Nigella Lawson brings her signature style to saucy new food show The Taste

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jan/23/nigella-lawson-abc-the-taste

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I've always thought the point of Nigella Lawson is that she doesn't have one. As England's younger, sexier version of the Barefoot Contessa, she's a spherical series of soft curves, murmuring an endless litany of "mmms" to camera as she sips and dips around the kitchen. She's made a fortune from being the voice of comfort as a domestic goddess on cable cooking shows.

So it's a little surprising to see her take her place behind a judging table under bright network lighting in The Taste, ABC's new "food show like no other" – in other words, a culinary version of NBC's smash talent show The Voice.

"It's all about the taste, and <em>nothing</em> but the taste," Nigella announced in her signature perky style as the show began. This marked another departure for a cook who prides herself on the texture and presentation of her food.

But we were clearly a long way from Belgravia as the camera panned over the Las Vegas skyline to introduce us to contestant number one, Adam, an enthusiastic young chef who "creates food for awesomeness".

It was up to Adam to explain to us how the show works. It's not hard to follow. There are four 'celebrity' chefs. In addition to Nigella, we have Brian Malarkey, a restaurateur and finalist on Top Chef Miami; the classically handsome, classically trained French chef Ludo Lefebvre (biography nugget: his wife has competed on Donald Trump's The Apprentice); and the most important judge of all, Anthony Bourdain, the scowly, sarcastic star of No Reservations. If Nigella is the show's siren in a red dress, Bourdain is its satyr. He's a sexier, darker version of Simon Cowell or Gordon Ramsay, which, in Nigella-speak, means he's "the Mick Jagger of food". In other words, he's the star of the show.

Each judge has to pick four contestants to be on his or team. Last night's two-hour premiere was called Auditions Part 1. So just the selection process is endless. When all the teams are chosen, maybe sometime before Memorial weekend, the judges will taste the offerings blind. This is beyond exciting. A blind tasting could lead you to getting rid of <em>your own team member</em>. Now read on.

The first episode introduced us to pro chefs, to personal chefs (like Charlie Sheen's!) and to home cooks. Adam was first up with a ground turkey and mushroom-mac-and-cheese stir-fry. "It's got wit," said Nigella bravely as the rest of us threw up in our mouths.

"It's appalling," said Bourdain. Adam went home.

It took two hours for the four celebs to pick their teams (well, part of their teams). A lot of disappointed people went home in the first hour, while Nigella picked a home cook who made a mean mashed potato. Time ticked on. Bourdain picked a 26-year-old Harvard grad who currently teaches yoga. You could see how the season was going to play out.

By the end of the premiere, Nigella had made her second choice: a trailer-living home-cook from Mississippi who baked a "restrained' flourless chocolate cake with pistachio brittle.

"A slash and a smoke?" asked Bourdain as the credits rolled.

"I might be a bit longer," said Nigella. "I think they want to change my underwear. Just to warn you."

No, they did not do it on camera.