Gordon Ramsay has been working hard in recent years to rehabilitate his image as the angry, cursing chef, with mixed results. Masterchef and Masterchef Jr. show a more positive, encouraging, patient chef while Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares continue demonstrating a moody Brit with a short fuse. With the sad passing of Anthony Bourdain, Ramsay attempts to enter the realm of the traveling food show that acts as an exploration of new cultures. Uncharted attempts this challenge and at times shows potential, but Ramsay is no Anthony Bourdain and it's unlikely he will ever get there.
Some people like to point out how both Bourdain and Ramsay were "culinary bad boys." True, but with a big caveat. Bourdain, besides his turn as a food judge on one season of Top Chef and two seasons of The Big Taste, has largely hung up his apron and packed away his knifes. Ramsay, on the other hand, continues running a food empire with shows, restaurants, books and more that are centered around him being the chef. That never goes away in Uncharted, and the scenes of culture and experience are tempered by cooking competitions, with Ramsay trying to keep it loose with his laughing and joking, but you can see he's still the perfectionist that wants to win. It takes away a lot of the empathy and modesty that Bourdain's programs had where it seemed like he truly cared for the people he was meeting and instead turns into a Ramsay cooking showcase, all around the world.
Some people have the charisma and charm to make us care and pull us in. Here, it feels inauthentic and like it's just another step in the Ramsay food empire. Ramsay is no Anthony Bourdain and Uncharted is not even close to No Reservations.
