The Big Family Cooking Showdown (2017–2018) User Reviews

Loved Season 1; Hated Season 2

[mjohanses · 8/10 · 20 March 2019]

So this is my opinion only, absolutely adored the first season. It was different than the regular cooking competitions out there right now. I esp loved when they showed the cooking in the family's own homes. It truly showed how they cooked as a family in their own environment, which is what this show was about. Apart of maybe 1 or 2 family's I liked all the contestants. The finale, I didn't mind any one of the family winning over the other cuz I liked them all. I must have watched the whole season in 2 days and now I find myself watching it in repeat. I gave this show an 8/10 based only on Season 1 Now...season 2!!! Is this even the same show? Everything and I mean Everrryything is different. I'm not even exaggerating. Needless to say, I hated everything. While I didn't want the first season to end, this time around I couldn't wait for the second season to end. Apart from a handful of family's, I found majority of them unlikeable and honestly I don't think they were good cooks. Most of the foods did not look appetizing and the contestants just lacked skills. From the repetition of the same family's intro over and over to the distraction of the contestants constantly drinking from their cups, to the cringeworthy part where the girl kept nagging her bf to propose, this season dragged on. Yes I know its hard to find a British banana, we get it you are champions of British produce. Yes as a Chinese cook in the family it will be little bit different to stand out, ok I get it in India you treat guests like God and you started learning to cook during all the Indian festivals...blah blah blah, get a new editor ahh. Finally, *spoilers here* unlike the previous season where I thought all the family in the finale were equally matched in skills and cooking this seasons finale was a let down, the judges clearly liked and favoured one family and one family only and even though they served a sub par unicorn piñata cake and an unappetizing pasta in a trifle. They only cooked well their own kind of cooking and bombed when given other tasks like making a pudding, they were declared the winner. What? Then what's the point of those tasks then. Just cook your curries and go straight home as the winner. Overall I think the winners were so unlikeable, the husband/wife duo kept ganging up on the nephew and bullying him on National TV. Total disappointment. Please bring back the old format of season 1. I was looking forward to season 2 for such a long time and what a disappointment. Rename this show to "The Big Family Cooking Letdown" Also, give the judges a higher table when they are tasting the food so they are not bending so much. And do they only like Indian food? Two seasons in a row?

Quite enjoyable

[mirandavanrijssen · 7/10 · 27 March 2018]

If you're a fan of home cooking you're probably gonna love this, it's really nice seeing all these families cook together and creating all types of creative dishes. The downside for me is that they didn't care to edit the eating noises out when the judges are tasting the food (which I normally wouldn't complain about but it makes a lot of noise in this series) And the fact that they favoured a family that kept cooking the same type of dish over and over again, whilst others who actually came out of their comfort zone didn't get credit for doing so.

Loved the first season

[risar-11701 · 6/10 · 27 April 2020]

Loved the first season but the second season was a big letdown. The whole atmosphere of the first one was quite enjoyable and comforting.

Loved the first season! Not so much on the second season!

[bedhead0001 · 10/10 · 14 January 2021]

I loved the first season but here is my rating First season versus the second season 👍🏼👎🏻

First season great, second session poor

[phwynnejones · 7/10 · 5 January 2021]

The first season was charming with great hosts and judges, and had a lovely atmosphere. Second season with a change of hosts, judges, location and format lost all the charm of the first. 9/10 for first season, 5/10 for the second.

Lovely and homey

[shaza_nishat · 10/10 · 29 July 2018]

I'm obsessed with this show I love it from the real people to the nice judges everything was just great and it feels genuine and honest and the cooking is wonderful

Lol

[SelfDestructACowPatT · 6/10 · 4 February 2022]

If that Angelica wasn't part of it, it would be great. Her presence is just annoying, and her looks when someone gets something wrong. She needs a reality check. Yes she was on MC but she's not in anyway a real chef. She does not deserve to be On a show like this. Go away Angelica.

Season 1 good Season 2 even better

[merihysteria · 9/10 · 12 July 2019]

Really enjoyed the first season and improved on a good thing with the second. The chefs and hosts for both seasons are good and all the families are easy to cheer for.

10 stars for season 1

[jakebyjakewest · 6/10 · 26 January 2021]

Season one of this show is fantastic and really easy to get into. Great family dynamics and humor, the hosts are friendly and keep things moving, and it's really about the joy of families cooking together; just what everyone needs in this climate. In season 2 the whole dynamic changed. The hosts seem to mostly be there to make fun of the contestants behind their backs and it's much more geared towards, "drama". There's plenty of American cooking shows for that. I go to the British ones for a more relaxing, wholesome experience. I was really looking forward to season 2, but sadly don't think I'll make it through the first three episodes. Definitely worth watching for the first season though.

Disappointment!

[annmardis · 1/10 · 26 February 2019]

Absolutely loved Series 1, and am bitterly disappointed by the new season. Gone is everything that made the first season unique and special. Season 2 is just another cooking competition show.

Loved this show. Bring it back!!!!

[lponce15 · 10/10 · 14 August 2021]

I just happened upon this cooking show and I loved it! I REALLY enjoyed the hosts Tommy Banks and Angelica Bell. It was a different type of show and I loved It! Low key, supportive hosts, and interesting families with their ideas.

I'm so disappointed it was cancelled. PLEASE bring it back with these specific hosts.

Great new concept for a cooking show!

Different season 1 and season 2 but have their own shtick

[hazard111 · 7/10 · 1 September 2021]

S1 is more of a home-y, slow, calm (but with tension) vibe. It feels like an actual family showdown while S2 is the opposite, as it's more... mechanical? Less love for sure. More competition than anything.

I'm in favor more of S2 judges. I find their commentary actually helpful. They'd give out actual tips and advice on some even on how to better improve.. in S1 the judges as much as I do like them too.. 90% of what they said boils down to "This is delicious" "I am disappointed". All of them do describe some of the dishes, you know the generic lines of texture but S2 judges delivers them with more than just "this is crispy" which I really like.

As for the set-up, I find S2 have a more difficult set-up compared to S1, I like them either way but it does make it for a spicier viewing.

Somethings I can say I disliked is how S1 winner was chosen... I felt like they just won because of "spices". Their competitors showcased actual innovation and different knowledge in other cuisines but the winner just stuck to what they grew up with... which isn't wrong per se since this is a family cooking show but it rubs me the wrong way because it seems like another cuisine that has a lot of flavor but isn't "spiced up" will never win even though it is also good as itself because it's too simple. Then we got a somewhat repetition in S2 winner.. if there had been an S3 I'm pretty sure it'll just be the same cuisine winning again.

And also how S2 was edited... they repeated each family's "quirks" that it got annoying way too fast, I had to skip all the background stuff because there was nothing new for me to get to know the families.

Overall giving it a 7. It's a good cooking show to watch even if both seasons are vastly different.

Second season not as good as the first

[r-bonner · 4/10 · 13 March 2019]

Liked the first season, but second season judge continued to put one family through though they did not do as well as other families. Definitely think Tom should go. He was not voting for what the families cooked but who he wanted to win.

Love the show

[playmate-72173 · 10/10 · 19 January 2020]

The show is amazing!!! The only disappointment is that one person (contestant) that doesn't really work well with their group (family). My belief is everyone should be able to share ideas without being chastised or treated like a underling.

A Renaissance for Family Cooking

[christinayambrisak · 7/10 · 19 February 2019]

No where else in the history of mankind can we attribute the task of cooking but, to "Family." We have passed down recipes for generations, perfected techniques for thousands of years and created the art of culinary adventures within the structure of socio-demographics. I appreciate that this show encompasses families of diverse backgrounds even, the eclecticism thereof. It is, without due, a British influence to home cooking however! Lol. I am most engaged watching families cook their masterpieces. There are aspects of accompanying ancestral stories that I truly believe are amiss. The evolution of Reality TV should surely find a way to document such experiences of their subjects more so in the future whereas, I think, we have too much emphasis on "in-the-moment" emotions as easily criticized by the audience. Nevertheless, I am elated that cooking continues to be a demand in perhaps, it's founded genre of media. Giorgio and Rosemary are a delectable judging pair panel to this series. They are both critical and comforting which makes it fun and almost suspenseful at times at the attempts to impress such experts. Their commentary is useful while bringing the home cook into the realm of professional culinary arts by way of competition. The hosts, Zoe and Nadiya are another ode to the British and their reality cooking tele. I could sense their evolving and much appreciated focus on the competitors ''stories" more within each episode of my watching of the first season. I am rather entertained with ability to watch such international television. I love it! I love cooking and I love family! I look forward in continuing my foodie media journey with this show!

Mmm.

[naylormd1980 · 8/10 · 24 March 2018]

Very enjoyable show, even if everything looks too formidable to recreate. The only shortcoming is the racism.

Contestants' lack of skill or smarts is biggest problem

[GLArm · 6/10 · 5 November 2021]

I liked the show format of Season 1 better than Season 2, but I liked the two hosts/judges better in Season 2 than the 2 hosts/2 judges in Season 1.

My biggest problem with this show is just the frequent stupidity of the contestants -- or their lack of skills. I'm sick of seeing contestants who decide to completely disregard the recipe when they are cooking something they have never made before, only to completely screw it up. (D'uh, what did you expect? That you, who had never made something before, could improve on the tried & true recipe that the judges gave you?!)

Also, sometimes the contestants would make something they had never made before in the part of the competition that they were supposed to have practiced ahead of time! Why come on the show if you can't even practice your dish before being on national television?

I am not a great cook or a great baker but I do all right. I have seen a lot of really basic mistakes that even I know better than to make, so why are some of these people on a national cooking competition?!!

(Note: I am a big fan of The Great British Baking Show, which has a great format, but also has a lot of really talented bakers. If this show was trying to create another winner like the GBBS, they really failed!)

Cooking showdown during pandemic lockdown

[moon_creature · 8/10 · 4 January 2021]

I loved watching this UK series here in the States. And, like some of the negative reviews for the 2nd season...well...I understand some of the criticisms. However, I'm so glad that there were 2 seasons! Watching people interact and create and being together as (partial) families just really helped me get through my own extreme isolation many nights. I wish there were more seasons of this show. Cooking shows aren't my typical genre, but I've started to fall in love with them over the past couple of years...and now especially during this very stressful time. I'm explaining all of this, because, at the end of the day...there are worse things than a "so so" 2nd season. Yes, I preferred season 1. But, I very gladly kept going thru season 2. Keep an open mind, stay safe, and have fun watching families stress out over their gravies and sides, etc.!

Bring back the original format.

[jesicaquintian · 2/10 · 28 February 2019]

I watched the first season and loved it and was excited to see season 2 was updated. I honestly was disappointed when I saw that we had new judges/hosts. I have never heard of either Judge Angelica or Tommy and found that their commentary on the meals seemed very repetitive. Also why are they showing the same recaps of the families almost every episode. I've seen the same script or dialalogue of Whites at least 3 times. We get it, you love British produce and you garden. I also liked that last season, they visited the families in their home. It's like they are trying to mimic great British bake off but with really bad producer handling it. Bottom line, judges were not likeable and just snarky.

Loved the Second Season

[kaydenpat · 10/10 · 11 June 2021]

I watched the second season first and absolutely loved it. If you're looking for a fast paced, fun, creative cooking competition, this is the show for you. Thoroughly enjoyed watching various families vie for the first place win. Although I didn't agree with the outcome, it was fascinating watching the families cook up exotic and delicious looking food, many of which I was seeing for the first time.

The first season was unwatchable for me and I stopped after the first 20 minutes.

Was a good show, now they've changed the format...

[garedicus · 1/10 · 24 February 2019]

Sadly, Netflix has apparently decided that all of their cooking shows will follow one format. There will be two challenges the first day, and a third on the second day. There will be a mystery basket of ingredients at least once. There will be a technical challenge of some sort at least once.

It worked with baking, it worked with Master Chef, but it falls flat on this one. They needed, desperately, to stick with the original judges, commentators, and format. I was so looking forward to a second season of this one, but now that it's here, I wish they'd never released it.

Season 2 is a total disappointment

[peweller · 2/10 · 28 February 2019]

I thoroughly enjoyed the first season of this show. The presenters and judges were excellent and the structure of the show was exciting and different. I loved that one of the challenges took the families and judges to their own homes. The new season has a totally different format and it might as well now be "Chopped: Family Edition". I've only watched two episodes of the new season and I may not bother to finish the series.

I give the first season a solid 8 and the new season a 1. Netflix, you screwed this one up big time.

Downhill...

[matthewconnell-60609 · 4/10 · 3 March 2020]

I'm three episodes into the second season and I think I'm going to pass on the rest. I enjoyed watching the home cooks in the first season however these current ones seem to be in it more for a laugh then bringing real talent to the table. A let down!

Bring back the first season format and hosts

[davidanddonnie · 4/10 · 14 January 2020]

I just finished watching the first season which I really liked. I started the 2nd season to find the entire format changed including hosts and location. It was so bad I couldn't finish watching the 2nd episode, the new hosts have no chemistry, the new location is horrible and the contestants (as far as I saw) were pretty corny plus the food didn't even look that great. The first season was SO MUCH BETTER!!

Loved Season 1, Hated Season 2.

[HMZ263 · 3/10 · 10 May 2020]

Whoever is responsible for changing the hosts/judges, should be fired together with Tommy Banks and Angellica Bell. This second season was a great let down. If there is a third season, revert back to almost everything in Season 1, especially Nadiya Hussain.