Schadenfreude returns to the chez nous as CasaTV has just kicked off the second iteration of Ca Va Chauffer, the chez nous variation of the Seven Network's My Kitchen Rules (this is an Australian cooking competition series for those of you who don't read this blog, which I guess is most people in the e-world). Yes, they're announcing all new surprises and suspense for episodes 13-16 (cookoff) so I'm assuming there's one where one teammate starts a dish and the other finishes it without knowing what the first one did.
So far there doesn't appear to be anyone like these two fine, fine exemplars of talent and anti-revisionism from the inaugural season (I still watch their episode when I need a giggle), and they did change sommeliers, though the new one's pairings are also a little suspect. However, without trying, no less than three of the first four teams already annoy me for various reasons.
It's certainly evident that no one has bothered to learn from past experiences, such as perhaps practicing techniques (if you've never cooked foie gras, don't make a competition your first time to try), or selecting recipes that are notorious for failing with a capital F (macarons? I guess you never watched Marc and Natalie from Western Australia).
Contestants still don't realize that 1) video is forever and 2) film crews shoot hours and hours of video and match the snippet that's shown based on one's performance. So if you're stupid enough like Nadine-who-lives-in-re-gentrified Saint-Henri-and-works-on-a-series-about the-Gaspésie to brag on tape about how your entrée is going to be more impressive, you either better be able to pull it off, or be prepared to have any/everyone watching enunciate a collective "ha-ha".
I did notice something interesting from both the first season and the start of this new one. One of the premises behind the Hérouxville declaration was respect for women because "immigants" do nothing but dominate/berate their wives in public. This is interesting because the male competitors from Chambly (S1) and LaPrairie (S2) do exactly this while on video. Where oh where is the outrage and the public commission?
So, one down and another 16 episodes of chez nous schadenfreude to go.
I don't know whether I'll last all the way to the end, but I do however look forward to the launch of the third series of My Kitchen Rules Series 3 – apparently there are Kiwis involved.