A poster for "Top Chef Canada," promoting a battle of the sexes theme, has sparked anger and frustration with some fans accusing the network of sexism.
According to Eater, the network released two posters for their "Battle of the Sexes" edition, which features seven females and seven males. One of the posters featured male contestants grouped together with the caption "This Kitchen is no place for a woman."
Food Network Tweeted a photo of the poster with the following text, "7 men and 7 women face off in a battle of sexes on @TopChefCanada. Who has the skills to take home the glory?"
The poster makes sense when placed alongside the female advertising counterpart, featuring women contestants also grouped together with the caption, "Is that all you got boys?" Each poster was gender specific, including gender symbols in the background.
According to Eater Vancouver, the network responded with this following statement on their website:
"The fourth season of Top Chef Canada showcases the Nation's best chefs and, for the first time ever, an even number of men and women face off in a culinary battle of the sexes that challenges them mentally, physically, and emotionally."
But the controversial language was enough to aggravate Twitter users and feminist bloggers, who stated that the advertisements are obviously sexist. Social media expressed its frustration at the advertisements, saying, "See this is why I don't have TV" and "not digging this ad campaign."
Top Chef Canada is not the first show to use sexism to make food television content. MasterChef Australia split their competitors by gender. A promo for the show also features offensive gender stereotypes.
Last fall, Time Magazine's "Gods of Food' edition, highlighted some of the world's biggest influences in the culinary world; however, the magazine failed to include any female chefs. Time argued that the culinary world is still a "boy's club."
Shame on you Food Network! RT@Eater: Top Chef Canada’s blatantly sexist posters https://t.co/oj0QH3ddKN pic.twitter.com/kfTdhBz3dR
— The Grind House (@GrindhouseTO) March 11, 2014
@LaurenMote @TopChefCanada Sex sells. Not sexism. It's bad enough you have a "judge" on your network that canned his staff on Christmas. — Uncle Scott (@Evilatthebar) March 10, 2014
