Food Network Chefs

[foodie52]

GOod heavens, nyfirechief....there's nothing wrong with Jamie Oliver: it's the people he has hooked up with to promote him! He needs a good PR person and some decent camera work: that's all!! He's going to be in Dallas at the opening of our newest Central Market in October, and I am thinking about driving up there to meet him and maybe take him out to dinner. Some of us are thinking about kidnapping him for the evening and seeing what he is REALLY like.

As for Emeril: I just think there is TOO MUCH of him on TV. Once or twice a week would be sufficient. I've eaten at his restaurant in NO and had a great meal...a really good one. But he's way overexposed on TV.....too much....

[Jinmyo]

there's nothing wrong with Jamie Oliver:

JINMYO: please dont post gigantic pictures!

Edited November 24, 2002 by Jason Perlow (log)

[tommy]

i've said in the past the i love tyler florence. however, i just heard him describe chardonnay as a "crisp white wine," as they showed a bottle of kendall jackson. unless kendall jackson has completely changed their approach to chardonnay science, they are not producing "crisp" chards. i haven't had one in years, but they were flabby, buttery and oaky with very little noticable acidity as i recall.

and, he cooked with it.

edit: oh dear, now he's talking about sauvignon blanc, which he noted was "sweeter and fuller than a chardonnay which is [among other things] grassier."

it might be important to note that he and the show were "guests" at kendall jackson winery.

Edited November 23, 2002 by tommy (log)

[Kerouac1964]

Tommy --

Was that Tyler's newer show? I think he's out of his depth a bit. He also looks frazzled all the time, like he's finally been laying all the women who come on to him. I wish he'd just go back to the 911 show format. There were some darn good cooking tips on there for a novice cook like myself.

[tommy]

Tommy --

Was that Tyler's newer show?  I think he's out of his depth a bit.  He also looks frazzled all the time, like he's finally been laying all the women who come on to him.  I wish he'd just go back to the 911 show format.  There were some darn good cooking tips on there for a novice cook like myself.

i'm not sure i've even noticed his new show. however, this was some sort of special 911 episode. details here.

i suppose his generalities about wine are fine for the novice cook in that they get people thinking about wine/food pairings. however, they just seemed too far off this time to be helpful to anyone. or perhaps i've missed the point.

[IrishCream]

My nominee for most obnoxious current Food TV host? Rachel Ray in her dishonest $40/day series. For months the series never included tax or tip in the total cost of the meals. Finally, last week's episode did (but her tips were stingy...not even 10%). One episode in an expensive city showed her buying a picnic lunch of a bottle of supposedly decent wine, cheeses, olives, a pate?, bread, etc....total cost around $10...yeah, right! Worse, her acting is abysmal..she comes across as completely fake. Her annoying and constant giggle is nerve-grating. She ranks (is rank) right up there with Bobby Flay and Gordon Elliot.

Just my opinion!

[tommy]

there aren't many people or things that i can't stand, but rachel ray makes me want to gouge out my eyeballs. and eardrums.

[Blue Heron]

Really, so you guys don't like Rachel Ray? I think she's sweet. I don't think she comes across as fake at all... just rather bubbly, which doesn't bother me. I don't care for the dining on a budget show, but I rather liked the 30 minute meals show (which I haven't seen lately).

Actually, compared to earlier, I find I watch very little foodtv anymore. The shows I seem to catch are pretty dumb, and don't hold my interest. Maybe I'm tuning in at the wrong times.

[tommy]

rachel may very well be like that in real life. but she's someone i'd never hang out with. that fact translates into my lack of interest in her show. and blue, c'mon, *that's* the dumbest show of them all!!! (he said, opening up the thread to suggestions of even dumber shows. )

[Stone]

Alton Brown's been puttin on the pounds.

[Blue Heron]

Which one is dumb... 30 minute meals? or the dining on the budget? I would say the dining on the budget is pretty dumb. 30 minute meals... hey, I've actually made some of those meals.

[Kerouac1964]

I take Rachel Ray and her shows at face value. She is a bit too bubbly. But she's very cute in a next-door-girl kind of way.

Her 30 minute meal show is geared towards novice, first time cooks. Her fan forum on the FTV site is full of them. I like her enthusiasm and her built in thrift. We all don't have huge food budgets. She's not a trained chef, just a cooking enthusiast. My only pet peeve of the show: Too many pasta dishes.

I like the $40 dollar a day show much less. I think the biggest argument I've heard against that show is this: "If I'm going to pay to travel to some exotic/exciting location - and I'm a foodie - the last thing I'd do is limit my food expenses." Also, alot of people laugh at the actual difficulty of making it on $40. There are some great street vendors in many places! I see the show as ill-conceived from the production standpoint. It points to a trend from FTV to dumb-down their show content to reach more people (people who will buy from their advertisers).

My favorite shows:

- A Cook's Tour - Tony has inspired me to explore food and cooking.

- Molto Mario - the best show on there in my opinion

- Mario Does Italy - great Information for the Italian gourmet and anyone planning on traveling there on a gastronoumic mission

- Two Fat Ladies - I enjoy their irreverent humor

- Alton Brown - a great change of pace from the ordinary food show format

- Iron Chef - I enjoy the exotic Asian dishes and advanced cooking techniques

Edited November 24, 2002 by Kerouac1964 (log)

[barbcutie]

Hey what about Nigella Lawson - I really like her, don't know if what she cooks works (I don't really cook, I just eat). But it always looks easy, good, she seems like she's got balls, not fat phobic, and I dig that she eats a lot of food in her pj's while watching TV. My kinda chick.

Martha Stewart kind of creeps me out. I've never heard somebody talk so in depth about a given subject without a hint of passion in her voice. But she's like a train wreck; sometimes I just can't turn my eyes away...

[swissmiss]

Hey what about Nigella Lawson - I really like her, don't know if what she cooks works.

NL's recipes do work, and are easy to make. She is a true inspiration, because she makes no fuss about cooking and keeps it enjoyable. The only thing I don't like is when she puts her finger way down her mouth (Tommy please don't use this opportunity for x-rated comments!) to taste some batter, as if she had food stuck in her teeth. I find that disgusting.

Rachel Ray is absolutely obnoxious. She bubbly and sweet in a blue Pepsi kind of way. I used to watch 30 minute meals but too many reruns of $40/day, even though I only see a couple of minutes before realizing what I'm watching, have made her unbearable to me. And I agree with Kerouac: if you're going on vacation it's not to be counting every penny you're spending on food.

[Double 0]

Would Iron Chef be as good as it is if the translations were exact? Does anyone know how far the real words are from the "American" script?

[WednesdayGirl]

Is anyone here familiar with Nick Stellino, and his show, Cucina Amore? I don't see it that much anymore; I don't even know if new ones are being taped. It's on PBS, though, and definitely my favorite cooking show. One of Nick's books was my first cookbook purchase!

Amy

[dave88]

I don't know nor can find out why there are subtitles only for "chairman Kaga" and not the others. Most likely, the translations are tarted-up to add to the entertainment value of the show.

I would definately rather have the subtitles since the actors who's voices they use are keen on pronouncing words ending with -ing as "go-een" (going), "topp-een" (topping), "eat-een" (eating), etc. It grates on me nerves after a while.

Edited November 26, 2002 by dave88 (log)

[Kerouac1964]

Martha Stewart kind of creeps me out.  I've never heard somebody talk so in depth about a given subject without a hint of passion in her voice.  But she's like a train wreck; sometimes I just can't turn my eyes away...

barbcutie --

LOL Great comment on MS. How about when she gets her mom to come on the show? It almost gets double creepy. Or when an esteemed guest, corrects MS on something. I loved it when Mario did a guest spot. She just sort of stepped back and shut up. But, oddly enough, Mario really whittled down his usually lecture-while-cooking style.

Then there is the way she coldly parades children on the show to somehow give her a motherly kindness. The table manners class with the two children was especially a real HORK fest for me. {Shudder}

[tighe]

Is anyone here familiar with Nick Stellino, and his show, Cucina Amore?    I don't see it that much anymore; I don't even know if new ones are being taped.  It's on PBS, though, and definitely my favorite cooking show.  One of Nick's books was my first cookbook purchase!

Amy

Nick is a little over the top, but I love his shows. Sometimes he comes off as an Italian charicature I think. He's actually based here in Seattle I believe. I'm a little embarassed to to admit it, but one of the first time I saw his show, I spent a few hours trying to figure out where "his restaurant" that he regularly refers to in the show was. Turns out no such place exists! What the point of the reference is, I'm not sure.

[nervousnelli]

I think Nick Stellano is a phony. He turns his accent on and off.

[Jinmyo]

Nick Stellano is a fool, a cad, a bounder, and a hologram.

The "translations" on Iron Chef were rough approximations.

[Blue Heron]

geesh, what a tough group here . Although I don't watch enough foodtv for anybody to get on my nerves anymore.

Does anybody know if A Cooks Tour is in a new season or in reruns? Have they shown the rest of the shows they omitted last season (but were seen in Canada?). I would like to watch the new season when it starts, and those omitted (censored?) shows.

[Jinmyo]

Blue, only one series of ACT was shot. Tony's plans for banging around Portugal and Spain with Mario were nixed by FNTV execs. Nothing else is planned.

I don't think the censored episodes will be shown in Das Amerika.

edit:

re Bourdain and Batali, apparently FNTV thought the two, drunk, in speedos on the beach not such a good idea according to Bourdain.

Sad, really as I'd pay good money (ie Canadian funds converted to Amerikanski dullrz) to see this.

Edited November 26, 2002 by Jinmyo (log)

[stellabella]

Hey what about Nigella Lawson - I really like her, don't know if what she cooks works.

NL's recipes do work, and are easy to make. She is a true inspiration, because she makes no fuss about cooking and keeps it enjoyable. The only thing I don't like is when she puts her finger way down her mouth (Tommy please don't use this opportunity for x-rated comments!) to taste some batter, as if she had food stuck in her teeth. I find that disgusting.

i watched nigella bites on style tv tonite for the first time, ever--happy now to know what all the hype is about.

nigella struck me, in this episode ["templefood"] at least, as high on caffeine--her hands were positively twitching. and some of her commentary was brutally tautological--" am using this orange juice because i want this dish to have an orange flavor"

BUT what a chick--i do believe this woman eats and enjoys every bite. i think her midnite raid on the fridge and the chilled snickers bar was totally staged, but i loved it nonetheless, as well as the blurry image of her in the bathtub scarfing down a plate of fruit.

the dishes she prepared looked yummy, and so simple.

[Blue Heron]

Blue, only one series of ACT was shot. Tony's plans for banging around Portugal and Spain with Mario were nixed by FNTV execs. Nothing else is planned.

I don't think the censored episodes will be shown in Das Amerika.

edit:

re Bourdain and Batali, apparently FNTV thought the two, drunk, in speedos on the beach not such a good idea according to Bourdain.

Sad, really as I'd pay good money (ie Canadian funds converted to Amerikanski dullrz) to see this.

Thanks Jin. What a pity. I think the execs at FNTV are not very in tune with what people want to watch on that channel. To cancel a show like ACT and keep the other crap on there defies logic.