I was pretty surprised when an email from Delish editor-in-chief Carissa Tozzi landed in my inbox. It was an invitation to be a judge on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, which is filmed in London. I thought it was super cute and even funny. But she was completely serious.
Food Stars is not your typical cooking show. It’s a high-energy battleground where two teams’ culinary prowess and entrepreneurial spirit are rigorously tested in a Shark Tank-style boot camp. The twist is that each team will be mentored by either Gordon Ramsay or Lisa Vanderpump, pitting their unique leadership styles against each other in a shadow competition.
The show’s producers asked Carissa and me to be judges because of Delish’s reputation as a well-known food media brand with a huge audience. The team’s challenge was to develop recipes that were not only delicious, but also captured the Delish vibe that makes our recipes resonate with our millions of followers.
We got to judge the winning team. The prize? Besides glory, they could win $250,000. Every detail about the shoot, from the set built at the Big Penny Social in London to the contestants’ strategies, was shrouded in secrecy to keep the competition fair. Carisa and I couldn’t let our secrets slip.
Jay Maidment
Rob Seixas (left) and contestants on “Food Stars”
Before I met Gordon Ramsay, I thought…
I knew that Gordon Ramsay was an incredibly talented chef who trained under legendary masters in Europe. He is known for his relentless pursuit of perfection and for running renowned restaurants around the world. I assumed he would have a lot of energy. Also, if you’ve seen his other series, such as Hell’s Kitchen, you’d imagine him to be a very agitated and very demanding person.
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Meeting Gordon Ramsay for the first time…
Gordon was taller than I expected, taller than some of us. I’m not one to get shy or shy around famous people, but not with him. His presence filled the room. He was a contained volcano, buzzing with an energy I rarely encounter. But in person, he’s incredibly gracious, warm, and ridiculously funny.
Fox
Gordon Ramsay and Lisa Vanderpump to co-host ‘Food Stars’
The first time I met Lisa Vanderpump…
I’ll be honest, when she first walked in, I was intimidated. She has charm and presence. She came up to us and was super friendly, funny and incredibly soft-spoken. What impressed me most was her preternatural stamina. Lisa had flown in from out of nowhere the night before and arrived on set after a full day of interviews for other shows, ready to dive into the day’s work.
“This drama is 100% real. The emotions are real, there is no acting, every scene is shot in one take, there are no retakes.”
When the cameras aren’t rolling, Gordon and Lisa…
Lisa and Gordon had a great, sociable atmosphere. Gordon was enthusiastic to speak with Carisa and me about the state of the media and what makes Delish so successful. They were clearly professional in every way. They also kept a certain distance from Carisa and me, since we had to pick a winning team.
Jay Maidment
Contestant on “Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars”
The most surprising thing about being a judge on Gordon Ramsay’s reality show was…
This show is 100% real. The emotions are real, there is no acting whatsoever. Every scene is shot in one take, no retakes. Lisa and Gordon are competitive and seem to have a very warm relationship. But when you think about who they are as people and the business empire they’ve built, you remember they are competitive and they really want to win.
Was it difficult to choose a winner for this challenge?
Yes and no. Emotions always creep in. Someone is going to get hurt. I knew the losing team would be angry. Very angry. They were really angry. And in complete shock and disbelief. But one team had a better recipe. There’s only room for one to come out on top.
Fox
Delish’s Rob Seixas and Carissa Tozzi on the set of “Food Stars” with Lisa Vanderpump and Gordon Ramsay
What was it like actually telling them which teams won and which teams lost?
We have so much power, and it was hard to look them in the eye and tell them why they lost, but we know we made the right decision. You’re either on Team Gordon or Team Lisa, and you’re not very happy, but we know what it takes to make a great Delish recipe.
Did you bring back any souvenirs from the set?
We were given Food Star aprons, super cool and very well made. We snuck into Lisa’s dressing room and stole a bunch of candy and granola bars. We were hungry even though we’d been surrounded by food all day!
Delish’s Rob Seixas and Carissa Tozzi will be judges on Episode 4 of Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, which premieres June 12 at 9pm on Fox and streams the next day on Hulu.
