Chopping Block Premier

Chopping Block
Wednesday 8pm, NBC

There’s something about the American heritage that makes us love to be brow beaten by the British. It’s as if we can’t get away from colonial subjugation—we defer to their judgment, taste, and rules, as much as we try and pretend that such advice is foppish.

Marco Pierre White of NBC’s Chopping Block follows the long tradition of British expert to relocate stateside and show us uncultured Yanks a thing or two. In the vein of Gordon Ramsey or Toby Young, he’s snarky, dramatic, and obsessed with food. He also has an amazing pedigree as the youngest chef ever to win 3 Michelin stars.

Chopping Block borrows pretty heavily from the other two British-influenced foodie shows (Hell’s Kitchen and Top Chef). That borrowing is more than laziness—it can’t be helped. White, who incidentally taught Gordon Ramsey, is the host of the UK version of Hell’s Kitchen. And everything from  White’s reputation as an enfant terrible to his hair to  NBC’s horrible, horrible opening HK-esque montage reinforced this connection. As for Top Chef, well, any cooking program based on elimination is going to draw comparison’s to Top Chef no matter what it does.

The set up of Chopping Block is as follows: 10 couples are competing for a chance to own their own restaurant. Remember Top Chef’s reoccurring segment Restaurant Wars? Chopping Block is a whole series of Restaurant Wars: 2 teams of 5 couples each build a restaurant and a menu in 24 hours, then compete. The losing team fights for a while, and White then votes off one group.

What makes the Chopping Block so delicious is White. Say the name ‘Marco Pierre White’ to yourself. It brings up images of Italian pomp, French pretension, and British everyman. White is all of those things and more: his clothing is all floppy white cuffs and black suit coats with a shock of 19th-century-composer hair. His commentary is languid and lazy, a purring snark he delivers in suspenders from a deep armchair (with much chin stroking and finger pointing for emphasis). And his kitchen manner is brusque, demanding, and sympathetic—as if he cares about food SO MUCH he’s on the point of tears discussing it.

All this seems very harsh, but the truth of the matter is, White is a delight to watch, and the clipping pace of his show is just as addicting as the shows from which it draws inspiration. The contestants aren’t so dumb and talentless as they are on Fox’s Hells Kitchen, nor are they as gossipy and catty as they are on Top Chef. The resulting show feels like—dare I say it?—adult entertainment. You know, entertainment which treats its audience as adults, not like overgrown toddlers. If only the viewer would be invited to judge cooking techniques or managerial skills—then the show would really sing. As it is, it doesn’t involve the audience, nor teach the audience the secrets of the restaurant business. But it’s still a simple, addictive pleasure, and in this day and age, why not enjoy it?

NBC Takes Another Shot at Restaurant Reality

The last time NBC tried its hand at a restaurant-themed reality show it was in 2003 with The Kitchen. Although it managed to hang around for two seasons, it was no Hell’s Kitchen in the ratings department, and was quietly put to rest. Next season they are going to give it another try with a cooking-based reality show called The Chopping Block.

The food-based competition will differ from similar shows like Hell’s Kitchen and Top Chef in that eight couples will be split into two teams and each team will be given a restuarant to develop from the ground up. They will be given feats each week, ranging from picking the theme and decor for their respective establishments, to actually promoting the eatery.  The competitions will be judged by professional food critics, and at the end of each episode one couple will be eliminated.

Coincidentally, the British version of the show was hosted by Gordon Ramsay until he was replaced by his mentor, chef Marco Pierre White. White will be hosting the American version as well.

For more details about the show, click here.