Why you should be watching Sugar Rush on Netflix
Review Overview
Baking
8Variety
8Format
8David Farnor | On 03, Aug 2019
Netflix has become a haven for so many things, from true crime and documentaries to stand-up comedy, but one fantastic feast that people often overlook is Netflix’s glut of glorious food offerings. From Zumbo’s Just Desserts and Chef’s Table to Ugly Delicious and Salt Fat Acid Heat, there are a wealth of options on Netflix’s menu of tasty TV to help fill the Bake Off void.
But while there are number of tense competitions to choose from, Sugar Rush is perhaps the most mouth-watering of the bunch. Zumbo’s Just Desserts has the fun of seeing extravagant creations being constructed – the opposite of Nailed It!‘s showcase of baking fails – but Sugar Rush has something better: a neat twist on the whole baking contest format.
Here, time is the most important ingredient, as bakers race to make sweet treats that look beautiful and taste amazing – but, crucially, do so against the clock. Each episode is divided into three rounds – cupcakes, confections, and cakes – with four teams hoping to be the ones to win the $10,000 prize. Each of the first two rounds sees one group eliminated, leaving just two for the final round.
But while they are guaranteed three hours to make their showstopping cakes, how quickly they complete their cupcakes and confectionary will determine how much extra time they get: they have three hours total for the first two rounds, with any leftover time then added to their final total.
The competition is hosted by Hunter March and ruled by two world class pastry chefs: Candace Nelson (co-founder and executive pastry chef behind Sprinkles cupcakes and Pizzana in Los Angeles) and Adriano Zumbo. They’re both solid judges, and are joined by a diverse line-up of guest judges, from candy queen Jackie Sorkin and Insatiable’s Irene Choi to chocolatier Jonathan Grahm, actor Colin Hanks, restauranteur Richard Blais and Nailed It!’s own Jacques Torres.
The episodes keep things varied by mixing up the themes, too, from surprise flavours and candy store-inspired concoctions to aquatic ideas and seasonal favourites. But the star is the format, which dares the contestants to speed up without making a mistake – if you ever wished Bake Off had more tension, this show is for you. The result is gripping as well as inspiring; a novel, entertaining show that’s just different enough to keep your tastebuds tingling.
Sugar Rush: Season 1 and 2 is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.