'The F Word' was a great (if controversial) magazine programme. This is on similar lines but by upping the ante on the 'challenge' side, it loses a lot of the serious food issues which, agree or not agree, made the original compulsive viewing.
This new angle on the cookery show is great to watch but not so great to cook along with. In order to complete each course on time you would have to be cooking for other people rather than enjoying a relaxed meal with friends. There is no time allowed for the host to sit down and enjoy the food, too.
If you recorded and paused this programme it could provide a great cooking manual but the frenetic pace of trying to do it live would take all the enjoyment out of cooking for me.
As in his previous shows, Gordon Ramsay does impart his enthusiasm for great home cooking . Because of his efforts (along with others) more people are cooking at home for themselves. But what we (secretly) love about him is when his enthusiasm runs away with him so does his language. With a pre-watershed timeslot the 'bleeps' become quite annoying.
Hopefully, some vegetarian recipes will feature in future shows, although GR is not particularly renowned for them. (This week he told a woman who cooked meat for the first time in a long while that she had spent "fifteen wasted years"). I do not approve of him for his stance on meat-eating but I do admire his passion and commitment to cooking good food at home. With help, a vegetarian can easily adapt his recipes to suit.
I do have concerns that the programme is 'live' to the point of being uncontrolled. I would have been very offended if I was the cookalong-chef whom Chris Moyles, a superfluous guest, referred to as " a fat Delia Smith" and the web-cam quality is very poor. If members of the public are cooking along with the show at least they could be provided with a quyality link-up.
These criticisms and the lack of veggie content should condemn this programme. But, I still feel that it has potential. Use it. Take the best of it and let it inspire you.
Watch a clip: