Chefs vs. Wild
Parents say
Based on 1 review
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Chefs vs. Wild
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Chefs vs. Wild is a cooking reality competition in which chefs forage for their ingredients in the Canadian wilderness. Language is the most objectionable part of this show; the most colorful swear words are bleeped but there are a lot of them and older kids will know exactly what's being bleeped. There's some reality show drama, where chefs seem like they're in danger (with no actual peril), and some conflict between characters. Chefs don't hunt for game other than fish and shellfish. The main proteins for their meals are provided for them, so there isn't gory on-screen death and butchery. They do use knives and machetes to harvest fruits and vegetables. While some chefs are positive role models, others are more in the mold of a stereotypically intense and masochist restaurant cook.
What's the Story?
In CHEFS VS. WILD, professional chefs venture into the Canadian wilderness to forage for fine dining ingredients. Each episode features two competing chefs who, with the help of a survival guide and foraging expert, brave tough conditions for 96 hours in British Columbian wilderness. They forage edible plants like juniper berries and mushrooms, catch fish, and harvest mussels and oysters. The dueling chefs meet in an outdoor kitchen where they cook a three-course meal over open flame highlighting the foraged ingredients. The meals are judged by host Kiran Jethwa, a chef and restaurateur, and Valerie Segrest, a Native nutrition expert. The victor wins bragging rights that they not only survived the wilderness, but also created a delicious meal in rustic conditions.
Is It Any Good?
The potential audience for this show falls within an interesting Venn diagram: Top Chef foodies, Bear Grylls-type survivalists, and environmentalists. Older tweens and teens who enjoy Discovery and Nat Geo programming, as well as kid foodies, will enjoy Chefs vs. Wild. The star of the show is the astonishingly beautiful British Columbian wilderness, and learning about its hidden culinary delights is pretty interesting. On the negative side, some survival drama is played up for TV (like, couldn't they give the poor chefs some tents instead of making them construct their own shelter?). Unsurprisingly but unfortunately, a show featuring chefs who willingly test their physical limits in the wilderness sometimes has contestants who fit very neatly in the aggressive male chef stereotype. The culinary part of the show is fairly standard, but the chefs do cook up some delectable and surprising dishes. Parts of Chefs vs. Wild are compelling, but much of it doesn't really rise above cooking competition show and reality show cliches.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
The producers chose to not have the contestants hunt for game in the episodes (proteins are provided for them). Why do you think they made that choice? Do you think it was the right choice to not offend some viewers, or is it hypocritical to not show killing animals when a key theme of the show is to explain where food comes from?
Since the chefs in Chefs vs. Wild are being pushed to their physical and psychological limits, some of them are unkind to the people around them. Do you think that's OK to show on screen since it's a tough competition? Why or why not?
The chefs talk about how this experience has changed how they view the ingredients they cook with and where they come from. Did this show encourage you to think more critically about the food you eat?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 26, 2022
- Cast: Kiran Jethwa, Valerie Segrest
- Network: Hulu
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Cooking and Baking, Adventures, Science and Nature
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Top Chef
Too saucy for a kid's palate.
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Man vs. Wild
How not to die in the wilderness -- tweens and up.
-
Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend
Fun reboot serves up new chefs, brands, drinking.
For kids who love cooking shows and competition
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