School of Chocolate

Just to point out... the clay scene is from the movie 'Ghost' not 'Dirty Dancing', yet Patrick Swayze featured in both films. Good show overall. Watched it in one day!

We all know Amaury Guichon is very talented, as he work speaks for itself. But would he be a good host and judge, and would the show itself be compelling? For me the answer is Yes to both. The show, like the British Bakeoff, stresses friendly competition. The contestants (so far) just want to do their best and there isn't any cutthroat style activity. Likewise, Amaury stresses teaching over cruelty. Mistakes happen and we should learn from them. Amaury's teaching background shows and he wants everyone to learn, grow, and do their best. His critiques are honest and direct, but never cruel or badgering. The honesty may sting, but it's the kind of honesty people need to hear.

It's so refreshing to see a competition in the form of a course, where people aren't sent home for failing but instead get extra practice time with the teacher. Amaury is not only a skilful and inspiring teacher, he also sets a beautiful example for how to be a good and humble person - something some of the students definitely needed to learn (I'm looking at you, Mellisa).

During the first episode I waited to hear Chef Amaury yell, swear or get angry. Color me surprised when he interacted with his students instead with helpfulness and a willingness to educate instead of tear down and intimidate. The vibe was so fun and mellow. I wasn't expecting that. I really enjoyed this series and hope for a second season to hit Netflix sooner rather than later.

This show had some amazing chocolate work, from the sculptures to the technique. Amaury kept the tone light and kept all the chefs around to learn, which was different and nice. Could do without all the drama from the chefs, detracted from the bakes.