Kumari Shreya
Hulu’s ‘Chefs vs. Wild’ is a reality series that successfully captures the viewers’ attention with its unique premise. In every episode, two chefs must showcase their cooking and survival skills to defeat each other and win the overall competition. They are assigned a foraging partner with whom they must venture into the wilderness and collect some delicious ingredients. Later, the chefs and their partners must cook a 3-course meal worthy of an elite establishment. However, only the person with judicious use of their ingredients shall claim victory.
Hosted by Kiran Jethwa, with Valerie Segrest acting as a judge alongside him, the series has multiple elements that make it captivating for the viewers. The natural terrains that the participants explore allow for a visually appealing series, and the brilliant dishes whipped up by the chefs satisfy the culinary fans. Albeit, given the challenging nature of the show, many are curious if the showcased events are true to reality or if they have been purposefully engineered. Well, we are here to dive right in and explore the same!
Is Chefs vs. Wild Fake or Real?
Apart from the pre-stated structure of ‘Chefs vs. Wild,’ there seems to be little about the show that might suggest a scripted aspect. Perhaps the sole thing one can that can be claimed as slightly false may be the illusion that the teams of two are indeed isolated. From the camera angles and confessional scenes, one can quickly point out that there must be at least one other person apart from the participant chef and their foraging partner while exploring the wilderness.
The night and early morning scenes further suggest that the cast members also have personal cameras to log important developments. Most of the time, they have been filmed by a third party, yet overall, the Hulu show is as realistic as possible. The participating cooks featured in the show all have several years of experience in the culinary industry. Moreover, their cooking styles, even outside the series, suggest the chefs prefer utilizing naturally foraged ingredients whenever possible.
While not all chefs seem to be similarly knowledgeable about wild ingredients, their ability to roll with the punches and appreciate the unexpected findings gives credence to their culinary skills. It cannot be denied that despite being fans of wild ingredients, the chefs ultimately do not seem to have all the knowledge of the terrain they have been left to forage; this is where we see the survival experts shine.
Though many of the participating cooks are knowledgeable about possible ingredients, one can see that the responsibility of safekeeping and navigation ultimately falls on their partners. In many cases, they also lead the cooks to unfamiliar ingredients and how they can be used.
As for the cooking challenge itself does not seem to be much fabrication associated with the whole affair. The participants seem to have a healthy dose of respect for their partners and the judges. The chefs’ professionalism is displayed during the segment, with the survival experts taking the backseat and acting as sous chefs. Keeping with the wilderness theme, the equipment may be of the highest quality, but the only heat source is fire, with wood and coal as fuel.
While ‘Chefs vs. Wild’ certainly has its dramatic moments, with burning shelters and minor disagreements, it is mainly focused on what the title states. The culinary and survival elements of the show are evident and make for an entertaining viewing experience. Though a significant hazard would likely lead to an intervention from the crew’s side, the cast members are supposedly left to their devices during the production schedule.
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