Pressure Cook will premiere on MOJO October 14

How would you like to be blind-folded, dropped off in an unknown exotic location somewhere around the world and be forced to earn your transportation costs home just by cooking? If you are celebrated chef and restaurateur Ralph Pagano, you are just the person for that challenge. With ten half-hour episodes, MOJO’s newest high definition series Pressure Cook will premiere on MOJO Sunday, October 14 at 9:30pm, ET/PT.

Pagano is no stranger to “pressure cooking” situations. Blessed with a magnetic personality and great sense of humor along with his cooking talent, he became popular as a finalist on Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen and a contestant on Food Network’s Iron Chef. Pagano has been a culinary force in the Hamptons for over ten years: co-owner of the famed “World Pie” restaurant, executive chef/culinary coordinator for the Hampton’s Food and Wine Festival and proprietor of celebrity catering service “Ralph Pagano Events.” Pressure Cook locations include Iceland, Mexico, Wyoming, Belize, Italy, Prague and Brazil (with three more exotic locations to come).

Each Pressure Cook episode begins when Ralph is brought to the airport without knowing his destination. Once landing in the surprise spot, he’s given a quick tour of the area, including a brief lesson on local cultural and culinary history and is then left to his own devices. Given only a rental car and just enough money to cover his accommodations, he must in only 72 hours cook his way towards making enough cash to return home. If he fails, Ralph must suffer some distasteful gastronomic punishment such as eating Rocky Mountain oysters or the “Queen’s Rat” (a Belizean rodent). Obstacles like language barriers, proper etiquette and wardrobe challenges create suspenseful and outrageous moments for the incredibly energetic and engaging chef.

Ralph Pagano, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, has worked his way though some of the best kitchens in New York City, including “The Sign of the Dove,” “One if by Land, Two if by Sea,” “The Hudson River Club” and “The River Café.” Creating a style all his own, he served as executive chef at “Bobby Van’s Steakhouse” and “The World Pie” restaurant group (where he was also co-owner). He currently operates “Ralph Pagano Events,” a full-service catering company where he cooks for elegant events on yachts, at polo matches and at clambakes for hundreds. In addition to his television appearances on Pressure Cook, Hell’s Kitchen and Iron Chef, he is working on his first book, examining his new life as a “gypsy” chef and covering his life-long gastronomic travels.

Pressure Cook is produced by Helicon Media. Executive Producer is Sandy Green. For MOJO, Emilio Nunez is Executive Producer and Siobhan Graham is Supervising Producer.

About MOJO (www.mojohd.com) MOJO was created exclusively for the discerning upscale male, with attitude, wit and style, and became the network name as of May 1, 2007. Formerly INHD, it has been a pioneer in hi-def television since 2003, and is among the most widely distributed HD networks on cable. It consistently earns high marks from HD viewers for the pristine quality of its 1080i picture and 5.1 sound and ranks as a viewer favorite. Original shows are about wide-ranging men’s interests including high tech, finance, comedy-reality, adventurous travel, music, cuisine and spirits. Other programming includes high profile professional and college sports, movies, concerts and big events. The network is 100% high definition and available as part of the HD offerings from Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Cablevision, Charter Communications Inc., Bright House Networks, Mediacom, Patriot and others. MOJO is owned by iN DEMAND Networks, whose shareholders are Comcast iN DEMAND Holdings, Inc., Cox Communications Holdings, Inc., and Time Warner Entertainment - Advance/Newhouse Partnership.