Technique on Food Television Shows

[VenerableBede]

America's Test Kitchen is excellent on this front.  I respect Alton Brown for his efforts in the kitchen science/what to do and why area, but I much prefer the ATK style (and lack of commercials).

I admire what they do and enjoy reading/watching how they get to their destination but I have to say none of the food looks all the great. I've only seen the show a handful of times but I wasn't moved to cook after viewing. Their chili looked like a leaden disaster to me. I think it's very Yankee-style cooking, which is interesting but it doesn't seem very passionate.

ha ha, yankee. . that's exactly what i think sometimes (especially the episode where they were doing tacos and quesadilla's). not to mention kimball's droll style of talking.

i enjoy watching ATK for technique and reasons why one should or shouldn't doing something, but their actual recipes don't really sound all that enticing (their butternut squash soup really didn't look or sound appetizing).

[Kris]

Overall I prefer to watch cooking show for the learning aspect vs. the entertainment value.

But I do have one peeve about two cooking shows airing on PBS - Lidia's Family Table & Daisy Cooks:

When they demo their recipes and give pretty decent techniques, they don't give ingredient measurements for each recipe. Cynically, I suspect that this is done so that you are forced to buy the accompanying cookbooks. It seems a bit mercenary if you ask me...

Another related issue is cleanliness and hygiene in the kitchen. If someone has a tv cooking show, their hands & nails should be clean and immaculate. I'm a bit dismayed when I see chef/tv cooks who handle raw meat without properly washing their hands. It also peeves me to see chefs with grubby, dirty fingernails. I recently watched a cooking show where the host's teenage son was assisting her with a recipe. However he had a Band-Aid on his index finger. Not only that, he was grating vegetables and handling the food. I know cutting accidents happen, but the Band-Aid seemed out of place for a tv cooking show.

[jsmeeker]

America's Test Kitchen is excellent on this front.  I respect Alton Brown for his efforts in the kitchen science/what to do and why area, but I much prefer the ATK style (and lack of commercials).

I admire what they do and enjoy reading/watching how they get to their destination but I have to say none of the food looks all the great. I've only seen the show a handful of times but I wasn't moved to cook after viewing. Their chili looked like a leaden disaster to me. I think it's very Yankee-style cooking, which is interesting but it doesn't seem very passionate.

There's a couple of "designers'" on HGTV who do room makeovers and they have the worst track-home taste but they can justify it in a pedantic way that makes you question your sanity ("Now the grey from the porcelain kitty's head picks up the grout in the tile-work and creates a lovely backdrop for our chintz toilet paper cozy!")

I'll also chime in on Rachael Ray here - though I don't love listening to her, she does a good job of explaining what she's doing and why, which is really important, especially for her demographic.

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Really? I don't' see that at all. She's just opening cans and dumping stuff into a frying pan as far as I can tell. I dont want to reopen old wounds, but I don't think you learn anything by watching her. You get a list of ingredients.

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The ATK stuff is very much "home cooking" and it certainly does have that Yankee bent to it. But that's the kind of food I like to cook at home for my self, or stuff I like to take someplace else. I don't do any fancy entertaining, so there is little need for me to make fussy restuarant style food. (when I want that, I go out for it) It's generally pretty damn solid, especially their desserts and baked items. The ethnic stuff may usually be far from authentic, though. For flat out basic cooking foods, they present really solid techniques that yield simple, tasty things like a beef stew or a soup, etc.

For Rachael.. Are you confusing her with Sandra Lee? Rachael's stuff has a good amount of knife work, fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, etc. Sure, there are canned stocks, some dried spices, maybe canned beans... But I don't think there is anythign bad with that. Remember, that the 30 minute part is what the show revolves around.

[rancho_gordo]

The ATK stuff is very much "home cooking" and it certainly does have that Yankee bent to it.  But that's the kind of food I like to cook at home for my self, or stuff I like to take someplace else.  I don't do any fancy entertaining, so there is little need for me to make fussy restuarant style food. (when I want that, I go out for it)  It's generally pretty damn solid, especially their desserts and baked items.  The ethnic stuff may usually be far from authentic, though.  For flat out basic cooking foods, they present really solid techniques that yield simple, tasty things like a beef stew or a soup, etc.

I very much like simple home cooking and I rarely do fancy anything but the food they feature doesn't appeal to me. Like I said, it's kind of fun listening to their journey but the destination, for me, is often a "why go to all that trouble, it doesn't look that good?!"

For Rachael.. Are you confusing her with Sandra Lee?    Rachael's stuff has a good amount of knife work, fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, etc.  Sure, there are canned stocks, some dried spices, maybe canned beans...  But I don't think there is anythign bad with that.  Remember, that the 30 minute part is what the show revolves around.

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No, I have no confusion about who is who but to save the peace I'm going to leave it at that!

[KOK]

....My husband and I sometimes have discussions along the lines of "Would you let So-and-so cook in our kitchen?" .....

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This is probably not what you mean, but when ever I watch Emeril (which is rarely) he wipes his nose on the back of his hand at least twice a show and then goes on his merry way. No wiping, no nothing. ewwwww.

Thanks,

Kevin

[MelissaH]

....My husband and I sometimes have discussions along the lines of "Would you let So-and-so cook in our kitchen?" .....

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This is probably not what you mean, but when ever I watch Emeril (which is rarely) he wipes his nose on the back of his hand at least twice a show and then goes on his merry way. No wiping, no nothing. ewwwww.

Thanks,

Kevin

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Kevin,

I didn't mention names above, but Emeril is exactly who I had in mind. Not only does he get a no on the let-him-in question, he gets a rather resounding HELL NO!!! Interestingly, also on the HELL NO list is Charlie Trotter. That goes back to an episode in his first season on PBS, which I think I've mentioned previously on eG. It was an episode about birds (mostly chicken, I think). During the first season, they'd intersperse the color portions of recipe demo with B&W segments in the restaurant kitchen, where he'd show you things about the food or variations thereof. The B&W shots were always done in a single cut with a single camera. And in this particular episode, with his bare hands, Charlie T caressed some raw chickens, some raw quail, maybe a raw pheasant or other raw bird...and then IMMEDIATELY wrapped those same grubby paws around a roasted bird. Unless his editing people are really really good, he most definitely did not wash his hands inbetween.

That really grossed me out, and blacklisted him from ever setting foot in my kitchen...or me from setting foot in his again.

In the end, though, that little incident was not why I quit watching his show. I quit watching because he wasn't doing anything that was at all accessible to me in my own kitchen. I got sick of seeing microgreens grown in Ohio especially for him, meat from providers that those of us not in the biz don't have access to, and other unavailable stuff. He'd talk plenty about how beautiful his ingredients were, but didn't have any advice for those of us who are normal ol' home cooks, even those of us who live in agrarian areas with farmers' markets.

But it got worse. Especially in the second season of the show, he started talking a great deal about flavors and simplicity. But then, when it came time to put his money where his mouth was, he'd concoct a dish that had two dozen ingredients, each of which was used in minuscule quantities and/or required substantial preparation. I'm not quite sure what idea of simplicity he was trying to convey, but it was totally lost on me. The tone of the show became unbearably uppity, and I lost interest in even watching for inspiration. The show in its first season at least presented things that might have been doable by, say, me. But the second season sent it up over my head and my interest level...which takes quite a lot.

The technique looked pretty good to me, and the kitchen stayed relatively tidy. But there really wasn't much teaching going on, beyond the part about restaurant chefs being able to get stuff that none of the rest of us can. And I knew that already.

MelissaH

[Toliver]

America's Test Kitchen is excellent on this front.  I respect Alton Brown for his efforts in the kitchen science/what to do and why area, but I much prefer the ATK style (and lack of commercials).

I admire what they do and enjoy reading/watching how they get to their destination but I have to say none of the food looks all the great. I've only seen the show a handful of times but I wasn't moved to cook after viewing. Their chili looked like a leaden disaster to me. I think it's very Yankee-style cooking, which is interesting but it doesn't seem very passionate.

ha ha, yankee. . that's exactly what i think sometimes (especially the episode where they were doing tacos and quesadilla's). not to mention kimball's droll style of talking.

i enjoy watching ATK for technique and reasons why one should or shouldn't doing something, but their actual recipes don't really sound all that enticing (their butternut squash soup really didn't look or sound appetizing).

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ATK seems to be about doing basic dishes in the best manner to get the best results, in their opinion. They shine when it comes to technique and measurement. Just don't look for anything ground-breaking on that show in the terms of dishes.

As for

not to mention kimball's droll style of talking.

I would have used the word "condescending" but I understand your point.

[Sugarella]

eGTV, anyone?

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Now there's an idea whose time has come.

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Yes!

You could also rework some of the eGCI classes and add some video to them.

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Oh HELL NO! Not me! I was talking about being glad of having previously had a (failed) film/TV career and that giving me the ideas about how to go about starting eGTV. I was NOT suggesting I be the one to actually do this. For two reasons.... 1) I have no money and can't make TV shows therefore..... and 2) I am not (other than posting here) affiliated with eG in the sense I could use their name and produce shows.

I was merely suggesting someone else do it. Could I produce TV? Yes, actually. Would I want to? See the previous HELL NO in above paragraph.

...

Actully I'm posting again because I forgot to include an amazing TV chef, in my opinion, the reverable Ming Tsai. Used to ADORE him when we had him up here on FTVC. Now there's a guy who can teach! He was totally amazing and it's too bad we don't see him anymore.

Last I heard (about a year ago via a Mississippi newspaper) he was cooking school lunches on an ongoing basis for Katrina victims.... anybody know what he's doing now??

In the same vein, Martin Yan is awesome also, but unfortunately doesn't do as much as I would like in the way of explaining WHY.......

Edit: silly typo

Edited July 26, 2006 by Sugarella (log)

[Toliver]

eGTV, anyone?

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Now there's an idea whose time has come.

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Yes!

You could also rework some of the eGCI classes and add some video to them.

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Oh HELL NO! Not me!....

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Oops! I didn't mean to give you a coronary. I have poor writing skills and should have written "One could also rework some of the eGCI classes...". Meaning not you specifically but a "you" as in "someone".

Sorry about that!

[Sugarella]

Oops!    I didn't mean to give you a coronary.

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Nope.... not a coronary. Mild coniption, yes, Coronary, no.

[Darren72]

Melissa,

Just a quick note about Trotter. My *guess* is that the B & W scene you saw was edited. I spent some time in the kitchen at Charlie Trotter's and they were absolute freaks about cleanliness. The kitchen is a very tight ship. If the scene wasn't edited, my guess is there is some other explanation. I am sure that Trotter wouldn't touch raw poultry, then cooked poultry, and then serve the latter.

I agree that his books and shows use incredibly rare, and sometimes very expensive, ingredients. I've found that many of the recipes are quite easy to simplify, though, into an everyday version. For example, you don't have to top the dish with microgreens from Ohio, but could top it with herbs. Instead of using basil oil to finish a dish, finish it with olive oil and chopped basil.

Now, I realize Trotter decided to present his version and not mention these kinds of simplifications. Maybe the show would be better if he did. Every once in while, though, he does give in. For example, he'll use an exotic piece of meat, and then say something like "you could of course do this with a chicken breast, or a piece of lamb..."

Anyways, I realize many are turned off by him and his style. If you ever decide to give him a third chance, you might look at his books "Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home" and "Gourmet Cooking for Dummies". The latter is part of the XYZ for Dummies Series. Both present recipes that are considerably simpler (and by that I mean use more common ingredients, etc) than what he does on the show or in his other books.

I didn't mention names above, but Emeril is exactly who I had in mind. Not only does he get a no on the let-him-in question, he gets a rather resounding HELL NO!!! Interestingly, also on the HELL NO list is Charlie Trotter. That goes back to an episode in his first season on PBS, which I think I've mentioned previously on eG. It was an episode about birds (mostly chicken, I think). During the first season, they'd intersperse the color portions of recipe demo with B&W segments in the restaurant kitchen, where he'd show you things about the food or variations thereof. The B&W shots were always done in a single cut with a single camera. And in this particular episode, with his bare hands, Charlie T caressed some raw chickens, some raw quail, maybe a raw pheasant or other raw bird...and then IMMEDIATELY wrapped those same grubby paws around a roasted bird.   Unless his editing people are really really good, he most definitely did not wash his hands inbetween.

That really grossed me out, and blacklisted him from ever setting foot in my kitchen...or me from setting foot in his again.

In the end, though, that little incident was not why I quit watching his show. I quit watching because he wasn't doing anything that was at all accessible to me in my own kitchen. I got sick of seeing microgreens grown in Ohio especially for him, meat from providers that those of us not in the biz don't have access to, and other unavailable stuff. He'd talk plenty about how beautiful his ingredients were, but didn't have any advice for those of us who are normal ol' home cooks, even those of us who live in agrarian areas with farmers' markets.

But it got worse. Especially in the second season of the show, he started talking a great deal about flavors and simplicity. But then, when it came time to put his money where his mouth was, he'd concoct a dish that had two dozen ingredients, each of which was used in minuscule quantities and/or required substantial preparation. I'm not quite sure what idea of simplicity he was trying to convey, but it was totally lost on me. The tone of the show became unbearably uppity, and I lost interest in even watching for inspiration. The show in its first season at least presented things that might have been doable by, say, me. But the second season sent it up over my head and my interest level...which takes quite a lot.

The technique looked pretty good to me, and the kitchen stayed relatively tidy. But there really wasn't much teaching going on, beyond the part about restaurant chefs being able to get stuff that none of the rest of us can. And I knew that already.

MelissaH

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[Bobby 2 Shakes]

I remember a show from the early 80s called "Crazy for Food" with a lady named Annemarie Huste (I think she just went by "Anne Marie"). I believe it was on USA Network. She had a great work ethic and an engaging personality. And she made a gianduja with Toblerone that I still need a bib just to think about it. Just the inspiration you need when you're cooking something from Maida Heatter's Chocolate Cookbook.

[NapaRover]

I really think there is food "instruction" and food "entertainment". Ina for example plainly admits shes not a "chef", trained etc. but a home cook. I throughly enjoy watching her shows, but I watch them for inspiration, certainly not technique. I also think many many folks (and I watch friends like this at my house) who get so tied up in technique that they miss the *taste*.... Ive perfected my pizza at home which is ALL about technique, but most of my cooking personally is instictual...not trained. I really think its "food porn" entertainment. People really watch for entertainment and inspiration, not necessarily technique or recipe....but I could be wrong. Im jaded <G>.