Ramsay to The Metaverse
After last week’s story in the Metaverse Insider on Sir Elton John’s plan to continue performing in the Metaverse after he retires from touring next year, news of another larger-than-life celebrity entry into it comes as no surprise.
Chef Gordon Ramsay, star of ITV Studios’ Hell’s Kitchen from 2004 to 2009 — a hit British TV show in 24 territories worldwide — is moving to the Metaverse as well, thanks to a deal between London/Manchester-based ITV Studios and Hong Kong metaverse and virtual world gaming specialist Animoca Brands.
The reality cookery show, which ended in the UK after four seasons in 2009, still has the US version of it (2005–present), which Ramsay fronts, and can boast of being the first five-time Emmy-nominated reality show.
Avatars
The partnership means Hell’s Kitchen restaurant experiences designed with input from Ramsay will be hosted on ITV’s LAND in The Sandbox, a virtual world created by Animoca. Hell’s Kitchen-themed assets, including limited edition Gordon Ramsay avatars, will also be available down the line for players and creators to include in their own original experiences.
The Hell’s Kitchen restaurant setting will represent the first experiences based on cooking themes to appear in The Sandbox.
“We’re shaping the metaverse to become an expansion of all real-world activities through the creative possibilities offered by technology — and who better than Gordon Ramsay and Hell’s Kitchen to bring our first restaurant culinary and social experiences to The Sandbox? In this immersive setting, the show’s fans and community can bring their avatars into Gordon Ramsay’s world and be challenged to bring their creativity to new levels,” said Sebastien Borget, COO and co-founder of The Sandbox.
When Ramsay was asked to comment, he said: “There’s nothing more exciting to me than chartering new territory, whether that’s creating a signature dish, a new restaurant concept, a new show, or now a virtual experience in The Sandbox. I couldn’t think of a better platform to bring the high energy of my Hell’s Kitchen restaurant and brand.”
Neil Bowler, meanwhile, controller of games at ITV, said: “[Hell’s Kitchen and The Sandbox] both are innovators in their respective spaces, which is why they make a great match. We think the show’s fans all over the world will enjoy interacting with experiences set in a virtual Hell’s Kitchen in The Sandbox metaverse.”
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