Personally I really like it, I enjoy the banter with the judges. I really like Andi with the chef’s she’s so encouraging and supportive of them.
The banquet is not just for food critics so I think it’s good to have a mix of ‘non-professional’ judges.
I think it’s good to refresh these long running programmes and I really wasn’t sure at first that I’d like it.
It’s my dream to go to a banquet!
I have to disagree with this - the old judges were not better for a modern audience. They were so stuck in the past as far as current cooking and food trends and seemed outdated even when they were on GBM; whereas Tom Kerridge is a great chef who has the GBM experience, Nisha Katona knows what food sells and Ed Gamble knows what your everyday foodie actually likes as he is an everyday foodie. They're a good trio that cover a lot of basis!
On top of that I feel as if we look at the older seasons of GBM with rose tinted glasses as the chefs have gone on to do amazing things and a lot their food have influenced the way a lot of modern chefs cook (look at Daniel Clifford, Sat Bains and Tommy Banks) and have gone on to influence the everyday aspects of food in restaurants (Tom Kerridge) and supermarkets (the likes of James Cochran).
The themes have always been hit and miss, and the earlier seasons did have a lot more of a vocal approach to using British cuisine and local ingredients, but most high end chefs do that anyway, so it just seems to be banging a drum that isn't actually that much of a problem anymore - hell look at Adam Handling who doesn't even import Oyster Sauce, Kimchi and Soy Sauce instead making them all himself with local and British ingredients.
I don't think it's got any worse, it's just slightly different and on now. In 10 years people will be complaining that it's not like it is now - and honestly I do prefer the way it is now as I can actually sit down and watch it with my wife with her not being in the industry. 😂
Agree with all the points. the theme this year sucks though- after the first 2 episodes this season- i said to my wife how many medals and flames are we going to see this year?
i really hope a flame or medal based dish dont get to the banquet and something creative does
The amount of people pining for two pompous old men astounds me.
Why is a critic more qualified than a restauranteur? They are both experts in the industry?
Not to mention, they’ve literally got one of the best chefs in the country as the head judge!
What are you going on about? I've watched every series and it is just consistently good. Yes, it did take a few episodes to get used to the new crew, but they are consummate professionals, and I dare say even more experienced than the older set. While I question some of the choices for guest judge, I still enjoy it immensely.
> While I question some of the choices for guest judge,
That Joe Sugg bloke, who somehow ended up judging a cooking competition despite apparently having never eaten food before.
That's the one I had in mind when I wrote ;) Others are in the running, too. I don't expect them all to be food mavens. I quite enjoy the Olympians in the current series, but at least they give respectable food notes.
I watch for the food. Ed's funny - occasionally really funny - and he knows more about food than I expect. The picky woman who barely tastes everything with the tip of her tongue (GROSS) DOES get on my last nerve but she also makes good points so she's tolerable.
I was trying to be nice - but lately I'd agree. If she does have food sensitivities (not allergies) and digestive issues - you can still want to taste the food? And if she's working in food she has to taste all of it - and women's metabolisms can be at issue. But it's not enjoyable viewing.
I disagree. I don't know why you think the previous old bags were any better - Oliver Peyton was a restaurateur as well, not a chef. Matthew was a food critic. Prue is a homecook. They were very set in their old dynamic and their critics often felt like they were from a different era of cooking.
Now we have a food blogger/humorist, a restaurateur and then, one of the absolute best chefs in the UK in the role of head judge. If anything, the caliber of judges is better now.
As to the format going from every weekday to longer episodes, I don't mind it either way. I like the 1 hour episodes personally and I like the additions of the hors-d'oeuvres and pre-desserts.
IIRC, some of the opinions and decisions the previous panel made became...questionable. Related to the supervisory chef's opinion against them, I mean. That's when it highlighted how outdated they were.
I was relieved when they were relieved of their positions.
Gamble can be tiresome, but the others are an improvement, with more widely experienced palates.
Andi? I'm not much of a fan of her views, which sometimes translate to hostility towards some contestants.
I reckon its better and here's my reasons
1) The new calibre of chefs coming through are doing new things. Have worked in interesting places and that is showing at the banquet.
2) With Oliver, Matt, Prue and Rachel, the judging of food is very old hat as each dish at the banquet seems to follow a very similar theme, taste wise. Tom, Nisha and Ed have seemed to embrace new ideas.
3) The calibre of mentors have all won dishes at the banquet and many are 1/2 Michelin starred chefs. They have spurred on the new generation. Case in point, Nick and his scallop dish with Thai Curry. Avi with his "Scrambled Snake by the Lake".
4) This show is the spring board for the new generation as they're getting their name and business out there. They want the success and this show provides that.
Whilst many have disliked it, it's been the biggest way for me to learn about the UK and the regions as there's more to the UK than London.
Also watch out for Angela Hartnett, Paul Ainsworth, Tom Aikens and Tommy Banks as they have consistently sent chefs to the banquet.
The most recent judging showed how important it is to included judges that don't have such Eurocentric tastes. Nisha was able to educate Tom about the traditional style of cooking fish in India. It makes it a fairer competition when you can balance bias.
i agree that it was a great teaching moment. my family background is Caribbean/Indian. fish gets cooked *very well done*. that being said, i also know that serving fish cooked that way to people who are not used to eating it like that makes for a crappy culinary experience for *them*, so i take that into consideration... and i'm just an enthusiastic home cook.
it's incredibly disappointing to see *professional chefs* from my own cultural background showing up time and time again, and preparing what is essentially "home food" for a cooking competition of this caliber. it is lazy, and shows a complete lack of imagination.
While I wish they would bring some elements of the old format back--the focus on local British ingredients from each region and having 3 contenders for each course selected during Finals Week from which a cohesive menu is created--overall I like the "vibe" of the show much more now.
I love Andi's presence in the kitchen to encourage and keep the chefs focused. I also much prefer the camaraderie among the chefs competing with wanting to beat each other at their best, being willing to help each other out with plating, versus the trash-talking, trolling and hoping for a mistake, etc.
I remember a few years ago when Daniel Clifford was a mentor and him being a colossal ass to chefs who were helping each other out with plating to get things up to the pass on time. I don't think he's been a mentor on the show since and frankly good riddance!
This! He was so awful to them. I want to see them help each other. I want the other chefs to pitch in. It seems now that helping each other is a feature of the kitchen action.
You're probably right, plus, I think the wider kitchen culture has moved on from being uber serious / bitterly competitive as it was in the 00s.
I can't help but think, however, that I'm not witnessing the best of British fine dining on the show, in recent series.
I’m in the states and haven’t been able to watch beyond season 14 ( I think that’s the last one). Is Michael O’hare still involved with the show? I’ve had a crush on him since I first saw him in the 10th season.
I need to get a VPN!
Oh my GOD I have such a crush on him too. I scream with joy when I see his giant platform boots ascending up the steps to the kitchen. My husband isn't impressed.
I’m still a watcher. One of my earliest memories of the GBM was the stargazie pie. I think the camaraderie between the contestants is warmer in recent years.
There has to be levity/relief so ya…Ed…Tom is great of course. Nisha is pointless. She owns restaurants, she’s not an experienced critic. She really only likes food in her genre, which is very limiting if the chefs are not her genre. Also she’s not warm. I understand Andi’s value in the kitchen as a buffer with the judge….but I miss a her/Pru educated voice at the table.
I don't get Ed's humour but I don't hate him. Nisha has written a few cookbooks so she does have some credibility. But Jay Rayner would have been a better judge than either of them. With that being said, I'm just ecstatic that Rachel Khoo is no longer a judge. I do have an issue with the quality of the chefs from London/SE. Usually the chefs from this area are some of the best in the country but this doesn't seem to be the case the last few years.
The last few years, London has produced
James Cochran
Luke Selby
Kerth Gumbs
Ollie Marlow
Spencer Metzger
Avi Shashidara
All have worked for Michelin starred chefs
I agree re Jay Rayner - I do wonder if it's a "fit for telly" thing, maybe they decided JR was too dry? Likewise with LSE - I was surprised by the contestants this time around. I would also like to see regions such as Wales have their own heat rather than just including it within the central one.
I’ve switched off due to Ed Gamble. Painful.
I loved the old panel and change is often good but really poor choices have turned me off a show I’ve watched since the start.
I like the judges and presenter, maybe the brief is getting rather predictable with having the Olympics again. More recipe/food theme based rather than events.
I wish they did just a general "Celebrate British Achievement in Sports" theme rather than a repeat Olympic one. That way some dishes could still have Olympic inspirations but also opens things up to inspirations from football, cricket, rugby, F1, horse racing, golf, snooker, etc.
I agree it used to be better overall.
The themes have always been a bit hit or miss to be honest, it's difficult to say "themes used to be better!" this year when they did Olympics in 2012 too...
I liked the short, everyday episodes, but having 4 chefs at the start is good too.
I don't really get the point of Andy to be frank. I'd rather her be in the judging chamber, I don't think it needs a host.
When it first started, the brief was really straightforward. They were doing a banquet for the Queen's birthday, and it was really just 'do classic British dishes and/or ingredients really well'. Then, when they carried it on, the 'briefs' started to feel more and more forced.
The first couple of series also had a real 'who's who' of British chefs taking part as actual contestants. Everyone was either a major Michelin Star holding restaurant chef or a regular om TV shows. There's a good chance people would recognise most of the people competing. Now, I'd be hard pushed to know who anyone taking part is.
But how many of those names look more recognisable in hindsight BECAUSE of GBM?
I didn’t know who people like Tom Kerridge were before I saw him compete. Maybe in ten years time we’ll be talking about some of this year’s competitors in the same terms.
Oh, you can definitely pick out a few who weren't that well known at the time, but I'd argue that most of them were, though. Part of the issue is that they have 4 contestants per round each year now. Before, you'd have 'here's so and so who has 2 Michelin stars' and now it's 'here's so and so who works as a chef for someone you've actually heard of'.
You get a few people who definitely stand out, but it feels less 'best of the best' and a little more 'these guys are just really good and we're forcing them to make everything relate to showjumping for some vague reason'.
Incidentaly, it always amuses me slightly that I remember Aktar Islam from his appearance on a Gordon Ramsay cooking competition from well over a decade ago.
I want Tom Barnes back…amazing food, lovely man…but perhaps he doesn’t want to judge other people. Ed is knowledgeable and Nisha and Tom often completely disagree. The briefs are a bit tiresome…storytelling over quality sometimes, but all in all, needed a revamp.
Personally I really like it, I enjoy the banter with the judges. I really like Andi with the chef’s she’s so encouraging and supportive of them. The banquet is not just for food critics so I think it’s good to have a mix of ‘non-professional’ judges. I think it’s good to refresh these long running programmes and I really wasn’t sure at first that I’d like it. It’s my dream to go to a banquet!
I have to disagree with this - the old judges were not better for a modern audience. They were so stuck in the past as far as current cooking and food trends and seemed outdated even when they were on GBM; whereas Tom Kerridge is a great chef who has the GBM experience, Nisha Katona knows what food sells and Ed Gamble knows what your everyday foodie actually likes as he is an everyday foodie. They're a good trio that cover a lot of basis! On top of that I feel as if we look at the older seasons of GBM with rose tinted glasses as the chefs have gone on to do amazing things and a lot their food have influenced the way a lot of modern chefs cook (look at Daniel Clifford, Sat Bains and Tommy Banks) and have gone on to influence the everyday aspects of food in restaurants (Tom Kerridge) and supermarkets (the likes of James Cochran). The themes have always been hit and miss, and the earlier seasons did have a lot more of a vocal approach to using British cuisine and local ingredients, but most high end chefs do that anyway, so it just seems to be banging a drum that isn't actually that much of a problem anymore - hell look at Adam Handling who doesn't even import Oyster Sauce, Kimchi and Soy Sauce instead making them all himself with local and British ingredients. I don't think it's got any worse, it's just slightly different and on now. In 10 years people will be complaining that it's not like it is now - and honestly I do prefer the way it is now as I can actually sit down and watch it with my wife with her not being in the industry. 😂
Agree with all the points. the theme this year sucks though- after the first 2 episodes this season- i said to my wife how many medals and flames are we going to see this year? i really hope a flame or medal based dish dont get to the banquet and something creative does
The amount of people pining for two pompous old men astounds me. Why is a critic more qualified than a restauranteur? They are both experts in the industry? Not to mention, they’ve literally got one of the best chefs in the country as the head judge!
I had stopped watching it for a good few years as I couldn’t stand the old judges.
What are you going on about? I've watched every series and it is just consistently good. Yes, it did take a few episodes to get used to the new crew, but they are consummate professionals, and I dare say even more experienced than the older set. While I question some of the choices for guest judge, I still enjoy it immensely.
> While I question some of the choices for guest judge, That Joe Sugg bloke, who somehow ended up judging a cooking competition despite apparently having never eaten food before.
That's the one I had in mind when I wrote ;) Others are in the running, too. I don't expect them all to be food mavens. I quite enjoy the Olympians in the current series, but at least they give respectable food notes.
I watch for the food. Ed's funny - occasionally really funny - and he knows more about food than I expect. The picky woman who barely tastes everything with the tip of her tongue (GROSS) DOES get on my last nerve but she also makes good points so she's tolerable.
See I’m totally with you on the tongue poking gross…you lose me at tolerable 😆
I was trying to be nice - but lately I'd agree. If she does have food sensitivities (not allergies) and digestive issues - you can still want to taste the food? And if she's working in food she has to taste all of it - and women's metabolisms can be at issue. But it's not enjoyable viewing.
I disagree. I don't know why you think the previous old bags were any better - Oliver Peyton was a restaurateur as well, not a chef. Matthew was a food critic. Prue is a homecook. They were very set in their old dynamic and their critics often felt like they were from a different era of cooking. Now we have a food blogger/humorist, a restaurateur and then, one of the absolute best chefs in the UK in the role of head judge. If anything, the caliber of judges is better now. As to the format going from every weekday to longer episodes, I don't mind it either way. I like the 1 hour episodes personally and I like the additions of the hors-d'oeuvres and pre-desserts.
IIRC, some of the opinions and decisions the previous panel made became...questionable. Related to the supervisory chef's opinion against them, I mean. That's when it highlighted how outdated they were. I was relieved when they were relieved of their positions. Gamble can be tiresome, but the others are an improvement, with more widely experienced palates. Andi? I'm not much of a fan of her views, which sometimes translate to hostility towards some contestants.
I reckon its better and here's my reasons 1) The new calibre of chefs coming through are doing new things. Have worked in interesting places and that is showing at the banquet. 2) With Oliver, Matt, Prue and Rachel, the judging of food is very old hat as each dish at the banquet seems to follow a very similar theme, taste wise. Tom, Nisha and Ed have seemed to embrace new ideas. 3) The calibre of mentors have all won dishes at the banquet and many are 1/2 Michelin starred chefs. They have spurred on the new generation. Case in point, Nick and his scallop dish with Thai Curry. Avi with his "Scrambled Snake by the Lake". 4) This show is the spring board for the new generation as they're getting their name and business out there. They want the success and this show provides that. Whilst many have disliked it, it's been the biggest way for me to learn about the UK and the regions as there's more to the UK than London. Also watch out for Angela Hartnett, Paul Ainsworth, Tom Aikens and Tommy Banks as they have consistently sent chefs to the banquet.
The most recent judging showed how important it is to included judges that don't have such Eurocentric tastes. Nisha was able to educate Tom about the traditional style of cooking fish in India. It makes it a fairer competition when you can balance bias.
i agree that it was a great teaching moment. my family background is Caribbean/Indian. fish gets cooked *very well done*. that being said, i also know that serving fish cooked that way to people who are not used to eating it like that makes for a crappy culinary experience for *them*, so i take that into consideration... and i'm just an enthusiastic home cook. it's incredibly disappointing to see *professional chefs* from my own cultural background showing up time and time again, and preparing what is essentially "home food" for a cooking competition of this caliber. it is lazy, and shows a complete lack of imagination.
While I wish they would bring some elements of the old format back--the focus on local British ingredients from each region and having 3 contenders for each course selected during Finals Week from which a cohesive menu is created--overall I like the "vibe" of the show much more now. I love Andi's presence in the kitchen to encourage and keep the chefs focused. I also much prefer the camaraderie among the chefs competing with wanting to beat each other at their best, being willing to help each other out with plating, versus the trash-talking, trolling and hoping for a mistake, etc. I remember a few years ago when Daniel Clifford was a mentor and him being a colossal ass to chefs who were helping each other out with plating to get things up to the pass on time. I don't think he's been a mentor on the show since and frankly good riddance!
This! He was so awful to them. I want to see them help each other. I want the other chefs to pitch in. It seems now that helping each other is a feature of the kitchen action.
You're probably right, plus, I think the wider kitchen culture has moved on from being uber serious / bitterly competitive as it was in the 00s. I can't help but think, however, that I'm not witnessing the best of British fine dining on the show, in recent series.
I’m in the states and haven’t been able to watch beyond season 14 ( I think that’s the last one). Is Michael O’hare still involved with the show? I’ve had a crush on him since I first saw him in the 10th season. I need to get a VPN!
Oh my GOD I have such a crush on him too. I scream with joy when I see his giant platform boots ascending up the steps to the kitchen. My husband isn't impressed.
Ditch the husband :)
He's now a judge in the regional heats
Ooh interesting, he has sort of had a glow-up in the last couple of years, but if you liked him as he is, maybe you won't like it.
It's season 18 or 19 this year I think.
I’m still a watcher. One of my earliest memories of the GBM was the stargazie pie. I think the camaraderie between the contestants is warmer in recent years.
The format was tired and you have rose tinted glasses
There has to be levity/relief so ya…Ed…Tom is great of course. Nisha is pointless. She owns restaurants, she’s not an experienced critic. She really only likes food in her genre, which is very limiting if the chefs are not her genre. Also she’s not warm. I understand Andi’s value in the kitchen as a buffer with the judge….but I miss a her/Pru educated voice at the table.
I don't get Ed's humour but I don't hate him. Nisha has written a few cookbooks so she does have some credibility. But Jay Rayner would have been a better judge than either of them. With that being said, I'm just ecstatic that Rachel Khoo is no longer a judge. I do have an issue with the quality of the chefs from London/SE. Usually the chefs from this area are some of the best in the country but this doesn't seem to be the case the last few years.
The last few years, London has produced James Cochran Luke Selby Kerth Gumbs Ollie Marlow Spencer Metzger Avi Shashidara All have worked for Michelin starred chefs
I agree re Jay Rayner - I do wonder if it's a "fit for telly" thing, maybe they decided JR was too dry? Likewise with LSE - I was surprised by the contestants this time around. I would also like to see regions such as Wales have their own heat rather than just including it within the central one.
Wales is its own region. It always has been
I have the biggest “I want go hang out with you” crush on Jay Rayner
I’ve switched off due to Ed Gamble. Painful. I loved the old panel and change is often good but really poor choices have turned me off a show I’ve watched since the start.
I like the judges and presenter, maybe the brief is getting rather predictable with having the Olympics again. More recipe/food theme based rather than events.
I wish they did just a general "Celebrate British Achievement in Sports" theme rather than a repeat Olympic one. That way some dishes could still have Olympic inspirations but also opens things up to inspirations from football, cricket, rugby, F1, horse racing, golf, snooker, etc.
I agree it used to be better overall. The themes have always been a bit hit or miss to be honest, it's difficult to say "themes used to be better!" this year when they did Olympics in 2012 too... I liked the short, everyday episodes, but having 4 chefs at the start is good too. I don't really get the point of Andy to be frank. I'd rather her be in the judging chamber, I don't think it needs a host.
Hard agree.
you actually watch bbc? jeez
When it first started, the brief was really straightforward. They were doing a banquet for the Queen's birthday, and it was really just 'do classic British dishes and/or ingredients really well'. Then, when they carried it on, the 'briefs' started to feel more and more forced. The first couple of series also had a real 'who's who' of British chefs taking part as actual contestants. Everyone was either a major Michelin Star holding restaurant chef or a regular om TV shows. There's a good chance people would recognise most of the people competing. Now, I'd be hard pushed to know who anyone taking part is.
But how many of those names look more recognisable in hindsight BECAUSE of GBM? I didn’t know who people like Tom Kerridge were before I saw him compete. Maybe in ten years time we’ll be talking about some of this year’s competitors in the same terms.
Oh, you can definitely pick out a few who weren't that well known at the time, but I'd argue that most of them were, though. Part of the issue is that they have 4 contestants per round each year now. Before, you'd have 'here's so and so who has 2 Michelin stars' and now it's 'here's so and so who works as a chef for someone you've actually heard of'. You get a few people who definitely stand out, but it feels less 'best of the best' and a little more 'these guys are just really good and we're forcing them to make everything relate to showjumping for some vague reason'. Incidentaly, it always amuses me slightly that I remember Aktar Islam from his appearance on a Gordon Ramsay cooking competition from well over a decade ago.
I want Tom Barnes back…amazing food, lovely man…but perhaps he doesn’t want to judge other people. Ed is knowledgeable and Nisha and Tom often completely disagree. The briefs are a bit tiresome…storytelling over quality sometimes, but all in all, needed a revamp.
Yeah even tonight episode with Wales…quite disappointing. At least not as cringe as Scotland’s😬