Lisa Vanderpump Talks Going Up Against Gordon Ramsay on Fox’s ‘Food Stars’ and the Future of ‘Vanderpump Rules’ and ‘Villa’
Lisa Vanderpump and Gordon Ramsay have been friends and rivals in the restaurant industry for years, but the second season of “Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars” on Fox marks the first time the two have teamed up to take each other down on screen.
In a twist for Season 2 of “Food Stars,” which premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m., food and beverage entrepreneurs will pitch themselves and their products, services or business ideas to Ramsay and reality TV star and restaurateur Vanderpump, who will then select contestants to form their teams, which will then go through “Business Boot Camp.” Come the finale, one contestant will win the $250,000 prize, and either Ramsay or Vanderpump will earn bragging rights as the winner’s mentor.
“We had to be strategic when we picked a team,” Vanderpump told Variety. “We had these challenges where you have to put everything together: we had to have someone who understands how the kitchen works, who understands presentation. They introduced us not only to their brand but also to their area of expertise. It was frustrating sometimes when we were both going after the same person. And then there were also personal reasons, why they chose one of us. Gordon has a big presence in the U.K., where we film, but the contestants are American, so they’ve known me for years. And then there were emotional reasons where someone would say, a dead mother loves you, different reasons.”
The star of Bravo’s “Vanderpump Rules” and Hulu’s “Vanderpump Villa” said the competition really heated up whenever Ramsay bragged, which made her “a little uncomfortable.”
“It’s because he wants to win so badly that it makes me want to win,” she said. “If he ever hints that he’s potentially the stronger contestant and he’s going to win, it adds to the game. It’s kind of nice — I can’t spoil the way the dynamic changes throughout the series — but I’m at risk of getting a little uncomfortable if I win anything, because I’m gloating. So it’s back and forth.”
Vanderpump has been busy opening new restaurants and battling Ramsay recently, but she knows fans are waiting for news about renewals for both “Vanderpump Rules” and “Vanderpump Villa.” However, she has no news to share at this time other than her optimism about continuing with them in some form.
“There’s no announcement yet. We know we’re taking a break,” Vanderpump said, adding, “‘Vanderpump Rules’ needs to take a breather because I think we’re all a little bit stuck in the aftermath of Scandoval. And I need to get busy doing what I do best, which is designing and opening restaurants.”
As for a second season of “Villa” on Hulu, while “no decisions have been made” on that, Vanderpump said the show has been “very successful” on the Disney-owned streaming channel and “there’s no reason to think we won’t do more.” She’s also “definitely” considering a different location for a potential future season, moving from her estate in the French countryside to another hotel. She just hasn’t “found the place that I think is perfect for it” yet.
One thing she knows about her reality TV future is that, after Season 2 of “Food Stars,” she wants to bring Ramsay onto one of her shows for a change.
“I’ve guested on a couple of his shows, and now I’m in London for two months on his show. “It’s time for him to appear on one of my shows,” Vanderpump said. “Maybe we’d like to see him have some input in the kitchen on ‘Vanderpump Rules.’ I think people would appreciate that. Anytime I can get Ramsay into my territory, where I can boss him around a little bit, it’s a feel-good moment.” Vanderpump has experienced those “feel-good” moments whenever her team is ahead on “Food Stars.”
