Heather Elliott

A great change from typical reality shows. Chef Amaury is not only a chocolate genius and a terrific instructor, but he is a warm and supportive person. He illustrates incredible chocolate and sugar techniques (many apparently hidden from the world until now). His showpieces are mind blowing, and the work he elicits from the participants is likewise amazing. The key difference from previous shows is that the participants are primarily students, not competitors. There is a top scorer in each round, and one will win a big prize at the end, but no one is eliminated, and everyone has a win at one point or another. Chef Amaury is a gifted instructor. He gives honest and constructive feedback, never snark. Even when one of the students does very poorly, he praises what they did well and earnestly tells them he knows they can do better. He inspires them to grow. Most of the students blossom under his tutelage, with one or two sour-grapes students adding minimal reality show back-biting. The overall positivity of the show, however, far outweighs the moments of cattiness and makes for a welcome change in the world of reality competition shows.