Masterchef: The Professionals

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Yes but at least now they know his disgusting sleazery has caught up with him and that he's finally getting his just deserts...

Comfort food with a nice big pinch of schadenfreude.

He's always blathering on about how much he loves deserts. Alanis will have something to say about that, I'm sure.

 

[PR1Berske]

Why the fuck is the BBC still showing this series after al these allegations?

A few years ago a new season of Drag Race was about to air when serious allegations were made against a contestant. Turns out they did quite well, even winning a few times. They edited as much as they could, though they couldn't stop showing the queen winning each time they did. Getting the "Sherry Pie edit" entered the vernacular.

MasterChef could be edited at short notice to give the "Sherry Pie" treatment to Gregg, though as he sits on the final jury and announces the winner, that won't be easy.

One solution could be to throw everything onto iPlayer and fill the gaps on air with something else.

 

[Happy Tree]

Quickly replacing Greg with an animated plum at short notice is exactly what AI should be used for.

 

[Petcha]

It's Gregg. He doesn't like you dropping that G

 

[Happy Tree]

I think that's why everyone does it!

 

[JimW]

I think that's why everyone does it!

Drop all three, call him Re.

 

[Bus Honeygun]

Luckily apparently Torode despised him so much they're rarely in the same shot according to that Mail article. They occupied different sides of the studio when the cameras were off. How that was let to go on for years, god knows.

Harry and Paul picked up on that:

 

[editor]

It's literally life changing for these young chefs. Only another week to go. Would be deeply unfair on them.

I'm sure with the wizardry of TV technology they could come up with a version that has gropy man's screen time reduced massively, not that I give much of a fuck about TV talent shows and their fame seeking wannabes.

 

[lazythursday]

I'm sure with the wizardry of TV technology they could come up with a version that has gropy man's screen time reduced massively, not that I give much of a fuck about TV talent shows and their fame seeking wannabes.

But this is a bit different to some warbling youngster that wants to be famous. These are people demonstrating their work skill, and winning (or even being runners up) is likely to bring a boost to their restaurant/ career. Going on the show is actually a bit of a risk, given you could embarrass your establishment. It doesn't feel fair to pull it because of the presenter. It's not about the presenter.

 

[pbsmooth]

But this is a bit different to some warbling youngster that wants to be famous. These are people demonstrating their work skill, and winning (or even being runners up) is likely to bring a boost to their restaurant/ career. Going on the show is actually a bit of a risk, given you could embarrass your establishment. It doesn't feel fair to pull it because of the presenter. It's not about the presenter.

nobody should be getting pulled off, that's for sure. but yeah I agree.
finishes next week so BBC clinging on for dear life...

 

[Petcha]

I'm sure with the wizardry of TV technology they could come up with a version that has gropy man's screen time reduced massively, not that I give much of a fuck about TV talent shows and their fame seeking wannabes.

It's not really a 'talent show'. The contestants on the Professional version are often young chefs working in gastropubs whose dream it is to work in a top restaurant. And most are very good. And put a hell of a lot of work into it. I genuinely feel sorry for this crop as they'll probably always be associated with the Gregg Wallace season of Masterchef.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Yeah easy to be cynical about tv shows and their 'journeys'. But MC Pro is something chefs do to challenge themselves and to further their careers as chefs. You can tell that many of them are actually uncomfortable being in the limelight.

 

[Happy Tree]

ChatGPT: Make me a video of Masterchef's Gregg Wallace being kicked in the nads by Monica and Gaston as Marcus looks on with steely-eyed mirth and the rest of the contestants chanting "Fight, fight, fight!"

 

[Petcha]

Yeah easy to be cynical about tv shows and their 'journeys'. But MC Pro is something chefs do to challenge themselves and to further their careers as chefs. You can tell that many of them are actually uncomfortable being in the limelight.

It takes some bravery to walk into that kitchen and be confronted by two top chefs (and one sleazeball) and asked to recreate a complicated dish in 20 mins. While being questioned about your career history. On national TV.

 

[editor]

It's not really a 'talent show'. The contestants on the Professional version are often young chefs working in gastropubs whose dream it is to work in a top restaurant. And most are very good. And put a hell of a lot of work into it. I genuinely feel sorry for this crop as they'll probably always be associated with the Gregg Wallace season of Masterchef.

It really is you know, and it follows the exact same talent show format as the rest, even down to the ludicrously over dramatic long gaps whenever they announce who's going home/through to the next round.

The talent just happens to be cooking.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It really is you know, and it follows the exact same talent show format as the rest, even down to the ludicrously over dramatic long gaps whenever they announce who's going home/through to the next round.

The talent just happens to be cooking.

Regardless of what you think of the format, there is no cash prize in the UK version. The reward comes from taking up the challenge itself and from the exposure success within the show brings. Not airing the final week denies those chefs that exposure. And Petcha's right. They work really hard at it, not just on the shows themselves but at home/after work practising their dishes. The chefs invest both time and money into going on this show, and as I'm sure you know, cheffing is not a well-paid profession. Most of the younger chefs will be earning less than £30k a year.

Be cynical about the producers, the format and the manipulative dramatic devices, but those are all beyond the contestants' control. The contestants are not quite as you have characterised them as star-struck wannabes.

 

[Silas Loom]

I don’t see what’s wrong with calling them “fame seeking wannabes”. They want to climb their professional ladder and open their own restaurants and attracts diners who have seen them on telly. Fame fills tables on a Wednesday night. Fame adds £30 to a tasting menu. It’s exactly the same Faustian pact as singers appearing on Pop Idol and dog hypnotisers on Britain’s Got Talent.

 

[tommers]

TBF I'm struggling to think of a contestant this year that I didn't like. That bloke with the shaved sides and the moustache was a bit annoying but the rest of them are absolutely lovely.

 

[tommers]

Team Gaston though. Obviously.

 

[Numbers]

We heard you first time tommers mate.

 

[tommers]

We heard you first time tommers mate.

Ha. I edited. Sucks to be you.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

TBF I'm struggling to think of a contestant this year that I didn't like. That bloke with the shaved sides and the moustache was a bit annoying but the rest of them are absolutely lovely.

Gareth with the foraging kids (he may have mentioned them). I had warmed to him a bit by the end, mind.

 

[Orang Utan]

I don’t see what’s wrong with being good at something and wanting do better at it, while also desiring recognition of your skills or talent from others.
If that makes someone a fame-seeking wannabe, then more power to em

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I don’t see what’s wrong with calling them “fame seeking wannabes”. They want to climb their professional ladder and open their own restaurants and attracts diners who have seen them on telly. Fame fills tables on a Wednesday night. Fame adds £30 to a tasting menu. It’s exactly the same Faustian pact as singers appearing on Pop Idol and dog hypnotisers on Britain’s Got Talent.

It's extremely reductionist and not very illuminating imo.

Tha amateur version is a bit different - amateur chefs can get careers out of the show doing tours and books and things, and they are often quite obviously there to increase their public profile. But I don't envisage too many of these pros obsessively filling their social media with new posts and seeking out positions as 'influencers'.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's also worth noting that there are lots of professional cheffing competitions out there. Whether you think that is a good thing or not, it is an established thing for chefs to do to further their careers. This one happens to be on the telly.

 

[Silas Loom]

It's also worth noting that there are lots of professional cheffing competitions out there. Whether you think that is a good thing or not, it is an established thing for chefs to do to further their careers. This one happens to be on the telly.

But there’s a huge difference between real competitions and ones that are rigged to provide entertainment and narrative, as are absolutely all such televised pseudocontests.

 

[Silas Loom]

I don’t really mind whether cooking contests have any integrity, and food porn is very watchable - certainly much more than any other kind of reality TV - I just don’t care particularly about the fate of the contestants who have entered a fame lottery if the programme is pulled.

 

[skyscraper101]

I'm tired of food shows on telly anyway, they should sack them all off.

Back in the day on a weekend you could lounge around watching cartoons and live studio shows for kids with pop bands and celebrities in gunge tanks. Nowadays its just endless food shows. Boring.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

But there’s a huge difference between real competitions and ones that are rigged to provide entertainment and narrative, as are absolutely all such televised pseudocontests.

It is fair to criticise the contrived format. However, the opportunities afforded by the show are real enough. Masterclasses with 3-star chefs, cooking for the 'Chef's Table', which is genuinely a roomful of the highest-rated chefs in the country. These are real opportunities and experiences. And there is a lot of cooking and learning going on.

 

[planetgeli]

I don’t really mind whether cooking contests have any integrity, and food porn is very watchable - certainly much more than any other kind of reality TV - I just don’t care particularly about the fate of the contestants who have entered a fame lottery if the programme is pulled.

It is fair to criticise the contrived format. However, the opportunities afforded by the show are real enough. Masterclasses with 3-star chefs, cooking for the 'Chef's Table', which is genuinely a roomful of the highest-rated chefs in the country. These are real opportunities and experiences. And there is a lot of cooking and learning going on.

Disappointed in you both frankly. Bloody liberals. If any thread was made for a bun fight...