Meghan Markle’s new cooking show on Netflix, aptly named Takes the Cake (or perhaps Burns It), has left many subscribers bewildered and unimpressed.
It’s surprising that it took this long for shareholders to express outrage over a project that seems doomed from the start. Netflix, which has made a habit of throwing money at questionable content, has now gambled $100 million on a celebrity chef who, by most accounts, doesn’t have much culinary experience. The decision to hand Markle a cooking show feels less like a creative risk and more like a misstep driven by star power rather than substance.
Meghan Markle has spent years perfecting the art of self-branding, presenting herself as a humanitarian, a fashion icon, and now, apparently, a culinary expert. Netflix, in its infinite wisdom, decided to finance this transformation, and who ends up footing the bill? That’s right—us, the subscribers. While the platform continues to raise subscription prices, we are left paying for Markle’s attempt to reinvent herself as a modern Martha Stewart. It’s an audacious move from a company that should know better, given the backlash to some of her previous ventures.
The premise of Markle’s show doesn’t help its case. From floral ice cubes to elaborate, exorbitantly priced dishes, the content feels more like a parody of a cooking program than something genuinely helpful or relatable. Markle’s promotional posts on Instagram showcase ideas that seem tailored for the ultra-wealthy, offering little to viewers looking for practical recipes. The charm of classic cooking shows—simplicity and relatability—is sorely missing. Instead, we get impractical, out-of-touch tips dressed up as luxury lifestyle inspiration.
Social media users wasted no time reacting to the show’s announcement. On platforms like X, formerly Twitter, comments flooded in, ranging from bemusement to outright disdain. “Hard pass,” one user wrote bluntly, while another quipped, “I’d rather watch paint dry.” Criticisms also targeted the show’s outdated production style, with many likening it to something that belonged in the early 2000s rather than the modern streaming era. It’s a visual and conceptual throwback, and not in a good way.
Markle’s history with Netflix has been less than stellar, and the decision to double down on her brand is puzzling. This latest venture feels like another example of poor judgment. The probability of success seems almost non-existent; the content is predictable, the tone detached from reality, and Markle’s culinary credentials nonexistent. The inevitable tell-all stories from behind the scenes will likely become fodder for critics, adding more fuel to an already fiery debate.
Of course, the real reason this project exists is no great mystery. If Meghan Markle weren’t married to Prince Harry, it’s highly unlikely Netflix would have greenlit such a show. While she found some success as an actress on Suits, her current fame comes from her royal connections rather than her individual talents. This isn’t the first time a major platform has bankrolled her endeavors based on her royal cachet rather than merit, and it likely won’t be the last.
Ultimately, Netflix’s willingness to invest in projects like this raises questions about the future of streaming content. Many subscribers, disillusioned by rising costs and self-serving vanity projects, are reconsidering their loyalty. If overpriced, out-of-touch productions represent the new norm, more viewers may choose to cancel their subscriptions. While Takes the Cake may provide some entertainment, it’s not for the reasons Netflix intended. The true spectacle will be the fallout, as audiences and critics continue to dissect what went wrong. Markle’s personal brand may see a temporary boost, but for Netflix, this experiment feels more like a lesson in what not to do.
