Day 1 of the ✨ 13 Days of Recommended Holiday Reality TV 🦃
Welcome to this special series of my newsletter! I hope you enjoy at least a few of these recommendations. 😀
1. Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge
The holiday magic
Food Network’s description ► “Five top chefs face off to create ultimate Thanksgiving dishes”
why I recommend it ► a nice, compact season with creative, Thanksgiving-themed challenges
fyi ► Darnell Ferguson’s first Food Network appearance is as a contestant in season one
where to watch ►
free: The Roku Channel | Xumo Play
subscription: HBO Max | Discovery+
Why you should watch
In six different challenges, two per episode, chefs had to transform traditional Thanksgiving dishes, and the producers found six ways to do this without making it feel repetitive.
All of this takes place in a warmer, more inviting set than the usual Food Network competition. I think the faux windows with curtains really helped, making it feel more like a home than a studio.
But what really brought the warmth, besides a pool of talented, likable contestants—and two perfect finalists—were the judges: Carla Hall, Alex Guarnaschelli, and Christian Petroni.
Carla and Alex are both witty and smart judges who are equally demanding and empathetic. They know what’s working and what isn’t, and describe it in a way that just makes everyone nod, because their authority is clear.
Together with Giada, the three of them just clicked. It felt like they were having a great time—even just watching the contestants, which can sometimes seem like it’s boring judges on other competitions (probably because it is boring!).
✨ 13 Days of Holiday Reality TV ✨
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