'I watched Come Dine With Me with Americans and they were shocked by one detail'
In a city renowned for Mardi Gras, gumbo, and extravagant hospitality, I was curious how New Orleans locals would react to a programme that seems completely opposite: Come Dine With Me.
The enduring British cult series features strangers taking turns hosting dinner parties, whilst secretly rating each other in competition for £1,000. So, I gathered three locals - all proud Big Easy dwellers - and pressed play.
First was Brad Collins, a French Market business owner, who confessed he mainly watched for Channel 4 star Dave Lamb's sharp-tongued commentary.
"That voiceover guy is savage!" he chuckled. "He says what everyone's thinking, but way more brutal. It's so British - sounds polite, but they're low-key scheming and roasting each other behind their backs. Like smiling while they plan your downfall."
However, not everything went down smoothly for him: "Some of the food? I had no clue what I was looking at. I'm like, is that dessert or dinner? And sometimes I had to put the subtitles on because I didn't know what they were saying. But I kept watching - it's addictive," reports the Express.
Next was mum-of-two Izzy Althans, 36, who works as an advertising operations coordinator. After tuning into the show, she rapidly became captivated.
Izzy revealed: "Come Dine With Me is such a fun way to see British at-home entertaining. In the US, it's all about a theme - props, photo booths, curated playlists - but the Brits seem more focused on good ingredients and proper courses.
"It felt structured but relaxed, without all the over-the-top effort."
She was particularly impressed by the presenting approach on the Channel 4 programme, saying: "In America, it's very 'make yourself at home' - we want to have fun as hosts too.
"But the show felt more like, 'how can I take care of you?' It's not that this doesn't exist in America, but it's definitely a declining part of our culture."
Whilst she adored the programme's British appeal, she also valued its sharp edge.
"They can be so catty towards each other - but in this incredibly emotionless way. I loved it! And I'm obsessed with watching them shop at these cute speciality stores. In short, I think it is a brilliant show that I plan to continue watching it," she explained.
Finally, there was Jenny Collins, a local teacher, who was captivated by the authentic, unvarnished approach.
She enthused: "After watching a few episodes I realised why I was so drawn to the show. It was the realism; from the appearance of the individuals, to the unedited conversations."
She also spotted a stark difference in style, saying: "I felt like it was real. In the States, even series that are supposed to be reality TV, are severely edited as not to offend anyone.
"Even the participants who we are expected to see as every day people, go in to make up like celebrities to improve their appearance prior to filming. I felt that I was seeing a true slice of the people who were hosting each meal."
Despite the cultural differences - Yorkshire puddings, passive-aggressive banter, and sarcastic hosting - the consensus was clear: Come Dine With Me had charmed them.
It appears that all it takes is a bit of sarcasm, some peculiar fish pies, and a ruthless narrator - and even one of the most renowned food cities in America will take a seat at the dinner table.
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