James May: Oh Cook!

Most people unfamilar with James May could regard this show as too laid back and possibly lacking all the flair of other cooking shows. That's kind-of the point of this show, however, because James isn't a professional cook. Instead, we're seeing his learning process. All the while he's including history and interesting facts with all of the very practical advice that most other cooking shows skim over. I watch alot of cooking shows and this is the best of them. Each episode has a specific theme. It does a great job of focusing on the points that make you a better cook, leaving the bunch of cooking fluff of other shows aside.

I can't wait for the next season. I've never found myself chuckling or bursting out loud laughing so much during any other cooking show. The mishaps were hysterical and I loved that the film crew were part of the show. James's sense of humor, the gadgets, and Niki make the show endearing, more than a straightforward cooking show. I felt included in the kitchen and had a glass or two right along with them. While a lot of the "out of the can"recipes were so-so, I loved James's pride in his first cake, the cheesy cauliflower, the Spotted Dick and many others. I want to try his smoked fish and rice breakfast dish for sure. Only, don't keep shoving Niki back in the closet. That was a little cringy.

Perhaps what has been the most fun is how laid back the attitude of the show is. The crew are regularly included in some way and the process of how these kinds of shows are made becomes a part of the show itself. It's taken the cooking show format and made it something fun and actually human/real (i.e no fake chemistry between hosts or attempts to hide mistakes with the cooking).

I've no idea if he made these recipes himself but his completely easy to understand way of explaining how to cook these dishes is fantastic for novices. It's also surprising that he's managed to keep a lot of these processes simple and not overly complicated, as that is his usual style.

I utterly love this show. I hope season 2 will mean a second cookbook and that we HOPEFULLY get a season 3 at some point too.

I like the show, because i can identify a bit with James. He is not an experienced cook, so he learns as he goes and teaches us some fundamentals at the same time. He does have the advantage of a good kitchen and professional help. But in the end he is stumbling through instructions, like most of us.

I think i learned more about cooking then any other show and I especially like him trying out dumb cooking tools, to make life as an amateur cook easier. He should do that more in the next season. Because most tools do not work, or work very briefly. A sharp knife has to date been the best advise. However, some tools do actually work and i would love to know about them.

Really hope there is going to be another season!

Really do wish that you guys would just allow James and Nikki to co host rather than kicking Nikki out of the kitchen. Nikki and James just work together like pie and peas would love to see Nikki and James both at the Forefront of the show as co-hosts as the charisma between the two is second to none