In the Aug. 14th issue of Entertainment Weekly they did a story on the 15 Best TV Shows for Foodies. Here is my opinion on whether or not they should be on the list.
TOP CHEF
FEATURING: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi
AIRS: Wed., 9-10PM on Bravo
MAIN COURSE: Dazzling haute cuisine dishes — often as hard to pronounce as they would be to cook
THE SPICE: The ”cheftestants”’ hot tempers and relentless ambition —Adam Markovitz
Agree
In my opinion one of the best reality shows on TV right now and easily one of the best cooking shows. I was glad to see it have the main spot for the article.
HELL’S KITCHEN
FEATURING: Gordon Ramsay
AIRS: Tues., 8-9PM on Fox
MAIN COURSE: Contestants boldly announcing their supremacy to the cameras before heading to the kitchen to burn yet another beef Wellington
THE SPICE: Counting how many times Ramsay can holler ”COME ON, YOU DONKEY” in less than an hour. —Whitney Pastorek
Disagree
While I agree with what they claim the spice of the show to be, I can’t agree that this is a good show for foodies. It is a good show for people that like yelling and uncomfortableness. I think Ramsay is brilliant but i can’t watch this show.
IRON CHEF AMERICA
FEATURING: Various
AIRS: Sun., 9-10PM on Food Network
MAIN COURSE: Cooking as an extreme sport: In each episode, a hopeful contestant enters the glitzy Kitchen Stadium to face off in a 60-minute real-time culinary battle against an Iron Chef
THE SPICE: Alton Brown’s commentary and theatrics from ”The Chairman” (played by martial-arts champ Marc Dacascos) —AM
Agree
Even though this show is commentated like a football game, it is done by the lovable Alton Brown. They create incredibly complex and innovatinve dishes.
30 MINUTE MEALS
FEATURING: Rachael Ray
AIRS: Various times on Food Network
MAIN COURSE: Easy, good-tasting (albeit usually calorie-packed) meals made stupidly simple for the busy masses
THE SPICE: No culinary personality is as polarizing: Haters chide her for her teetering-on-ridiculous exuberance, refusal to measure ingredients, and insistence on using funny words. Followers love her for exactly the same reasons. —Tanner Stransky
Agree
While some find Ray annoying, she is still very passionate about her food and I like how she doesn’t measure ingredients.
PAULA’S HOME COOKING
FEATURING: Paula Deen
AIRS: Various times on Food Network
MAIN COURSE: Deen’s seemingly endless arsenal of butter, mayonnaise, and good cheer makes her a consummate Southern-comfort cook, y’all
THE SPICE: The Emmy winner learned her craft from Grandma, not some fancy chef school; she’s all about serving food that makes people happy. —Beth Johnson
Disagree
I respect Deen for making it so far with absolutly no training and that accent. I cannot enjoy the show however.
DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES
FEATURING: Guy Fieri
AIRS: Various times on Food Network
MAIN COURSE: Visiting some of the nation’s favorite greasy spoons in small towns and big cities
THE SPICE: Boisterous, spiky-haired Fieri — season 2 winner of The Next Food Network Star — seems right at home chatting up camera-shy cooks and soda-shop waitresses. —AB
Disagree
I do not like Guy Fieri or his ways.
TODAY
FEATURING: Various
AIRS: Mon.-Sat., various times on NBC
MAIN COURSE: One-stop shopping to get a taste of some of the biggest names in the food world
THE SPICE: Watching these stars of the culinary world interact with anchors Matt Lauer and admitted nonchef Meredith Vieira, on live TV in front of screaming Rockefeller Center crowds.—Tim Stack
Agree
Even though this morning show isn’t entirely about food, when they do have food segments, they are informitive and entertaining.
NO RESERVATIONS
FEATURING: Anthony Bourdain
AIRS: Mon., 10-11PM on Travel Channel
MAIN COURSE: Follow the chef around the globe to eat as the locals do, whether it’s warthog in Namibia or deep-dish in Chicago.
THE SPICE: The series also delves into each country’s culture, giving viewers a side of Irish literature with their pint of Guinness. —Archana Ram
Agree
Even if I don’t always agree with the guy or find every episode informitive, I have to admire what the guy is doing.
GOOD EATS
FEATURING: Alton Brown
AIRS: Various times on Food Network
MAIN COURSE: Nuts and bolts of cooking — why chopping onions makes us cry, how to make a perfect piecrust, how to MacGyver a nifty, cheap popcorn popper
THE SPICE: One part cooking show, a big dash of high school chemistry, sprinkle in some goofy community theater. —BJ
Agree
A food show for science nerds and history fans. This show is a serious contender for my favorite food show.
THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW
FEATURING: Martha Stewart
AIRS: Various times; syndicated
MAIN COURSE: Consistently high-quality recipes
THE SPICE: The intersection of domestic excellence and absurdist comedy — what other show has served up bucatini with bottarga while also painting the vivid picture of its host sucking the head off a crawfish as a bewildered Ben Vereen and Liza Minnelli wrangled a bowl of the squirming crustaceans? —MS
Agree
Even with her past controversy, Stewart keeps it coming and it is always perfect. There is a reason she is the first self made female billionaire.
GIADA AT HOME
FEATURING: Giada De Laurentiis
AIRS: Various times on Food Network
MAIN COURSE: Entertaining with more accessible dishes flavored with touches of her native cuisine (see: waffles with fresh pancetta)
THE SPICE: The obvious passion Giada — granddaughter of legendary producer Dino De Laurentiis and trained at Le Cordon Bleu — pours into cooking, enticing viewers to join in. —Tim Stack
Agree
De Laurentiis shows her passion for food and her culture in every episode. Great show.
Here is an overview of the shows I have not seen enough of to comment on. Have you?
AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN
FEATURING: Christopher Kimball
AIRS: Various times on PBS
MAIN COURSE: Trial-and-error approach boils down the art of cooking into a research-intensive science
THE SPICE: Bow-tie-clad host Kimball and the ATK crew (in particular, soothing-voiced MVPs Julia Collin Davison and Bridget Lancaster) —Michael SlezakBAREFOOT CONTESSA
FEATURING: Ina Garten
AIRS: Various times on Food Network
MAIN COURSE: Garten’s half-hour tutorials
THE SPICE: Her soothing voice and relatable presence. —Annie BarrettLIDIA’S ITALY
FEATURING: Lidia Bastianich
AIRS: Various times on PBS
MAIN COURSE: Italian comfort food at its best; like Julia Child, Bastianich can reduce complicated recipes to a series of simple instructions
THE SPICE: Also like Child, Bastianich is given to gentle scolding. —Tina JordanACE OF CAKES
FEATURING: Duff Goldman
AIRS: Various times on Food Network
MAIN COURSE: Truly spectacular artistry, from a massive Hogwarts cake for a Harry Potter premiere to a fortune-cookie cake used as a marriage proposal
THE ICING: Pastry chef Goldman, hilariously deadpan executive sous-chef Geof, wry manager Mary Alice, and winning decorators like Anna, Mary, and Elena. —Adam B. Vary
*This gallery is abridged from issue 1060 (Aug. 14) of Entertainment Weekly; buy the issue for the full feature.
