No more French Chefs?

[thursdaynext]

Support your local public television stations. We NEED "television worth watching."

[Jen Keenan]

Yeah, well has anyone seen the latest development? ___ on Demand, available to at least NYC Time Warner Digital Cable subscribers. MTV, FoodTV, Comedy Central, BBC America, etc. It just showed up a day or two ago and the selection at the moment is extremely limited. But I like that you can go view a video, or a recipe segment.

What say ye all to that?

[NulloModo]

Yeah, well has anyone seen the latest development?  ___ on Demand, available to at least NYC Time Warner Digital Cable subscribers.  MTV, FoodTV, Comedy Central, BBC America, etc.  It just showed up a day or two ago and the selection at the moment is extremely limited.  But I like that you can go view a video, or a recipe segment.

What say ye all to that?

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Comcast has had FoodTV On Demand for at least a year, maybe longer. It is great stuff, although I dislike how most of it is 'segments' and not entire episodes of stuff. It is also mostly episodes of things they are currently showing, so, I could get the same thing just by turning on to the FoodTV channel... Here's hoping Iron Chef and A Cook's Tour end up there sometime...

[oliveDC]

Ethnic diversity aside, the fact that Rachael Ray has THREE shows signals a major problem to me. As much as I want to know what Tony Danza cooks at home, for heaven's sake give someone else a chance at a prime time slot.

[Matthew Sievert]

food TV is for Morons in general. It is obviously not tailored towards food industry folks or regular "foodies."

Food Tv has lost its uniqueness. I miss the obscure cooking specials. I miss the baking specials. I really miss the variety they once had. Unwrapped, Al Roker, and Top 5 are mindless eye candy. I don't care how they make twinkies, and I don't care about the top five foods on a stick.

Watching chefs go through the CMC was entertaining, but obviously did not suck in enough money for Food TV.

Their holiday shows this year were the same ones ran over and over and over and over.

I am really ashamed how much they are beating the dead horse known as Iron Chef America.

I miss the old PBS cooking shows. I really miss "Great Chefs." I loved those shows. There was no flashy graphics, or quirky intros. It was chefs cooking.

I saw a Jacques Pepin cooking show on PBS over the holiday season and I was mesmerized by it. Sucking in the content. Simply glad to see a real cook prepare good food.

Edited January 11, 2005 by Matthew Sievert (log)

[Chris Cognac]

Well...opinions are like.....you know....everybody has one. I love Iron Chef America and have gotten to see it produced first hand and it was an awesome experience. I have also seen the first new episode with Bayless and Flay. Those guys are both amazing chefs and i dont think anyone will be disspointed in it...at least none of us Morons!

Welcome to eGullet!

[Spiro]

For what it's worth, those of us in Canada have it slightly better with respect to the Food Network. For example:

1. Made to Order. The Rubino brothers now own two restaurants, and the new episodes are quite creative. First season seemed to rely on special requests, such as "Aphrodisiac Tasting Menu" or "100% Organic", and follow the brothers as they researched, sourced, and prepared ingredients. This season, they seem much more proactive, such as trying to prove, through their cooking, whether wild trout really is better than farmed, etc.

2. Rob Feenie. Almost always creative. Old-fashioned cooking show using the kitchen in his restaurant. A recent episode had him serving lunch at the Beard House for Canada Day. Side trips included an interview with the editor of Gourmet (I think) and a tour of Daniel Boulud's restaurant.

3. Michael Smith. 'Chef at Home' and 'Chef at Large'. Great shows. The first focuses on how to get great food on the table without relying on a printed recipe, and always has field trips to the local supermarket. The latter is a travelling show where Michael explores cooking for large quantities, such as hotels, catering events, cooking schools, etc. Even Paul Newman's F1 racing team! He also did 'Inn Chef' which can occasionally be found on non-FN networks.

4. Christine Cushing. Not a new format, and not everyone's favourite personality, but definitely more tolerable than Emeril. Live show, will call-in questions and special guests. Usually has good technique.

5. Surreal Gourmet. Apparently he's popular, but I don't know why. Travels around in this kitchen-trailer thing shaped like a toaster, helping people with their cooking problems.

6. Cook Like a Chef. Real, live chefs are given an ingredient, then show a few different ways they'd prepare it. No fluff, everything is about ingredients and techniques. One chef was given beef, and he prepared, among other things, cheeks.

I'm sure there are others.

These seem like prime candidates for a FTV2. These Canadian shows should be accessible to Food Network US.

I hope this doesn't sound like I'm gloating. If anything, I'm hoping this shows that FTV might not be a lost cause.

[Really Nice!]

"No more French Chefs?, Food Network Going All-American"

Food Network is going to start having chefs in their programming? Cool!