Food Network
I love the Food Network. I mean I really, really love the Food Network. Whenever I turn on the TV and there’s nothing on I’m dying to see, I flip to the Food Network; it’s my old standby. Doesn’t matter if it’s a cooking show, a competition, or a reality show — if it’s on the Food Network, chances are I’ll watch it.
Now that I think about it, it’s almost a sickness. I swear there are shows that I don’t even like that I will sit and watch just because it’s the Food Network. But I think you get the point, I’ll stop gushing. To feed this obsession, however, I’ll be bringing you this column on all things Food on the TV (not just Food Network, but we’ll start there…).
My favorite time to watch the Food Network is weekend mornings. All morning and into the afternoon, the channel features their best cooking shows. No information shows, no competition — just cooking. In recent years they introduced a lot of new and different chefs into this lineup, and my question is a simple one: why?
Of all the new chefs that the Food Network has been putting on I have to wonder one thing: are these people actually chefs? I know that they can cook, that much is clear, but it seems like a lot of these new faces are just personalities, not real chefs. I like Sunny Anderson, but I feel like I can cook her under the table. I get that the network is trying to make cooking more accessible to the non-expert chef, but why give these shows the prime spots in the morning?
I have to start watching at 7:30 in the morning if I want to catch two of my favorite chefs: Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson. They’re on at the break of dawn, but Sandra Lee gets the 10:00 AM slot? Really? I’ve seen her actually use on of those canned fruit cocktails in a recipe. Are you kidding me? I don’t get it … and don’t even get me started on the fact that Rachael Ray is on twice — TWICE! — between 8:30 and noon.
I should be fair; there are some new chefs that I do like. After watching Anne Burrell on Iron Chef America as one of Mario Batali’s sous chefs for so long, I was thrilled to see her get her own show. Ditto Alex Guarnaschelli who has judged many an episode of Iron Chef America. Her Cooking Loft is a promising new show that I enjoy.
I miss some of the classic chefs of old though. No more Emeril Lagasse, no more Mario Batali, no more Sara Moulton, no more Ming Tsai, no more two fat ladies, even Michael Chiarello is no longer listed on the website. Maybe I’m just being nostalgic, but I want my expert chefs back!
Anyone out there as obsessed with the Food Network as I am? What do you think of this new breed? Who do you really miss?
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Oct 04, 2008 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
I never watched the Food Network as much when Mario and Nigella was on. I didn’t even know Nigella’s name, but I recognized her face and thought “Duuude! I remember her!” I liked watching her cook. I don’t care so much for the new cooks, as much as the experts, but I do happen to like Sunny Anderson and Aida Mollenkamp. Rachel Ray used to be my favorite to watch, but she has gotten too weird since she has her talk show. My favorites are Alton Brown, Paula Deen, Guy, and Emeril. They are the ones that seem well grounded Food Network, and we need more people like them.
you called it — it’s about personality — just watch “the Next Food Network Star” and listen to their advice to the contestants. They talk about how important it is to have good food, but their suggestions are 80% about how to play to the camera better. This always seems to happen to networks when one of theirs hits big (like Rachael) — they keep trying to catch that lightning again (usually so they can have it tightly under contract this time!). Hopefully this will play out over time and they’ll go back to “classic” Food Network.
if you get Discover Health — look for “Sam the Cooking Guy” if you like a fun, interesting cooking show. Sam is not a chef, but it’s so clear that he does know how to cook. And the “healthier” angle that they take is interesting. Plus, Sam really DOES have a personality that comes through the screen naturally.
I would like to see Duff from Ace of Cakes do a baking show; we need more shows strictly about desserts.
*POST AUTHOR*
I love Duff. I remember seeing previews for Ace of Cakes, thinking that it was going to be boring, but the show is great. It’s fraking amazing what those people can do with sugar.
this post reminds me of , which details the rise of “food porn” on the food network.
fixed link. this post reminds me of this article from harper’s, which details the rise of “food porn” on the food network.
*POST AUTHOR*
Thanks for the link to the fun article, Molly. ;-)