This is the new cooking competition reality show from Channel 7 that will premiere on Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 7pm, and continue at 7:30pm on Monday and Tuesday for 3 weeks. It will be hosted by previous MasterChef Australia judges, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston, plus the judge from My Kitchen Rules, Manu Feildel.
Already being abbreviated as POO online, the show pits 10 teams of two cooking cuisines from around the world with each team specialising in one cuisine. The ten teams are Team Australia, Team Cameroon, Team China, Team France, Team Greece, Team India, Team Italy, Team Lebanon, Team Venezuela, and Team Vietnam.
The premise of the show sounds very similar to Family Food Fight which aired on Channel 9 from 2017 to 2018, especially the second season when each team members were reduced from four to two. Family Food Fight (which flopped in ratings by the way) featured head-to-head cuisine fight with family related members, they were also allowed to cook dishes outside their specialised cuisine. I think the slight differences with POO are that team members are not necessary family related and they must cook only their designated cuisine… I will give it a go and see how the first couple of episodes pan out and decide if it is worth watching until the end.
Update August 31, 2020: Watched the first episode last night, unfortunately unable to last until the end! One and half hours to watch two teams cooking two dishes each, and we don’t even know the contestants yet… I thought I was watching MKR, LOL, with new judges?!? The format of two teams cooking head-to-head gave me déjà vu of MKR’s Instant Restaurant elimination rounds. Speaking of which, why would you pit two teams head-to-head in the first episode? How did they decide which two teams would face off each other when we do not know how good or bad the rest of the teams who were not cooking are? So if the best two teams faced off each other, one of the best teams will go into elimination, and if the two worst teams would face off each other, one of the worst teams will be safe, where is the logic? Also I was confused about Team Australia, it seems they are the only team that can cook whatever they want since there is no specific “Australian cuisine”, even the one meat & 3 vegs idea last night came from the British, LOL…, with French techniques and terms thrown in for good measures?
I will not be watching anymore, but will just go look for recipes, for how much longer, depend on my patience…
Duck with Biang Biang Noodles (Team China)
Black Sesame Mousse with Tofu Ice Cream (Team China)
Meat and Three Veg (Team Australia)
Vanilla Custard Slice (Team Australia)
Octopus with Skordalia and Greek Elixir (Team Greece)
Loukoumades (Team Greece)
Magret De Canard Aux Mûres (Duck With Blackberry Sauce) (Team France)
Framboisier (Team France)
Chicken with Jollof Rice and Plantain (Team Cameroon)
Beignet with Burnt White Chocolate Ice Cream (Team Cameroon)
Bún Bò Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup) (Team Vietnam)
Coconut Corn Sago (Team Vietnam)
Samke Harra (Barramundi with Tahini Sauce) (Team Lebanon)
Znood El Sit (Filo Pastry with Lebanese Cream) (Team Lebanon)
Murg Makhani (Butter Chicken) (Team India)
Halwa with Pistachio Ice Cream (Team India)
Squid Ink Pasta with Prawns (Team Italy)
Mother of Cannoli (Team Italy)
Hallaca Con Chicharron (Tamale with Fried Pork) (Team Venezuela)
Quesillo (Venezuelan Flan) (Team Venezuela)
Beef Pho Pie (Team Vietnam)
Samosa Pie (Team India)
Chicken & Champignon Pie (Team France)
Lemon Tart (Team France)
Beef and Vegemite Pie (Team Australia)
Cherry Ripe Tart (Team Australia)
Chicken Polvorosa Pie (Team Venezuela)
Corner Café 
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