The Lowdown: Five Star Chef
Not another TV cooking competition...
Yep. Five Star Chef is a cross between Masterchef: The Professionals and The Apprentice, with ‘rising stars of the restaurant industry’ competing to ‘win’ a restaurant within The Langham, London. Thirteen chefs are put through their paces, completing a range of challenges that test both their cooking skills and the viability of the concept they have in mind for the West End hotel’s Palm Court restaurant and are whittled down as the six-part Channel 4 series progresses.
Who is fronting it?
Le Gavroche chef Michel Roux Jr – who already oversees all the restaurants at The Langham - is channelling his inner Lord Sugar to lead proceedings, supported by Mike Reid and Ravneet Gill. The trio gel together well but are all prone to over-egging the pudding with hyperbolic claims, including that the opportunity to run a restaurant at The Langham is “the biggest prize in culinary history”.
What are the backgrounds of the chefs competing?
The contestants range from restaurant employees and supper club hosts to people that already have their own restaurant. Contestants featured in the opening episode - which was broadcast yesterday (8 June) - include an Ibiza-based chef who wants to create a theatrical and immersive fine dining experience that features edible artwork, exploding balloons and a woman dressed as a rabbit; and the US-born Travis Gwyne Catfish Orfus (yes really) who specialises in Tex-Mex cuisine.
Is it even possible to ‘win’ a hotel restaurant?
In the opening of the first episode the narrator says that the chefs are competing “for the chance to win the hotel’s iconic Palm Court restaurant” but the prize is essentially a six-month residency at The Langham that - it is understood - may be extended should the project be a success. No details have been provided on the exact terms of the deal (we did ask) but presumably there will be some sort of remuneration for the winning chef otherwise their prize will simply be the opportunity to work for free for six months.
When will the restaurant open?
The restaurant will launch on 14 July, the day after the final episode airs and the winner is revealed. A press release announcing the restaurant is already doing the rounds but is understandably light on details so as not to give the game away. In fact, the only thing that’s currently known is that it will trade Wednesday to Saturday 6.30pm to 10pm. It’s already possible to book a table should anyone wish to take a punt.
