Cutthroat Kitchen is my favourite Meals Community sequence. I felt its loss when it wrapped up its four-year run in 2017. I typically inform individuals the legend of Cutthroat Kitchen and all its mischievous glory. Subsequently, the enjoyment overflowed after I stumbled upon Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out streaming on HBO Max.
The sequence has the essential bones of the unique however with a couple of updates. Brian Malarkey changing Alton Brown as host is likely one of the most noticeable variations. I needed to like Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out as a lot as I like Cutthroat Kitchen, however a couple of episodes into this new, developed model, I’ve some considerations. Let’s discuss it.
I Suppose Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out Lacks Some Of The Chaos Of The Unique Collection
I look fondly upon Cutthroat Kitchen as a result of it took probably the most chaotic strategy to cooking. The sabotages had been excessive and the work of diabolical minds. You can not predict what can be thrown at contestants, as a result of generally they solely vaguely adopted the theme of the problem. It was lovely.
Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out virtually performs it protected with the sabotages (a minimum of within the first three episodes). They’re easy compared to the unique present. A contestant might haven’t any knives versus a sabotage of somebody having to cook dinner whereas being hung the other way up. Cutthroat Kitchen wasn’t such an insane present due to the contestants sabotaging each other, it was due to how ridiculous or limiting these sabotages made issues for the chef. It’s really an underrated Meals Community present.
The unique cooking present additionally simply felt extra frantic. Cutthroat Kitchen threw a few of the craziest disadvantages doable at these individuals, they usually sank or swam. It confirmed how inventive a chef might turn into when restricted. It additionally felt extra thrilling when a contestant overcame so many challenges and took house the prize.
There may be simply an aura of organized chaos that Cutthroat Kitchen brings that Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out hasn’t appeared to match but.
Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out Has A Greater Finances, And, To Me, That Takes Away From The Present’s Scrappy Really feel
Meals Community (and HBO Max as nicely) has loads of well-liked and profitable cooking exhibits. Cutthroat Kitchen at all times felt like a small present that only some knew about and adored. It was a sequence for the Meals Community followers who watched any and every part on that channel. It was clear that it was sort of a sequence that didn’t have an enormous finances, however a very modern and entertaining staff. It appeared like a low-budget cooking present. I imply this in one of the best ways.
Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out has an enormous finances enhance. Nicely, perhaps not an enormous one, however you discover the updates to even small issues like a title sequence that makes use of particular results and full title playing cards, an even bigger set, and extra props. These aren’t massive fancy issues, however sufficient of a change to not really feel prefer it’s the scrappy cult favourite that makes it charming.
The modifications make it virtually really feel like lots of the different newer Meals Community exhibits. I could also be nitpicking right here, however I simply most well-liked Cutthroat Kitchen’s simplistic strategy to this bizarre and wacky present.
I Don’t Thoughts Brian Malarkey As The Host, However I Miss Alton Brown
In accordance with Selection, Alton Brown formally lower ties with the Meals Community in 2022. He left to co-host the Iron Chef reboot on Netflix. He hasn’t hosted one other TV cooking present since this Netflix sequence. The present additionally stays in limbo as Netflix hasn’t formally cancelled or renewed it. Nevertheless, as of Could 2025, there was no information of a second season. Subsequently, we will assume it’s not returning.
I can respect Brown taking an opportunity on one other sequence and community. Nevertheless, I want he nonetheless hosted Cutthroat Kitchen. I typically watch cooking TV exhibits, so I’ve seen Brian Malarkey on many issues. I’ve no difficulty with him as a bunch or a contestant. He does an excellent job internet hosting Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out. Nevertheless, there’s only a devious vitality that’s distinct to Brown.
He appears to care too little and an excessive amount of concurrently in regards to the success and failure of the Cutthroat Kitchen cooks. Brown additionally appears so as to add a supervillain presence to all Meals Community exhibits, however particularly this one. Nobody appears to benefit from the ache and struggles of those contestants as a lot as him. Malarkey, at the moment, doesn’t go full cartoon villain the best way Brown does on Cutthroat Kitchen, so I can’t absolutely get pleasure from him within the function of host as I do Brown.
I believe Malarkey will ultimately match the Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out host function higher, however he simply hasn’t nailed the diabolical nature it wants.
I Have Some Points With Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out’s Construction
One of many modifications to Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out is that there are fewer probabilities to sabotage somebody. The unique sequence had three rounds, so extra sabotage potential vs solely two rounds within the new model. In Knives Out, the primary spherical includes everybody being sabotaged, however with the potential for shopping for benefits to make a contestant’s hindrances extra manageable.
In Cutthroat Kitchen, all three rounds performed out the identical. The contestants would use their cash to purchase sabotages that will damage the opposite contestants. This made it simple to create enemies and expertise instantaneous karma when somebody sabotaged a contestant for sabotaging them.
It virtually looks like the contestants are faking the animosity on Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out, as a result of there isn’t a lot to beef over within the first spherical. The primary spherical doesn’t appear ruthless sufficient. The second spherical, in Knives Out, includes buying sabotages, however by then, it’s the tip, so the stress doesn’t construct the best way it does with three rounds of sabotaging within the authentic present.
I Take pleasure in The Judges Interacting With Contestants Extra Than I Take pleasure in Nameless Style Testing
An attention-grabbing format change in Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out is that the particular visitor judges eat the competing cooks’ meals anonymously. They nonetheless give suggestions to Brian Malarkey as a substitute of on to the contestants. The contestants watch and hear in a closed-off space within the kitchen. The judges additionally be taught in regards to the sabotage after judging. Cutthroat Kitchen stored this a secret from the judges.
In Cutthroat Kitchen, I loved seeing the judges criticize these dishes as a result of it added extra comedy to the present. The contestants needed to get suggestions and never have the ability to clarify why their dish turned out the best way it did. It made it so humorous to see judges go on and on about one thing when that may have been the precise sabotage, like a choose speaking a couple of pot pie needing meat, and that contestant couldn’t use meat as a result of they had been sabotaged to solely use canned items or one thing of that nature.
It was additionally simply extra attention-grabbing to observe the judges and contestants work together than simply the host and judges. Alton Brown would instigate slightly too, figuring out absolutely what these individuals endured, and that was sensible.
I don’t suppose Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out is essentially a lesser model than Cutthroat Kitchen, however I’m not feeling the identical enthusiasm and admiration for it. Possibly it simply must work out a couple of kinks, then it would turn into a good higher model. Cutthroat Kitchen remains to be one of many greatest aggressive cooking exhibits.
Cutthroat Kitchen is at the moment not accessible to stream on HBO Max, however is briefly accessible on Hulu.
Stream Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out on HBO Max.