Rick Stein's Food Heroes

[SheenaGreena]

This show started showing on Monday of this week (sometime in the afternoon) and it's about this chef going around Britain in search of good local food. I really like the idea of the show and the recipes look absolutely delicious - especially the crispy pork belly from yesterday.

Anyone else enjoy this show?

[GTO]

Rick Stein is somewhat of a Seafood God in the UK. I love this particular series. Like all of Rick's shows, it's very uncomplicated in it's layout and message alike.

Sadly, Food Heroes has gotten a lot of stick recently, due to UKTV Food's repeated raping. They must have shown it in it's entirity at least a dozen times, passing it off as a special "Rick Stein Weekend."

Rick was in the news recently, paying homage to his little dog 'Chalky', who after travelling with Rick for about 17 years I think, sadly died.

[tmgrobyn]

I have been enjoying it very much. Those ducks/geese! Oh my I only wish I could have one to cook. I like his approach (no nonsense), he really takes time and gives a full view of the subject in my opinion.

[Narcissus]

Thank you for bringing attention to this show. I PVRd a few shows last night, and have been enjoying them all morning.

It has been more than a decade since I visited London, but I have a friend that travels there regularly. He makes the claim that great food is easier to find, but it is still a challenge, and that when you find it, you pay a premium. Is this still true? And if so, how difficult is it to find the product Rick Stein showcases?

[David Ross]

I catch this show on BBC America on my days off.

What I really like is the beautiful camera work. They shoot the food really closeup so it creates an image you can almost taste. The colors are very rich and the shots are really in focus. I think that for me that really sets the show apart and makes it once of the best cooking shows on television right now.

[Darren72]

I've only seen two episodes so far, but this is a great show. I really enjoy it. I hope we see more of Rick Stein on American TV.

[teagal]

I also like the show. His emphasizing local, fresh and seasonal really apeals to me. I think the food looks good too. I enjoy seeing the countryside and roads they travel on.

Had to laugh hearing how Chalky chased a rabbit on the show today and got in trouble. So sad to hear he passed away -- cute little dog.

[ACarosone]

This program has become a favorite of mine. Rick's presentation of recipes, no matter what he is making, always makes my mouth water. I also love his interviewing skills, he is quite natural and never over the top.

I've been looking for his recipes in the show online, but haven't had any luck. Has anyone found an online source?

[JudyB]

This program has become a favorite of mine.  Rick's presentation of recipes, no matter what he is making, always makes my mouth water.  I also love his interviewing skills, he is quite natural and never over the top.

I've been looking for his recipes in the show online, but haven't had any luck.  Has anyone found an online source?

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The BBC's Food website has several of the recipes. There is a "Quick recipe search" dialog on there and entering "food heroes" lists 36 recipes - 31 of which are by Rick Stein. Alternatively searching for Rick Stein shows several others from his other programmes.

[ACarosone]

JudyB - Thank you!

[James_A]

It's really interesting to hear people from outside of the uk talk about Rick Stein.

As already said in a previous post, he's best known for his fish cookery, particularly in Cornwall (in the south west, where great seafood is abundant).

He's had a restaurant there in a town called Padstow since the late 70s. And he's since built up an empire there that includes a bistro, a cafe, a deli and some other food-related businesses (to the extent that some now call it 'Padstein'!).

He's had quite a few TV series over the last 10/15 years, focusing on fish. The Food Heroes series (I think there are two now), was different from everything he'd done before.

If you guys are enjoying Food Heroes, then I reckon you'd like the series that he's done since, called French Odyssey. In this, he travels by barge from Bordeaux to Marseille, stopping along the way to sample and cook the local wares. It's really cool to see the regional differences, which stem from the basics such as duck fat in the south west vs olive oil as he hits the mediterranean.

On the recipe front, you'll find loads of his books on amazon (particularly ...co.uk). Most are seafood related, but I'm pretty sure that there was a book that accompained the Food Heroes series.

[dharold]

His new show is on BBC in the UK now: Rick Steins Mediterranean Escapes and is in the same league as the French Odyssey show, i.e. excellent. Each show is an hour long too! Hope you get them in the USA. Both series have books, available at Amazon. Seafood Odyssey and Food Heroes are on DVD in the UK, but remember that you need a multiregion DVD player and PAL compatible TV (or suitable PC/MAC) to play them in the USA.