Favorite/Least Favorite Food "Celebrities"

[BigboyDan]

Two Fats Ladies were great. The best cooking shows on the tube are from Pepin, still great after all these years; and the absolutely magnificent America's Test Kitchen. As far as the celebs go, I only like Ming...

[MissAmy]

I love:

Anothy Bourdain (Well, who doesn't? Except maybe my mom. She's afraid of him. Hee.)

Martha Stewart (I have to admire anyone who knows what they are good and and runs with it. She's one of my personal heros.)

Alton Brown (Smart is sexy.)

Paul Deen (What?! She reminds me of my Granny, and she makes the kind of food I grew up with. Plus, she seems really sweet.)

Can take or leave:

Gaida (Her constant grin is creepy and her food isn't that impressive, but at least she's not outwardly offensive.)

Ina Garten (Booooorrring. An over-privaleged Hampton's housewife with her own show. Yawn. But she did once make a roasted duck that looked incredible. And I like her posse of gay best friends.)

Bobby Flay (Not that bad in person. Food not all that, either. But he's interesting to watch from time to time, and he has some good ideas.)

Emeril (Cool food, annoying shtick. I'd eat in one of his restaurants, though. In a heart-beat.)

Loathe with the passion of a thousand burning suns:

Rachel Ray (Don't get me started.)

That Simi-Homemade Idiot (She's an idiot.)

Edited June 5, 2006 by MissAmy (log)

[Pam R]

Anothy Bourdain (Well, who doesn't? Except maybe my mom. She's afraid of him. Hee.)

My mom loves him .

[docbrite]

I don't know why people dislike Bobby Flay elsewhere, but here in Louisiana we hate him because he once claimed that Houston was the crawfish capitol of the world. Them's fightin' words (not to mention ignorant nonsense).

[lesfen]

Ok... this may be the pregnancy hormones talking, but I was watching Take Home Chef on TLC yesterday, and it was kind of hot.

Ok, so Curtis Stone looks a little like a very young C.C. Deville, but just go with it for a minute people! Picture it... you're shopping at Whole Paycheck, minding your own business, when all of a sudden a hot Australian guy approaches you and offers to take you home and make you dinner. Sigh. I've only see two episodes but in each one the women look like they're constantly on the verge of a giggle-fit due to the relentless flirting of Curtis. Love it. All it needs is bad 70's porn music and we're good to go.

[Segue]

Ok... this may be the pregnancy hormones talking, but I was watching Take Home Chef on TLC yesterday, and it was kind of hot. 

Ok, so Curtis Stone looks a little like a very young C.C. Deville, 

←

I have to agree (no preggo hormones here tho')

And he totally looks like CC circa 1984! Oddly, I never found CC hot...must be the accent and the food.

LOVE Bourdain, Mario, Alton Brown, Bayless and Sakai

One of my least faves is Warren Brown (Sugar Rush on FTV)--this guy makes my teeth grind for some reason! And of course the usual group of Flay and Ray--I would rather watch paint dry.

[Ling]

I know Sandra Lee has been mentioned many times in this thread, but I didn't get a chance to watch her show until recently, when my bf TIVOed it just so I could see how awful she is. (Thankfully, we don't get the show up here in Canada.)

Nothing I read on the internet could've prepared me for this atrocity of a "cooking" show. Not only are her movements jerky and awkward whenever she's handling a knife (or any piece of kitchen equipment), but she described the lemon-chicken she was making as being delicious and FLAKY. FLAKY?!! And wtf is a "TABLESCAPE?!!" I guess the goddess of combining processed products in a bowl and calling it food thinks she's above the English language.

I wanted to poke my eyes out after watching 5 minutes of this show. *shudder*

(However, FoodTV America does seem to get a lot more quality shows. I haven't watched anything on FoodTV Canada except for the occasional Iron Chef episode in years. We get a lot of shows directed towards young families with finicky kids.)

ETA: Ditto the comments on Ina's laugh, although I do enjoy watching her show sometimes. I don't learn anything from the cooking, but it's a fantasy world with a gorgeous kitchen, manicured backyard, and beautiful table-settings.

Edited June 30, 2006 by Ling (log)

[lancastermike]

There is nobody on TV that equals Pepin. Classic technique, good production, seems very real. I read his book and the man has had a fascinating life.

Love Alton Brown. Always makes me laugh at least once a show.

Flay can cook, just seems like he is trying to be a New York wise guy.

Alan Harding is great. Just a normal goofy guy, who can cook. I really like this show.

I like Ming. He seems like he is the real deal.

Ah Bourdain. Everyone loves him. Women find him hot. Guys think he is cool. I know he has got to cash in while he can and I guess he is fine. But hey Tony, give us a break and shut up for a while.

[tupac17616]

[...] I don't learn anything from the cooking, but it's a fantasy world with a gorgeous kitchen, manicured backyard, and beautiful table-settings.

You mean tablescapes?

By the way, I, too, cannot stand Sandra Lee. She is not a chef. Hell, she's not even a cook. She doesn't belong on Food TV. She is the complete antithesis of everything that is beautiful about food. Very skilled at opening pre-packaged products quickly and using a microwave, though.

[Bill Miller]

I know Sandra Lee has been mentioned many times in this thread, but I didn't get a chance to watch her show until recently, when my bf TIVOed it just so I could see how awful she is. (Thankfully, we don't get the show up here in Canada.)

Nothing I read on the internet could've prepared me for this atrocity of a "cooking" show. Not only are her movements jerky and awkward whenever she's handling a knife (or any piece of kitchen equipment), but she described the lemon-chicken she was making as being delicious and FLAKY. FLAKY?!! And wtf is a "TABLESCAPE?!!" I guess the goddess of combining processed products in a bowl and calling it food thinks she's above the English language.

I wanted to poke my eyes out after watching 5 minutes of this show. *shudder*

(However, FoodTV America does seem to get a lot more quality shows. I haven't watched anything on FoodTV Canada except for the occasional Iron Chef episode in years. We get a lot of shows directed towards young families with finicky kids.)

ETA: Ditto the comments on Ina's laugh, although I do enjoy watching her show sometimes. I don't learn anything from the cooking, but it's a fantasy world with a gorgeous kitchen, manicured backyard, and beautiful table-settings.

←

Sandra Lee is in a class by herself. Pepin is in a different class.

[Kent D]

(Okay, I got some test-posting out of the way in the beer forum before I climbed in here where the big dogs eat...)

I grew up watching Julia and Graham Kerr and a couple of locally-produced cooking shows, and always enjoyed Justin Wilson and Jeff Smith (yes, he had his demons, but he made an entertaining show that I learned a lot from).

Currently, I enjoy the work of Anthony Bourdain (would love to see HIM do a cooking show!), Alton Brown, and...I'm afraid to say it...Rachel Ray, although I'm sure that she's going to be so totally overexposed with her coming projects that I shall change my tune very soon. No one in my family can understand my obsession with Ms. Ray, and I'm not really sure why, either. Maybe it's because she saturates the Food Channel, and you can't get away from her for more than an hour or two at a time.

I'm rather ambivalent about Bobby Flay and Emeril. I don't dislike them, and I wouldn't kick them out of my kitchen, but...

Oh, and a short list of dislikes. I don't know why, but I can't stand Mario Batali. I think it's because he seems to be lecturing everyone on why Italian food is the greatest food on the planet, and makes his audience appear to be uneducated. And that Gordon Ramsey on "Hell's Kitchen" -- okay, we got it, you're a tremendous, pompous, overbearing, loudmouthed a$$. Why do we need you to inflict yourself upon us every week?

[johnsmith45678]

Favorite:

Anthony Bourdain

Alton Brown

Gordon Ramsay

Okay:

Mario Batali (loved Malto Mario though)

Bobby Flay

Ming Tsai

Emeril

Bob Blumer (Surreal Gourmet)

Food Jammer dudes

Jamie Oliver (I'm indifferent to him)

Don't Like:

Rachael Ray

Martha Stewart

Al Roker

[TrishCT]

I'm just adding one to the like list:

Tom Colicchio

Edited July 1, 2006 by TrishCT (log)

[Gabe Q]

Like:

- Anthony Bourdain

- Gordon Ramsay

- Tom Colliccio (?)

Tolerate

- Bobby Flay

- Batali

Hate:

- Rachel Ray: her personality just gets to me. Her damn laugh and her idiotic expressions and abbreviations. A total yuppy geek. Sell out.

- Paula Deen: I just hate her accent

- Alton Brown: I can't stand how he tries to make a joke every time he opens his mouth. It sucks! I hate his sense of humor.

- DiArgentis (?): I just hate the fact that she has to articulate the pronounciation of every word so much! I hate when they have to seem over expressive. She has so many teeth!!! Her mouth is weird.

- Emeril: his show is the equivalent of pop music. Dumb, corporate, made for mass appeal with no real substance. Sell out.

[socalbaker]

Ok here it goes..

FAVS

Jacques Pepin

Julia Child

Molto Mario - though he yaps too much sometimes...

Jacques Torres

Rick Bayless

CAN"T STAND

Rachel Ray - Enough of the EVOO reference....ahhhhh!!!!

Emeril - BAM!! ...enough already...and the sound effects or humming he does while cooking....

Martha - is the ankle braclet off yet?

Sandra Lee - no explaination needed. YUCK!!!

[Joisey]

Favorite:

Ramsay, without a doubt.

On The Fence:

Bourdain. I totally appreciate the no BS way he tells the tale of "this thing of ours". However, his wannabe Hunter Thompson shtick wears thin.

Batali. Loved the guy until I read "Heat". The bumping incident still pisses me off whenever I think of it.

Rachel Ray. Pop cooking for the masses, but she loves to drink and laugh. Perfect girl as far as I'm concerned.

Emeril. Anyone that hangs out with Sammy Hagar is cool by me. I still laugh at the whole "Ewok" thing, though.

Arrgh:

Alton Brown. I don't care if he was instructing me to the secret of enlightenment, I would still want to climb the clock tower with a rifle after hearing it.

Guy (from Guy's big whatever, the dude that won the Food TV reality show). Would you please take K-Grease from Hell's kitchen and disappear somewhere?

Honorable Mention: Not a food celebrity in the sense we're talking about, but Michael Ruhlman is right at the top of my list. He could write a book about Meter Maids and I'd pre-order it. "Charcuterie" is my new bible.

[jsmeeker]

People I like. (just some of them, and in no particular order)

Julia Child (the pioneer in food television)

Jacques Pepin (this guy is an old school master)

Alton Brown (informative. good humor)

Anthony Bourdain (would love to see him do an actual COOKING show, with the same style as the Les Halles cookbook is written)

Jacques Torres (just liked to watch the guy work. For me, his show was virtually all entertainment. Good "chocolate porn". I actually DID learn a few things about how candies and such were made, but it's really not practical for me to apply any of that knowledge)

People who are dispised by many, but who I am OK with.

Rachael Ray. I like her. By that, I mean I like HER. She's pretty easy on the eyes, she likes to have fun, she's not uptight, etc. I seriously think I'd enjoy just hanging out in a kitchen with her, preparing a meal. I'll even do the time consuming baking and let her quickly whip up the other courses. Her show 30 Minute Meals? For he most part, it's good. From time to time, I think there are some very minor cheats or that the food just isn't quite cooked when she plates it. Also, not all her recipes/dishes are suited to short cooking times. But again, for the most part, a decent show. I actually own one of her books.

Emeril. First saw him long before the "Emeril Live" show. I really think most people's problem with Emeril isn't with Emeril. It's with the "Emeril Live" show and it's late night talk show type of format. That's fine. Watch him on his other show(s) ("Essense of Emeril"). He's got it toned WAY down. Is he repetitive with his advice? Yeah. But it's a TV show. They aren't expecting everyone to watch every episode. Watch ONE episode of "Live", and he'll teach you some important, yet basic things, that many a home cook really doesn't think much about. Control the heat. Season your food. Yes, redundat to an eGullet member, but not always to am "Emeril Live" viewer.

[johnsmith45678]

Favorite:

Anthony Bourdain

Alton Brown

Gordon Ramsay

Okay:

Mario Batali (loved Malto Mario though)

Bobby Flay

Ming Tsai

Emeril

Bob Blumer (Surreal Gourmet)

Food Jammer dudes

Jamie Oliver (I'm indifferent to him)

Don't Like:

Rachael Ray

Martha Stewart

Al Roker

←

Man, how could I forget Rocco Dispirito on my list of Don't Like? He definitely goes on that list.

[BeauNoze]

Favorite:

Anthony Bourdain

Alton Brown

Gordon Ramsay

Okay:

Mario Batali (loved Malto Mario though)

Bobby Flay

Ming Tsai

Emeril

Bob Blumer (Surreal Gourmet)

Food Jammer dudes

Jamie Oliver (I'm indifferent to him)

Don't Like:

Rachael Ray

Martha Stewart

Al Roker

←

Man, how could I forget Rocco Dispirito on my list of Don't Like? He definitely goes on that list.

←

This is pretty much my list, including Rocco. I mean, I like the IDEA of him, but if his work habits are anything like those portrayed on the show, forget about it.

[maryeats]

Like

Tony Bourdain (but I agree about the Hunter S. Thompson shtick wearing thin)

The Minimalist- Mark Bittman

Jamie Oliver (although he is getting a little grumpy lately, no?)

I like people who try new things, relate to their fan base, and encourage people to eat, taste, cook and to be unafraid to go for it.

Dislikes

Bobby Flay

Nigella Lawson (I have a great deal of respect for her professional work, however I think she is a little too posh for her viewers, and isolates herself in an upper society lust area unattainable by the majority of her fans.)

Don’t like people who obviously think they are above their fans or put themselves on pedestals.

Then there is the teeth grinding personalities

Sorry Rachel Ray and Alton Brown, I know you two have encouraged and inspired millions of people, content to sit on the couch and order in, to get off their butts and cook. But, evoo? Yikes.

[AzianBrewer]

Here's my starting lineup:

Awesome:

Pepin (The grandmaster of technique)

Jack Smith (I am not down with messing around with his boy toy assistant but the show is cool).

Yin (Uncle Marty still represents with his Cantonese Accent)

Bourdain (This guy reminds me of back in the days as a cook)

Ming Tsai (Cousin Ming always come thru with his wicked "Master Sauce")

Bayless (A gringo with in-depth knowledge of real deal Mexican food)

Michael Chiriello (A paisan with a passion for fun food but still keeping it real with his Italian root)

Batali (The orange shoes rocking paisan who goes beyond the red sauce Italian)

Respect But No Love:

Flay (Can't stand his cockiness but respect him for his talent and style)

Emeril (BAM is pretty played out but respect him for his success)

Giada (Scary grin but nice rack)

Gordon Ramsey (Quick, somebody give him a smackdown)

Deen (Love the Southern Drawl for the first 5 mins)

Alton (He's a geek friend that we all have)

Paul Prudhomme (Cajun Godfather is now auctioning his chair)

Charlie Trotter (ZZZZZ)

Sucks

Ainsley Harriot (Annoying and please don't hug me)

Rachael Ray (Yummo and EVOO..You are a cheapo skimping on the tip on your $40. Phony)

Sandra Lee (Boring)

Two Fat Ladies (Jamie Oliver kick your arses)

[AzianBrewer]

I always hated that goddamned Green Giant.

He always thought he was better than everyone else just because he was bigger.

And that little pipsqueak "Sprout"? What a tool.

 

←

I put my money on Snap, Crackle and Pop over those Keebler's Elves.

[pups224]

Faves

Jacques Pepin, the master, now that Pierre Franey is dead. Oh god, his knife skills.

Julia in any form, even embalmed.

Bittman

Lydia Bastianich

So-so

Mario, too arrogant. Great cook.

Wolfgang Puck, terrible TV persona, great Austrian recipes.

Detest, I mean can't watch.

Rachel Ray, she can't cook. I think that she has a borderline personality disorder.

Emeril, wish he'd BAM himself into oblivion. Uses luxurious ingredients instead of talent. No, I mean, no knife skills.

Paula Deen. What's with this southern crap when her show is filmed in NY. Besides, my cholesterol goes up 100 points when I watch her cook.

Alton Brown.

Charlie Trotter, what an uptight prig.

Anything on the Food Network (wasn't always so).

Would like to see on TV

Bouley

[tino27]

Here's my starting lineup:

Awesome:

Jack Smith (I am not down with messing around with his boy toy assistant but the show is cool).

←

I'm guessing you meant Jeff Smith?

[Pat Churchill]

Some of these are British, some Australian - I watch them on the Lifestyle Food channel here in Australia

Like:

Jamie Oliver (his recipes work)

Sophie Grigson - daughter of Jane and a good practical cook

Tamasin Day-Lewis (the inside of her Le Creuset casserole is browner than mine not pristine and "unused")

Gordon Ramsay (an English chef was telling me Ramsay's actually a really nice fellow. Great food. Love his programme The F Word )

Curtis Stone and Ben O'Donoghue

Tyler Florence (caught his radio show via podcast and he thinks quickly on his feet and knows his stuff)

Giorgio Locatelli

Neil Perry (great travel pieces)

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Reza Mahammad (so over the top he's fun!)

Gone off:

Ina Garten (teach Geoffrey to fend for himself!)

Kylie Kwong

Rachael Ray

Emeril - though I caught him doing a quiet show with no audience and he was actually OK

Alton Brown

Michael Chiarello

Rocco DiSpirito (why did he let the cameras in, for goodness sake)

Michael Smith (repeats himself after every ad break)

Cook Like a Chef (too many cameras appearing in the picture)

Antony Worrall Thompson (too uptight)

[edited to give reasons for a couple of choices]

Edited September 25, 2006 by Pat Churchill (log)