Bacon, whiskey and stilettos - this is not your mother's
kitchen. This is "Epic Chef," YouTube's 20,000-calorie
cooking spectacle that makes its debut later his week.
"The show is complete madness," producer Rob Czar told
Reuters on a recent set visit in Los Angeles, where two
scantily-clad women in heels hurled greasy bacon and corn
dogs at each other during a taping.
"There are no rules other than the usage of bacon and Jack
Daniels," Czar said. "Pandemonium is encouraged."
"Epic Chef," an offshoot of the Canadian-produced YouTube
sensation "Epic Meal Time" series, aims to bring in viewers
by the million with extra helpings of gluttony - all in spite
of Americans' obsession with health and weight loss.
"We're here to say pizza is good, cheeseburgers are good, but
pizza-cheeseburgers are even better," said host Harley
Morenstein, a former substitute teacher whose "Epic Meal
Time" garners some three million views per weekly episode on
YouTube.
"We do this so that you don't have to," writer Tyler Lemco
added. "You can watch us and live vicariously through us."
"Epic Chef" pits contestants against each other to prepare
outrageous heart-attack-inducing meat-laden dishes with
massive calorie, fat and cholesterol content all in the name
of impressing a panel of judges.
The winner is determined by taste, presentation and use of
ingredients.
Chefs include the likes of Ilan Hall, a past winner of
Bravo's hit "Top Chef," while well-known kitchen personality
Duff Goldman (Food Network's "Ace of Cakes") and writer
Timothy Ferriss ("The 4-hour Chef") serve as judges.
The idea for the shows came to Morenstein two years ago after
seeing a photo of an over-the-top meal online and later
trying to replicate it with friends, Lemco said.
"We were bored and had nothing else to do," the writer added.
"Luckily we had a camera."
In one upcoming episode, tentatively titled "Epic Chicken
Challenge," the meals prepared include fried chicken wrapped
in bacon and stuffed with Cheetos, Doritos chips and corn-dog
hash.
The final product emerges as fried chicken encrusted with the
snack food, wrapped in bacon and smothered in barbecue sauce.
Other dishes include gingerbread houses made of meat, human
head-sized egg rolls and meat breakfast cereal with gravy.
"We're going to die doing this," Lemco said. "That's how
dedicated we are."
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.