Food Network Chefs

[Jinmyo]

Iron Chef - a bit campy at times

Really?

[Al_Dente]

I really enjoy some of the cooks on the Food Network-- Mario and Emeril come to mind. I also think some of them are terrible. For instance, Sarah Whatshername doesn't seem to have any grasp of technique at all.

What do you think?

[awbrig]

For instance, Sarah Whatshername doesn't seem to have any grasp of technique at all.

What do you think?

Our favorite is Sara Moulton...

Edited January 15, 2003 by awbrig (log)

[col klink]

I'm particularly fond of her too.

I'm also a fan of Mario Batali (his father has the best sandwich shop in Seattle), Ming Tsai and Alton Brown. I used to really get irked by Alton, but his show is so informative that I'm willing to overlook the mirth he adds, ie. hammy acting. I've come to the conclusion that he's the Bill Nye of the cooking world, ergo I'm now a fan and almost a fan of the hamminess. Besides, what's better than pork?

[Al_Dente]

I agree on the Alton Brown assessment. He has a great straightforward no-nonsense approach to his technique, and the show itself is quirky and often quite funny. His cook book has some excellent recipes-- try the roasted chicken under a brick!

I don't know what it is about Sara. I guess I feel like she's teaching a kindergarten class or something. She often seems unsure of what she's doing and indecisive.

[guajolote]

There's much more on this here

[col klink]

I thought there was an earlier thread. I probably said the exact same thing too. Well, except for Alton Brown 'cause I only recently started to like him.

[Wilfrid]

Sara Moulton was, until recently, executive chef at Gourmet magazine. I think she knows exactly what she's doing, and rather more than some of the other 'chefs' on the network. Her TV personality is perhaps a little reticent.

[Stone]

Sara Moulton was, until recently, executive chef at Gourmet magazine.  I think she knows exactly what she's doing, and rather more than some of the other 'chefs' on the network.  Her TV personality is perhaps a little reticent.

Does "reticent" mean "like white bread soaked in milk?"

[col klink]

One thing I've always liked about Sara is that she feels really comfortable talking to the camera when there's no one in front of her. A lot chefs will stutter and forcibly spit out their words (e.g. Emeril) unless they have some form of live audience or a warm body right there on set.

[SteveW]

Sara Moulton was, until recently, executive chef at Gourmet magazine.  I think she knows exactly what she's doing, and rather more than some of the other 'chefs' on the network.  Her TV personality is perhaps a little reticent.

So Sara is not the Executive Chef at Gourmet magazine anymore? When did this happen(must of been very recently)? Any reason why she left?

-----------------

Steve

[Al_Dente]

Sara Moulton was, until recently, executive chef at Gourmet magazine.  I think she knows exactly what she's doing, and rather more than some of the other 'chefs' on the network.  Her TV personality is perhaps a little reticent.

Does "reticent" mean "like white bread soaked in milk?"

Mmm, white bread soaked in milk.

I had heard she was exec chef at Gourmet. Makes me all the more amazed she struggles to slice a carrot.

[Wilfrid]

So Sara is not the Executive Chef at Gourmet magazine anymore? When did this happen(must of been very recently)? Any reason why she left?

I believe someone told me that she'd left, but I'm clearly fallible. ANyone have the latest issue handy?

[Really Nice!]

I think she knows exactly what she's doing, and rather more than some of the other 'chefs' on the network.  Her TV personality is perhaps a little reticent.

I give her a lot of credit for doing a truly live show. It's not live in the sense that it is taped before a studio audience.

Not only does she have to know what she's doing, she has to fill airtime so viewers don't leave, and take calls from viewers while she's cutting and preparing. It's very hard to keep track of timing (both cooking and live tv), prepare food, identify what you're going to do next, all while having a conversation with someone on the phone.

There was a show recently that was funny, but she probably felt it was her worst. There was a young chef, he was in his early 20s and two young boys and they were building gingerbread houses. The chef was constructing a side room on the house.

Sarah: What's that you got going there?

Chef: It's a den.

Sarah: Well, it could be a flower room.

Chef: Nahhh, it's a den.

Sarah: <stops and says sternly> NO! It can be a flower room!

The show kind of fell apart from there. At the conclusion she was saying goodbye and thanked the two boys by name. She thanked Aaron, and he said, as she continued talking, "My name's not Aaron, it's Eric!"

EDIT: From her Web site http://saramoulton.com/bio.htm

By then Sara had also begun working as the host of "Cooking Live," her own show on The Food Network. After six years and some 1200 shows, Cooking Live ended its run on March 31.

She is better than most in making food you can make at home. Although I like Jacques Torres, there's no way I can do what he does at home.

Rachel Ray is annoying.

Ming Tsai is bland.

If Emerril is getting people interested in food that previously were afraid to cook or simply not interested, then good for him. Hopefully, these people quickly graduate from his Cooking 101 programming.

Bobby Flay, likes to get drunk on TV with his Eat America programs. It's worth watching for that alone. How do you pronounce Willamette Valley?

I don't like the marketing of the Saturday morning cooking school programming. There's no educational substance. It's just watch me cook and write down the recipe.

Cooking School Stories is very good. Very accurate.

I would like to see more of Robin Dorian

Edited January 15, 2003 by Really Nice! (log)

[Jason Perlow]

merged with previous thread.

[bpearis]

So Sara is not the Executive Chef at Gourmet magazine anymore? When did this happen(must of been very recently)? Any reason why she left?

I believe someone told me that she'd left, but I'm clearly fallible. ANyone have the latest issue handy?

i'm pretty sure she still works there.

[Coop]

I've just got to comment on that piece of crap Stadlander. He is the most arrogant, know it all, self-grandizing piece of Euro-trash ever to sneak inside my TV screen. However the people that I really can't understand are the assholes who pay $150.00 a head to sit in the mud and eat the shit he creates. Hang on I think he's from Ontario. No need to explain.

[pete ganz]

The January edition of Gourmet lists Sara Moulton as the executive chef

[BigMac]

I just read all nine pages and have to chime in:

Rachael Ray: Cook breakfast for me in bed.

I made the mistake of saying that Rachael Ray was cute in my wife's presence. Uh oh. She does make some decent food for those of us short on time. She does tend to make a lot of "patty" foods - meatloaf patties, taco patties, cajun patties, etc. Her $40 a day show is the worst - a recent NY show featured food from every corner of the city... $80 (or a hell of a lot of time) just to travel from place to place.

I love the Iron Chef, Sakai is the most talented chef in the world, IMHO. Are there any plans on an Iron Chef in the US? Who would you pick to be Iron Chefs? Would you have an IC U.S., French, and Italian (being probably the biggest food styles in this country) or would you go regional? I.C. Southern, etc.

[Coop]

I have been thinking about this thread for a day now and have decided to add something more positive then my blast at Stadlander and the rest of the Food TV Canada psuedo celeb chefs.

For my money the most exciting cooking show ever was Cooking Live with Sara Moulton. I remember seeing some of the most influential chefs and writers in America on the show. If not for this show I would not have heard of Bourdain, Payard, Dispirto, Grand, and many others who's names are not mentioned.

Part of my dislike for the Canadian version of Food TV stemmed from them cutting this show and giving us Ken Kostic in return.

Instead of watching ground breaking chefs cook and talk of a craft they obviously loved we were given a mugging fool who could barely use a knife. This seems to be a theme on the Canadian channel, feeding us trained monkey chefs and houswives who seem intent on taking thier act to Vegas. You can tell by the advertisments for ready to serve meals in a bag they feel that the enthusiast is not watching. I hope not.

[Wilfrid]

The January edition of Gourmet lists Sara Moulton as the executive chef

I stand corrected. Anyway, I think that establishes that she's a real cook. I guess it's just hard to look cool and polished when trying to answer the telephone at the same time.

[tan319]

What ever happened to all of the 'Great Chefs' shows?

Those shows are what inspired me to pursue a career in the biz.

As for FoodTV:

1-'ACT' is the best show on the network. Wish they would put it out on DVD. I think they could sell it bigtime,with deleted scenes,etc.

2-'Sweet Dreams' is pretty cool. Gale Gand has the chops and is cute to boot.

3-Mario is bugging me.

4-Rachel is easy on the eyes and I like her cooking show better then the travel show.

5-Iron Chef rules but I wish they could get some new episodes.

6- Dig Jacques Torres for his knowledge and attitude.

7-Nigella is fun(but isn't she on StyleTV?)

8-I think the Naked Chef has an interesting homo-erotic undertone to it, not that there is anything wrong w/ that. Just never have known a bunch of british guys who would want to get all cooked up in the kitchen w/ a dude.

9-Is 'East meets West' still taping?

10-It would be cool to have' Chef de Jour' again just to see some new talent. That's how Ming and so many others got their shows anyway.

BTW, Sara M's 'Cooking Live' was a really cool show because of all the people she pulled on the show.

[SteveW]

Near the end of Sara Moulton's reign hosting Cooking Live, she for one television season, hosted a similiar live cooking program on TVFN. It aired live from 10-11pm, but I can't remember the name. Also does anybody here know, the difference between this show, & Cooking Live(it followed the same format)?

Great Chefs is airing on the Travel Channel. What is the 'ACT' television show? East meets West, I believe is not currently in production anymore(Ming is concentrating on running his Blue Ginger restaurant in Boston).

-----------------

Steve

[Jason Perlow]

1-'ACT' is the best show on the network. Wish they would put it out on DVD. I think they could sell it bigtime,with deleted scenes,etc.

According to Tony there isnt much deleted content that would be worth it.

2-'Sweet Dreams' is pretty cool. Gale Gand has the chops and is cute to boot.

She is so sickly sweet most normal people want to kill her.

3-Mario is bugging me.

Take more medication. :)

4-Rachel is easy on the eyes and I like her cooking show better then the travel show.

No comment.

5-Iron Chef rules but I wish they could get some new episodes.

The production company hasnt made any new ones in years. Its out of favor in Japan, they'd have to produce them IN the US. Without it being dubbed over and such it wouldn't be the same. I hate the William Shatner one, its horrid.

6- Dig Jacques Torres for his knowledge and attitude.

Jaques is tres cool, yes.

7-Nigella is fun(but isn't she on StyleTV?)

Sokay, you still want to rip her clothes off.

8-I think the Naked Chef has an interesting homo-erotic undertone to it, not that there is anything wrong w/ that. Just never have known a bunch of british guys who would want to get all cooked up in the kitchen w/ a dude.

Uh, okay.

9-Is 'East meets West' still taping?

Does it matter?

10-It would be cool to have' Chef de Jour' again just to see some new talent. That's how Ming and so many others got their shows anyway.

BTW, Sara M's 'Cooking Live' was a really cool show because of all the people she pulled on the show.

Yes.

[Jinmyo]

ACT= A Cook's Tour. Tony Bourdain, Vic Chanko and company drunk and in speedos in Cambodia and other locales.