LAST EDITED ON 05-21-05 AT 05:55 PM (EST)

Ran across this totally by accident and am becoming addicted. It's a contest to find the best chef put on by PBS. But unlike network versions the judges make sense, the prize is reasonable, and the contestants know what they are doing.

Cooking Under Fire

Judges include Ming Tsai who I have always considered one of the best TV chefs. I have always loved the foods he cooked and think he is way underrated (plus I've always had a secret crush on him); Todd Enlish who is a professional chef that owns numerous restaurants around the world; and Michael Ruhlman who has written numerous books on chefs and cooking. Ming and Todd do most of the critiquing.

The prize would be to work for Todd English as one of his restaurants.

The contests have made sense for what they will eventually have to do such as do something interesting with an egg (which is much harder than you think), creating a mise en place without knowing the final dish then creating a meal from their choices, buying food on a budget then working with someone else, and the most recent: replicate exactly the recipe of a restaurants head chef.

Contestants are also interesting. Most have the egos that go with a potential head chef. On this last challenge one guy said he didn't have anything new to learn he already knew everything he needed to know and another told the guest chef whose reciped they were recreating that he didn't do it exactly because he didn't think the original was properly seasoned.

If you like food and reality TV I strongly recommend this one.

ETA: When they get rid of someone they give them a really high quality frying pan with an 86 on it so they get "86'ed" (which is apparently restaurant slang for getting fired from the kitchen). So far no one has actually been hit with the frying pan but it does open up the possibility but I think Ming came very close at least once.

• RE: Cooking Under Fire-PBS Reality Contest,volsfan, 09:36 PM, 05-21-05
  • RE: Cooking Under Fire-PBS Reality Contest,toddE, 01:52 PM, 05-23-05

Well, no wonder I haven't caught this...LOST is on during this time frame. I will try and catch it after this Wednesday night!

Ah, the wonders of TiVo. I actually had no idea when this program airs, but as soon as I first read about it, I set a season pass. It's great.

First elimination: Guy who blamed his problems on other chefs.
Second elimination: Girl who didn't finish cooking on time.
Third elimination: Bald guy with goatee, didn't work well on his team, I think.
Fourth elimination: Guy who cooked entree first, then rest of meal.

Other good candidates:

French guy embodying negative stereotypes. Thinks he's too good, has attitude, etc.

NYC tough girl with a chip on her shoulder.

LA girl who is intimidated by other competitors, but slowly coming in to her own.

Young Asian guy who feels he is already at the top of his game as a chef.

Older black guy who seems to be in over his head.

There are also a couple white guys who seem to be good cooks, but haven't developed as characters, and a white girl from Seattle who seems to be sort of the "narrator" of the show.