Food Network and Cooking Channel: One is about food

[junemeatcleaver]

Christopher Kimball doesn't fit with Food Network's brand.  Maybe if he became free back in 1999 I could see him on FN, but alas, those days are over.  I mean, David Rosengarten, the guy Food Network used to employ who reminded me the most of Chris Kimball, has a show on YouTube now, no way FN would look twice at Kimball.

[ariel]

junemeatcleaver - thanks for the heads up on David Rosengarten on YouTube.  I learned so much from him in the 1990's when he was on FN about cooking.  I always wondered why PBS didn't pick up his show.  I still think they'd be a good fit.

Edited November 21, 2015 by ariel

[chessiegal]

The thing about getting a show on PBS is after you have a show to pitch, you have to find sponsors to underwrite it, because PBS is not going to pay all the costs for the show - they can't afford it. Sara Moulton has talked about how hard it is for her to keep her show on the air since Bon Appetit went belly up.

[3pwood]

The thing about getting a show on PBS is after you have a show to pitch, you have to find sponsors to underwrite it, because PBS is not going to pay all the costs for the show - they can't afford it. Sara Moulton has talked about how hard it is for her to keep her show on the air since Bon Appetit went belly up.

 

This is all true, except that Bon Appetit is still with us -- it was Gourmet that ceased publication in 2009, leaving Sara Moulton & Ruth Reichl high & dry (though both seem to have landed on their feet).

[chessiegal]

This is all true, except that Bon Appetit is still with us -- it was Gourmet that ceased publication in 2009, leaving Sara Moulton & Ruth Reichl high & dry (though both seem to have landed on their feet).

Thanks. 

[DownTheShore]

If anyone watches Nick Stellino's cooking shows over on Create, he's giving away free his "Cooking With Nick Stellino" cookbook to celebrate his 20th anniversary on public tv. I just caught the advert for it after a Cook's Country episode, so I thought the foodies here might be interested.

http://www.nickstellino.com/Store/Download/15APT0421.aspx

[MissT]

If anyone watches Nick Stellino's cooking shows over on Create, he's giving away free his "Cooking With Nick Stellino" cookbook to celebrate his 20th anniversary on public tv. I just caught the advert for it after a Cook's Country episode, so I thought the foodies here might be interested.

http://www.nickstellino.com/Store/Download/15APT0421.aspx

Thank you.  I watch his shows on the Create Channel and have seen this advertised, but haven't had a chance until now. 

[roseha]

So is Sara Moulton still making new shows for Create?  I normally watch the network in the early evening (dinner time, naturally) and I never see her show anymore.  I think it's listed in the early morning but if it's still current I wonder why it's not on at a better time?

[chessiegal]

So is Sara Moulton still making new shows for Create?  I normally watch the network in the early evening (dinner time, naturally) and I never see her show anymore.  I think it's listed in the early morning but if it's still current I wonder why it's not on at a better time?

She's not just on Create. She's on my local PBS stations (DC area, sadly doesn't have a Create channel anymore), and I'm seeing shows labeled as new. Her shows come on Saturday afternoons, and once a week on a cable PBS station.

[roseha]

She's not just on Create. She's on my local PBS stations (DC area, sadly doesn't have a Create channel anymore), and I'm seeing shows labeled as new. Her shows come on Saturday afternoons, and once a week on a cable PBS station.

 

thanks chrissiegal, I'll do an online search for the show.

[selhars]

Christopher Kimball, Founder of America’s Test Kitchen, to Leave the Company

 

Late to the party, I know…but I'm just now reading this. Wow.

 

I saw the Valerie Berinelli episode with her Hot in Cleveland co-stars.

1) yes she talks. like. Giada. and 2) the food, recipes, and techniques were absolutely UNinspired

 

Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond is growing on me.

 

I don't think I'll ever be glued to -- or a regular watcher of any cooking show, but if there's NOTHING else on, I'll watch

-- Ree….Ina Garten…….and depending on the recipe…..Giada ( I lived in Italy, so that's for nostalgia reasons.)

(Of course I watch other shows on PBS Lidia Bastianich, heaven help her MaryAnn Esposito….and ANYthing featuring Jacque Pepin)

 

Since we're cooking show fans her….anyone old enough to remember southern cooking who host Natalie Dupree. She was always forgetting ingredients, and getting flour all over herself. She was a hoot…..I know, i know…she was on PBS not Food Network.

 

Oh since I'm reminiscing one host I've never warmed up to all that much is Sara Mouton…she's like Natalie Dupree was…..knows what she's doing, but is discombobulated….like she can't juggle cooking and hosting….smoothly.

Edited December 6, 2015 by selhars

[rcc]

Did anyone see the birthday celebration for Jacques Pepin last weekend on PBS? He had Lidia, Ming and another chef who I had never heard of before who cooked Mexican. Jacques turned 80 years old.

 

I've always loved watching Jacques cook.

Edited December 6, 2015 by rcc

[Spunkygal]

Did anyone see the birthday celebration for Jacques Pepin last weekend on PBS? He had Lidia, Ming and another chef who I had never heard of before who cooked Mexican. Jacques turned 80 years old.

 

I've always loved watching Jacques cook.

I enjoyed the birthday celebration and hope I am doing as well as Jacques is if I live to be 80! The third guest chef is Rick Bayless who is actually very famous and has several restaurants in Chicago. He has had several cooking shows on PBS over the years and I feel like I've watched his daughter, Lainie (sp?), literally grow up before my eyes. All of his dishes look amazing.

[rcc]

I enjoyed the birthday celebration and hope I am doing as well as Jacques is if I live to be 80! The third guest chef is Rick Bayless who is actually very famous and has several restaurants in Chicago. He has had several cooking shows on PBS over the years and I feel like I've watched his daughter, Lainie (sp?), literally grow up before my eyes. All of his dishes look amazing.

Thanks. I missed Rick on PBS. I thought he must have been on Cooking Channel which I don't get.

[Maverick]

 For the love of almighty....now FN is doing a rip off of Hollywood Game Night.  Hosted by Andy Richter.  What the hell is wrong with these people?

[3pwood]

... Oh since I'm reminiscing one host I've never warmed up to all that much is Sara Mouton…she's like Natalie Dupree was…..knows what she's doing, but is discombobulated….like she can't juggle cooking and hosting….smoothly.

 

I've always really liked Sara Moulton, maybe precisely because she's not smooth.  I remember heated discussions on the old Food Network message board about her saying "you'll [do some procedure] better than I do" as she stirred or folded or chopped -- I loved it because she wasn't lording her education & experience over me, but some people hated it for reasons I never understood.  A lot of people on that board also found her boring but I never did, just competent & articulate, a good teacher without gimmicks (such as Emeril's annoying schticks).  I think she's a much better fit on PBS than she was on Food Network & am just glad to see that she's still on TV somewhere.   

[chessiegal]

I adore Sara Moulton too. She worked for Julia Child, and they remained friends. I have friends who went on a retreat that included cooking instruction, and they talked about this delightful petite woman who taught the classes - it was Sara. The first time I saw her on TV was her "Live" show on FN. Talk about being able to juggle a lot of balls in the air at once! I'm glad she's still on TV. My DVR is set to record all her shows.

[annzeepark914]

I hate to admit it but I can't stand Sara Moulton on TV.  I can tell she's a nice person but there's something about her voice (it's a bit "fried") and her ditheriness that are like fingernails on a blackboard.  I tried to watch her show--the one where she'd stop what she was doing (cooking!) to take phone calls from the audience and it drove me crazy.  Ree Drummond also drives me crazy with her constant little smile.  She never, ever stops smiling.  Give me Ina Garten any day!

[rcc]

I would rather watch chefs cook then all the cooking contests over at the Food Network. Thank goodness for PBS.

[captain1]

Did anyone else enjoy Ina's new Christmas special with her fabulous friends in the Berkshires? I loved the friends' "cabin" , all the food looked great, and Jeffrey made pasta!

[chessiegal]

Did anyone else enjoy Ina's new Christmas special with her fabulous friends in the Berkshires? I loved the friends' "cabin" , all the food looked great, and Jeffrey made pasta!

Yes , I did. There's a thread for Ina's specials on her forum.

[captain1]

Yes - I saw that - right after I posted here ;(

[Lillybee]

Did anyone catch Patti LaBelle's show on FN? I thought that it was awful, very loud and I don't think that FN needs another Southern cooking show.

[StaceyNotStacie]

I watched a bit of the end of the show. She wasn't bad, but the man who was with her grated on my last nerve.

I did catch a show on the CC with a young girl named Rosanna Pansino. She seemed pleasant, but there were a few times where she seemed like she was too cutesy/perky. She kept referring to her mom as Mama Mia and after the third time I wanted to slap her.

[ariel]

Did anyone catch Patti LaBelle's show on FN? I thought that it was awful, very loud and I don't think that FN needs another Southern cooking show.

ITA  What's the deal with all of the Southern cooking shows on FN & CC?

Edited December 23, 2015 by ariel

[junemeatcleaver]

I'll take Ms. Patti over Pioneer Woman and any other of those so-called soul food - I mean Southern cooking shows.

[Maverick]

Pioneer Woman's food is not Southern. It's not soul food. It's not TexMex (although she's really tryin with all those quesadillas). And it sure in the hell isn't anything inspired by pioneer life on the prarie. It's ay best s pale imitation of Aunt Sandy's repertoire...without the deliciously snarkworthy tablescapes.

[SVNBob]

I did catch a show on the CC with a young girl named Rosanna Pansino. She seemed pleasant, but there were a few times where she seemed like she was too cutesy/perky.

 

Ro's lovely (and incredibly petite).  She's a YouTuber who does a weekly baking show with geeky-themed treats, often suggested by commenters on her videos.  She also released a cookbook a couple months ago and did a book tour to promote it.  From what I could see, there were a lot of kids in the line for the meet & greet sessions, so the perky attitude is a good family draw. 

 

This was her first show for a TV network, so she might have been over-doing the perky a little.  Or maybe since her videos are normally around 10 minutes long, I haven't noticed her getting too cutesy and perky.

Edited December 26, 2015 by SVNBob

[roamyn]

I would rather watch chefs cook then all the cooking contests over at the Food Network. Thank goodness for PBS.

I will have to ditto this, except for Chopped . I will watch Ted do anything. Plus it's neat to see the chefs make something with weirdly mixed up ingredients.

[chessiegal]

So I turned on my channel guide this morning to see what was on Cooking Channel, and in the guide for "Simply Laura" it said she was making a cake with marscapone cheese. Dang, it's bad enough people mispronounce mascarpone, but the cable company must have gotten that description from the network, right? Way to be an authority on food, CC.

[toolazy]

Oh my god, I had no idea Patricia Heaton was... what she is.  Yuck. I've only watched her show accidentally and now I'll be sure to change the channel.  

 

Since we're cooking show fans her….anyone old enough to remember southern cooking who host Natalie Dupree. She was always forgetting ingredients, and getting flour all over herself. She was a hoot…..I know, i know…she was on PBS not Food Network.

 

Oh, she was totally part of our Saturday cooking show lineup.  My mom always called her the "Messy Gourmet."

[Spunkygal]

Oh no! Because this channel has not crammed Guy Fieri down our throats enough, just saw a commercial for Guy and Hunter's European Vacation. Apparently Guy and his son are experiencing food throughout Europe. I am already so embarrassed for this country and this series hasn't even aired yet. Dear Europe, not all Americans are loud, sloppy buffoons. Love, Spunkygal

[rcc]

Oh no! Because this channel has not crammed Guy Fieri down our throats enough, just saw a commercial for Guy and Hunter's European Vacation. Apparently Guy and his son are experiencing food throughout Europe. I am already so embarrassed for this country and this series hasn't even aired yet. Dear Europe, not all Americans are loud, sloppy buffoons. Love, Spunkygal

Yes, and I'm sure Guy will be sure to pronounce his last name as F..i..e..r..i......... for the European folks too.

 

My first thought is if Hunter is as much of a pain in the butt as his father or hopefully Lori has nipped that in the bud.

[chessiegal]

New show on CC tomorrow at 10 am - Sarah Graham's Food Safari. I'm planning on checking it out to see if we get something different and refreshingly new. (Fingers crossed).

 

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/shows/sarah-grahams-food-safari.html

Edited January 29, 2016 by chessiegal

[beverlyoc]

Bob Tuschman is being replaced at FN by Didi O'Hearn.  She joined FN in 2014 - and her claim to fame at FN is the horrible Celebrity Edition of WCA.  I'll miss Kermit.  :(

 

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/food-network-bob-tuschman-deirdre-ohearn-cooking-channel-1201684940/

 

[Julia]

Bob Tuschman is being replaced at FN by Didi O'Hearn. She joined FN in 2014 - and her claim to fame at FN is the horrible Celebrity Edition of WCA. I'll miss Kermit. :(

Well, there's my minimum daily requirement of schadenfreude. The guy who started the race to the bottom being tossed for someone who's better qualified to turn TFN into the boorish gameshow network with food.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Julia

[WhitneyWhit]

What is with FN and their obsession with all things southern/country? And I don't mean to offend with  that, I'm a southerner myself, but every show on their Saturday morning lineup is southern/country themed. What happened to variety?

[Julia]

I don't know if their focus is specifically southern - Aunt Sandy is the first not-quite-lady of NYS, after all, and Bobby Flay's dad owns one of the oldest tourist restaurants in Times Square - but I think they probably wanted to keep Paula Deen's audience showing up.

And I feel like the focus is not so much southern (I'm not getting a lot of creole or low country) as it is casual comfort food. And I think that's probably advertiser driven. I think Kermit's big epiphany was that foodies as a category are not the market for frozen dinners and canned vegetables and host-branded service pieces from Target. What they need to attract their advertisers is the bros who watch their game shows and the working moms who get dinner ideas from the Pioneer Woman.

[The Hound Lives]

Oh no! Because this channel has not crammed Guy Fieri down our throats enough, just saw a commercial for Guy and Hunter's European Vacation. Apparently Guy and his son are experiencing food throughout Europe. I am already so embarrassed for this country and this series hasn't even aired yet. Dear Europe, not all Americans are loud, sloppy buffoons. Love, Spunkygal

 

I detest shows like this. Guy Fieri doesn't bug much. I really enjoy the "Triple D" because I love all the places he visits and seeing these "Mom & Pop" places getting some love is cool. But...really? This is all a vehicle for another Fieri to take over the dynasty. Nothing against the kid, but I don't care to see Guy and the heir apparent travel on FN's dime. I felt the same way about Giada in Italy, that Sandwich guy with his family in Disney and, back in the day, Rachel Ray and her annoying husband traveling to restaurants a majority of us could never afford. A few vanity pieces here and there is fine and some of the competitions are okay (Chopped is pretty damn entertaining) but FN went from instructional entertainment to full on crap pretty fast. 

I LOVE Create, and PBS, because the cooking shows tend to be about the food. An occasional fluff piece is fine but the talent smokes 99% of FN cast of character. 

Never been a fan of the Pioneer Woman. "I am a city girl..." blah, blah. It's all so paper thin. Even Ina, who I really used to enjoy, is impossible to relate to. I have made a few of her recipes to great success but the "let's go out into my massive herb garden in the backyard of my Hamptons home so we can make Jeffrey some pasta when he returns from the big city" doesn't exactly inspire. She just comes off as such a snob. 

There are two things though about FN that make me turn the channel immediately. "Beat Bobby Flay" is one of them. This reincarnation of "Throwdown", for me, just feels mean spirited. Two people "who know Bobby best" will decide who gets to defeat him. These two people are usually the biggest douchenozzles on FN (like Jeffrey Zakarian...ugh, that man is repulsive). Then Bobby will pretend to have no clue how to make this or that but rarely loses. It's just a platform for ego. 

The other is Richard Blaise. I couldn't stand him on his original season of Top Chef, yeah he wasn't the "bad guy" (Heather and her sourpuss face got that honor) but his ego made him impossible to root for. You're not curing cancer, Blaise. Get off it. And now, FN seems determined to make that ass a "Star". Notice he doesn't cook but plays judge because he just isn't that interesting. He can go away. 

Create/PBS all the way. I obviously have some pretty strong opinions on this. :)

[Julia]

Create really needs to cut a deal with cable providers to sign into their content online, or cut a deal with Hulu. They should have a way bigger reach than they do.

[Jaded]

I'm in an area with no Create channels. Even though FN drives me bonkers with the food competition shows I do kinda like the kids ones with Valerie Berteneli. I haven't watched her cooking show as of yet. Everytime I think of tuning into FN one of Guy's shows is on.

[Julia]

One or two are on PBS.org

[rcc]

I just found the Create Channel today and watched Ming, Pepin and Lidia. Yay!

[chessiegal]

I just found the Create Channel today and watched Ming, Pepin and Lidia. Yay!

So jealous! My favorite thing about visiting family in NOLA, Alabama, and St. Petersburg, FL is watching Create (well not really but a bonus). Can't believe the DC area dropped Create. Damn WETA.

[rcc]

So jealous! My favorite thing about visiting family in NOLA, Alabama, and St. Petersburg, FL is watching Create (well not really but a bonus). Can't believe the DC area dropped Create. Damn WETA.

Do you know how long Create has been on the air? If I hadn't come here I wouldn't know it existed. I found it on an obscure channel on my Time Warner cable.

[ariel]

I've had Create on my cable for at least 10 years, maybe more.  I don't think you can get it through satellite.

[chessiegal]

Whether you get Create depends on your local PBS station - it has nothing to do with your cable provider. We lost it in the DC market when WETA dropped it in exchange for UK programming. When I complained, I got doublespeak that basically said they didn't want to pay the asking price. Which begs the question, PBS in Louisiana and Alabama can afford it, but the affluent DC market can't? Can you tell I'm still pissed?

[rcc]

Thank you. Now I realize it's my PBS station. I just assumed that when a cable company goes up in their rates they add a station or two. LOL

[Julia]

Do you know how long Create has been on the air? If I hadn't come here I wouldn't know it existed. I found it on an obscure channel on my Time Warner cable.

 

A while, but it actually is your cable provider's decision as well, because my TWC account didn't provide it, and Verizon does in the same market.

[rcc]

A while, but it actually is your cable provider's decision as well, because my TWC account didn't provide it, and Verizon does in the same market.

Thanks. Whatever the reason I'm glad I've got it now.