Barry: Recipe for discontent

Nov 4 2009 by Barry Gibson

ASIDE from things that make me swear – like football and politics – I don’t watch much TV.

The likes of Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor are not to my taste, leaving me out of all office conversations on a Monday.

But at the weekend I agreed to watch a similarly low-brow offering by the name of Come Dine With Me.

If, dear reader, you have not sampled this cultural delight, allow me to explain. It’s essentially Strictly Come Dinner Party, where four contestant cook for each other and receive marks out of ten for their efforts.

The episode I saw on Sunday was a celebrity version – though that may be stretching the definition of the word. The contestants were: that guy who used to play Les Battersby in Corrie, some woman called Yvette, a former Atomic Kitten and Roy Walker.

I have to admit that I don’t have fond memories of the former Catchphrase host and his cheesy gags. But fair play to him, he was actually funny, charming and witty on the programme.

And the man can obviously cook too, as he scooped the prize for best dinner with his salmon and Welsh rarebit.

To his credit. Maybe men can cook after all.

Yet during the commercials, there was a very different message about the culinary skills of the male of the species from our friends at Sainsbury’s.

Perhaps you’ve seen the ad. Mum cooks delicious meal with Sainsbury’s ingredients. She dashes out, informing Dad to serve up to hungry offspring. This he duly does, and takes credit for Mum’s delicious cooking.

But the children look at him sceptically. They know he couldn’t be responsible for their sumptuous meal because he’s a man, and men can’t cook.

Really, Sainsbury’s? This is what you’re offering us in 2009?

The supermarket’s world view is even more out-of-date than a Roy Walker gag.