French Sales for Gordon Ramsay Fare

LONDON: Optomen International has notched up a number of sales in French-speaking territories for new and classic programming centered on celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

The chef’s latest series, Ramsay’s Best Restaurant, sold to French DTT network W9. The series is a One Potato Two Potato production for Channel 4. The title has also been acquired by Discovery Italy.

The first four seasons of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares went to French online channel Teva, as well as the French-Canadian cable service Evasion. Evasion also opted for Kitchen Nightmares USA and both seasons of Gordon’s Great Escape. Kitchen Nightmares USA also is headed to Spain on Antena 3’s Neox.

Paris-based production company Coyote optioned the format rights to Great British Waste Menu, a 90-minute food event that features top chefs working with edible but discarded food.

Chris O’Neill, Optomen International’s sales manager, said: “To sell a British chef to the French is particularly gratifying and a testament to Gordon’s ability to create not just great cuisine, but great entertainment.”