Dinner: Impossible
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| Dinner: Impossible | |
|---|---|
| Format | Cooking |
| Starring | Robert Irvine (Seasons 1-) |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 37 as of May 21, 2008 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Food Network |
Dinner: Impossible is an American television program broadcast by the Food Network. Chef Robert Irvine hosts the show.
Each week, Chef Irvine is given a challenge that must be completed within a given period of time. Challenges have included preparing a large dinner aboard a luxury train, an "authentic" 18th century American colonial dinner (prepared with period cooking methods and tools), and a luxury meal on a small, isolated, New England island.
Contents |
[edit] Premise
With its name and other elements suggesting the 1960s television series Mission: Impossible, the program explores whether a multi-course meal for a large group can be prepared by the chef and his team with limited resources, no advance planning and in a fixed period of time. In a scene echoing the opening sequence of Mission: Impossible, each episode opens with the Irvine receiving his assignment, detailing where, for whom, in how long and under what conditions he must prepare the week's meal. From this point forward, a countdown timer is periodically shown, displaying the amount of time remaining.
Having received his challenge, the Irvine travels to the assignment location where he is met by one or more of his team of sous chefs and any local assistants. After surveying available ingredients, tools and appliances, the menu is planned and preparation organized. At this point, the team is often able to go shopping for additional ingredients, although the availability of items and the limited time often make selection of ingredients difficult (e.g., there may not be enough time to fully defrost a frozen item). At the location itself, preparation space can be restricted, with limited access to ovens, stoves, and cooking tools. Under these varying conditions, the Irvine must execute the menu within the time limits he is given.
As the countdown reaches its final minutes, the Irvine and his team rush to put the finishing touches on each dish before service. Because the meal is typically served to a large number of diners (although there are episodes with smaller numbers), service sometimes occurs in several courses. While the Irvine is not always successful in meeting all the stated terms of the challenge, he generally meets the majority of them, and is thanked by the guests nonetheless.
[edit] Host controversy
In 2008, Robert Irvine's contract with the network was not renewed because of "embellishments and inaccuracies in his resume" which came to light in the media. These included claims that Irvine helped design Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer's wedding cake, worked at the White House, and graduated from the University of Leeds.[1]
As a result, on April 21, 2008, Food Network released a statement concerning season 5 of the program, announcing Irvine is no longer the host of the program, and is being replaced by The Next Iron Chef winner and Iron Chef Michael Symon, while at the same time expanding the program to a one-hour format. [2]
