James May: Oh Cook!
Cooking series hosted by James May
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James May: Oh Cook! is a cooking programme hosted by James May and released via Amazon Prime Video in 2020. The programme features May attempting to cook a variety of different dishes, with each episode focusing on a particular cuisine or meal. The show's title is a play on James's catchphrase from previous programmes.[1]
Tom Whitter
| James May: Oh Cook! | |
|---|---|
| Written by | James May |
| Directed by | Will Daws Tom Whitter |
| Presented by | James May |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Will Daws James May Tom Whitter |
| Producer | William Fisher |
| Cinematography | Gary Rogers |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 27‒32 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Release | 13 November 2020 – 24 May 2023 |
From 2019, May was involved in producing food-oriented videos for DriveTribe spin-off FoodTribe.[2] In June 2020, it became apparent that May was working on a cookery show with Amazon.[1] Amazon confirmed the show in July 2020, announcing that it would be released alongside a book, titled Oh Cook!: 60 Easy Recipes That Any Idiot Can Make.[3][4]
In press interviews released alongside the first series, May stated that he would like to film a second series of the programme abroad, saying he would be interested in learning how to cook a "proper American breakfast".[5]
Episodes
During the episodes May is assisted at times by home economist Nikki Morgan, who is kept in a cupboard until her assistance is required.[6]
Series 1 (2020)
| No. in series | Title | Original release date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Asian Fusion" | 13 November 2020 | 0:32 | |
|
James puts a British spin on food from across the Asian continent. | ||||
| 2 | "Pub Classics" | 13 November 2020 | 0:32 | |
|
James attempts to fry the perfect steak for Nikki, cooks his first pie, and creates a fish pie. | ||||
| 3 | "Pasta" | 13 November 2020 | 0:28 | |
|
James ventures into the world of pasta, creating a lasagne, experimenting whether cream should be used in carbonara, and trying to put a twist on alphabet pasta | ||||
| 4 | "Curry" | 13 November 2020 | 0:28 | |
|
James cooks an Indian-inspired feast featuring lamb keema, dal, chapatis, and a raita. | ||||
| 5 | "Pudding" | 13 November 2020 | 0:30 | |
|
James turns his attention to pudding, creating cakes, custards and crumbles. | ||||
| 6 | "Breakfast" | 13 November 2020 | 0:28 | |
|
James focuses on the first meal of the day, looking at dishes from around the world. | ||||
| 7 | "Roast" | 13 November 2020 | 0:27 | |
|
James, having promised the crew lunch, attempts to cook a Sunday roast. | ||||
Series 2 (2023)
| No. in series | Title | Original release date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "French Classics" | 24 May 2023 | 0:33 |
| 2 | "Japanese" | 24 May 2023 | 0:32 |
| 3 | "70's Dinner Party" | 24 May 2023 | 0:31 |
| 4 | "Vegan" | 24 May 2023 | 0:32 |
| 5 | "German" | 24 May 2023 | 0:32 |
| 6 | "Picnic" | 24 May 2023 | 0:31 |
| 7 | "Mexican" | 24 May 2023 | 0:31 |
Release
Critical reception
The programme has a score of 100% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.7 out of 5 on Amazon Prime Video.[7][8]
Michael Hogan for The Telegraph gave the series three out of five stars, saying the show has "unlikely charm" and there was "finally a cookery show for blokes".[9] Lucy Mangan for The Guardian gave the series three out of five stars, saying it was "occasionally charming – and mostly slightly dismal".[10]
