[billieboy]

Would like to have a beer with:

Mario Batali
Morimoto

Would like to have a midnight snack with

Nigella Lawson

Would like to kill!!!

Those idiots on Food Jammers
The sureal ass

Edited for spelink

This post has been edited by billieboy: 08 January 2009 - 12:50 PM

[Special K]

Likes (in no particular order):

Early Alton Brown, not so much the motorcycle persona and I don't much like the new longer hair (but he didn't ask me). I liked Geeky Alton a lot better.

Early Emeril Legasse, without the audience (but I do agree that he is to be commended for his response to Katrina, and I do like Emeril Green). He seems like a nice guy, and I'm worried about his health. Poor guy looks like a walking heart attack these days.

Jamie Oliver, especially now that the camera work is so wonderful, as opposed to the Naked Chef, where the constant jumping around made me dizzy. The show and Jamie seem to have calmed down quite a bit, and I'm glad.

Mario Batali, especially Molto Mario, not so much the Iron Chef shows - I'm just not into watching chefs compete - I think cooking should be an act of creation, of giving, not of trying to beat out someone else. I know this is Food Network's way of bringing in new, younger, male audience members, but I don't like it.

Sara Moulton, love her.

Ina Garten, love her too.

Nigella Lawson, in small doses.

Early Michael Chiarello, not so much the current show on FLN where he rants - I don't want to see him rant, I want nice, easygoing smiling Michael, not frowny, griping Michael.

Tyler Florence. I want to adopt him.

Ming Tsai, although my enjoyment was somewhat ruined by a report from a local food writer that he was inexplicably very rude to her when she interviewed him. I've never glimpsed any sign of rudeness on his shows, but I can't stop thinking about it when I see him.

Anthony Bourdain, loveable bad boy.

Not so much:

Bobby Flay (the competition thing again). And I don't think playing tricks on people is nice.

Rachel Ray, although I have to say I know lots of young people who started cooking with her, and anything that gets young 'uns in the kitchen is good. Her voice always bothered me, but it turns out she just had throat surgery for a nodule or something.

Sandra Lee. Skin-crawling aversion to the woman for reasons I can't really define. I can't turn the channel fast enough when her show comes on. But I do want her kitchen.

Paula Deen. Now, I'm a Southerner myself, and I just don't buy it. I think it's all an act. Plus, it seems obvious to me that she's trying to kill us all.

Martha Stewart. Now that she's come down off her pedestal I think I understand why everyone hated her before. Still, I feel sorry for her about the "Whatever, Martha" show, although I've read that it was her idea. I actually liked her more when she was perfect. I didn't believe it, but for some reason I liked it. I guess we want our teachers to be paragons (or I do).

Really Dislike:

The whole crop of new shows on Food Network which have replaced the educational, informative ethic with testosterone.

[jess mebane]

Special K, on Jan 8 2009, 01:27 PM, said:

Really Dislike:

The whole crop of new shows on Food Network which have replaced the educational, informative ethic with testosterone.

Amen, brother. I sorta stopped watching that channel all together about a year or so ago, but didn't realize why.

I like Lidia B., and find myself rooting for her millionairess endeavors while fervently hoping she'll consider hair plugs at the same time...Special treat when her mom guest-stars.
Also enjoy listening to Eric Rippert's caramel frog accent, but does he have his own show yet? I just catch him on the odd Bravo or Regis and Kelly Lee segment....yum!

[GwennP]

Favorite:
Julia and Jacques
Michael Chiarello
Tony Bourdain
Mario
Lydia
Ina Garten

The Worst:
Bobby Flay
Sandra Lee
Rachel Ray
Giada
Pretty much anyone on food network!!

[TimmDavis]

GwennP, on Feb 1 2009, 05:35 AM, said:

Favorite:
Julia and Jacques
Michael Chiarello
Tony  Bourdain
Mario
Lydia
Ina Garten

The Worst:
Bobby Flay
Sandra Lee
Rachel Ray
Giada
Pretty much anyone on food network!!

Ok, so by your admission of "pretty much anyone one on the food network", your even likes list should be under the worst: Ina Garten, Mario, Chiarello....all of them have or had shows on Food network.

[jess mebane]

ease up on the snark, luvvy, they're just sayin'........tsK!

[TimmDavis]

jess mebane, on Feb 1 2009, 10:53 AM, said:

ease up on the snark, luvvy, they're just sayin'........tsK!

Didn't have enough coffee in my system at that point, and my snark meter was set to high...

[Marigene]

Like:
Ina Garten
Giada
Michael Chiarello
Anthony Bourdain
Ann Burrell (minus her growls and flying hands)

Can't stand:
The Neelys
Paula Deen
Bobby Flay
Rachel Ray
Sandra Lee

The rest are in between.

[emmalish]

There are a lot of hated celebrities that I've never had the chance to see on Food Network Canada. I'm dying to see Sandra Lee to find out for myself if all the horror stories are true.

I just caught the Neelys for the first time. Oh urgh. How. Annoying. I can't decide which of them is worse, but the two of them in combination makes me want to smack them both.

I can't decide how I feel about Michael Smith's Chef at Home or Laura Calder's French Food at Home. I enjoy both shows for the ideas and techniques, but... well, Michael always comes across as condescending – I feel like he thinks he's explaining things to a really slow child. And Laura is just too too precious.

[Pierogi]

emmalish, on Feb 1 2009, 04:00 PM, said:

There are a lot of hated celebrities that I've never had the chance to see on Food Network Canada. I'm dying to see Sandra Lee to find out for myself if all the horror stories are true.

I just caught the Neelys for the first time. Oh urgh. How. Annoying. I can't decide which of them is worse, but the two of them in combination makes me want to smack them both.

I can't decide how I feel about Michael Smith's Chef at Home or Laura Calder's French Food at Home. I enjoy both shows for the ideas and techniques, but... well, Michael always comes across as condescending – I feel like he thinks he's explaining things to a really slow child. And Laura is just too too precious.

The Neelys are worthy of an Emmy, a Peabody AND a Pulitzer, and they could instruct at Le Cordon Bleu AND CIA, simultaneously, in comparison to Aunt Sandy. *THAT'S* how awful she is. They are Julia and Jacques together again in comparison to her.

And totally agreed about Michael Smth. We used to get him down here on I think TLC. He totally got on my last nerve. But not nearly as bad as Sandra Lee does. At least HE actually cooks.

[GwennP]

TimmDavis, on Feb 1 2009, 01:58 PM, said:

GwennP, on Feb 1 2009, 05:35 AM, said:

Favorite:
Julia and Jacques
Michael Chiarello
Tony  Bourdain
Mario
Lydia
Ina Garten

The Worst:
Bobby Flay
Sandra Lee
Rachel Ray
Giada
Pretty much anyone on food network!!

Ok, so by your admission of "pretty much anyone one on the food network", your even likes list should be under the worst: Ina Garten, Mario, Chiarello....all of them have or had shows on Food network.

Yes, Ina is on food network now but Michael only has reruns now. I guess I should have been more specific - I'm new!

[GwennP]

TimmDavis, on Feb 1 2009, 01:58 PM, said:

GwennP, on Feb 1 2009, 05:35 AM, said:

Favorite:
Julia and Jacques
Michael Chiarello
Tony  Bourdain
Mario
Lydia
Ina Garten

The Worst:
Bobby Flay
Sandra Lee
Rachel Ray
Giada
Pretty much anyone on food network!!

Ok, so by your admission of "pretty much anyone one on the food network", your even likes list should be under the worst: Ina Garten, Mario, Chiarello....all of them have or had shows on Food network.

Tony Bourdain
Mario
Lydia
Ina Garten

The Worst:
Bobby Flay
Sandra Lee
Rachel Ray
Giada
Pretty much anyone ELSE on food network!!

[CindyTelleysh]

Hi! I am new to Egullet and this is my first response!

Favorite
-----------
Ina Garten
Lidia Bastianich (Love her show, cookbooks and restaurant)
Julia Child
Nigella Lawson
Michael Chiarello (Prior to Fine Living)
Bobby Flay Cookbooks only
David Rosengarten
Anthony Bourdain
Jacques Pepin
Thomas Keller


Least Favorite
---------------
Emeril
THE NEELYS (Watched 2 minutes and had to turn the channel)
Rachel Ray
Can't watch any of the New Food Network Stars!
Paula Deen (Seems like a nice lady but feel my arteries hardening every time I watch her show)

[Ce'nedra]

Okay I've never had a problem with Paula Deen really since I hardly get to see her show anyway but after seeing this
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=zv8yEMRDe_w

...I think I might!

[bwv544]

that last youtube link just made me die inside...

[CKatCook]

EWWWWWWWWWW......

[Zeemanb]

Sandra Lee still remains near the bottom of my list, but then I thought of something......when does her precious nephew Brycer get HIS own show?

[chappie]

I've got to admit, as someone who used to criticize the guy, I've really started appreciating Bobby Flay more the past couple of years. It seems all the success (and money) has actually mellowed him and I dare say he's more humble -- at least on camera.

In the beginning I thought his Throwdown show was a terrible idea. But he does seem gracious and interested in the people he's competing against, and I get the feeling he's kind of uncomfortable when he wins.

[hungryCAT]

Ce, on Apr 7 2009, 03:47 AM, said:

Okay I've never had a problem with Paula Deen really since I hardly get to see her show anyway but after seeing this
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=zv8yEMRDe_w

...I think I might!

OMG - That's just nuts!

[cbread]

Prior to seeing that youtube clip I thought Paula Deen merely awful, but now ...

[hsm]

Earlier today, Paula and another woman each chowed down on another very special sandwich - a honkin' big slab of lasagna between a half loaf of Italian bread, which had been slathered in garlic butter.

Rachel Ray still irritates me more than Paula, but ya'll are making it a race, lady.

This post has been edited by hsm: 26 April 2009 - 10:51 PM

[gfweb]

oink oink

[Toliver]

hsm, on Apr 26 2009, 10:51 PM, said:

Earlier today, Paula and another woman each chowed down on another very special sandwich - a honkin' big slab of lasagna between a half loaf of Italian bread, which had been slathered in garlic butter.

Rachel Ray still irritates me more than Paula, but ya'll are making it a race, lady.

Thanks to you, I am now channeling my inner Homer Simpson and making "Mmmm...Lasagna Sandwich" noises while drooling at work.

[Ce'nedra]

Ahahha glad to see people are enjoying that Paula video

Btw, I know I'm late (very) but I just watched the ep of Iron Chef America where Flay was competing against Ming Tsai and wow! Such professionalism from Tsai! I have to say, I have a renewed respect for him.
So now I'll have to list Tsai as one of my fav food celebs.

This post has been edited by Ce'nedra: 04 May 2009 - 12:33 AM

[DanM]

Favorites:
Juila
Jaques
The Swedish Chef!! (why am I the first to list him??)
Jamie Oliver
Alton Brown
Mario
Morimoto
Anthony Bourdain
Denis Cotter (little known, but a huge influence on me)
Paul Prudhomme
Bronwen Weber
Ella Brennan (Not a chef, but a wonderful, wonderful person :) )


Least Favorite:
Bobby Flay
Todd English (I swear this guy wears make up)
Rocco
Rachel Ray
Martha Stewart
That lady in the school cafeteria with the hair net...

[Icanmakeit]

Ce, on May 3 2009, 11:32 PM, said:

Ahahha glad to see people are enjoying that Paula video

OMG - this just reinforces why I can't stand this woman. Did you notice how she licks her fingers then promptly grabs the food - shared food - at that. Ugh! She might be the next Typhoid Mary!
I think she wants people to eat her food and die.

[maggiethecat]

A few months ago we bought a cool new digital television (Aka the Jumbotron) and for the first time in 25 years I'm able to watch network (not cable) tv.

So I get to watch Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray in their talk show formats.

Martha is the Woman, no doubts. Even Bourdain has said he's impressed by her technique and efficiency. There's no fluff when Martha cooks.

Then there's Rach. She does a short cooking segment at the end od her program, minus the infamous "Yummos!" and in five days of programming I get a "Hmmmm. Might work" vibe at least twice.

I'm not freaked out or appalled by the Deen video (never seen her show.) Not Robuchon's Puree de Pommes de Terre, but not that much more unhealthy. Might be good.

Jacques Pepin rules.

[Pierogi]

maggiethecat, on May 18 2009, 07:23 PM, said:

Jacques Pepin rules.

WORD.

Especially in concert with La Diva Julia. But even alone, WORD.

[PopsicleToze]

I was going through the channel guide and saw something about economical cooking with "Sandra". Knowing it could not be Sandra Lee, I clicked on the channel to check it out. Imagine my surprise when there was Ms. Lee staring back at me from tv-land. She was showing people how to cook good-tasting food economically. Huh?

It seems that the staff had determined how much everything cost per serving, and then she made the less expensive version. For example, they determined that a premade piecrust was less expensive to make than one made from scratch, so she used the premade crust. Then (and make sure you are sitting down for this), they determined that homemade whipped cream was less expensive than the frozen topping stuff, and (get this) Ms. Lee actually used a mixer and made homemade whipped cream. Granted, it wasn't very pretty -- but hats off to the women -- because she at least had the foresight to toast some coconut to hide the cream.

Hell must be freezing over right now, but maybe, just maybe, the woman wants to improve her cooking. I'm thinking this might be a good thing.

Rhonda

[CtznCane]

I thought I may have responded to this long ago but couldn't find a post, yet time changes some perceptions.

My top 5

1. Emeril. I can't believe he gets put down so much here. I'd also love to see him on a Top Chef Masters as I think he'd turn some heads in a most positive way.
2. Gordon Ramsay - He really puts himself out there for those who put out the effort but has no tolerance for a lack of dedication. Fascinating person.
3. Rick Bayless. Passionate and meticulous and I've never tried a recipe of his that didn't work.
4. Jose Andres - Loved his Made in Spain series (though only saw part since can't get it now since moving from Calif to Kentucky.
5. Tom Colicchio - I like Tom and would like to see him doing more cooking or teaching on T.V. He may not have the personality though to do a teaching show but he'd make a great cheftestant.

Interesting 5.

1. Nick Stellino - Yeah, I like him. Why? His dishes work and he makes a lot of sense. Okay, some, perhaps many might find him to, what, perky? Pretentious? Full of himself? I think it is more he's trying to put on a show, but, bottom line his recipes all work and they are very tasty.
2. Carlo Middione - He had a show on PBS (at least in the bay area) way back "Carlo Cooks Italian." If Emeril and Stellino are over the top enthusiastically Carlo is at the other end of the spectrum. A great teacher, makes things, simple and does them right but no stage presence.
3. John Ash - This guy knows what he's doing, can cook with anyone, and can get his points across clearly. He is another who I think would be a good TCM player.
4. Art Smith - I love his passion and I'd really like to more about his food. His chicken looked great.
5. Grace Young - Grace may not be a great chef but she's a fine teacher, does a fine job of presenting Chinese dishes and culture. She's also a nice lady and a class act.

The Dregs/least favorites

1. Martha Stewart - fine recipes, may know her stuff, but boy, she sure puts the b in ... well, let's just say she could hold all the spots at the bottom of my list.
2. Joanne Weir. She bores me to tears and her voice makes me want to break the t.v. set.
3. The Neely's. There show just drives me batty. It just feels to me like Ozzie an Harriet trying to do a cooking show.
4. Nigela Lawson. - blah
5. Anthony Bourdain - I find him to be full of himself, a little too much of an east coast brow beater type, and while he may know food, I'm not that convinced he's that good a cook. I will say, my opinion might be the exact opposite if I had the chance to go out and get blitzed with him on the town. So the jury is out, but just my current (yet flexible) opinion.

Last but not least, the Eye Candy category. Like it or not, sex and appearance does sell and all of these ladies are talented as well as being eye candy.

1. Giada
2. Raechel Ray
3. Gail Simmons
4. Padma Lakshmi
5. Jacqui Malouf