Going into episode five this week, Dundas native Mark Picone and his judging colleagues have struck a raw nerve with their brutal reviews of the dishes competing chefs have created.

Viewers can’t wait to see what nasty comments Mr. Picone and his judging cohorts will level on the dishes they receive.

Like a forensic cop, Mr Picone dissects every plate with exacting standards. He’s already had two dishes with hair in them and one with an uncooked saddle of rabbit. Of the 16 original competitors only nine are left and with comments like “awful” and “inedible” coming back to their kitchens, chefs are second guessing their culinary skills as never before.

Mr. Picone’s tasting judging sidekicks, Cornelia Volino and Tawfik Shehata, can be just as scathing in their criticism, but when each episode is finished, Mr. Picone takes home the Simon Cowell award for harsh criticism.

Competing chefs are also haunted by a host of kitchen judges who monitor every culinary skill, practice and malpractice taking place in the kitchens. Kitchen judges are also faced with the unenviable task of having to eliminate competitors from losing teams.

Most judges are accomplished certified chefs de cuisine from the Niagara/Hamilton region and include William Wallace of Ancaster, Erik Peacock of St. Catharines, Virginia Marr, Vincenza Smith, Mark Hand and Anne Yarymowich. In the first three episodes of the Pressure

Cooker, Ms. Yarymowich had to fire four of the five eliminated chefs. Competitors nick-named her, the Hatchet Woman.

If you ever wanted to be the “fly on the wall” of a frantic kitchen where top chefs confront brutal cooking challenges under extreme time restraints, you’ll want to see Pressure Cooker TV. The competing chefs are wearing wireless heart monitors that reveal the stress they’re under at critical times.

Pressure Cooker TV is nine, one-hour HD TV episodes produced out of Hamilton and airing on SUN TV every Sunday night, 10 p. m. following Boston Legal. It is also seen on MEN TV, Tuesdays at 7 a. m., 1 and 7 p. m. Visit www.thepressurecooker.tv .