Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars
Season 1 BBC Lifestyle (*174) 20:00 Lifestyle
If you thought the entrepreneurs pitching their businesses to the intimidating business moguls on reality show Dragon’s Den was tough, these 12 foodiepreneurs are going from the frying pan straight into the kitchen. They’re trying to get £150 000 (R2.4 million) investment in their product from reality TV’s Kitchen King Of Mean Gordon Ramsay.
“I’m not looking just to invest in a business. That’s easy to do. I’m looking to invest in the person behind it,” says 55-year-old Gordon, who hosts reality show MasterChef US among others. “I’m looking for wow on the plate and wow in the kitchen and I’m excited just from the audition tapes.” This isn’t a jackpot lottery though – the contestants need to pitch their product from the ground up, explaining everything. “I want to see their input from the original concept, through to the final product. We’re not just throwing money at people. They’re presenting a full media launch and must provide financial details before I hand even a pound over,” says Gordon.
Gordon knows a thing or two about food and trends – he’s been cooking for over 45 years and 35 as a professional chef. “You cannot be niche. You cannot come here with a product that isn’t going to sell and expect my investment,” says Gordon. That doesn’t mean the swear-happy chef was mean to the contestants. According to one hopeful, “It was incredible how comforting and supportive he was offscreen. I didn’t get the money. I didn’t come close. But he told me not to give up. He even gave me tips on how to adapt my product.”
But when the cameras are on, Gordon gets tough. “I want the best to succeed. Anyone who failed, go back to the drawing board and come back,” he says.