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Market Kitchen

A presenter talking to a chef
  • Posted at 1:19pm
  • 22 November 2007
  • by RhodriMarsden-RT
  • 19 comments

Such is my love of food-related telly, it's probably not that surprising that UKTV Food is often my first port of call when I switch on the box. The box! Man, I've not called it that for a long time. Probably because my TV no longer resembles a box - I guess it's more of a tray.

But anyway, you can always rely on the channel to serve up comforting portions of shows you've seen umpteen times but fancy seeing again - you know, Keith Floyd cavorting in the Dordogne, Madhur Jaffrey being statuesque in the Punjab, Jamie Oliver sounding for all the world like a bit-part character in Only Fools and Horses.

But there's also a daily show to break up the carnival of repeats, called Market Kitchen. It's only been going for six months or so: previously the channel had a live programme - Great Food Live - which was hosted by the peerless Jeni Barnett, a broadcasting legend so effortlessly in command of her medium that watching it was like having a daily masterclass in live television.

But in a moment of madness, the bigwigs axed the programme and replaced it with this thing, which is recorded in the environs of Borough Market in south London, and is presented by a rolling rota of five presenters, who are all, without exception, utterly appalling.

It almost seems unfair to name and shame them; they count among their number a couple of well-known food writers, and the wife of one of Britain's most famous chefs - and she's probably the worst of the lot. But regardless of which of them turn up to front the programme, it's always the same. Autocues are either gabbled in panic, or read solemnly and flatly like prayers at school assembly. Interviews are led down conversational culs-de-sac, and terminated abruptly when the time runs out.

It's like a catastrophic blind date. It makes Abigail's Party look like the Notting Hill Carnival. And of course it's not broadcast live, presumably for fear that the production team would sustain massive heart attacks if it was. You can't do anything other than feel anxious while it's on. It's like watching a stand-up comedy act die, day after day after day.

The set is bizarre. While recipes are demonstrated and chefs asked about their new books, there's a smattering of audience members sitting around at tables, as if they were in a cafe. They seem unsure whether to talk amongst themselves, or pay attention.

Occasionally one of them will be given a pre-scripted question to ask the chef, the answer to which they either already know, or don't particularly care about. "Would you, er, season the dish at this point?" "Er... you could do." Cue tumbleweed...

If you're lucky, they'll have a guest who's a bit more of a TV natural. The chef Paul Merrett is on this week, and it was a relief when, on Tuesday's show, he took charge (with the words "I can handle this one on my own") and the presenters were relegated to audience status. The audience, meanwhile, were probably tempted to have a crack at presenting. It certainly couldn't get any worse. Come back, Jeni Barnett, all is forgiven.

Market Kitchen is on UKTV Food (Sky 259, Virgin 260) weekdays at 12:30pm.

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Post a comment | 19 comments

Comments

  • Posted on 26 October 2009
  • at 9:14pm
  • by Madhup

Market kitchen was on an assasination mission by making fun of Indian sweets!!

Calcutta/Kolkatta which was the capital of the East India comapny has got some stunning desserts that would put any creme brule or apple crumble a run for their money.

Instead of exploring the timid amongst desserts try challenging the champions of Indian desserts !!

I am ready to fight the war if someone wants to challenge the above

  • Posted on 08 October 2009
  • at 7:39pm
  • by buffy

jenni barnet.legend.keep the kitchen.just let mrs.Barnet do it.

  • Posted on 31 August 2009
  • at 11:34pm
  • by stevie t

food for ma fiver! supidly expensive cuts of meat - what size are these portions? I do food for s fiver for 4 - Buy the cheapest and make it taste great - this is pandering to the middle classes - Pork loin for sweet n sour deep fry! what cras supidity

  • Posted on 23 July 2009
  • at 8:05pm
  • by sizzler

Please do not bring back Jenni Barnett I found her to be loud,overbearing and a BIG attention seeker.

  • Posted on 23 July 2009
  • at 8:05pm
  • by sizzler

Please do not bring back Jenni Barnett I found her to be loud,overbearing and a BIG attention seeker.

  • Posted on 13 July 2009
  • at 4:15pm
  • by LauraPledger-RT

FAO paul h - We put your question to a contact at UKTV. Here is their response:

Great Food Live had run on UKTV Food for nearly five years and while it continued to be incredibly successful it was important for us to keep refreshing our offering. So we asked a number of production companies to pitch a new format for a daily live show and Market Kitchen was born.

  • Posted on 28 June 2009
  • at 8:16pm
  • by paul h

what did actually happen to jennie barnett ? can we have an answer please.

  • Posted on 14 May 2009
  • at 7:30pm
  • by gladysemmanuel

Can we start a bring back Jenni Barnett campaign! She should be teamed with Aeron who is a natural! TPB is dreadful and boring,many of the recipes ingredients are unavailable up North. Any interesting topic is cut off before the guest can get a word in. The best presenters tend to be brought in as guest chefs meanwhile we are stuck with MF who can't cook and TPB.

  • Posted on 14 May 2009
  • at 7:30pm
  • by gladysemmanuel

Can we start a bring back Jenni Barnett campaign! She should be teamed with Aeron who is a natural! TPB is dreadful and boring,many of the recipes ingredients are unavailable up North. Any interesting topic is cut off before the guest can get a word in. The best presenters tend to be brought in as guest chefs meanwhile we are stuck with MF who can't cook and TPB.

  • Posted on 27 April 2009
  • at 6:44pm
  • by kimbo

Why on earth did they axe Jenni Barnett? She was a natural and the programme was a proper cookery show. The Market Kitchen presenters are like stuffed dummies and haven't a clue on what we ordinary people want to watch. TPB must live purely off his mothers name as he is dreadful at both presenting and cooking. Pure tosh. Bring back Jenni!

  • Posted on 06 April 2009
  • at 9:01pm
  • by Stu Sexton

What a sad man. This is an excellent programme with a fast moving format which gives you a good idea of how to do the recipes but must be used in conjunction with the website for the complete scenario. Maybe too much talking by the hosts but nowhere near as bad as this nobody makes out.

  • Posted on 12 February 2009
  • at 12:46pm
  • by marion

I also am apaulled at the way market kitchen is shown.

Many of us in Britian do not even have greengrocers, butchers at hand, this crew are so London based it is an insult to the rest of Britian, especially over the border called Scotland, which is not all whisky, haggis and shortbread not forgettting the kilts.

Please, writers of food programmes open your eyes beyond what the public WANT to see.

Also, I also agree with the person who wants rid of Tom P/B.

  • Posted on 05 February 2009
  • at 10:07am
  • by ken

please replace Tom Parker Bowles - he is far too intrusive and hogs the camera

  • Posted on 19 January 2009
  • at 7:48pm
  • by lynn norfolk

I agree.Bring back Jenni Barnett. Market kitchen is cold looking. the presenters are tedious.

  • Posted on 15 January 2009
  • at 4:56pm
  • by Barbara

Market Kitchen is turning into a maternity ward with those awful women - Amanda Lamb and Rachael Allen, there voices are sqeaky and horrible.

  • Posted on 11 November 2008
  • at 2:37pm
  • by Jam olive

is there a website for a market kitchen? if not then surely there should be! one that contains the recipes would be lovely

  • Posted on 30 October 2008
  • at 3:16pm
  • by ekwiide

bbc doesnt seem to want this prog to be a sucess as i cant find it on the bbc website food section anywhere

  • Posted on 22 November 2007
  • at 2:35pm
  • by CarsmileSteve

oh man, those xmas ones were corkers, she'd do a three hour show despite being clearly plastered from about 20 minutes in!

i'm sure there will be further columns on christmas cookery programmes though ;)

  • Posted on 22 November 2007
  • at 2:14pm
  • by pennybro

Bring back Jeni. I miss her. Especially with Christmas coming up.

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