Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars Episode 6 Recap: Chocolate Challenge

The competition is heating up on Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars, with both Team Ramsay and Team Vanderpump tied at two challenge wins each. In episode 6, the contestants faced a sweet but daunting task: the chocolate challenge. The objective was to create their own chocolate brand, develop a catchy jingle, and pitch their product to the executives at Mars-Wrigley, the candy giant behind Skittles and M&M's.

Setting the Stage: Chocolate Selection and Branding

Each team had the opportunity to select a name and type of chocolate before dividing into sub-teams. Team Ramsay chose an artisanal chocolate named 'Joopz,' while Team Vanderpump opted for a family-friendly chocolate called 'Tattle Tale.' The teams then split into sub-teams: one to create the chocolate recipe and the other to handle branding and jingle creation.

Team Ramsay's Sub-Teams:

• Chocolate Creation: Ali and Rose
• Branding and Jingle: Liz, Andrew, and Kyson, with Liz taking the lead

Team Vanderpump's Sub-Teams:

• Chocolate Creation: Roman, Nicolas, and Maria
• Branding and Jingle: Jess and Erica, with Erica taking the lead

Crafting the Chocolate and Branding

Team Ramsay's Creation: A dark chocolate truffle with a passionfruit, caramel, and pretzel center. Their branding sub-team, inspired by Mars's space theme, designed a retro-style package. The jingle they created featured a funky beat that was easy to follow along.

Team Vanderpump's Creation: A milk chocolate bar with marshmallows, strawberries, and additional chocolate. Their branding sub-team designed a bright and cheerful package using red, orange, and green to appeal to young consumers. Their jingle was an upbeat song centered around the concept of not being a 'Tattle Tale.'

Market Research and Pitch Preparation

On challenge day, both teams conducted market research with families brought in to provide feedback on their packaging and flavors. This session allowed teams to gather insights and refine their presentations. Following the market research, each team had an hour to prepare their group pitch for the Mars-Wrigley executives.

The Pitches and Results

Team Ramsay and Team Vanderpump delivered their pitches, showcasing their chocolate creations and branding strategies. After careful consideration, Mars-Wrigley executives decided to purchase more cases of Team Ramsay's 'Joopz' truffles, declaring them the winners of the challenge. They appreciated the approachable artisanal chocolate, whereas Team Vanderpump's 'Tattle Tale' chocolate bar was deemed too sugary, and marketed to an inappropriate age group. .

Liz's Redemption and Team Ramsay's Victory

Liz, who led Team Ramsay for the second week in-a-row, was thrilled with their victory. She shared her excitement, saying:

"When Gordon and Lisa announced this week was chocolate, I was all in! I knew I wanted to have another shot at leading the team and I wanted to show Gordon I could redeem myself. Our team worked much better communicating this challenge, and we were able to convince the biggest candy company in the world to buy more of our product compared to Team Vanderpump. It was one of the best feelings of my life!"

A Farewell and Looking Ahead

Unfortunately, Team Vanderpump had to eliminate one member due to their loss. Maria, who faced issues answering questions during the pitch and was criticized for the high sugar content of their chocolate, was cut from the competition.

Next week's challenge promises to be equally exciting as the teams head to the biggest Food and Beverage Trade Show in London. Each team will pitch kitchen appliances to a trade show audience eager to make major purchases for their companies. Stay tuned to see which team will impress the judges and come out on top!