Sinister Sundays: ‘Cutthroat Kitchen’ is a weekend hit

By Andrew Warren TV Media

Some new shows take a while to build up momentum with audiences, a season or two to become palatable; others just go down smooth with the first taste.

“Cutthroat Kitchen” on the Food Network definitely falls into that second category. Amazingly, the show was already greenlit and casting for fourth and fifth seasons way back in February, despite the fact that it only premiered last year.

That’s a clear sign that this backstabbing competition is resonating with audiences at home. But just what is it that makes this show such a hit with Sunday night TV watchers?

Well, the format is definitely a riff on a tried-and-true formula.

“Chopped” has been a flagship show for the Food Network since 2009, and “Cutthroat Kitchen” is definitely cut from the same cloth. Both shows feature four chefs charged with cooking gourmetquality dishes with a tight time limit, and the judges gradually whittle down their numbers until only one remains standing.

While “Chopped” features unusual ingredients, “Cutthroat