Among many culinary competitions, the final table is a high-end journey through the cuisines of the world. There is no prize to win here, and the competitors are already renowned chefs. Twelve pairs have to create a national dish chosen by a jury representing one country. The three least successful teams then have to cook again in front of an extremely well-known local chef, using an ingredient chosen by him. At each step, a team is eliminated. In the final, four chefs compete individually to win a seat at the final table, among the star chefs who have judged them.
The production has pulled out all the stops, and this is one eye-popping show! The pantry alone is of a beauty and richness that makes you dream. The formula, which features one country per episode, is both educational and interesting. The division of each episode into two parts may seem a little cumbersome at first, but it keeps up the suspense of the eliminations. You can’t help but marvel at the creativity and technique of these exceptional chefs.
I really enjoyed this show until the finale, which was far too predictable… By a happy coincidence, the nationality of the winner is also that of the production and the target audience. His very background is a cliché of the American dream : self made man, self taught, blah blah blah… However, despite this final disappointment, the show made me travel and dream. Although I couldn’t afford the restaurants presented, I rediscovered the desire to cook and discover little-known flavors. So bravo to all the teams !