The Gordon Ramsay Series That Is the Perfect Mix of ‘Shark Tank’ and ‘The Apprentice’’

Gordon Ramsay has been around the reality television world for quite some time now. His latest endeavor with Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars is his best entry to date. This is saying a bit considering his track record on Hell’s Kitchen, which has aired 21 seasons since debuting in 2005. The same goes for Masterchef, another one of his programs that has been running since 2010, even spawning a version that sees children compete. All of these shows are entertaining in their own right, be it with the fiery host laying into one of his Hell’s Kitchen contestants or handing out a coveted apron to a hopeful Masterchef competitor. When it comes to Food Stars, though, there’s something so unique in the premise of the reality series when it comes to food shows, that it’s quickly established itself as the premiere series attached to the iconic British chef.

‘Food Stars’ Offers More Than Cooking

There’s something intriguing for any person at home watching a show like Masterchef and wondering to themselves if they are capable of cooking to the level of these home chefs. It’s part of the reason we love cooking shows. There’s an accessibility to it (anyone can cook) that we can all relate to, but it’s the varying level of finesse and skill that keep us coming back to these shows. With Food Stars, the new FOX series isn’t concerned with the level of cooking skills of its competitors. This is Masterchef meets Shark Tank meets The Celebrity Apprentice. The whole premise is on Ramsay putting these individuals through intensive team challenges with the purpose of finding one person whose worth investing in. In this case, it’ll be a $250,000 investment. What he’ll be backing (a la Shark Tank) is their respective business because each contestant is an entrepreneur in the food industry. One person has a pizza sauce business, and another makes 3D-print cups. With challenges that resemble something out of The Celebrity Apprentice, it results in a series that keeps its audience engaged as each week feels unique. No two challenges are the same as Ramsay wants to put these people through as many business scenarios as he can before deciding.

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All of this leads to a show that isn’t necessarily groundbreaking (Guy Fieri recently did a similar series in Guy’s Chance of A Lifetime) but one that is far different from any that Ramsay has been a part of. For that, Food Stars is able to differentiate itself just enough from his other shows that it is able to stand out on its own. It takes bits and pieces from various other reality show concepts, ranging from cooking competitions to business management, all of which make Food Stars an early standout after its first episodes.

Unlike a show like Masterchef, there’s also a level of drama among its competitors that allow the cast’s personalities to come through (for better or worse). With a television guide that is littered with cooking shows, Food Stars is a welcomed sight to the genre as it offers far more than just a timed challenge to see who can make the best Beef Wellington.

‘Food Stars’ Makes the Fans Invested in the Contestants, Too

Sure, the whole point of this series is for Ramsay to find the one person who he wants to invest in. There’s also the fact that this show is a tremendous marketing opportunity for its contestants. With each person being able to speak on behalf of their business and show us what they’re working for, it gives us a chance to support them, similar to how we interact with a show like Shark Tank. There’s something to be said about a show that is able to highlight its reality stats beyond promoting them as influencers. Each person on Food Stars is playing for a chance to raise their business to the next level, which means we get the luxury of being able to watch them do all they can to achieve that goal.

Fans Are Loving ‘Food Stars’

Having a new approach isn’t enough to make a show separate itself. There has to be attention being placed on it from the audience. Food Stars isn’t struggling in that department as fans are gravitating towards the show. One fan wrote on Twitter, “#FoodStars really highlights people’s strengths, weaknesses and who can or can’t collaborate with one another.” Another viewer added their hopes for the show on Twitter, “Food Stars keeps getting even better with each passing episode and week. I really hope this show is getting renewed for a second season.” The early appeal is a good sign for things to come, and backs the idea that this new addition for Ramsay is one that we, too, want to invest in moving forward.

Food Stars airs every Wednesday on FOX. Episodes are also available to stream on Hulu.