BBC viewers were left confused as Gordon Ramsay’s new high-drama culinary show Future Food Stars debuted on Thursday evening with an inexplicable non-cooking challenge.
The 55-year-old British chef returned to screens to hunt for the UK’s most innovative and exciting food and drink businesses, with a premise reminiscent of Lord Alan Sugar ’s The Apprentice.
As Gordon searched for the next “Food Star” to invest in, he put his food entrepreneurs through their paces with a series of challenges.
Gordon made his entrance on the show by jumping from a helicopter into the open Cornwall sea waters to swim to shore, where his eager contestants awaited an introduction.
He then told the foodie contestants their first challenge would be to jump from a nearby cliff into the sea, leaving confused viewers wondering what the opening task had to do with cooking.
As BBC viewers took to Twitter, many compared the show to SAS Who Dares Wins and voiced their confusion, with one asking: “What's your ability to cook got to do with jumping off a cliff into the ocean?!”
Another quipped: “Gordon Ramsay seems to have mixed up his cooking show with SAS Who Dares Wins,” as a fellow viewer asked: “Did I sit on the remote and switch over to SAS Who Dares Wins or is this actually Future Food Stars?”
Another slammed the show, writing: “This is so silly. Your ability to run a business has nothing to do with whether you can jump off a cliff. It’s nothing to do with drive and passion. Surely not wanting to take an unnecessary risk would be more helpful?”
Another joked: “I love Gordon Ramsay but my god has this started weirdly… it’s like The Apprentice mixed with I’m A Celeb, and the first minute or so of Die Another Day.”
“This is SAS meets The Apprentice, what on earth is this to do with cooking? Looks like absolute hell,” another user tweeted.
The contestants will have to make it to the competition final to secure Ramsay’s endorsement and a cash prize of £150,000.
Each task the contestants face on Future Food Stars is designed to test their character and showcase their business skills.
Speaking ahead of the show, Gordon explained its importance, saying: “[It’s about] just how hard it is to break through that market. So it’s a food and drink business show with some great products, great characters and a lot of challenges.”
“To win Gordon’s support will take more than just a great idea – the contenders will need to prove they possess the raw ingredients required to succeed: determination, dedication, passion and talent,” the BBC press release says.
“Gordon will drive the contenders through a series of relentless challenges designed to test their character and showcase their business skills because, according to Gordon, an idea is only as good as the person who’s had it.”
