Chef Colin Fassnidge has never been afraid to speak his mind. We’ve seen him as the tough judge on My Kitchen Rules since 2013, but now, he’s serving up a whole new side of himself fronting a new show, Kitchen Nightmares Australia.
Based on the eponymous UK and US series starring fiery British superchef Gordon Ramsay, the Aussie adaptation sees Colin travel the country to try to help turn around faltering restaurants.
But while Colin won’t be pulling his punches, don’t expect to hear the expletive-filled tirades Gordon has become infamous for.
“I wanted a show that gives the hard truths along with a lot of heart, so I said I’d do the show, but it had to be in my own way.”
(Image: Seven)“The American version is a bit angry for me,” Colin tells TV WEEK.
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“After the pandemic, people don’t want to be screamed at. I didn’t want to be screaming at people and demeaning them – businesses have been through enough already.
“I wanted a show that gives the hard truths along with a lot of heart, so I said I’d do the show, but it had to be in my own way.”
Using his culinary experience and business savvy, it’s his job to identify problems and help struggling businesses get back on their feet.
Colin’s new show is based on the UK and US series starring Gordon Ramsay.
(Image: Channel 4)But although Colin is there to try to help them, it doesn’t mean the business owners are always happy to hear Colin’s frank opinions.
“This isn’t people trying to win a competition – they’re trying to save their business,” he explains. “Obviously, if they arc up and act like idiots, that’s their loss. So I was real, telling them how it is.
“There are some people who are so far in the s—, selling their car and losing their house, so if they’re not fully listening to me, the consequences are pretty bad.”
As he travels the country, Irish-born Colin is excited for Australia to get to know him a little bit better.
“On MKR, I was paid to be the tough one [judge], but then I went into the I’m A Celebrity jungle [as a contestant in 2021] to prove to people I actually like to have a laugh most of the time,” he says.
“Everyone thinks Kitchen Nightmares is going to be all yelling and shouting, but most of it is funny. I was even laughing at myself. There are moments where there’s tough love, but most of it’s just me.”
