Culinary Genius

Culinary Genius

Fern Britton, Phil Vickery, Rosemary Shrager and Jean-Christophe Novelli to join Gordon Ramsay in new competitive cookery show

Fern Britton is to host ITV's brand new high-drama daytime cookery show from Studio Ramsay, Culinary Genius.

Fern Britton said: I am a huge fan of cookery shows and this one adds an extra level of energy and learning. To be working with Gordon, Rosemary, Jean-Christophe and Phil is just great! Is it possible to have too much fun?

Each hour-long episode, coming soon to ITV, will see nine amateur cooks head into a wrestling ring-style studio to do culinary battle.

A different professional chef will preside over the kitchen each week, demonstrating with expertise two of the tasks for the competitors as well as the audience at home.

Culinary legend Gordon Ramsay will be first to take to the floor and the fiery foodie will be looking for speed as well as accuracy across three intense rounds.

Gordon said: Culinary Genius is an amazing format that just got elevated to another level with the involvement of these fantastic British chefs as judges and Fern as host. I m excited for the viewers and contestants to be a part of the Culinary Genius Arena.

Rosemary Shrager, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Phil Vickery will follow, bringing their own unique style to the high-intensity kitchen.

Battle One will see the contestants face a five-minute knife skills test. Nerves will be shredded as they are challenged to speedily chop ingredients before being judged by the professional chef on quality as well as quantity.

The three weakest contestants will be immediately eliminated.

Battle Two focuses on precision and skill. This ten-minute test is all about preparation as a carefully chosen ingredient is revealed to the remaining six competitors and they race to prepare it perfectly.

Three more hopefuls will be sent home, leaving the remaining trio to face an exciting and thrilling cook off in Battle Three.

Here the chefs must use the ingredient they just prepped - and the studio's stocked larder - to create a stunning dish worthy of the top cash prize and earn the title Culinary Genius'.

Rosemary Shrager said: I'm delighted to be part of this brand new, exciting cookery show. I look forward to putting the keen cooks to the test and finding a few culinary geniuses amongst them.

Jean-Christophe Novelli said: I'm so excited and proud to be part of this revolutionary new show promoting the hidden cooking skills from around the country, it's going to be phenomenal.

Phil Vickery said: I am really pleased to be involved in such a high-profile cooking show. This is serious cooking that will test contestants to the limit and is not for the faint-hearted. I can t wait to get started!

The 20-part series is a Studio Ramsay production and will air soon on ITV.

LINK:	http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/culinary-genius...
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