The Food Show You'd Like To See

[Stephanie Brim]

I'd watch that show.

[nakji]

Wow -- I guess I am the only one that would LOVE shows on food history. The History channel has done a handful of documentaries about certain foods; hot dogs, ice cream, and so forth and then there is Modern Marvels which has shows specifically about milk or cheese or tea, but I would love full-on cultural investigations into Medieval, Victorian, Renaissance history.

The Supersizers, a BBC programme does this a bit. Can you get that in the US? I especially love the Elizabethan episode (or was it the restoration?) when they're drunk on small beer at breakfast.

[Dakki]

What if you and a group of castaways were stranded on a deserted island/in a jungle/on a remote mountain for a month/a season/a year? How would you and your community survive?

Real survivor, not Melrose Place with stupid human tricks. You start with nothing. You are given nothing. You farm. You hunt. You cook. You build shelter, make fire, build food storage, aqueducts, herd flocks. In essence, taking all the current fads of locavorism, slow food, organic, and making it a reality. Would Alice Waters really practice what she preaches if he had to cut and haul her own fire wood and break down her own oxen? Take food bloggers, celebrichefs, food critics, GMO corn farmers, organic farmer's market vegan sandwich wrappers -- and kill their Interwebs, destroy their iPhones, bury their Le Creusets, and make them actually walk the walk. Make them learn to live and to cook with their hands. Make Jeffrey Steingarten raise and slaughter his own bacon. Make Rachael Ray make distill her own EVOO. Make Michael Pollan actually run a subsistence farm, instead of just telling others they should be doing it. Can't hack it? Can't offer anything that benefits the community? You're voted off the island. Each week, instead of being given a freebie or a pointless challenge, give them hell. Your hen house just blew away. Your only oxen is now sick. The grain silo caught on fire. Your vines just froze over. Make them cry. They can always forfeit and quit whenever they want.

Since it's celeb, make it a big pot: $1 million to the charity of their choice or something. Split between X remaining contestants. The show would turn food entertainment and politics upside down.

Watching the heck out of this.

[Jaymes]

From the network's point of view, what's the point of having the shows be so personality-driven? Are they just easier to market? Genuinely more popular? Because you think it would cost them more in the long run.

Have you ever watched a television show, and I mean ANY television show, where the host is either deadly dull and dreary and droning, or actively unpleasant and unlikeable, or stupid and arrogant and condescending and misinformed, or in some other manner unwatchable?

I suspect most folks are like me; that is, I don't care to spend time with people like that in real life and certainly won't tune in my television set to watch them.

On the other hand, everyone likes being around somebody with a great personality. Some people can make anything lively and enjoyable and watchable.

And, speaking of people with great personalities that can make anything lively and enjoyable and watchable, the food TV show I'd like to see would feature our own Rancho Gordo - Steve Sando - on his expeditions throughout the indigenous populations of the Americas, chatting up farmers and other locals, ever in search of the forgotten heirloom beans of the New World.

Naturally, I'll be signing on as assistant producer.

___________________

Edited August 29, 2010 by Jaymes (log)

[percival]

Top Chef won an Emmy. Be prepared for more cooking competitions from everyone.

[Shamanjoe]

I'd love to see more serious "teaching" shows especially for non-Western cuisines like Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, etc.

I completely agree. Instead of personalities, you'd get fundamentals, techniques, ingredients.... Also agree that it ain't gonna happen no how.

I'd love to see shows like this too. I don't share your pessimism though Chris. I haven't seen any shows that are getting close yet, but there are SOME shows that have some of the right elements, like Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie. If they focused more on the cooking and less on the culture/specific ingredient, it would start to get close to what we're looking for.

Carolyn, you're not the only one. That sounds like an awesome idea for a show as well, especially since I'm addicted to the history channel/history books, etc.

And Mr. Hennes, love the new avatar photo!

[Icanmakeit]

The celebrity 'survivor' would be great and I would watch it even though I don't watch the current stupid-sounding show.

I love Rick Bayless - But I would love to see a show with traditional Mexican cooks who are Mexican, cooking Mexican food. I would love for people to get out of the 'taco bell' mode and realize that Mexican food is so diverse and be eager to learn more.

I do commend the PBS folks for not caving in to food network and now cooks network. They can't wave enough bills in the faces of chefs who they could really cash in on.

[percival]

The celebrity 'survivor' would be great and I would watch it even though I don't watch the current stupid-sounding show.

I love Rick Bayless - But I would love to see a show with traditional Mexican cooks who are Mexican, cooking Mexican food. I would love for people to get out of the 'taco bell' mode and realize that Mexican food is so diverse and be eager to learn more.

Marcela Valladolid's Mexican Made Easy on Food Network is a Mexican cook who cooks Mexican food in Mexico. She's born in San Diego, lives and films in Tijuana -- her stunning kitchen view overlooking the Pacific makes Giada's Malibu ocean view look quaint -- and cooks Baja Mexican. Her show cooks authentic Baja Mexican food -- looks right to me, having grown up in SoCal -- and showcases authentic ingredients, but also gives accessible substitutes for people in Des Moines who can't find things like cajeta. Where's the crime in that? Her presentation style is also very easy to follow and actually instructive, as opposed to most of FN's big name celebriron chefs who just toss stuff down without measurements or temperatures, bam, cut to commercial, and return with a completed dish.

[KaffeeKlatsch]

There already was a show I loved. Unfortunately, it got cancelled. I thought Sarah Moulton's show was fantastic. I loved her guest chefs and the fact that she answered viewer's questions. It was a real "teaching" show.

[ScottyBoy]

I don't understand how there's a "The Next Iron Chef" season again. How many Iron Chefs will there be?

[IndyRob]

I don't understand how there's a "The Next Iron Chef" season again. How many Iron Chefs will there be?

I don't know, but Michael Symon has a show called 'Cook Like an Iron Chef' so apparently, they think they'll be needing quite a few.

[Porthos]

I'd like to see a "from field to plate" show ...

Gordon Elliot hosted a show like that a few years back called (I believe) Follow That Food

I will say that the absolute last thing we need is any more "competition" shows. I am so tired of the challenges, Chopped, Cupcake Wars, Throwdown, Chef Vs City, The Next (whatever), etc. My wife likes the TV on for background noise and often chooses the Food Network so I am exposed to this meaningless visual drivel way too often. I love my wife enough to put up with the foolishness they broadcast.

A few years ago we were at Disney's California Adventure and came across a competition where they were building (if my memory serves me correctly) a large, like maybe 12 foot tall, Mickey Mouse statue out of popcorn with the food network cameras rolling and the hosts droning on about it. We thought "What a foolish waste of time and effort. Who Cares?" And we are major Disney fans.

[Porthos]

A show teaching about home canning and preserving-- given the resurgence of interest in this, a show talking about the science of it, as well as giving new, safety-tested recipes would be timely. Jams, preserves, pickles, fermentation, pressure canning...

I think this is an excellent suggestion.

[Porthos]

I would like a show that mirrors what you learn in culinary school, one that is taught by instructors and follows a school syllabus. Same thing for pastry school. I don't want to be told over and over how easy something is and then have it dumbed down nearly unrecognizably. I want to really learn and master a skill.

I'd watch such a show. I'd love such a show. I'd pay for a syllabus to go along with it. Unfortunately I don't think truly serious cooks are the target demographic of the Food (entertainment) Network. I'm happy but amazed that Alton Brown still has his show on - I guess it's because he does teach in an entertaining way.