A whole subforum on TV cooking shows???

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Well, whaddaya know??? We can TALK about our opinions of them!! COOL!

5 who I watch:

Okay, I LOVE watching Bobby Flay - he's my favorite, food-wise, personality-wise, and .... well, he's a doll. :wub: No complaints.

Tyler Florence and his recipes are excellent, especially his "ultimates", but he talks way too fast. Still, I watch him.

I wish I had Ina Garten's house and gardens in the Hamptons. I watch her.

Rachel Ray has some excellent recipes, especially those using ground turkey. Annoying hand gestures and made-up words. I still watch her.

Paula Deen's use of fat is mouth-watering, and she has wonderful comfort food recipes, but the accent seems a little artificially thick. I watch her.

5 who I cannot watch:

Giada - her giant head is off-putting enough, but the over-articulation of words like "spaghetti" makes me want to throw something through the TV

Sandra Lee - the premise of her show remains excellent, but whereas she was a regular person when it started, she now matches her clothing and set decorations to the food, and the "tablescapes" are YEAH, RIGHT.

Guy Fieri - his hackneyed expressions ("oh, that's MONEY") detract even more from barely interesting recipes. I've heard from BBQ friends that he's a great guy in person, though.

Emeril - too over-exposed, and has become a caricature of himself. I did go to see his live show last year and enjoyed being there immensely, though.

The Neelys - oh man, they are annoying in every single way

That's just Food Network (I also watch food shows on PBS and Travel Channel).

What about you guys?

Oh boy oh boy oh boy this is gonna be FUN! :bounce:

Lee
 

sattie

Resident Rocker Lady
Well... I don't know that I can even list 5 at the moment. I'm usually a late night person and FN does not offer much in the way of food entertainment.

Here we go:

Bobby Flay Throwdown
Iron Chef America
Guy Fieri Dinners Drive-ins and Dives (I'm with you Lee, can't stand the dude myself, but I love the fact that he visits these hole in the wall joints.) I get sooo many of my cooking ideas there!
Rachel Ray - when I can catch her.
Chopped... I'm really liking this show!
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Chopped, sattie? Never heard of it, but I will look for it.

Lee
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Edit: Nevermind. I thought the idea sounded familiar. I didn't notice I was in the TV cooking show forum. :pat:
 

homecook

New member
I like Bobby Flay also for all the reasons you listed.
Guy Fieri on Triple D, I don't like his other two shows.
I like alot of Ina Gartens' recipes.
Nigella Lawson isn't too bad.
I like Chopped too. It's amazing what they can come up with when they open the baskets. I wish I could do that and have it come out good.
I usually just go to Rachel Ray's site to get recipes. She's just on toooo much. She's over the top to me now. I saw her in person a couple years ago and she was very down to earth.
I cannot stand the Neeley's!! Is it a sex show or a cooking show???

Barb
 

lilylove

Active member
Paula is still my favorite...she cooks like I cook. Butter...yep add some more!
Nothing I cook is healthy...but it tastes like it too! lol

Rachel...love her recipes...I get her magazine (the only one I get right now) but can NOT watch any of her shows. SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY! Her voice..her hand movements...she never stops... she just bugs me

I haven't seen Chopped but want too!!

LOVE TOP CHEF but don't get it any more...sadness

I like Iron Chef if the secret ingredient is one that is more normal and one that I would use...but not if it's some thing nobody I know has NEVER heard of

Bobby Flay, Alton Brown thumb UP!
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Actually I find most of FN boring these days since they got rid of Emeril, Batali and others though some are rerun on Fine Living Network. Being a bit older than most here I go back to the original Julia Child, Martin Yan, Justin Wilson and Jeff Smith shows that actually taught one something about cooking.

I liked Essence of Emeril but hated his live show, like Tyler Florance, Gidia, and Batali. Love to watch Paula as I lover her humor and the cooking isn't bad at all. By the way butter is better than margarine regardless of what the food police tell you they are flat wrong on those counts.

Now for those I can stand in small amounts are Rachael Ray and Ina Garten. I can't stand to watch Flay, Guy or the Neely's at all.

Occasionally I catch the American Iron Chef which is pretty good but still love the original Japanese version best. Top Chef I do follow but only watch ever couple of weeks since they repeat all the previous shows till the current one at 10 PM. Hell's Kitchen I can't stand but Gordon has some good shows on the BBC such as the F word which is excellent as his Kitchen Nightmares from Europe while the US version leaves me cold.
 

TexasGirl

The Invisible
Super Site Supporter
I love Paula Dean. That's the food I was raised on and can only watch now, lol

I don't watch others to be truthful. we use to watch a guy that did all of his on the grill. I don't remember his name and I wish I did. I looked for some of his recipes a little while back and can't find him. He's african american and I think he's cajun. He did his meats a lot with apple wood.
 

chowhound

New member
I haven't watched FN for a while, so I guess nothing there is catching my interest to be a regular viewer anymore.
I'll go back like Joe C and say I loved Justin Wilson. And the Frugal Gourmet was another that comes to mind. This is really before I was on my own and cooking, but I liked the shows and the ingredients weren't over the top.
I'll be the odd man out here and say that I like anything with Guy Fieri in it. His shows keep me entertained and I'm pretty sure one of his shows is where I picked up the soak your fries in vinegar thing, so I learned something that I put to use.
RR keeps me entertained, but I prefer her older shows. She used simpler ingredients then. I have a few of her recipes on file.
I like the BF show where he challenges someone to beat them at their own game (signature dish). I'm not sure that one is on anymore. Other than that show, his shows don't really "catch my eye" like Giada's or Sandra Lee's..... :wall: (shameful chauvanistic reply)
And AB Good Eats if it's a food I want to know more about.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Yes I forgot to mention Alton Brown as he is my favorite of all since he is so informative and funny to boot. I'm with you chowhound in that I really like Giada more for the eye candy but then I am and old letch just ask my wife of 43 years. :whistling: The Frugal Gourmet was Jeff Smith that I mentioned in my previous post. I learned more about cooking at a time that I wanted/needed to cook for myself from him and Martin Yan. I also was lucky in that the woman that raised me, my grandmother was a great cook and taught me a lot and was still around to help with my questions when I finally got interested in learning myself. That has been about 40 years ago now and to this day my wife and I love to cook together.
 
Last edited:

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
It's been years since I actually will watch any of them any longer. It was the 'who's gonna be the next network star?' that turned me off to them. There is also all the merchandising that goes with these celebrity chefs...

I learned so much from Julia Child and the Galloping Gourmet. I agree that more and more people are learning how to cook from these shows..I just cannot stomach the gimmicks. And why oh why did Paula Deen's kids need a show?? I wonder who Emeril pissed off that he's now cooking in a Whole Foods grocery store on the Green Network..? Lou and I were actually on his show once...I even got to sit on the main stage at the counter...
 

chowhound

New member
Thanks for letting me know who the frugal gourmet was, Joe. I never knew his name.

Vera, the only thing I remember/learned from the Galloping Gourmet was to always cook with a drink at the ready. It has served me well.
 

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
Wasn't the frugal gourmet arrested for child molestation or some other unsavoury practice?
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Yes there where charges made but I think he died before anything came of it. Regardless of his sexual tastes his show was top notch and very educational. Now Paula Dean is a dirty old lady but then I personally like dirty old ladies as we all need a hobby from time to time, don't you know. :whistle:
 

sattie

Resident Rocker Lady
I forgot about Good Eats! Love that show.

Chopped is pretty cool Lee... you have chefs, usually 4 I think. And they have to prepare 3 courses using secret ingredients in a limited time frame. And usually it is like totally weird stuff that you would not normally pair together. Check it out, you may like it.
 

Deadly Sushi

Formerly The Giant Mojito
Wasn't the frugal gourmet arrested for child molestation or some other unsavoury practice?


Yup. Freaked me out! :shock::yuk:

Lets see here....

I love Alton Brown, Paula Deen and Bobby Flay. To me they are just rock solid.

The recipes from Guy Fieri are fantastic! Full of strong flavors! He, himself is irritating a tad. He says "bad boy" 15 times a damn show! Whats up with THAT?!? :huh:

Chopped is fun. The Neeleys have GREAT meat recipes. hmmmmm.... Unwrapped CAN be fun but I feel like Im watching a commercial.

I despise Rachael Ray!!! She is the MOST annoying person on TV I think.

When Giada makes 'sweets' I think they are just awesome!
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
It was the 'who's gonna be the next network star?' that turned me off to them. There is also all the merchandising that goes with these celebrity chefs...
Yep, major turnoff. Plus, the outcome is predetermined. I refuse to buy that branded merchandise unless it's deeply discounted. Do they really think we're dumb enought to think that if it has someone's name on it, that it's magical or something?

And why oh why did Paula Deen's kids need a show??
Is it me, or are those boys dumber than a pile of kindling wood?

It will be a happy day when the Neelys time slot is filled by someone else. They (she, in particular) are very annoying. She's not cute, funny or sexy like she thinks she is. Waste of a good time slot.
 
Last edited:

High Cheese

Saucier
Giada - her giant head is off-putting enough, but the over-articulation of words like "spaghetti" makes me want to throw something through the TV

Although I'm never really looking at her head :whistling: lol, I agree.

It reminds me of the news reporters that only say their name with an accent, but when they're talking they sound like a regular reporter.

I watch a couple of the FN shows mainly just to see what I want to eat. For learning, I'll watch Iron Chef and Chopped. I also watch Bittman, Lidia, Colameco & Ming Tsai on WLIW. I really learn from shows that interview actual working chefs and I try to duplicate what they make without a recipe. Whether it tastes like the original or not, it's usually close enough to be very good.

I think FN should offer one or two higher calibur shows that are strictly educational. Although I love heart, home cooked, savory meals, there's just way too many of those shows on....along with the contest shows too. Maybe they should make another channel just with the reality shows and contests and leave one channel for actual cooking.
 

Maverick2272

Stewed Monkey
Super Site Supporter
Paula Dean, Bobby Flay, Iron Chef, Frugal Gourmet, Alton Brown and DDD (despite the fact that he needs new lines) are some I like.

RR drives me nuts to the point I can no longer watch her, and never cared for Giada either despite the 'scenery' LOL!
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
Ok, I admit it here before all of my peers (fellow degenerates, if you will), that I am a male chauvinist pig, and I don't really know what Giada's face looks like. I can see why other women don't care for her, and all of the bogus excuses will merely fall on my deaf, piggy ears. She's got it, she flaunts it, and I love it!:thumb::flowers::tiphat::mrgreen::wave: (...and I think she likes me.:tongue:)
 

PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
I like the old food network. This new one is not about cooking and baking. I miss Sara Moultin, David Rosengarten. I miss A Baker's Dozen.
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
Bobby Flay - Jamie - Paula Deen
Not necessarily in that order.

Giada cooks? Wow! Who'd a thunk it?

AC
 

PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
I just wish there were real cooks and not just personalities who think they are going to push a lifestyle at me. Show me knife skills, show me real cooking in real time--teach baking.

You know what I miss--that show, "Calling All Cooks" which was a British import remade. I loved when they visited people at their home and that person made their specialty. It was real and it was special. It was all about the food.
 

PanchoHambre

New member
Giada is definitely the best looker...

Bobby Flay is my favorite... and just about the only one I could imagine sitting down and drinking a beer with. I have to bow down to him for managing to land his wife... I may just have to kill him for it though.

Alton Brown's take is interesting but I cant stand him.

Emeril I think was cool at somepoint but he has been totally packaged and sold... and his audience gushing and clapping and oohing and ahhing really annoys me

I do like old Jaques P

Most of the rest of them irritate me...especially Sandra Lee.. everything she makes looks gross to me...
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
We joined my number 2 son for his 10th wedding anniversary in Orlando Florida and he actually had Emeril cook dinner for the party. Don't ask what it cost but I'm sure it was expensive for 20 people. Emeril actually cooked the meal then came out and spent about an hour with the party at the table. He really is has a great sense of humor and was a pleasure to spend the hour with. It seems my daughter in law is a serious fan of his.
 

smoke king

Banned
Giada - her giant head is off-putting enough, but the over-articulation of words like "spaghetti" makes me want to throw something through the TV


The Neelys - oh man, they are annoying in every single way

:yum::yum:!! You nailed that one Q-Giada does have one enormous Melon!

And as far as the Neelys, That "cutsey" act wore thin about 5 minutes into episode #1!!!
 

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
Paula Dean, Bobby Flay, Iron Chef, Frugal Gourmet, Alton Brown and DDD (despite the fact that he needs new lines) are some I like.

RR drives me nuts to the point I can no longer watch her, and never cared for Giada either despite the 'scenery' LOL!

My 23 year old son loves 'the scenery'....
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
We joined my number 2 son for his 10th wedding anniversary in Orlando Florida and he actually had Emeril cook dinner for the party. Don't ask what it cost but I'm sure it was expensive for 20 people. Emeril actually cooked the meal then came out and spent about an hour with the party at the table. He really is has a great sense of humor and was a pleasure to spend the hour with. It seems my daughter in law is a serious fan of his.

Well, GEEZ, joe! How was the FOOD???

Lee
 
Top