I have just watched last nights programs and I am disgusted with what I saw. I have never really like Gary Rhodes at the best of times, i think he is an awful TV chef and patronising. As for the other two, my god were on earth did they drag them up from. I expexted a format were we to see Gary et all championing some of our wonderful producers and sellers of great food in the UK. Instead we saw some half baked comments based on what they saw on a TV screen.

I really felt sorry for the girl who ran the Deli in Glasgow, I have visited it seveval times and thought they were very unfair to her. What planet is GR on when he said " I would like to have seen more regional food"? He has obviouslty never seen a Scottish prawn she was serving in the salad. Does it really matter she is a global food deli. She is providing a local service to the people of Glasgow in offering the best sourced food she can find?

The cook of at the end was a joke. These people can't be judged on how they cook a steak or make a rissotto they are providers of food not chefs.

Snobish remarks about using Italian flavours in ice cream were out of order, does that prat who was on the show think a business could survive making fresh strawberry ice cream and ignoring the classic italian flavours? If he got his head out of the clouds he would realise the Italians make some of the best flavoured ice creams in the world.

Another point to make, how strange it was to see a pot of mustard behind Gary Rhodes on the camera shots he was in.........the brand he has advertised on TV.........shameful.

Just watched Food Heroes. Gary Rhodes is a pain. What was the point of viewers voting when he over ruled them. It seems that this is just another way for Rhodes to promote himself, disrespecting the viewers. I thought that he would only have the final say if there was a draw, but he announced that the viewers had turned the vote around, but he was still overruling them. What a farce. I generally enjoy UKTV Food, but I am afraid that the arrogance shown by Rhodes this evening has put me off watching this particular show again. I see that another viewer makes a similar view about another episode. What a pity you couldn't get a more empathetic presenter, there are so many great cooks out there, what about the lovely Jennie Barnett, she would be great for a prog like this, because she would be more impartial, and perhaps the idea that the viewers vote should be abandoned if their views are going to be "thrown out" because of so called experts!!!

if gary rhodes is a worthless chef then tell me he has michilein stars and has a load of fans.i have always liked gary rhodes as he is telling the truth. gordon ramsey is worthless as he is vile,he puts people down and needs his mouth washed now that is what i call a worthless chefand overrated .gary rhodes and james martin are the best chefs around.

Why can't I read this post?

I am really disappointed with the format of the show, it seems that they have hijacked the word 'local'. We were asked to vote for people in our own local areas, people doing the little bit extra - not people JUST using local ingredients.

I totally support local food and the reduction in food miles, but I didn't think this was the only criteria. It should be as much about the person and their passion as it is their produce.

It would have been better to reduce each region to 10 or 12 finalists and have the overall winner chosen by viewers or at least a panel of six (but not six chefs!). There was so much more they could have done with this, I can't help feeling, as I said before, that the original idea has been hijacked in order to make this programme. Why have a winner? Just show us the people out there. After all they are all winners!

Only thing I have learned is there are lots of producers I would like local to me which is the criteria BUT none of the judges I would trust an inch.

Who is Oliver Rowe to comment about honey production and maybe jeoparadise a man's business....the competitors were nominated they are not applicants

By the way his restaurant has Spanish lemon curd on the menu....and look at the recipe on here with capers in it.

WHY is he on national TV trying to impress us does he care about food miles but no problem with customer miles travelled....where is the saving?

It's a dreadful show which is dull dull dull....I notice it's made by Denham productions who do all the Rick Stein stuff....couoldn't they have got him rather than Gary Rhodes? At least it would have celebrated rather than denegrated the suppliers. And why (and who is) that other chef?...what's wrong with genuine UKTVFood chefs like Mike Robinson, Ed Baines or even Novelli who actually use local products - frankly JC has forgotten more about regional British suppliers than Oliver has ever picked up.

yeah, rick stein seems to have a real passion for seeking out and actually praising local suppliers and producers, whereas Rhodes doesn't seem to actually have any passion for it, and is always making negative comments.
i like the fact that in rick steins programme the producers didn't have to be all singing all dancing to get praised by him, someone line catching fish would be celebrated, whereas on Rhodes' programme they would probably be critisised for being too simplistic.

i still don't understand why on Rhodes' programme there is a cooking test, after all, you don't have to be a great chef to dive for scallops, or be a butcher, or farm free range chickens. the most important thing as far as i am concerned is to have people that are providing an excellent product, i don't care if they can produce a 3 course meal or not.

I have actually always enjoyed watching Gary Rhodes,I think he is an excellent chef as is Gordon Ramsey,but I just did'nt think this format worked.
I agree with Jeben that Mike Robinson would have been far more convincing promoting local use of ingredients and of suppliers
Is'nt Oliver the "Urban Chef ?" That was one very strange programme !!

Urban Chef was a different way of advertising his cafe and the local bit was a gimmic....no more no less BBC advertising and paying the advertiser for taking part in the programme.

Most annoying bit....."These people are going to have to really blow me away" as if organic farmer in Scotland considers Gary Rhodes more important than his/her customers !!

It certainly was'nt the programme I thought it was going to be after all the hype.
Thanks for confirming that Oliver was who I thought he was. Now I really wonder what he's doing ,surely the man's got too much on his plate to be trying to judge others. If I remember correctly he actually became the proud owner (!) of an allotement ,and was going to grow most of his own produce,thats if someone could show him how !
Tell me if you consider I'm wrong , but I certainly do not rate him as someone capable of judging others .