At a time when every second television show either promises its viewers an adrenaline rush or a culinary high, does one really need new shows jumping on the bandwagon? If they give the audience a glimpse into things they otherwise wouldn’t, why not, asks executive producer Jonathan Renouf. Ahead of the world television première of his shows, Chef vs Science and Steve Backshall’s Extreme Mountain / River Challenge , he tells us why they aren’t merely about the thrills.
Unknown trails
For Renouf, the shows are not only exciting to watch but will also get viewers accustomed to unknown locales and facts. While the Extreme Mountain Challenge takes place in Venezuela’s Canaima National Park, the Extreme River Challenge unfolds in the Indonesian province of Papua, on the Baliem River. He credits the show’s presenter, Steve Backshall, for selecting the offbeat locations. “When your story rests on the presenter, you need him to drive the project. Steve was excited by the prospects of an unknown area,” he explains.
Choosing such locations, with no body of work to fall back on, was no easy task. “There’s a balancing act here. We want it to be difficult, we want it to be risky, we want to push the limits. But we don’t want to push it so far that people are in danger,” he adds. Extensive research and preparation prefixed the challenges. This included familiarising the crew with the indigenous communities and ensuring reasonable safety measures. This was all the more imperative as both challenges are also a search for the fascinating creatures and plants inhabiting the regions.
Battling it out
Unlike other culinary shows, Chef vs Science digs into the science behind the art of cooking, albeit in a confrontational format. “We wanted to see if science had anything interesting to say about cookery,” says Renouf.
The show stages a face-off between two-star Michelin chef, Marcus Wareing, and materials scientist, Mark Miodownik. While Wareing whips up some of his celebrated dishes, Miodownik brings us recipes from his laboratory, uncovering the amazing transformations food undergoes. A joint tasting session is judged by Wareing. “In a way, this is a challenge for Wareing — can a scientist convince him? Can Miodownik cook better than him?” Renouf concludes. Chef vs Science – The Ultimate Kitchen Challenge premières on October 28 at 10 pm, and Steve Backshall’s Extreme Mountain / River Challenge on November 18 at 9 pm, on Sony BBC Earth .
