Raymond Blanc's The Restaurant

Is anyone else watching this? I'm so hooked already! I can't imagine being given the opportunity to do what these people are doing. I guess it's kind of a dream of mine to have a restaurant - but a totally impractical and nonsensical one which, when it comes right down to it, I probably wouldn't want. But it nice to watch and dream!

Yes I too am watching.  I had wanted to go to his restaurant/hotel and have a cooking lesson for my 50th but it was fully booked months ahead.  I think we will just try for a very special dinner some time instead.
I love to cook but I am not sure the stress these people are under would be want I would want to do.  How do you feel about the American woman? I find her a bit over the top, but maybe that is because I haven't lived in the States for 20 years.  Her hubby seems to be way more interested in his drum set and jazz band, I don't think they will last very long with that attitude.

I saw the first episode but did miss the very beginning where I think the couples were chosen. So, how were they chosen? Because it seems many of them have no business being there!

I missed the 2nd episode altogether - who went out?

TBH, I'm surprised RB is doing a show like this. Right now he seems pretty remote from the whole process... I assume he'll take more of an active role once the numbers come down?!

How do you feel about the American woman? I find her a bit over the top, but maybe that is because I haven't lived in the States for 20 years. 

I find her really annoying!! But I think it's less that she's American and more that she keeps insisting that she's "an actress" and trying oh-so hard to show how much "personality" she has. Oy. 

I saw the first episode but did miss the very beginning where I think the couples were chosen. So, how were they chosen? Because it seems many of them have no business being there!

I'm not sure they ever showed us how the couples were chosen. Or else I missed that part.

I missed the 2nd episode altogether - who went out?

The youngish married (?) couple from Edinburgh who had the New York something restaurant. Basically, they eliminated themselves. They were missing home too much and their hearts weren't really in it.

I'm addicted!  Fab viewing.

The American gal's voice gets on my nerves, though.  She sounds too airheady for me.

I love the people with the Ghanian food idea.

I love the people with the Ghanian food idea.

Me too! I want some of their peanut soup!

Anyone still watching?

Am still watching, but the more I watch, teh more it seems to me this so-called competition is rigged so that vile Jeremy and his ever-weepy wife Jane win.

I'm really disappointed that Jeremy and Jane are in the final. Jeremy is just loathsome, and I bet you could make Jane's crying into a drinking game.

Am still watching, but the more I watch, teh more it seems to me this so-called competition is rigged so that vile Jeremy and his ever-weepy wife Jane win.

Oh, I hope it's not rigged! I can't abide Jeremy. I actually don't mind Jane, but am not convinced she's cut out for the restaurant world. Jeremy however is truly vile. Ugh.

I've liked the twins from the start, so I hope they win. I'm worried about their numbers though. And I did think that last challenge was quite tough on them - Raymond's style of restaurant is completely different from theirs so I thought it was really difficult for them to morph their food into Michelin type stuff. But I am glad they didn't go home; although I wish Graham and Laura were in the final with them.

I vote for the twins but I'm not sure their style of food is what Raymond wants.  Jeremy and Jane have his type of food and Jeremy is a very good cook but although Jane may be rather sweet I don't think she is tough enough to do the job and you can see that worries R. Blanc and his team.  I sit and watch and wonder how Jane and Jeremy can even be married they are always at odds with each other, he seems very selfish, but we only see what is edited for the tv.

Yeah, I've missed how vile he is but I think I've missed a few of the episodes where they have featured more. Why is he so bad? She does wear her heart on her sleeve and that won't do her any good front-of-house. I've worked enough restaurants to know that!

Yeah, I've missed how vile he is but I think I've missed a few of the episodes where they have featured more. Why is he so bad? She does wear her heart on her sleeve and that won't do her any good front-of-house. I've worked enough restaurants to know that!

He strikes me as being really pompous. He may be a good cook, but that's it. He seems to want to cook what he wants and likes, without any regard for what either the customers want or what the specific challenge dictates. Pompous twit. I don't know what they'll have to do next week, but I hope he goes down in flames.

I post on another forum that has a long thread about The Restaurant, but Jeremy's brother is on that forum so I've had to censor myself! It's nice to come here and have a good vent about him!

He strikes me as being really pompous. He may be a good cook, but that's it. He seems to want to cook what he wants and likes, without any regard for what either the customers want or what the specific challenge dictates. Pompous twit. I don't know what they'll have to do next week, but I hope he goes down in flames.

That's just it, and Raymond has even pointed out to him time and again that he is inflexible and unwilling to listen or change to suit the customer's needs.

So it strikes me as rather suspect that they're still in the game.

Jane just seems like a wreck all the time. 

I mean, some really good friends of my folks' started what is now a chain of restaurants in Houston, TX about 25 years ago, and part of success is that you have to really, really love what you do - it doesn't seem like Jane is enjoying being a restauranteur at all.

I really like the twins!

They seem to give it 110% and really pull out all the stops.

Plus, they totally rose to that ridiculously difficult challenge Raymond set them.

Well, I'm not surprised. Totally predicatable ending. Bah. Jane is SO not cut out for this.