Five Star Chef

I was really looking forward to this when I saw the legendary Michel Roux Jr. Was in this.

I have to preface this by saying I do not like reality shows (and can't stand the Food Network) I only like cooking competitions where they can cook a lot better than me and/or are high end pros...like Masterchef Pro, UK and Great British Menu.

What a disappointment. It has that cheap production theme of most reality shows, highlighting more on the quirks of the contestants rather than the food. The judging was kind of okay, but lacking in some way. Could be it felt over dramatic...an air of arrogance or insincerity, imo. Some of the challenges struck me as slightly low brow. I think one of them was for an "influencer" (omg...kill me now)

I also have a very difficult time believing Michelin starred Chef Roux is going to let a newly christened winner really be head chef of an off shoot restaurant under HIS reputation at the Langham!

I watched it, but FFWD most of it, just to see the winner.

It first had me at "there must be a hidden gem somewhere"... only to completely lose me immediately after that.

"epitome of luxury five-star hotel", "start their empire and be worth millions", "the most expensive thing I'll ever make", "they need to make money".

Five star five star five star blah blah blah (I know it's in the title), concept concept concept, money money money blah blah blah. It's the most infuriatingly cheugy thing I've seen for a while. It's like the Dubai-influencer kind of a show. Yes, I know restaurants are businesses, and fine-dining is expensive but guys... come on, have a wee bit of class? You can be bougie all you want, but not cringey and cheugy at this level? And I know it's a competition reality show, but you can't go shark tank all the way? After all, cooking still needs some artistry, authenticity, soul and personality, not just bling.

It's extra troubling to learn about the report of Roux paying kitchen staff below minimum wage. Just imagine that in your head, in 2023, when economic inequality is horrendous, some employees are scraping by just to have something to eat, while someone is gorging on caviar for the "five-star" lifestyle at the expense of the said employees.

The only saving grace is the cheftestants who seem like genuine people striving to meet the "five star" - whatever that means - brief.

...between what types of chef they wanted and who they chose to compete. It almost felt like they had picked the chef already, they just wanted to put the others through the paces for the drama. Sure, there's always drama in these shows but the quality of the chefs to start seemed so much less talented than the winner. There's NO way a 5 star famous restaurant is going to hire a chef who got lucky or unlucky on any given cooking day. Also, I spent two weeks in London in March 2024, this show must have sucked up all of the spices, salt and pepper included because I saw none. Some of the most tasteless food on the planet so I just don't trust the judges (tho Rav on junior bakeoff is a treasure).

Unfortunately, I just couldn't like it. The menus were average most times and didn't focus on the flavors, just on concept, concept, concept. It was unimpressive. The winner was a bit of a one trick pony and final service menu was hypocritical at best. Funny how the lady judge, wanted a female to win, and the black judge, a black guy. Wow, surprise, surprise on the identity politics.

The final winner couldn't command a kitchen and heaven help them when they start running the restaurant for real. All I saw was average, youtube menus with constant blathering about 'my culture'! That will only get you so far and if you aren't versatile, you're gonna fall flat.

Another Netflix Hard Pass.

I never go out of my way to criticise or put down but this show has to be a joke.

Michael Roux Jr your father inspired me when I was learning to become a chef reading his books and studding his techniques.

So I was excited and looking forward to watching 10 amazing chefs create stunning and spectacular dishes, only to be let down / disappointed by the lack of talent cooking right in front of you.

The chefs chosen for Junior MasterChef Australia (12 years old) would have out-performed these so-called chefs.

Mr Roux, you should have fired your chefs on episode 1 and put another ad in the local news paper.

I want devour the outcome but you won't be surprised at how stupid it is.