The Restaurant 2009

Even the Winkers' concept is garbage. If I want picnic food I would wait for a decent day, make it myself and enjoy it in the countryside. I would not go to a restaurant and hand over money to a spotty wideboy who does know how to cook, or anything about wine for that matter.
 
I've just come across this thread and its good to see that I'm not the only one who's stunned that RB (One of the best chef to have ever lived) decided to go into business wih these two jokers. They were never restaurant of the week, they barely scraped thru on a couple of tasks and just because they managed to avert a complete and total melt down disaster at the dinner party by pulling a couple of cocktails out of their arses, they win. Absolutely astounding. He'd better keep an eye on them or he's gonna lose his shirt. They're clueless.

EDIT: According to the show wiki page RB may be dropped from the show next year. I'm all for this cuz even though I hate to have to say it, I find his accent very difficult to understand. I hopw they bring in Michel Roux jnr as his replacement.
 
I’m watching the whole series before clearing it from my recorder, JJ and James first apear twelve minutes into the programme say they’re only there because they’re going to win the competition. When I hear this in future I shall regard it as a spoiler and not arrogance.

The winking takes on a whole new meaning in the light of that.

They served their dish last and demonstrated not beng able to make a crumble.

I was able to wince again at the mother and daughter’s kitchen knife antics.
 
On the last programme I would like to see him saying he can't name a winner from this lot. Why should he take any of them on if none of them are good enough? He would indeed lose credibility in my opinion if he did award such a prestigious prize to unworthy contestants just to go along with the usual format.

Also a non-result would give an unpredictable edge to future series, and act as a warning to the contestants that they need to excel and not take it for granted that one of the couples will win the prize regardless of the standard. I'm sure there was a precedent set for this in another TV cookery show, although I can't remember which one offhand. I think it was one with John Burton-Race as a judge.
 
Never in the history of television broadcast was done so much wrong by so few.

What a travesty.

Now we just have to wait for Buck Tarbursh to salvage this wreck.
 
You might also ask RB what role he had in constructing the tasks - if it was he who chose for example, setting them on the task of preparing the food at Yo Sushi, and operating an English tea with one waiter, then it'll prove he is a big fan of the Chuckle Brothers. ;)
 
I've seen the spoiler in the Radio Times now. Without giving anything away, I would just say that I'm not surprised. The way this series has gone, none of the couples deserved to be in a final anyway!
 
Actually, matching cocktails with fine dining is a bit of a trend in the US - went to a restaurant in Boston this summer which did just that - helpfully called Pairings.

I think this one could be a winner for Raymond and the Winkers, though I'll pass on the Mr Whippy machine, especially if it's served as a wet Scotch Egg.
 
Yes, someone's having fun on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Blanc

Quite chuffed to read this section:

Controversy

In the 2009 series of The Restaurant Raymond gathered the nickame 'Crazy Ray' for his choice of victors who could neither cook nor complete the criteria of the challenges set during the television programme. This led to uproar by viewers and allegations that the BBC had breached its guidelines governing competitions as not only the audience was felt to be misled, but the contestants on the show felt the same. The BBC refuted [4] this arguing that the competition required contestants who had potential for development, not just ability. It is rumoured that Raymond is being removed from the television show next year.
 
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