Cooking show gives viewers a taste of something special
Korean chefs cook against Hong Kong chefs in JTBC's “Cook Representative” / Courtesy of JTBC
TV variety cooking shows were flying high less than two years ago, but popularity gradually declined amid criticism about lack of creativity.
But when JTBC rolled out its
international cooking variety show "Cook Representative”
last Wednesday, the network proved creative food shows still have the potential to boost ratings.
What makes the weekly show unique is that it is the first such show that inspires viewers with simmering patriotism.
In the show, four star chef-entertainers ― Choi Hyun-seok, Sam Kim, Lee Won-il and Lee Yeon-bok ― travel abroad to challenge foreign chefs in a cooking contest.
The last two episodes drew plenty of positive feedback from viewers, who cheered for the Korean chefs visiting Hong Kong to challenge top chefs there. Each day the Koreans challenged different teams of chefs, with the Korean team losing all the “cook-offs.”
But the loss did not matter to viewers, who welcomed the show’s fresh approach. With the four chefs fiercely frying and chopping and four funny hosts ― Kim Sung-joo, Ahn Jung-hwan, Kang Ho-dong and Henry Lau ― delighting viewers with provocative patriotic comments against the Hong Kong chefs, the show looks promising.