American reality shows seldom satisfy as much as the fabulous dishes produced on this program! That is they would if we could get our hands on them and actually taste them like the judges do. Contestants have challenges in each episode that test their culinary talents specifically in the art of making desserts. Gail Simmons is the host and judges include Johnny Luzzini, Hubert Keller, and Dannielle Kyrillos with two challenges per episode. One challenging test is called a Quickfire followed by the Elimination Challenge. Quickfire being as the title implies, a quick test of the contestant's fundamental and basic skills in the kitchen. Elimination round is difficult and each chef must show how adaptable and creative they can be with a list of needs and use of specific ingredients. As with many other reality style shows, one contestant is eliminated at the end of each week, until there are only two remaining and the heat is not only in the kitchen but almost comes through the screen to us, the viewing audience. The loser is announced during the "Judges Table" at the end of each episode. Challenging these "experts in their own field" is a fun way to find out who can take the pressure and stand the heat until the finale at the end of the season. The winner receives $100,000 and the prestigious title of Top Chef in the world of Pastry Desserts.
The first of two spin-offs from Bravo's phenomenally popular "Top Chef" TV show, the masters edition focuses on accomplished chefs competing more for acclaim as the best of the best than for cash and glamorous prizes. Competition starts with twenty-four prominent masters of haute cuisine, who face unusual challenges from celebrity judges, who then evaluate their fare and determine which kitchen-kings stay and which pack-up their blades and hit the road. For example, one episode of "Top Chef Masters" challenged the chefs to prepare satisfying and flavorful lactose-free and gluten-free meals for Hollywood stars with food allergies. Rising to the occasion, the chefs showed dazzling inventiveness without hyper-drama. "Top Chef Masters" show breaks the reality television rules by showing chefs behaving with dignity, professionalism, collegiality, and even some plain old courtesy. No ego. No tantrums. Despite the absence of super-sensation, "Top Chef Masters" TV show has scored well in ratings, because it focuses more on the food than the cooks' foolishness.
Aired in over eighty countries, and boasting well over 11 million American viewers, "The Dog Whisperer" proves that people love their dogs and Cesar Milan. Each week, self-taught professional dog trainer Cesar Milan shows how dog owners can and must become "pack leaders" for their dogs. He emphasizes exercise, discipline, and affection, and he stresses that the majority of canine misbehavior originates in owners' failure to assert their leadership with their dogs. The disclaimers insist that "The Dog Whisperer" documents only how Milan rehabilitates problem dogs and is not intended as instruction in how to train a pet. Despite the caution, legions of viewers attest to the power and wisdom of Milan's techniques. All three of Milan's books have become New York Times best-sellers with worldwide sales totaling more than two million copies.
Hell's Kitchen TV show is the culinary reality series by Gordon Ramsay airing on FOX channel. Despite the orientation of the culinary show, it is characterized by high "heat" and awesome dramatization of the story. At the heart of the Hell's Kitchen series is a contest between candidates for the position of chef at a famous restaurant. The show is constructed like a classic version of reality show in which all participants are placed "under the hood" and set the clock surveillance. Such psychological component of the show as uncomfortable social situation affecting the competition much higher than other aspects. Like many other shows of Ramzi, the basic concept is a contest between the parties. Each season begins with twelve participants, and in each episode one participant is eliminated (with rare exceptions). The main prize, according to the best traditions of Fox channel, is a fairly significant sum, which varies from season to season. All twelve participants vary greatly in their culinary abilities and skills, but in general they can be divided into two teams - "newcomers" and "professionals". "Newbies", who never earned a living by cooking and "Professionals", live their live by cooking and have it as the main profession. At this point, all three finals taking place between the "professionals", despite the fact that often the newcomers sought significant results and Gordon Ramsay was extremely pleased with their culinary achievements. In the initial episodes of the season, all participants are divided into two kitchens - "red" and "blue", the last five contestants form a single "black" team. There is the contest between the teams in the first stage and losing team loses one player upon the Ramzi's decision. The winning team is determined by results of "service" (dinner, from 7 pm until 11), sometimes, however, both teams are obliged to nominate one person. In the second stage, the contest is underway between individuals and as usual, the nominations have rather individual nature. There is the mini-competition arranged in each episode, which result is in promotion for the winning team / individual and severe punishment for the losers. All mini-competitions are highly practical in nature, identifying the most talented chefs. "The best among the worst " selected at the end of each episode determines two candidates for elimination from the losing team. After that, Ramsay chooses which of these two will go home. However, Gordon did not always respect this rule and may cause "on the carpet call," additional nominations, if he deems it necessary. This often happens in cases where the "best of the worst" is trying to get rid of the main opponents to the destruction of strong competitors.
Remember PBS? They bring you "Sesame Street" and "Antiques Roadshow," and they are the guys who allegedly have no commercials. Remember them? Struggling to keep its tenuous hold on the margins of viewers' consciousness, holding at least a place discernible with peripheral vision, PBS now adds some spice for foodies. Starring on "Made in Spain," real chef of DC Jose Andres "brings the exciting flavors of his native Spain to the American audience with easy and informative recipes created in his Washington, DC, kitchen using products found here in the U.S." According to the PBS website, each episode presents an easy-to-follow recipe for a great Spanish dish, which would-be Spaniards can whip up in their own heartland kitchens. In addition to whetting your appetite for something spicy and savory, "Made in Spain" may trigger episodes of wanderlust, because it shows "treasured Spanish locations," where each episode's dishes originated. For a nation still convinced Taco Bell serves "authentic" Mexican food, "Made in Spain" may seem just a little too piquant for the palette, but Jose Andres himself may become one of America's favorite ethnic dishes.
Kitchen Nightmares TV show is an American reality television series on the Fox network, in which Chef Gordon Ramsay spends a week with a failing restaurant in an attempt to revive the business. Gordon Ramsay, famed chef and star of HELL'S KITCHEN, is taking off his apron and stepping out of his own kitchen to rescue restaurant owners in crisis. You haven't seen a nightmare quite like this one: In this sizzling new unscripted series, Chef Ramsay hits the road, exposing restaurants that are barely staying afloat. Whether it's due to lazy chefs, temperamental wait staff or unsanitary kitchens, the owners of these restaurants are losing business; and their minds. Each week, Chef Ramsay will try to turn one uninviting, deserted eatery into the hippest, most sought-after venue in town.
Designed and built according to Bravo's standard blueprint for reality programming, "Shear Genius" TV show pits hairstylists against one another in cut-throat competition for reputation and glamorous prizes. In its first season, "Shear Genius" series steadily gained loyal viewers by word-of-mouth, and the original coterie of just over one million fans has made the program just popular and just profitable enough that Bravo programmers have stayed with it. For the first two seasons, "Charlie's Angels" mega-star Jacklyn Smith came out of retirement to host "Shear Genius"; in the third season Brazilian super-model Camila Alves took over hosting and refereeing the competitions. Like the top chefs and the aspiring fashion designers, the hair stylists on "Shear Genius" compete against the clock, arbitrary constraints, and one another, submitting their work for celebrity judges' approval. In some of the most intense challenges, the shear wizards work on mannequins' hair; in some of the eliminations, they work on aspiring models' locks. Winning styles are displayed on the Wall of Fame at Allure magazine, and the best stylist is celebrated with the signature expression, "Your work is shear genius!"
