that time I stabbed a TV researcher when he asked me for an amusing food related anecdote." On reflection, I can see that telling him that my favourite meal is a bag of Cheesey Wotsits washed down with 10 cans of Special Brew may have damaged my chances somewhat.

However, I should know the outcome either later today or Monday so I'll post an update then.

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anyhoo next!!!

hell's kitchen!!

should know if i get on that one at the end of the month!! :wink:

Did you get a call back?

I got my call back for Hell's Kitchen. I'm in the final 40. :biggrin: Had the last audition yesterday... Fingers crossed.

cool!!! good luck!!

nah haven't had a callback

guess i'm not through :sad:

ho hum can't really complain will be on tv twice :wink:

although both times i lost :angry:

Hell's kitchen will be a lot better

you got two well known chefs are presenters

also rhodes and novelli are both meant to be quite nice chaps.

keep us updated!!

and remeber to have fun!!

yeah just got my rejection letter for hells kitchen sigh!!! :sad:

just have to consol myself with my audition for "Come Dine With me" next week :wink: hoho!

Ukfoodie you make it through to the finals of hell's kitchen?

Andy how about you any news on your program?

"so tell me how do you bone a chicken?"

"tastes so good makes you want to slap your mamma!!"

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anyhoo next!!!

hell's kitchen!!

should know if i get on that one at the end of the month!! :wink:

Did you get a call back?

I got my call back for Hell's Kitchen. I'm in the final 40. :biggrin: Had the last audition yesterday... Fingers crossed.

cool!!! good luck!!

nah haven't had a callback

guess i'm not through :sad:

ho hum can't really complain will be on tv twice :wink:

although both times i lost :angry:

Hell's kitchen will be a lot better

you got two well known chefs are presenters

also rhodes and novelli are both meant to be quite nice chaps.

keep us updated!!

and remeber to have fun!!

yeah just got my rejection letter for hells kitchen sigh!!! :sad:

just have to consol myself with my audition for "Come Dine With me" next week :wink: hoho!

Ukfoodie you make it through to the finals of hell's kitchen?

Andy how about you any news on your program?

Just out of curiousity, what's the huge appeal of being on telly? Doesn't float my boat, personally.

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Just out of curiousity, what's the huge appeal of being on telly? Doesn't float my boat, personally.

hi postcode

several people have asked me this question and here the answer i gave previously

the official answer is I want to open my own restaurant one day and i think the exposure might help me. 

The unofficial answers and probably the more true answer is because

I'm a leo and therefore a bit of a show off. 

There is an inkling in my head that hopes that i might one day become a celebrity chef as there aren't many chinese celebrity chefs out there.

And the most important reason is it seems like a good laugh and if i get some extra help / experience in opening my restaurant or gaining financially out of this stuff all the better.

would also add its a good laugh, its a day out of the office :smile:

Now i think the following reason will appeal to you and all the people on egullet

1. I get to cook my dream meal, all ingredients paid for by the tv company.

2. I get to spend a week in the company of fellow foodies eating their cooking.

3. £1000 prize money for the winner

the last one float your boat ? :wink:

"so tell me how do you bone a chicken?"

"tastes so good makes you want to slap your mamma!!"

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Just out of curiousity, what's the huge appeal of being on telly? Doesn't float my boat, personally.

There is no appeal to me about actually appearing on the box, but I do quite like the idea of cooking in front of a small studio audience and showing off my culinary abilities, which is what the show I may be appearing on will allow me to do. Not a very high-minded reason I admit, but no harm in it once every 5 years or so.

Its also worth turning up to these sort of things because you never know who you might meet and what may come of it. The chances are that absolutely nothing will happen of course, but on the other hand, its one day out of my life all expenses paid and I may get an article out of it or meet an editor or make some other important contact.

The downside is the process itself, which can be very boring with lots of waiting around. You also have to accept that you are there to make the presenter look good and are just grist for the great televisual mill, but on balance its not a bad way to spend a day. I just wouldn't want to do it too often.

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Fair enough! I had one stint on BBC2's Food and Drink show years ago, but I was only the hands and arms of 'Roux jnr' and what was seemingly a 30 second piece took (from memory) nearly 6 hours to film. It was filmed in the the owner/main man at Bazaal Productions' house in Notting Hill and I spent most of the day bored out of my skull. And, despite submitting my bill, they never paid me!

I think I'll stick to cameo roles on Crimewatch UK

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And, despite submitting my bill, they never paid me!

arr.. sounds like the BBC :wink:

put to further Andy's point

one of the things that i think all cooks love is to see people enjoy and praise your cooking especially if its sincere and even more so from strangers or an audience.

"so tell me how do you bone a chicken?"

"tastes so good makes you want to slap your mamma!!"

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would also add its a good laugh, its a day out of the office :smile:

Now i think the following reason will appeal to you and all the people on egullet

1. I get to cook my dream meal, all ingredients paid for by the tv company.

2. I get to spend a week in the company of fellow foodies eating their cooking.

3. £1000 prize money for the winner

the last one float your boat ?  :wink:

Is "Come dine with me" the one with 5 people all having dinner parties on consecutive nights that is on Channel 4 in the afternoon? To call most of them foodies is a vast exaggeration. A lot of them rely on their sparkling wit (not) to get them through and they even serve complete dinners of pre-packaged food. The idea of the programme is to provide the best evening - not the best food. Looks bloody awful to me but essential viewing if you are home from work in time to see it. :wacko:

"Why would we want Children? What do they know about food?"

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would also add its a good laugh, its a day out of the office :smile:

Now i think the following reason will appeal to you and all the people on egullet

1. I get to cook my dream meal, all ingredients paid for by the tv company.

2. I get to spend a week in the company of fellow foodies eating their cooking.

3. £1000 prize money for the winner

the last one float your boat ?  :wink:

Is "Come dine with me" the one with 5 people all having dinner parties on consecutive nights that is on Channel 4 in the afternoon? To call most of them foodies is a vast exaggeration. A lot of them rely on their sparkling wit (not) to get them through and they even serve complete dinners of pre-packaged food. The idea of the programme is to provide the best evening - not the best food. Looks bloody awful to me but essential viewing if you are home from work in time to see it. :wacko:

is it? bollocks!!

Its on at 4.30pm so I haven't seen the program at all.

How bad is it?

Yeah I heard about the fact that some of the contestants bought prepackaged food.

its knobby but the one that did that actually won !!

The thing I want to know is, if it isn't on the food how do they score each other? looks? wit and humour ? dress sense? interior design? personal hygiene? :unsure:

"so tell me how do you bone a chicken?"

"tastes so good makes you want to slap your mamma!!"

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would also add its a good laugh, its a day out of the office :smile:

Now i think the following reason will appeal to you and all the people on egullet

1. I get to cook my dream meal, all ingredients paid for by the tv company.

2. I get to spend a week in the company of fellow foodies eating their cooking.

3. £1000 prize money for the winner

the last one float your boat ?  :wink:

Is "Come dine with me" the one with 5 people all having dinner parties on consecutive nights that is on Channel 4 in the afternoon? To call most of them foodies is a vast exaggeration. A lot of them rely on their sparkling wit (not) to get them through and they even serve complete dinners of pre-packaged food. The idea of the programme is to provide the best evening - not the best food. Looks bloody awful to me but essential viewing if you are home from work in time to see it. :wacko:

is it? bollocks!!

Its on at 4.30pm so I haven't seen the program at all.

How bad is it?

Yeah I heard about the fact that some of the contestants bought prepackaged food.

its knobby but the one that did that actually won !!

The thing I want to know is, if it isn't on the food how do they score each other? looks? wit and humour ? dress sense? interior design? personal hygiene? :unsure:

They score each other on how entertaining the evening has been. In some cases they have been impressed because they have had belly dancers as entertainment, I've also seen people moaning about "poncy" food. A lot of the food looks like slop on a plate. It really is just a bitch-fest. If they don't like you, however good your food is you will score poorly.

"Why would we want Children? What do they know about food?"

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They score each other on how entertaining the evening has been. In some cases they have been impressed because they have had belly dancers as entertainment, I've also seen people moaning about "poncy" food. A lot of the food looks like slop on a plate. It really is just a bitch-fest. If they don't like you, however good your food is you will score poorly.

oh no!! Son of a heifer!! and I thought it was serious! :angry:

ho hum! guess i just go a long for the ride then

and I was planning such a nice meal.

"so tell me how do you bone a chicken?"

"tastes so good makes you want to slap your mamma!!"

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They score each other on how entertaining the evening has been. In some cases they have been impressed because they have had belly dancers as entertainment, I've also seen people moaning about "poncy" food. A lot of the food looks like slop on a plate. It really is just a bitch-fest. If they don't like you, however good your food is you will score poorly.

oh no!! Son of a heifer!! and I thought it was serious! :angry:

ho hum! guess i just go a long for the ride then

and I was planning such a nice meal.

I actually enjoyed that show. It was funny to see the mix of people they selected and the different ways that they all entertained in their home. Some people went completely over the top, hiring a personal chef, and others did the deed of packaged food.

The key to that show is that you need to plan a meal that is accessable to your guests. You have to cater to the fact that they might not be into strictly-authenic asian dishes. Much like your judges at Chef vs Britain.

You also have to be an entertainer in your home, not just a chef.

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They score each other on how entertaining the evening has been. In some cases they have been impressed because they have had belly dancers as entertainment, I've also seen people moaning about "poncy" food. A lot of the food looks like slop on a plate. It really is just a bitch-fest. If they don't like you, however good your food is you will score poorly.

oh no!! Son of a heifer!! and I thought it was serious! :angry:

ho hum! guess i just go a long for the ride then

and I was planning such a nice meal.

I actually enjoyed that show. It was funny to see the mix of people they selected and the different ways that they all entertained in their home. Some people went completely over the top, hiring a personal chef, and others did the deed of packaged food.

The key to that show is that you need to plan a meal that is accessable to your guests. You have to cater to the fact that they might not be into strictly-authenic asian dishes. Much like your judges at Chef vs Britain.

You also have to be an entertainer in your home, not just a chef.

:( bummer it means i have to cook safe/boring!

but even then

lets say i cook lamb, I like mine rare others would like medium and some well done and what happens if they are like allergic to lamb? or don't eat meat??!!

you're buggerd aren't you?

oh and the entertaining part?

whati have to perform magic tricks or do my impression of elvis :raz:

Edited by origamicrane (log)

"so tell me how do you bone a chicken?"

"tastes so good makes you want to slap your mamma!!"

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They score each other on how entertaining the evening has been. In some cases they have been impressed because they have had belly dancers as entertainment, I've also seen people moaning about "poncy" food. A lot of the food looks like slop on a plate. It really is just a bitch-fest. If they don't like you, however good your food is you will score poorly.

oh no!! Son of a heifer!! and I thought it was serious! :angry:

ho hum! guess i just go a long for the ride then

and I was planning such a nice meal.

I actually enjoyed that show. It was funny to see the mix of people they selected and the different ways that they all entertained in their home. Some people went completely over the top, hiring a personal chef, and others did the deed of packaged food.

The key to that show is that you need to plan a meal that is accessable to your guests. You have to cater to the fact that they might not be into strictly-authenic asian dishes. Much like your judges at Chef vs Britain.

You also have to be an entertainer in your home, not just a chef.

:( bummer it means i have to cook safe/boring!

but even then

lets say i cook lamb, I like mine rare others would like medium and some well done and what happens if they are like allergic to lamb? or don't eat meat??!!

you're buggerd aren't you?

oh and the entertaining part?

whati have to perform magic tricks or do my impression of elvis :raz:

Don't plan your meal until you have met your guests, some people scored poorly because they had a vegetarian and didn't cater to them, other people expressed dislikes/allergies of certain ingredients only for people to serve them the next night. Result - nil points.

I do agree that the show is entertaining but not in a serious foodie sort of way. I actually felt sorry for the people who could cook because it obviously counted for so little. The winner was always the person with the personality acceptable to the most people - only occasionally was that the person with the best food.

"Why would we want Children? What do they know about food?"

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