TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. On not being good enough for Gordon Ramsay and National Geographic - although Zola Nene answered a question.

by Thinus Ferreira

Besides the chef-wannabe's in Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef who definitely have personal experience of it and who know how it feels not to be good enough for the infamously caustic chef Gordon Ramsay, I suppose I can say I know a little bit how it feels not being good enough to make the cut as well.

The second season of Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered starts tonight on National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220).

It starts with a South African filmed episode in which Gordon Ramsay makes food with the South African chef Zola Nene in KwaZulu-Natal where he learns more about Zulu traditions.

In late-July The Walt Disney Company Africa that oversees the National Geographic channel in the territory decided to do a Zoom media presentation to promote the second season of Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered.

It did so around using the localised hook of the South African filmed episode in which Zola Nene appeared, in the form of an interactive, virtual cook-along session with Zola Nene.

The media were couriered ingredients that arrived on the day and Zola Nene showed how to make chakalaka.

National Geographic during the Zoom suddenly told the media "that it was wonderful seeing what we saw on set coming to screen". Mmm. Was there a South African episode set visit? Surely National Geographic would have communicated that?

National Geographic allowed media to type questions into the Q&A box during the Zoom media presentation.

TVwithThinus participated whilst trying to make chakalaka and typed and asked if Gordon Ramsay was as sarcastic and overbearing as he is known for in his reality shows.

"That's the Gordon that I expected too," said Zola Nene. "I'm a bit feisty too, so I was ready. If Gordon's gonna swear on me, I was ready for a comeback too, you know. And he was such a gentleman. So, so warm. So interested. So engaging."

"He was so lovely. So no Hell's Kitchen Gordon was revealed to me on set. So patient. The National Geographic team is so organised, and everything runs on schedule so there isn't really opportunity to be impatient. Everything happened as they told me it would."

"There was no diva tendencies at all. And you know, what the most surprising thing was when I first met Gordon? How tall the man is. I'm telling you, TV does not do it justice. He is so tall."

After the conclusion of the Zoom presentation and then doing research on the show for the season, it turned out that yes, there was actually a media set visit.

National Geographic invited media and took them to the Gwahumbe Game Lodge and Spa in Illovo in KwaZulu-Natal in December 2019 to meet and interview Gordon Ramsay personally.

Of course it's completely National Geographic's choice and prerogative as to which media it values and invites on press engagements, and what media National Geographic wanted to take to the set visit and give access to Gordon Ramsay during the filming of the South African episode.

While some media got to do sit-down interviews with Gordon Ramsay in December for the show, months later the rest got to make chakalaka.

This TV critic and journalist is terrible in the kitchen and the chakalaka wasn't bad but tasted borderline-fine. For dinner on 29 July three people ate it all.

What left a bad aftertaste after the Zoom presentation though, was discovering that National Geographic did a set visit but couldn't bother to communicate any of that to the media that it interacts with.

Is it sour grapes to have an expectation that at the very least National Geographic could just have said that a set visit is happening?

Is it wrong to think that National Geographic's reps could maybe have reached out to offer up something like a short phoner interview for media who were not good enough to have been invited to set?

Is it unreasonable to have an expectation that National Geographic could just have informed journalists and the leftovers media contingent that "Hey, just want to touch base that Gordon Ramsay is in South Africa and that there is a press engagement for just certain media but we'll have something for the rest of you later"?

It's an odd feeling when you set aside and give your time and effort to engage with a brand making chakalaka for a TV show as part of a marketing and publicity exercise, only for it to turn into a distinct sense the next day of feeling like you're not good enough for the actual main course - except to give exposure to it.

National Geographic renews Running Wild with Bear Grylls, Brain Games for further seasons; makes Chris Hemsworth a healthy living 'guinea pig' in new longevity series Limitless.

by Thinus Ferreira

National Geographic (DStv 181) has renewed Brain Games and Running Wild with Bear Grylls for further seasons and has commissioned a new health and longevity series with Chris Hemsworth who will be the "human guinea pig" presenter.

"Brain Games and Running Wild with Bear Grylls are emblematic of our unscripted programming strategy - highly entertaining, personality-driven premium programming that lives up to the National Geographic brand," says Courteney Monroe, National Geographic Global Television Networks president in a statement.

"We are thrilled to greenlight the continuation of these franchises."

Keegan-Michael Key will be back as host of Brain Games. Along with world-famous mentalist Lior Suchard and field correspondent and neuroscientist Cara Santa Maria, each episode delivers shocking revelations on the science of our brains and surprising explanations behind why we do what we do, making it a television event for the whole family.

Meanwhile National Geographic has commissioned Limitless with Chris Hemsworth as presenter. The new series, produced by Nutopia and Protozoa Pictures will follow Chris Hemsworth on a mission to discover how to live healthier, smarter and longer lives.

Chris Hemsworth will try to transform himself in Limitless by training for 6 extraordinary challenges, showing how to fight ageing at every stage of life.

In each of the 6 episodes of Limitless Chris Hemsworth will investigate another scientific topic related to longevity ranging from regenerating damage, maximizing strength, building resilience, shocking the body, supercharging memory and confronting mortality.

Chris Hemsworth will meet with leading longevity scientists who believe that the key to staying young lies in rooting out and reversing the damage of time before they take hold, learning secrets from superhumans who demonstrate the mind-blowing extent of human potential.

"I was somehow convinced to volunteer myself as a human guinea pig and endure a series of mental and physical challenges across the globe, all for the sake of science," says Chris Hemsworth. "We’re hoping to shed some light on new ideas and emerging science with the focus on extending a healthy life span."

Courteney Monroe says "We are so fortunate to have Chris Hemsworth at the centre of this series and to tap into his genuine curiosity and real-life superhero powers to push his own personal limits".

Meanwhile a second of Gordon Ramsey: Uncharted will start in mid-2020 on National Geographic. Produced by Studio Ramsay, new episodes will feature Gordon Ramsay continuing his journey across the globe, embarking on exhilarating missions to unearth world cultures through food and adventure.

Gordon Ramsey: Uncharted follows Gordon Ramsay as he meets with indigenous people around the globe to learn about the cultures, dishes and flavours unique to each location.

Every ingredient he harvests and dish he tastes will inspire a new recipe from scratch, created to represent the heart of that culture.

Each episode concludes with Ramsay challenging himself with a local food legend by his side - putting his newfound skills to the test as they cook a feast together for the natives. For Ramsay, food is the gateway to culture, and every adventure is a portal into the soul of the people and place.

Chef Gordon Ramsay goes on a global food exploration in his new show, Gordon Ramsay Unchartered, on National Geographic.

National Geographic has roped in Gordon Ramsay for a new 6-episode food and travel adventure series, Gordon Ramsay Unchartered, that starts on Wednesday, 7 August at 21:00 in which the Michelin-star chef travels the globe looking for new culinary inspiration.

In Gordon Ramsay Unchartered on National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220 / Cell C black 261) the chef visits New Zealand, Peru, Laos, Morocco, Hawaii and Alaska as he meets with indigenous people to learn about the cultures, dishes and flavours unique to each location.

Ingredients he finds and dishes he tastes are used to create new recipes as he cooks something new with a local food expert in the show produced by Studio Ramsay.

"It has been an amazing journey travelling off the beaten path with National Geographic and connecting with locals to learn and share incredible stories of unique traditions, delicacies and the extreme lengths it takes to harvest native ingredients. I have learned way more filming this series than I have in the last 10 years," says Gordon Ramsay.

In the dense jungles of Laos he samples weaver ant eggs and dives in dangerous waters on the hunt for snails and giant water bugs.

He goes hunting for eels with his bare hands using traditional Maori techniques with a local fisherman by his side in New Zealand and works with local foragers to harvest Maui’s deadliest catch with homemade tools.

In Hawaii he goes spearfishing with the free diver Kimi Werner, climbs a rockface during a snowstorm with a local forager to harvest native herbs in Alaska, goes rappelling down a waterfall to meet with local mushroom hunters in Morocco, and hangs off a cliff in pursuit of cactus worms in Peru where it's considered a local delicacy.

"Audiences can expect the same Gordon Ramsay wit that they know and love, but this time getting his hands dirty through an authentic and immersive culinary adventure," says FOX Africa boss Evert Van der Veer.