Schitt’s Creek’s Dan Levy brings the deliciousness with The Big Brunch trailer
Dan Levy is the host and creator of The Big Brunch competition on HBOMax, joined by judges Sohla El-Waylly and Will Guidara
Just when you think we’ve exhausted all the good ideas for a cooking competition (sorry, Antoni Porowski’s Easy Bake Battle), Dan Levy comes along to remind us that oh, right, obviously there should be a show that’s just about brunch. Though the Schitt’s Creek creator and star became somewhat famous for not knowing what it means to “fold in cheese” in a recipe, the trailer for HBO Max’s The Big Brunch, streaming November 10, 2022, proves that he’s actually a passionate foodie—though he’d reasonably rather eat the food than cook it.
While some reality competition shows seem to drop a celebrity host in at random, Levy actually created The Big Brunch and produces it under his Not A Real Production Company banner. He’s joined in judging the competition by everyone’s favorite Bon Appétit survivor Sohla El-Waylly and restaurateur Will Guidara. “I’m so grateful that you’re here,” Levy tells his group of chefs, and he sounds like he really means it.
Per the series’ logline, The Big Brunch “celebrates inspiring and undiscovered culinary voices from every corner of the country. This eight-episode cooking competition series gives ten talented chefs the opportunity to share their stories and business dreams while vying for a life altering $300,000 cash prize.” The logline also refers to the meal “one of the most versatile, yet underrated, dining experiences,” which surely must have been written by someone who just emerged from a coma and blessedly missed out on a decade’s worth of millennial brunch discourse. In any case, brunch here is simply a vessel for the chefs to “showcase the connection between food and culture–and what it means to celebrate both!”
This is no Cutthroat Kitchen of simmering tension. It’s a competition, but it’s also a wholesome exercise in community building. And not just the communities that these selfless chefs serve: the chefs are seen hugging each other and professing that they’re “becoming a family.” The trailer also depicts cooking as an emotional act. “What I’m trying to convey, y’all got,” one of the competitors tells the judges through tears. If you’re after a meal that will tug on your heartstrings, The Big Brunch seems like a good bet.