Cook at All Costs

This is the way a host should be! Other shows please take note. (Looking at you Snack vs Chef) This is a good show. If you like chopped you will like this. With the auction, and bidding wars it adds that extra entertainment element. The host is always authentic and not forced unlike the hosts of Snack vs Chef where the main complaint was about the hosts being terrible! I recommend!!! Give it a watch!

Geez I have to make this review longer...... so I'm just fishing for words at this point. But yea, fun show that doesn't require much commitment. A good watch while cleaning the house or chilling in bed or cuddling whatever.

Honestly baffled as to what the point of the first round even is. It doesn't matter in any way. Is is just to deplete their bank? The first round has no consequence or bearing on the final winner. Confusing.

Overall it's decent if you like to watch people cook, but it's basically just Chopped except they all get different baskets from each other and have to spend their prize money on surprise ingredients, which often breeds an uncomfortable energy among the contestants that the show would be better without.

The guest chefs and host are good, no complaints there.

But very odd choice of format.

I love all types of cooking competition shows.. (Faves: GBBO, Sugar Rush, Nailed It, Chopped, Masterchef, etc etc) so I am also here for this series.

This show takes the "bidding mystery boxes" and just cemented it as its foundation. Simple yet fun. The contestants get to bid from $ to $$$ to ???. Then additional ingredients are sent out which they can live bid on and it can get funny coz a simple potato or tomato will reach for a lot.

The vibe sometimes feel extra competitive when they're in a bidding war so there's some good tension. The dishes aren't crazy since the ingredient sets they get have some sort of coherence (well except for the surprise box lol) but they do make it better especially with no pantry. It does make me salivate while watching.

The host is great. He feels natural with his banters. He doesn't feel over the top or scripted like in some shows. No need for added gimik.

If they get more season I wish they'd add another judge. Nothing against 1 judge but I feel having 2 or 3 make it better for judging. But as long as they keep the blind tasting I guess I'm all good either way.

I found the concept of the show to be quite captivating. A mix of gameshow and competition-cooking show.. personally appealed to me big time. I love game shows, I love reality TV, I love cooking shows, I love competition shows... and this was all of that. - Quite a diverse realm of chefs also. I am excited for season 2! - Well, I hope others give this show a chance and that it gets to continue on for a few more seasons. I learned quite a bit from the show too.. the chefs are always trying to throw in little tips or personal favourite methods.

I think what appealed to me the most was the competitive element and seeing how much a chef is willing to lose just for their shot to enhance their dish.

Considering 3/4 of the other reviews are full tens, and the other is a 1, I am writing this to give an objective take based on other cooking shows.

First, it is a properly forgettable show, the kind you don't turn off if it starts running in the background while running chores. So, some quick pros and cons in a list:

Pros: 1. Decent dishes 2. Interesting format 3. Some interesting guest chefs 4. Some money to be won by the winner

Cons: Nearly everything else.

In summary: No explanation of items in the pantry. You can't tell at all what options the contestants have.

Every episode is highly scripted, cut like an action movie, edited to the point of losing all personality, The same lines are repeated by contestants in the episodes. The faces change, but nothing sticks in your mind except for how poorly this was put together.

Unlike another suspicious reviewer here who rated the host a 10, I'd say he's one of the more annoying cooking show hosts. Cool bro-ski talks too much and often over the guest chef.

Don't renew this show and spend the budget on something more worthy.