Endemol Shine swoops for Japanese ‘Rolling Kitchen’ format rights

Endemol Shine Group has swooped for international distribution rights to Japanese format The Rolling Kitchen. 

The producer-distributor acquired rights for the hit cookery format from Japan’s Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, which created the visual studio-based series and its “rolling” set.

The format sees couples separated from one another trying to create individual dishes in separate kitchens, without any communication. Every 10 minutes, the kitchen rotates 180 degrees and each contestant takes over their partner’s recipe. Contestants must do their best to guess the cooking method and create the most delicious dish to win the prize.

The Rolling Kitchen launched in September 2018 on Yomiuri TV, where it was the highest rating show in its time slot for audiences under 40.

Endemol Shine Group and Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation will launch the format at MIPTV in Cannes next week.

Lisa Perrin, CEO of Creative Networks for Endemol Shine Group, said: “We are always open to working with new partners which enables us to bring third-party formats to new global audiences. Seeing couples in a pressure-cooker competition environment where they must deliver a winning dish makes riveting television and with the show’s unique rolling set, I’m sure this has all the right ingredients to be the next travelling cookery format.”

Kazuo Tani, director of content for Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, added: “Endemol Shine Group has an excellent reputation in delivering popular formats that travel and this partnership will allow us to leverage their scale and bring our show to broadcasters internationally. We’re incredibly proud to create a distinctive cookery series that has been a huge hit here in Japan and we’re confident that the show will be equally successful in other markets.”