The Great British Menu
I love food programmes. It’s probably because I’m a glutton. Saturday Kitchen is a must. I organise every Saturday morning around it. James Martin has done a wonderful job with his show. I remember how excruciatingly awkward he was to begin with. Now he’s become the epitome of the accomplished, almost suave TV chef. I love it.
Masterchef? It’s the one. The music. The relentless driving beat. I don’t know whether it’s house or trance or what. It’s clubbing. Its addictive. It’s the one. I’m totally, utterly, obsessed, enslaved. It’s much, much better than sex!
Now the Great British Menu is back with its useful, early evening slot. It sets me up for a TV night in. There’s the lovable, opinionated Matthew Fort, the sweet and incisive Oliver Peyton and, forgive me ma’am, the royal, dignified, supreme Prue Leith. These are the judges but it’s the boys (with one exception) in the kitchen that make the show. The new format, where an uber TV-chef pre-judges three pretenders, works very well. It’s a triumph really because they’ve taken their material and hugely padded it out, yet It’s better for it. This is the ultimate lesson in how to make great TV in a recession.
The rivalry and camaraderie between the contestants is an extraordinary combination and really seems to get the best out of each of them.
Apart from the election, it’s the most entertaining thing on television.
Written by Peter Reynolds
April 26, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Posted in Consumerism, television, The Media
Tagged with addictive, election, food, Great British Menu, house, James Martin, Masterchef, Mathew Fort, Music, Oliver Peyton, Prue Leith, Saturday Kitchen, sex, trance, TV chef
3 Responses
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Peter Reynolds 
You know, I’m not really sure I’m too keen on this series… for a start, there’s no chefs being hugely imaginative (like Glynn Purnell last year, and the year before, both Glynn and Jason Atherton), plus I’m not sure I like the idea of the judging chef, as it’s only one man’s opinion, like sometimes the judges have loved a dish a judging chef slated.
That’s why there are 3 judges, so a majority vote can be achieved!
punkchef
May 5, 2010 at 12:24 am
[…] secret ingredient? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- it’s the music. That’s what makes it so compelling. […]
Cooking Doesn’t Get Tougher Than This! « Peter Reynolds
August 4, 2010 at 9:35 pm
[…] I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, again and again, Masterchef is my favourite TV entertainment programme. Every year it just seems to get better. The producers do an excellent job of adding little twists and new ideas to the format and it never fails to keep me entranced. For the contestants, getting to the final is an almost guaranteed pass into a shot at a restaurant business. That’s how influential it’s become. […]
It’s Masterchef Finals Night. | Peter Reynolds
May 6, 2016 at 5:26 pm