Summary
Easy Bake-Battle is an easy watch, but the format wears thin and bored me after a few episodes.
Netflix reality series Easy-Bake Battle: The Home Cooking Competition will be released on October 12, 2022.
Here we go again with another baking program, as if we didn’t have enough already. People really must have the baking bug, especially since lockdown where all we could do was get creative with our cooking. We’ve seen a lot of cooking reality programmes recently, including the popular Is it Cake? and Sugar Rush so does this latest one hit the spot? Not for me, personally.
In this reality series, Easy Bake-Battle: The Home Cooking Competition will spotlight home chefs, who compete in order for a chance to win up to $100,000. There are two challenges where their skills and creativity are put to the test, one is savory and one is sweet, the two classics. In each challenge, you can win $25,000. Now here, they can only use the Easy-Bake-style oven. As a Brit who has never used or really knows what an Easy Bake oven is, this is what really intrigued me to watch and review. Apparently, everyone in the states grew up with (or desperately wanted) an easy-bake oven, and they are really meant for children to use, so watching adults try and pull this off was entertaining at times but grew thin after a while.
Hosted by Queer Eye‘s foodie Antoni Porowski, Nailed It! alum Jacques Torres and Iron Chef‘s Kristen Kish will join Porowski on the show as guest judges. Porowski is such a cheesy and charming host, easy to watch, and has such an endearing smile. The contestants are kind, and we do see them grow; pushing themselves, showing us that the average cook can constantly be learning and developing. Even if this means letting go and getting your perfect house-wide apron a little dirty.
The whole show was too sickeningly sweet for me. I think because they’re not “professionals” a lot of the competitiveness is lost. The technique and precision we love to see in other food shows are missing, and at times I thought they were rushed, the cooking looked messy, and I really didn’t think the food looked that nice. This is more about showing what you can do with an Easy Bake Oven. Don’t get me wrong, I think you might be able to pick up a few hints and tips for making a decent meal fast. There is a real speed to these meals, it’s about not having the time to make food, so what can we do quickly that still tastes good? I’d love to see what Jamie Oliver thinks of this show.
This series features eight episodes lasting roughly over thirty minutes each, it’s easy to watch, and can be something to watch in the background. Unlike similar shows I don’t think this series has longevity for more than one season, but you never know. It has made me want to buy an easy-bake oven though, just to try out.
What did you think of The Easy-Bake Battle: The Home Cooking Competition season 1? Comment below.
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