Made to Order- high end cooking show

[Genny]

Has anyone else had a chance to enjoy this program? This features Guy Rubino "culinary artist" and his brother Michael Rubino "master in hospitality" in a series of half hour shows featuring them and their Toronto restaurants Rain and Luce. This is the food I've been looking for!

The episodes I've seen include a cook-off between the chefs of their two restaurants in which the brothers go select the secret ingredients including baby goat and live eel.

Another was of them putting together a fundraiser evening for MS in which small plates of simple and inexpensive food was passed, but it was amazing food!

Now this is *must see* TV.

ETA: thanks for the correct link John!

Edited February 23, 2006 by Genny (log)

[John DePaula]

Slight error in the link as posted above; here's the corrected version:

Fine Living: Made to Order

[wattacetti]

This was on Food Network Canada a few years back. Some interesting presentation ideas, but I could never get past the Rubinos.

[Oyster Guy]

I can't stand the show myself.

Both of them are egotistical, arrogant and just generally annoying.

Guy's food is always hideously over garnished and presented.

Which says to me that it can't possibly be that good if he needs to put that much crap on a plate.

Maybe it was better as their chefs were doing it but they seem to be overbearing with their staff so I have my doubts.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Keep on shucking

Oyster Guy

[Badiane]

  wattacetti said:

This was on Food Network Canada a few years back. Some interesting presentation ideas, but I could never get past the Rubinos.

←

A few years back???? It's still on every freaking day. The same 10 episodes, over and over and over and over. It's like being trapped in some Food Network Groundhog Day...two freaky looking dudes destined to repeat the same schlock day after day after day. I keep hoping they will get it right and finally move on.

While I am always glad to hear that someone has found culinary inspiration from something Canadian, I am so far over that kind of food, presentation, pretension and attitude that I can't find the Rubinos anything other than ridiculous.

[Sugarella]

Wow. I'm really suprised nobody likes the Rubinos. I find them both engaging and charming, and have a lot of respect for their devotion to their respective crafts. And I'm sure I've seen well over 10 episodes of their show over the years, too, and although the food is certainly what you'd call high end, I don't think that necessarily make them pretentious. But then, maybe my opinion is based on knowing that experiencing the food vicariously on Made To Order is easily within my reach, whereas dining at Rain is certainly not.

Edited February 23, 2006 by Sugarella (log)

[peteswanson]

Like the show...certainly entertaining...not a fan of the food...I was never a fan of three distinct and different things on one plate...that aside, I certainly watch it...although I agree that it's painful to see that the same episodes are on over and over again....did they only do 10 episodes???

[Pam R]

  Sugarella said:

Wow. I'm really suprised nobody likes the Rubinos. I find them both engaging and charming,

I agree. I also think you have to realize (it seems to me) that though they take the food seriously, they also tend to poke a little fun at themselves.

Working in the family buz, I get a kick out of their little spats.

As to the issue of the same 10 shows over and over - this seems to be a problem right across the board at FTVC. It is truly annoying, which is why I find myself watching a lot less of it. But if I'm flipping through and there's a new Made to Order, I'll watch.

[Badiane]

They actually did two full seasons - about 26 shows. Just seems that it's the same 10 all the time.

I did enjoy one episode...and it's going to be on in a couple of days...were a young woman from a cooking school comes begging for a shot in the kitchen and they not only allow it, Guy is incredibly kind to her at the end and actually gives her a job. That was cool.

[Daddy-A]

Add my voice to the Anti-Rubino camp ...

I'll forgive them for looking like freaky aliens , but WTF is up with the stacked food? Guy seems to measure the quality of his dishes with a ruler. Michael seems obsessed with muddling. Perhaps a muddling stick fetish?

Keep in mind I've never eaten at either of their restaurants ... but based on the show I'm not likely to do so. I've only seen Susur Lee on Opening Soon ... and I'd make a bee-line to his joint before even thinking about visiting the Rubinos.

A.

[coquus]

This show was discovered recently, with that title it was a hard discovery. I love it, love the food, the Rubinos are cool, and it's refreshing to see cool Canadians on TV. I have yet to exhaust the ten episodes so I am still happy with them, unlike Gordon Ramsay who has all but vanished from the American screen, but rumor has it he'll be back June 12th. I mean, you can disagree with these guys, but I doubt you can prove them wrong.

[Jeebus]

Having worked for the rubinos I always found their food much more flash than substance, and their food has grown more complex over the years. I can not imagine that hot food is ever served with the plating style they do. The show has some value but the food is definately not my style.

And yes they very well may be aliens.

[iharrison]

Over the years I have watched the show with equal parts disdain and fascination. Sometimes I want to give Guy a high five, other times I want to smack those cowlicks off his skull.

I ate at Luce two years ago and it was an overpriced, overorchestrated disaster. But hey, that's Toronto for you.