Top Chef is one of the most popular reality competitions in the world, with the cooking show recently returning with its twenty-second installment. The series has been widely praised for its format. As a result, it has amassed a sizeable fanbase and spawned multiple spin-offs and international versions.
However, like most reality shows, Top Chef isn’t immune to scrutiny and fans have recently shed light on its seemingly unfair treatment of contestants with disabilities. As a result, the show’s mishandling of challenges faced by some of its contestants might be turning into its biggest problem and here is what fans had to say about it.
Top Chef fans react to the reality competition treatment of contestants with disabilities
Top Chef started airing in 2006 and has been successfully running for almost seventeen years, now entering its 22nd season. The series follows a progressive elimination format as contestants partake in several culinary challenges to advance and ultimately win a grand cash prize.
On Reddit, the show’s fans recently discussed the reality series with one user pointing out the problem with the show’s treatment of contestants with a disability.
But it is horribly unfair that contestants with disabilities are not provided with support to level their status in the playing field.
User @hellotheredess made the above comment, arguing that the series treating chefs with disabilities like the other contestants disregarded the physical and mental challenges they have to face.
As a result, the user called for the series to stop treating all contestants equally and help those with disabilities level the playing field. Therefore, some fans seemed to agree that the series had created an unfair and disadvantageous environment for contestants with disabilities.
One Top Chef season 21 contestant proves why the series needs to address its biggest problem
Top Chef allegedly creating an unfair environment for its contestants with disabilities became all the more egregious with its recently concluded season 21. In the season, Daniel “Dan” Jacobs dealt with Kennedy’s Disease (via JSonline), which negatively affected his physical ability in several of the tasks.
While the reality series must be commended for providing a platform for people with disability, it can be argued they are at a disadvantage especially given the constraints of the show’s format with contestants having limited time to complete the challenges.
Dan’s resilience and spirit were on full display during season 21 as he was almost on par with other contestants despite his disability. As a result, the point is not to have such contestants treated differently but to provide them with means to overcome the disadvantages caused by their disability.
Ultimately, Dan finished as runner-up in season 21 and could have easily emerged as the winner. As a result, when margins are exceptionally fine, and having a physical advantage could make a difference, it is safe to say that treating contestants with disability like the rest becomes a problem. Hence, Top Chef needs to instantly look at trying not to disregard the challenges of people with disabilities.
Top Chef is streaming on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
