The air is getting colder, the leaves on the trees are changing their color and it’s time to enjoy those autumnal vibes. Maybe it’s because the fall harvest is right around the corner, but I always find myself watching cooking shows this time of year. “Last Bite Hotel,” a new show on the Food Network, satisfies the craving for a new program, where we see chefs compete for $25,000 until the last one is standing.
The show is hosted by Tituss Burgess, an actor of stage and screen, famous for his appearances in “Schmigadoon!” and “The Little Mermaid” on Broadway. He anchors the realistic haunted hotel set, with vintage brass adornments, and accents like hotel keys. The eight chef contestants cook in a shared kitchen space, not in a large studio like some other cooking competitions. This show also introduces a unique element: each chef can only bring 13 ingredients into the kitchen.
“There is a mandate for extreme creativity. With each challenge, their resources get smaller and smaller,” explained Burgess in a TV Insider feature on the show. “The challenges get harder and harder.”
Because of their limited pantry size, chefs are encouraged to mitigate food waste and make the best of every ingredient. One contestant brought a whole preserved pig, with others bringing exotic fish, chicken, spices and a modicum of vegetables. The competition takes place over the course of a week and, every day, a new guest checks in to the hotel—revealed to be the episode’s judge. Marcus Samuelsson, a Swedish-American celebrity chef and food critic, checked in for the first episode; famous names Esther Choi, Cat Cora, Jose Garces, Alex Guarnaschelli and Poppy O’Toole also join the series to judge.
The format of the competition had chefs create an hors d’oeuvre bite for the first challenge and get into teams to cook an entrée and two sides for the second challenge. With every dish, ingredients dwindle, so each chef has to hone their ability to be resourceful and creative. After every challenge, each dish is judged. If the VIP guest doesn’t approve, the chefs are banished to the hotel’s Room 13 and their ingredients are bequeathed to a remaining challenger.
“Last Bite Hotel takes the resourcefulness of culinary creativity to a whole new level. Precious provisions are carefully decided before chefs even step foot in the kitchen,” said Betsy Ayala, head of content for the Food Network in a press statement. “The competition’s twists and turns are made even more suspenseful by the macabre playfulness of the incredibly talented Tituss Burgess as hotel manager.”
Two chefs were eliminated by the end of the first episode, leaving five contenders for the grand prize of $25,000. Throughout the show, interviews are seen discussing culinary choices and the other members, and after the challenge, a tribunal is held like in “Survivor.” The spooky elements aren’t overplayed, but it’s no mistake this show is premiering at the start of the Halloween season.
“This is sort of the first of its kind for Food Network,” said Burgess. “It’s a hybrid scripted-nonscripted show where they place a storyline within a reality TV competition. That was interesting to me because it was a format we kind of developed as we went along.”
This show is great for fans of “Iron Chef” and “Top Chef,” but it still stands on its own. The chefs don’t know exactly what their next culinary move will be, and there’s enough interpersonal drama to keep viewers interested. There are some cinematic scenes intermixed with the competition, making use of Dutch angles and the right mix of lighting and color grading to set the scene. It’s a different type of cooking competition than the other shows on the Food Network’s lineup, but that’s what sets it apart.
For fans of cooking shows or those looking for a cozy fall watch, the first season of “Last Bite Hotel” is a good crunch. Produced by Butternut Media, you can watch new episodes of “Last Bite Hotel” Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. on the Food Network (Huskyvision channel 60) or on-demand the next day with a Discovery Plus or HBO Max subscription.
Rating: 5/5 Spoons