Great Chocolate Showdown (2020– ) User Reviews

I'm a Canadian not enjoying Canadian judges' acting

[roxxyroller1982 · 6/10 · 29 October 2020]

Are all Canadian food show judges trained by the same person? "You must be so proud!" "A great reason to be proud!" "Be proud, are you proud? Proud, proud, PROUD!"

Come on!!! Stop with the everyone wins and we must not hurt anyone's feelings. It's delicious, good job! If it sucks, then it sucks. Or it's just ugly! Just typical Canadian cliche. I'm Canadian and I can't stand that type of behaviour.

I'd like to see a Canadian win a Canadian show

[debbiebarr-12225 · 20 April 2022]

If it's truly a Canadian show then why r their more Americans then Canadian s and why hasn't a Canadian won it.. Purdy chocolate is the chocolate that used u advertised that it's Canadian but can't say I agree with that anymore this season only 2 Canadian s made it to the top 6 and the 3 were all Americans that were in the showdown.. and someone from again America won it..

I LOVE THIS SHOW!

[nene-23741 · 10/10 · 14 October 2023]

I am baffled by the negative reviews! I love this show. You are shown a technique every show, and The desserts are really terrific! I love to see the different things the bakers come up with. Most of all, The contestants are kind and friendly and supportive of each other!! I won't watch the shows where there is yelling and backstabbing!

I love to bake, but am SO impressed by these home bakers, I have heard of most of their desserts, but have never tried to make any.

Because of this show, I have been purchasing all the fun stuff to make my own chocolates! I just wish that the show had a list of suppliers so I can find everything they have in their fantastic pantry!

Loved it!

[susanhiland · 9/10 · 21 March 2022]

I hate these live action competition shows. They usually pit people against each other showcasing not talents but petty meanness that we adults thought we left behind in sixth grade. Not so with the Great Chocolate Showdown. The contestants are amazing bakers who all seem to be genuinely nice people. People you actually would love to sit down with to discuss making macarons and what temperature is best for making chocolate not get all weirdly ashy looking.

Did I say talented? No. These people have skills that are impressive.

The downside of the show is the blandness of the judges. I liked that the reviews were honest yet not brutal like Gordon Ramsey, that man makes me cry for the contestants. But it still needs...something...not meanness but a little edge.

Overall it has made tv watching on Saturday night relaxing and fun.

A string of cliches

[tracyberna-2 · 3/10 · 1 August 2022]

So far, this show is a string of every cooking competition cliche ever--they seriously haven't missed a one. And all the host's dialogue is written so insultingly simply it's like they think their audience has negative IQs. The contestants are nothing more than manufactured stereotypes that tick every demographic box possible. The hosts are stiff and wooden and I don't believe ONE SINGLE THING that happens this show is true or uncalculated, not what the contestants are "choosing" to bake on their own (yeah, sure) right down to what they say their names are. An entirely calculated cash-in that treats its viewers like morons.

Rewards mediocrity

[mgrybow · 2/10 · 29 August 2021]

I agree with the other review but let's add that creativity, risk-taking, skill and talent are not rewarded. This is the worst judged competition I have ever seen. You can tell from day one who the judges planned on giving the win to. They overlooked flaw after flaw, it was incredibly predictable. Should call it Worst Chocolate Showdown.

Unfair judging

[monich_uk · 1/10 · 10 March 2022]

I love the show and concept. Steve and the beautiful lady judge are fair and accurate judges. Anna Olson needs to go. She may be a good baker but she's unfair and seems determined to keep some favourites moving along. Example- in 2021, she kept incompetent Jenny till the end. 2022- she is determined to keep Lexi who is completely incompetent. There is a preference for white female by Anna and the show's producers need to take notice. Lexi is not talented and worse than mediocre. She has zero baking experience but she won the golden whisk. Wow! Just wow! Do you get paid for this Anna?

Judges have to go!

[mmcen0703 · 5/10 · 3 November 2023]

I love watching cooking challenges! I love the idea of a chocolate challenge. I just wish the judges had some personalities. I really HATE when Cynthina says "ready set..." OMG please make he shut up! It's not cute or funny. Anna is the only one I can stand. Steven just seems condescending and disingenuous.

If these are all home bakers, how do they even know how to do a lot of these things? I bake and cook a lot but have never even heard of some of these things. How do they know how to make something they have never made before? Like does the show give them the recipes? Just curious...

Thank.

Where's the excitement?

[alisajones-28691 · 4/10 · 26 February 2023]

Unfortunately I will not be watching all the episodes. I've watched 4, and have completely lost interest. I watch every competitive baking show I can find, but what keeps me interested is the hosts for starters. While the hosts/judges are extremely talented, they have no personality whatsoever. I like fun, humor, competitiveness in a show. The show itself is boring unfortunately, and doesn't keep my interest. And the what the contestants have baked so far, are not competition worthy in my opinion. Let's get some excitement in here!!! Let's get some judges that make you want to continue watching!!

Great Recipes Undone by Overpuffed Performances

[prcmd · 5/10 · 20 August 2023]

How do you stand out from the glut of cooking contest shows on TV? Not by directing your judges and contestants to resort to a low common denominator of overblown, cartonnish, childish, saccharine expressions and rhetoric. It's annoying and most seriously, demeaning to all involved and their well taught and hard won creations. The editing reinforces this unrefined treacle with jump cuts that turn the participant's reactions into sterotypes. For example, take the overcute exceessively repeated «snap» test for well-tempered chocolate. Anna Olsen is the only one of the three judges who manages to speak consistently in genuine, learned, communicative, measured tones. I urge the creators of the show to relax and tamp down the phoney feel of their final product.