Jamie Oliver’s Cookbook Challenge Falters in Ep 2

The Great Cookbook Challenge With Jamie Oliver is the TV chef’s latest show on Channel 4. In this program, aspiring cookbook authors compete to secure a deal with his publisher, Penguin Michael Joseph. They have to leave a favorable impression on Masterchef judge and Evening Standard critic Jimi Famurewa, PMJ managing director Louise Moore, and Taverna cookbook author Georgina Hayden. Let’s take a look at how the second episode unfolded.

How to solve a problem like lasagna

One of the most peculiarly educational moments in the series thus far occurred when contestant Sarah presented her “festive lasagna.” It was a hit among the judges, but then the debate shifted to whether or not the concept could be turned into a book. Soon, the discussion centered around “layers,” which encompasses considerably more foods than lasagna, and even veered towards finding a “more alluring word” than lasagna.

A lasagna cookbook already exists, and iterative recipes of this form have proven to be popular (Ixta Belfrage and Yotam Ottolenghi’s mushroom lasagna being a notable example.) Clearly, adaptability is highly valued on the publishing side of this challenge. In the end, Sarah made it through – but the vast disparity between the initial idea and the suggested adjustments was likely an eye-opener for viewers at home.

Won’t someone think of the chefs

For the second time within two weeks, a contestant ran into trouble for being overly “cheffy,” despite the abundance of restaurant cookbooks. Moore even explicitly stated that their books “don’t sell” particularly well and returned to a key focus of judging concerns throughout: accessibility and usability. If a book fails to meet a publisher’s requirements, it won’t be published. So, naturally, the same holds true when exchanging a book for a book idea. But since these contestants didn’t appear on this show out of nowhere, why are the “cheffy” ones even considered when they seem to be starting a losing battle?

Memories really, really are cookbook currency gold

At the core of the plagiarism scandal involving London chef and author Elizabeth Haigh’s Makan were not only recipes but also the memories, experiences, and other living cultural artifacts associated with them. The details of the case contributed to a broader discussion about the expectations placed on cookbook authors “engaged in ‘authentic’ memories and stories that are required to link the personal to sweeping generalizations about culinary traditions and sociocultural histories.”

This show is no exception. Oliver refers to Suki’s butter chicken as “what we have already but from an authentic place”; Dominique’s half-Thai background makes a country the backdrop for a book presenting recipes from the entire continent of Asia. Perhaps Oliver’s team of notorious “cultural appropriation” advisers weren’t recruited for this show; perhaps the cookbook industry simply isn’t ready to truly break free from these restrictive frameworks that flatten both authors and cultures.