Food Network Television

[fresco]

Linchpin and oldtimer Emeril Lagasse: "I never expected this to amount to much of anything."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/ne...d-network_x.htm

[Toliver]

I thought this was interesting in the article:

This summer, the network will relocate its offices, studios and kitchen to New York City's Chelsea Market, which formerly housed the Nabisco cookie factory. It will share space with fresh-food market vendors and fine-dining establishments, and quite possibly, Girard says, a network-branded store.

That it will be housed in Nabisco's old stomping grounds seems quite appropriate (insert cookie-cutter joke here) and ironic at the same time.

Sure, there's a lot of crap on that network but there are some good shows, as well. It's too bad Tony Bourdain won't be on it anymore.

It was FoodTV (as they used to be called) that re-ignited my interest in cooking well which, in turn, eventually led me here to eGullet. That's a "good thing", as Martha says.

[Carolyn Tillie]

"I never expected this to amount to much of anything."

I guess he was right.

[tommy]

FoodTV has done more for food and cooking than any other source, as far as reaching millions of people over the years.

bravo.

[VeryApe77]

FoodTV has done more for food and cooking than any other source, as far as reaching millions of people over the years.

bravo.

I totally agree. It's easy to make snarky comments about Food TV, and of course we can all think of things that could be improved. But I also think that we can all agree that it's done a lot to foster interest in food and cooking in the USA. I'd hate to see it go.

[msfurious1]

Mr. Bourdain will be missed.

FoodNetwork keeps coming up with new ideas though.

Dweezil Zappa and Lisa Loeb will have a show in January.

Here's some of the press~

Dweezil and Lisa

with guest Bob Taylor

with guest Jessica Simpson

[VeryApe77]

Dweezil Zappa and Lisa Loeb will have a show in January.

I take it all back

[=Mark]

FoodTV has done more for food and cooking than any other source, as far as reaching millions of people over the years.

bravo.

Yeah, and MTV used to play music videos...

[Carolyn Tillie]

Dweezil Zappa and Lisa Loeb will have a show in January.

I take it all back

You mean about the Snarky comments?

Thanks.

[tommy]

egullet: where snarky comments reign supreme!

[Mayhaw Man]

this dynamic duo is out to find good times and great food

This is the kind of thing I live for. All they need to do is preface it with "follw the zany antics of Dweezil and Lisa as they travel America looking for something to fill thirty minutes of your time with"

I miss Dweezil's dad, though. There, my friends, was a major league sense of humor.

Actually, I agree with Tommy's comments concerning Food Network, but I think that they are pretty much reaching these days for content. I wonder why they don't seem to like straight, informational cooking shows. Are the ratings that bad for those kinds of programs? When they have them, it seems like mainly in the afternoon, never in prime time.

[VeryApe77]

Just for the record, I am as guilty as making snarky comments about Food TV as anyone...I wasn't doing any finger-pointing, honest guv!

[Coop]

You know it seems ironic that only last night I had the pleasure of seeing the Unwrapped episode that goes deeply into the history of pasta and Kraft parmessan cheese. I think that the evloution of FTN. culminated in this one episode. What can be said after this epic television event!

[tommy]

Are the ratings that bad for those kinds of programs? When they have them, it seems like mainly in the afternoon, never in prime time.

yes. right.

it's about advertising dollars. it seems that most people across the nation, who watch the food network, aren't food obsessed freaks like we are. go figure.

[Mayhaw Man]

What can be said after this epic television event!

I believe that Roberto Duran covered it nicely after getting clobbered in the Superdome a few years back-"No Mas! No Mas!"

[fresco]

PBS has a few good, straight up and down cooking programs. They don't have to worry about ratings too much.

[tommy]

PBS has a few good, straight up and down cooking programs. They don't have to worry about ratings too much.

exactly. and everyone gets PBS. i get about 3 PBS stations. there are certainly enough cooking shows on PBS to keep me busy during the week. i'm quite happy to watch those several hours, and catch a few travel/fun shows on TVFN.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I wonder why they don't seem to like straight, informational cooking shows. Are the ratings that bad for those kinds of programs? When they have them, it seems like mainly in the afternoon, never in prime time.

Amen, brother. I have often wondered why they don't purchase the rights to show Julia's original shows. It is funny - the years I didn't have TFN, I desperately wanted it, sufficing my cooking-show-watching to PBS, Discovery H&L, and HGTV. Then I realized that the other networks' shows were superior.

Has anyone seen Wine Television? Pure informational from all over the world. Fascinating, well-done, and enticing. TFN has kitchy programs about America's Beer Consumption (or things like that).

I'm kinda surprised TFN hasn't collaborated with Saveur to survey more world foods.

[KatieLoeb]

FoodTV has done more for food and cooking than any other source, as far as reaching millions of people over the years.

bravo.

The thing about FoodTV that I think has the farthest reaching effect is the fact that small children now see becoming a Chef as a legitimate career option. Now if you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up it's Fireman, Doctor, Astronaut, Ballerina and CHEF! For every little kid that yells "BAM!" in imitation of their hero, there's another potential chef in the future. That's about as decent an influence as I can think of.

[Varmint]

Yeah, I just bought my 4 year old son an Emeril t-shirt for his birthday coming up. Help me. But then, Mrs. Varmint bought him some Incredible Hulk Hands.

[ronnie_suburban]

Love those Hulk hands...my brother bought a pair for my son last year.

I will be 'repaying' him by buying his son the Magic Talking Grill this Xmas.

=R=

[john b]

FoodTV has done more for food and cooking than any other source, as far as reaching millions of people over the years.

bravo.

The thing about FoodTV that I think has the farthest reaching effect is the fact that small children now see becoming a Chef as a legitimate career option. Now if you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up it's Fireman, Doctor, Astronaut, Ballerina and CHEF! For every little kid that yells "BAM!" in imitation of their hero, there's another potential chef in the future. That's about as decent an influence as I can think of.

My oldest kid could name Emeril, Mario and Sarah before he knew the names of the Muppets. He loves to cook (he's four), either helping make meals or pretending with his play kitchen. The other day he "made" me veal saltimbocca!

[tan319]

Mr. Bourdain will be missed.

FoodNetwork keeps coming up with new ideas though.

Dweezil Zappa and Lisa Loeb will have a show in January.

Here's some of the press~

Dweezil and Lisa

with guest Bob Taylor

with guest Jessica Simpson

Come the F*&^ on!!!

Jaysus!