Local chefs cook off against Reuben Riffel creating dishes inspired by the show
Gordon Ramsay is back, foraging for food and facing treacherous conditions around the globe in pursuit of culinary excellence in the third season of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted. National Geographic’s cooking expedition series currently airs on Wednesdays at 21h00 (CAT) on National Geographic (DStv 181, Starsat 220).
While the multi-Michelin-star chef and Ironman athlete serves up thrilling adventures, exploring world cultures through food, National Geographic is collaborating with local gastronomic icon, chef Reuben Riffel to launch their own Uncharted Challenge. Each week, across the channel’s social media, Riffel will be pitted head-to-head with another local chef as the two compete in an exciting cook-along hour to create a dish that fits the culinary style of the country featured on that’s week’s episode.
Chefs joining Reuben Riffel include Zanele van Zyl, Lufuno Sinthumule, Nono Msthali, Mmule Setati, and Neo Nontso. Viewers and fans are encouraged to watch along and share their own culinary creations on social media, using #Uncharted and tagging National Geographic Africa.
Watch the first cook-off in which Riffel and Van Zyl create a dish inspired by Portugal here.
Chef Zanele
Chef Reuben
Chef Nono
More about the show:
This season, Ramsay hits the road and feasts his way through Portugal, Croatia, Mexico, Texas, Maine, Puerto Rico, Iceland and America's Smoky Mountains, going off the grid and off the recipe to explore global cuisines and unique culinary customs. He herds cattle on horseback with the help of a helicopter and hunts for venomous rattlesnake in the backcountry of Texas. He braves giant pounding waves for fresh barnacles that cling to the rocky Portuguese coastline and struggles to keep up with a team of lobster fisherwomen off the coast of Maine’s choppy waters. He fights for oxygen while freediving for local molluscs in Croatia and rappels down a treacherous waterfall and kayaks through raging rapids deep in the US' Smoky Mountains.
Under the guidance of local experts and food legends he meets along the way, Ramsay partakes in culinary customs and learn about delicious delicacies and fresh flavours unique to each region. Every ingredient he harvests, dish he tastes and person he meets inspires him to create a recipe from scratch intended to represent the heart of that culture. Each episode concludes with Ramsay challenging himself during a final big cookout with a local food legend by his side, as they prepare a meal together for the locals he met during his journey.
“During these unprecedented times, Uncharted provides an exciting escape to explore the world safely from home, and inspiration to try new flavours and cooking techniques from the food experts I meet along my journey,” said Gordon Ramsay. “The world is a massive place, full of diversity and history, and we are just starting to dig into the boldest flavours the planet has to offer.”
Episodes include:
Texas
Gordon Ramsay journeys to the wilds of south-central Texas and meets some tough, gritty characters to learn what it means to be from the Lone Star State. He herds cattle with the help of a helicopter, hunts for venomous rattlesnake in the backcountry and goes on a night hunt for invasive and ferocious feral hogs. He will need to dig deep and toughen up if he wants to show the acclaimed James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu and a group of locals that he has what it takes to cook his way through their state.
Portugal
Gordon Ramsay explores the rugged landscape of Portugal, where the simple way of life is evident in the country’s incredible cuisine. Gordon chases black pigs across a farm to feed them, braves giant pounding waves for barnacles that cling to the rocky coastline and the open seas to fish for iconic sardines. He will need to roll up his sleeves and bring his A-game in order to beat local chef, Kiko Martins, in an epic feast for the Mayor of Nazaré.
Maine
Gordon Ramsay learns why Maine, United States, is called the “lobster capital of the world.” Along the rugged coastline, he struggles to keep up with a team of lobster fisherwomen, dives for clams, harvests oysters, forages in freezing waters and tests his lumberjack skills. Can he earn the status of a tough Mainer as he tests his culinary skills against local legend chef Melissa Kelly, a two-time James Beard award-winner?
Croatia
Gordon Ramsay travels to the untouched peninsula of Istria, Croatia, for ingredients that rival the best of Italy in world-class quality. He fights for oxygen as he free dives for local molluscs, risks his pride fishing for rare cuttlefish and chases after goats for cheese and donkeys for milk. He learns the secrets to finding exquisite truffles and making exceptional olive oil before testing his newly found skills against local chef David Skoko.
Puerto Rico
Gordon Ramsay explores the enchanted island of Puerto Rico, from the bright blue sea to the lush mountains of the interior. Along the way, he learns about Hurricane Maria’s recent devastating toll on the island and how food shortages have prompted locals to push for food independence. On this epic adventure, Gordon goes spearfishing, takes a helicopter ride to an organic coffee plantation, and rappels down a waterfall for delicious river prawns. Throughout his journey, he is hosted by laid back surfer-chef José Enrique, who turns up the gas at the final cook.
Iceland
Gordon Ramsay heads to the land of fire and ice during the Icelandic summer to learn secret cooking techniques utilising the volcanic landscape. He fishes in a glacial river for wild salmon and cooks bread in geothermally heated soil before heading north to the sparsely populated Westfjords. After sampling fermented shark and diving for scallops in the freezing fjords, he joins Iceland’s first Michelin-rated chef, Ragnar Eiríksson, for a feast in a rainstorm.
Smoky Mountains
Gordon Ramsay is pushed to his limits in America's Smoky Mountains. In his quest to unearth the region’s culinary secrets, Gordon must rappel down a treacherous waterfall, kayak through raging rapids, and trek deep into the forest, attempting to find the most delicious ingredients in this magnificent mountain range. His culinary rival at the big cook is chef William Dissen, named one of America’s “Most Sustainable Chefs,” who knows these mountains, rivers and forests like the back of his hand.
Mexico
Gordon Ramsay discovers the culinary secrets of the country’s legendary Oaxaca region, where mole reigns supreme. In addition to learning to make the storied chocolate- and chili-infused sauce, Gordon must rappel down a cliff in search of delicious butter worms, harvest the honey sacs from burrowing ants and fend off angry wasps in search of their coveted larva. In his effort to measure up to acclaimed Mexico City chef Gabriela Cámara, he also engages in the punishing physical process of harvesting agave plants to make mescal.
Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted is produced by Studio Ramsay for National Geographic. For Studio Ramsay, executive producers are Gordon Ramsay, Lisa Edwards, Jon Kroll and Tom Willis. For National Geographic, executive producer is Betsy Forhan, vice president of production is Kevin Tao Mohs and Alan Eyres is senior vice president of production and development.
How to tune in:
DStv: Channel 181
StarSat: 220 on DTH, 220 on DTT (249 on DTT in Uganda)
