The young team behind an unusual cookery competition programme filmed in Ramsgate are planning a second series.
Xen’s Cooking, which was filmed at Chatham and Clarendon grammar by a team of ex-students, involves contestants with little to no cooking experience who go head to head to impress judges with dishes from around the world.
Series one, which aired last year via a Youtube channel, features Thanet students, teachers and guest judge – Marc Campos from Ramsgate’s Marc-Pierre’s Kitchen behind and in front of the camera.
The first series earned an enthusiastic following, prompting plans for a second, bigger run.
Producer Sid Britton, 18, said: “Me and a few school friends got together to make the first season, released on YouTube last December, as a passion project which allowed us to express our creativity and affection for production, and we are eager to continue the show for a second season, using a crowdfunder page to raise funds.
“The first season of ‘Xen’s Cooking’ was funded entirely out of the pockets of the cast and crew making it.
“A second season would bring two brand new contestants to the kitchen to impress a new roster of guest judges with their minimal cooking experience in a similar format to the first, but with a bigger and more ambitious production.”
The small production team of 10-15 people are all aged 18 or younger and most are former Chatham and Clarendon students. The show created a ‘competition kitchen’ in the school and was also a vehicle to promote local businesses. The team are now working on securing Thanet venues and guest judges for the second series.
Sid said: “We have started to think about who we would like to contact and have lots of ideas planned. We’d like to film in the summer so it is ready to go out by the end of the year.
The aim of the fundraiser is to help finance the larger scale production with camera, lighting and sound equipment as well as paying the cast and crew behind it.
In the fundraiser Sid says: “Having the money to spend on pursuing the project not only allows the next generation of filmmakers a hands-on experience on a set which aims to be as professional as possible, but provides a continuation of a series which entertained many with its first five episodes last year from a fresh new perspective.”
Find the fundraiser here
Find Xen’s Cooking series 1 here (be aware some swearing is included)
