Raymond Blanc's The Restaurant

And the woman who wanted to go home? I believe I've been that woman when my father has acted up and complained about things in a restaurant!

Yeah, that's what I was getting at - in that I didn't think she'd be doing that if it were staged...but I still don't understand the guy really wanting to show himself and his face as a butthead like that on national TV - which was what made me wonder.

I agree with you about the editing of this week's two episodes - as regards Helen and her husband.  The first episode they kept cutting to her and her defiant face, and also at the beginning of the challenge episode when Ray was telling them what the challenge was going to be.  Then by the end, she was then all smiles on the parts they showed on camera.

Ha ha - has everyone lost interest?!  We are behind on this week's episodes...started to watch the first one last night, but we'd had faaarrrrrr too much wine & DH kept nodding off.  I watched up to the part where Ray started turning up at the restaurants, but to be honest, it was really all getting to be quite snoozy - and not just because of the wine either. 

Not at all!! I love it!!!!! 

If you'd told me a month ago that those two boys would be in the final ....!!!? 

If you'd told me a month ago that those two boys would be in the final ....!!!?

Ha ha - each episode I kept thinking they'd be out next, but...    (We finally got caught up with our watching.)

I think Ray likes James' cooking & that they don't tend to get so defensive in the face of criticism - but more admitting their mistakes, and hopefully learning from them (?).  I am really sick of the Cheerful Soul people now - just their attitudes mainly, so I am kind of rooting for James and Alasdair - lol! 

I would have rather seen Tim & Lindsay make it into the final, but he really did screw up his food cost for someone with 15 years in the restaurant management business - weird.  Although I thought it a bit unfair that all of a sudden - in the next to last contest - now Ray starts banging on about food cost.  I mean - that is Restaurant 101 and it seems to have been all but ignored up until this week's episodes.  But I suppose even though that is key to running a successful restaurant, because it's so business-y - maybe it would have made for boring TV?  I don't know, but I found it strange.

I think Ray likes James' cooking & that they don't tend to get so defensive in the face of criticism - but more admitting their mistakes, and hopefully learning from them (?).

That question mark is very telling! Hee! I'm not sure they have learned, to be honest. James' cooking has been good from the beginning - as much as I find him completely loathesome, I have to admit that. But I'm still not convinced that they're paying any more attentiont to detail than they were in the beginning, and I still think Alasdair is hopeless. He just looks lost and out of his depth all the time. I have a feeling that Raymond would rather hire James as a chef and just get rid of Alasdair!

Although I thought it a bit unfair that all of a sudden - in the next to last contest - now Ray starts banging on about food cost.  I mean - that is Restaurant 101 and it seems to have been all but ignored up until this week's episodes.  But I suppose even though that is key to running a successful restaurant, because it's so business-y - maybe it would have made for boring TV?  I don't know, but I found it strange.

It may have been talked about all along, but edited out because it is sort of boring. I mean, when you can show an idiot in a sombrero or dressed as a blue emu, a discussion of costing can't really compare! 

Definitely Alasdair is out of his depth - but he is always admitting as much!  I have really changed my opinion around on the Cheerful Soul couple - first I loathed them, then they seemed to be getting better/learning, and now I kind of loathe them again.  So it's really down to who is more/less loathsome for me - and I find Alasdair & James less so, plus they're kind of funny - albeit unwittingly.

It may have been talked about all along, but edited out because it is sort of boring. I mean, when you can show an idiot in a sombrero or dressed as a blue emu, a discussion of costing can't really compare! 

True! 

No comments on the winners??!

Just in case some of you haven't seen the last one yet, I won't reveal who won--but my big question is WHY??

I really thought the *other* couple was going to win and my big grievance is, as a viewer who invested time watching the series, why didn't Raymond give his reasons for picking the couple he did pick?  It left me unsatisfied, not because I wanted a particular couple to win, just that it wasn't clear why he chose the couple he did chose.

I really thought the *other* couple was going to win and my big grievance is, as a viewer who invested time watching the series, why didn't Raymond give his reasons for picking the couple he did pick?  It left me unsatisfied, not because I wanted a particular couple to win, just that it wasn't clear why he chose the couple he did chose.

I agree that there should have been more of an explanation. But I have a feeling it had to do with inexperience. As good a chef as James is, I'm not sure the two of them had the ability to actually run a whole restaurant themselves. I don't think it would have been a smart business decision for Raymong Blanc. I wasn't sold on The Cheerful Soul either, though. Pretty much all I got out of that last episode was that I want to go on the Orient Express!! 

I agree that there should have been more of an explanation. But I have a feeling it had to do with inexperience. As good a chef as James is, I'm not sure the two of them had the ability to actually run a whole restaurant themselves. I don't think it would have been a smart business decision for Raymong Blanc. I wasn't sold on The Cheerful Soul either, though. Pretty much all I got out of that last episode was that I want to go on the Orient Express!! 

Yeah, I guess he just picked the lesser of two "evils".  The Orient Express was very elegant indeed!

Meh.  Anti-climax.    (thought the last episode was least entertaining of the lot)

Meh.  Anti-climax.    (thought the last episode was least entertaining of the lot)

I thought the same. 

No comments on the winners??!

They are so dull and twee, I'm afraid commenting on them would put some people to sleep.

Raymond, you have no imagination.

I won't be watching next year, you'll just pick another boring married couple and not open a restaurant with them, anyhow, like you did last year.

According to this article, James and Alasdair got three months of training at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons!