The Restaurant

I don't know about anyone else - but I'm feeling a bit 'meh' about the third series.  It's getting to be much of a muchness, and I'm wondering if maybe the programme concept has sort of run its course?

I just think last night's episode was a bit of a dud. I have faith in Raymond and I'm sure it'll get better!

I felt a bit sorry for those two girls. They were quite nice, but the chef girl was obviously too young and inexperienced at 21 to run a kitchen.

My least favourite team I think has to be the husband and wife who look like brother and sister. Blech.

Yes, she was very inexperienced!  I thought the blonde cocktail guy who didn't cook at all was lame, lame, lame!

Thing is there's not a single team on this year's show that I can say I really like - not yet anyway. 

Oh my goodness the "badger" suit!!!

I was really surprised he kept the blonde guys on! 

I don't know about anyone else - but I'm feeling a bit 'meh' about the third series.  It's getting to be much of a muchness, and I'm wondering if maybe the programme concept has sort of run its course?

I don't know... I'm not really grabbed yet either, but it's early days still. And there were a lot of train wreck moments - DH and I kept looking at each other with mouths wide open.... I'm a little shocked at how bad almost all of them are... seems like usually by now someone starts to stand out as at least having potential!

I'm a little shocked at how bad almost all of them are... seems like usually by now someone starts to stand out as at least having potential!

I stand by my original opinion that those two young guys are good. The front-of-house guy needs a lot of help, though, but I think that can be taught. The one doing the cooking seems pretty on top of things. So far.

My least favourite team I think has to be the husband and wife who look like brother and sister. Blech.

Agreed.  I'm really coming to dislike her.  She doesn't seem to enjoy interesting food at all, and really, who spends £500 on a magician "in case people have to wait?!!!!!!" If I'm in a restaurant waiting for my food, the last thing I want is someone accosting me with red foam balls 

To be honest I was surprised to see the blonde guys still there too since he didn't even cook and managed to stay.    This week did feel a bit slow and hope it picks up. 

This week's was slow!  Surprisingly, I even managed to stay awake for it, but wasn't sure why I bothered. 

I agree that this series isn't as entertaining as the last one (yet, anyway).  I don't mind the "brother / sister" team so much--I don't mind that she doesn't like interesting food since what they're doing is traditional British food.  I do agree the magician wasn't a great idea.

I think Raymond kept the blonde boys on 'cause he knows they will make for good TV, but I'm sure they won't stick around long considering they are "strategists" and the bartender can't cook.

I liked the idea of the Nigerian group dancing / singing out front---very colorful!  But so far I guess the food isn't as good as it should be--but I like the idea.

Wow, what a surprising turn of events on tonight's episode!  

I'm still not really sold on any of them, but those blonde guys and I think the Nigerian-concept women probably need to go.  

I couldn't believe how clueless most of them seemed about the whole locally sourced food idea for serving at the farmer's market.  Are they really that thick?  It isn't that hard, I don't think - or are we just spoiled here in Yorkshire for fresh local food?  I don't think it's just here, so wtf?!  Figure out what's fresh, local & in season - THEN do your recipe/menu around that.  They mostly appear stumped for answers when anything is the slightest outside of their comfort zone (like simply cooking is completely outside the one blonde guy's comfort zone - lol!) - and what about a little research if nothing else?  Hmm.

The front-of-house guy needs a lot of help, though, but I think that can be taught. The one doing the cooking seems pretty on top of things.

If it's the same two I'm thinking, oh man was that front of house guy rude, rude, rude tonight!    Like no customer service skills at all.  Such a shame because the other guy does seem to be a good cook.  

And I really felt sorry for Barrington and Badger (apart from the badger costume a week or so back!) - I think Raymond was sorry to see them go.  I was starting to like them, and when they were on - it looked like it really was something special just like Raymond said.  How cruel and ironic that Barney's post-military career dreams were pinned so dearly on having their restaurant, while Gary just didn't seem able to cope well at all with post-military life.  Seemed like Gary needed some extra help or support that being on the show wasn't going to provide him, but how sad that meant the end of this particular dream for Barney.  And I was really impressed with how gracefully Barney handled it at the end - on camera at least. 

Just watched it last night on bbc-iplayer.  I agree with both your posts, Carolyn!  I wondered why the Nigerian ladies didn't just substitute whatever kind of gamey meat and use rabbit instead in an authentic Nigerian dish with all the spices, etc.  They just opted to cook it blandly in a stew, not Nigerian at all.  It doesn't seem to hard if you are already familiar with a type of cuisine to just add the rabbit to it, so yeah, they need to do more research and are totally out of their depth.

The "brother and sister" blonde couple--he's quite capable.  She's alright but certainly made a whole production out of pulling a few potatoes--shouldn't have worn white trousers that day!

The "brother and sister" blonde couple--he's quite capable.  She's alright but certainly made a whole production out of pulling a few potatoes--shouldn't have worn white trousers that day!

Or flimsy white shoes - lol!  I think her husband got a kick out of that. 

We watched it last night too and am still amazed the blonde guys are still in it. Not only is he not making the food, he wasn't tasting what was going out either!    It seems the Nigerian women just couldn't be bothered at all with this task and I half expected to see them go. And I was shocked at how rude the young guy was to the customers as well. When he told them you don't eat off the back of plates because they said they were dirty I thought the lady was going to smack him. 

If it's the same two I'm thinking, oh man was that front of house guy rude, rude, rude tonight!    Like no customer service skills at all.  Such a shame because the other guy does seem to be a good cook.  

Yes!! And wow was he awful!! But the kitchen half of the team is really fantastic - I feel sorry for him! Of all the contestants this series, I think he's my favourite. I wish he could somehow be paired up with the front-of-house half of the the ones that got booted last week - the two blonde girls. I think they'd be a really good team!

And I really felt sorry for Barrington and Badger

Not me! I was scared of them ... especially Barney or Bodgett or whatever his name was. That guy is one second away from going postal. No way would anyone want to go into business with someone that risky!

I wondered why the Nigerian ladies didn't just substitute whatever kind of gamey meat and use rabbit instead in an authentic Nigerian dish with all the spices, etc.

Exactly!! How hard could it be to substitute rabbit for goat or whatever else they usually use? And they weren't trying very hard to sell at the market either. I know their stall was less exciting looking than some of the others, but couldn't they have made up mini tasting samples and walked among the people handing them out and drumming up business?

The "brother and sister" blonde couple--he's quite capable.  She's alright but certainly made a whole production out of pulling a few potatoes--shouldn't have worn white trousers that day!

I still really dislike them. She is ridiculously precious, I just want to smack her! How can she possibly think she could be in the restaurant business when everything from fish to rabbit to mud grosses her out? And his food might taste good, but it looks like school cafeteria slop to me.

And I'm cross they were restaurant of the week. Very cross.