Food Network and Cooking Channel: One is about food

[toolazy]

I'm going to have to stick up for Bobby Flay here.  When he was doing Throwdown, it was actually 8 out of 10 times that he lost and those times when he did win, he had the good grace to look embarrassed about it. He was always gracious and complimentary toward his competition.  

[Bastet]

I never regularly watched Throwdown, but I saw quite a few episodes and it seemed to be like he was always losing.

 

As for Rachael Ray's $40 a Day, I liked the restaurants I got to see, but hated that the premise was predicated on screwing servers out of a proper tip, so I stopped watching.  Presumably they were adequately compensated by the production company, but it's still a shitty thing to do as a TV show, advising people to eat cheaply on the backs of others.

[annzeepark914]

I liked $40 a Day and never paid attention to the financial side of it.  I was just interested in the food she ate.

 

Throwdown--I loathed that show.  It seemed most times I watched it, he won.  I'll never forget him going to a popular restaurant in Vermont where the lasagna was much loved.  Of course Bobby tossed some unusual ingredients in his lasagna which the judges found interesting and he won.  The looks on the faces of all the customers, who were sure their favorite lasagna was going to win, was just unforgettable. Bobby didn't look embarrassed that he won either.  Maybe in the later shows he lost a lot but not that first year.

[toolazy]

According to Wikipedia, Flays record is 32-1-68, so he won roughly one of three.  I wonder what that tie was about. 

[tenativelyyours]

My biggest problem with $40 a day was when she started going full bore on the cocktail part of the day.  I like a drink every now and forever.  But I felt I watched too many episodes where she blew sometimes twenty percent of her budget on one drink at the expense of some good food. 

 

I also had to give the show some side eye when several posters on TWOP pointed out the servings and even menu choices she sampled in terms of price were actually available at those eateries.  It smelled of a bit of bait and switch.   I know my aunt loved the show until she tried to mimic one of Rachel's trips to Chicago and followed her picks exactly and was out of budget halfway through lunch. 

 

There was a show I saw that was similar that was on TLC way back that was only four episodes or so but was something about Pay But Don't Eat Like a Tourist.  It was about finding local eateries that served reasonable priced food of high quality.  I know they did a show on Paris and its environs.  One on The Netherlands and Belgium with focuses on Amsterdam and Brussels but also included a few other places in each country.  There was one on Venice, Florence and Rome.  And I think the fourth one was on Vienna Budapest and Prague.  I got the sense that it was suppose to be a longer running show but caught it in one of those weird marathons they use to do before the network went completely carnival side show.  I remember being snowbound for a long weekend and watching it, a series on the World Chocolate Championships, one on the Bocus d'Or and I think a mini-series on a world chef championship that was hosted by one of the women that used to be on the now ancient (I was too young to catch it in it original schedule but saw it repeated late at night years later) Travelers. 

 

As much as I do miss Food Network in its original form, I also miss TLC and The Discovery Channel when it had a nice strong focus on food that I loved as a kid.

[caci]

Toolazy, if I remember right, the tie on Throwdown was during an outdoor barbeque episode. I think it was in Texas and it was so hot that when the judges declared a tie, Bobby Flay just happily went with it. It was pretty funny because I think all he wanted was to get somewhere air conditioned!

[ElDosEquis]

Guy Ferry, his name is Ferry. He changed his name to Fee-airy to make him sound like he was Italian.

 

He is a slob.

My dream is to be at an eatery and have him come to my table, ask me what I am eating and then try to snake a bit of food off the plate.

 

I'd pin his hand to the table with my fork.....

 

I don't get his stiucking his hands into the food that a chef/cook is making - his stupid sayings are about par for his intelligence level. Anthony Bourdain was right in calling him a d-bag.

 

BTW? I just don't see a diner selling plates with that amount of food that they do,  "Is THAT the plate you serve here?"

 

No, it's just for the cameras and the people who are going to pack the place for a few weeks after the show runs.

[rcc]

On 4/25/2016 at 3:49 PM, ElDosEquis said:

Guy Ferry, his name is Ferry. He changed his name to Fee-airy to make him sound like he was Italian.

He is a slob.

My dream is to be at an eatery and have him come to my table, ask me what I am eating and then try to snake a bit of food off the plate.

I'd pin his hand to the table with my fork.....

I don't get his stiucking his hands into the food that a chef/cook is making - his stupid sayings are about par for his intelligence level. Anthony Bourdain was right in calling him a d-bag.

BTW? I just don't see a diner selling plates with that amount of food that they do,  "Is THAT the plate you serve here?"

No, it's just for the cameras and the people who are going to pack the place for a few weeks after the show runs.

I like the premise for this show but I can't stand that slob Ferry either.

[Rick Kitchen]

The family's original name was Fieri, it was changed to Ferry when members of the family came to the US.  When Guy was an exchange student in France, he changed his surname back to the original family name.

[Julia]

8 hours ago, Rick Kitchen said:

The family's original name was Fieri, it was changed to Ferry when members of the family came to the US.  When Guy was an exchange student in France, he changed his surname back to the original family name.

According to multiple sources,* he changed his name when he got married, when coincidentally he was was opening an italian restaurant. 

*1,2,3

[TimetoShine]

Cupcake Wars is back. Watching the new episode tonight.

[Automne]

Something I just noticed this morning: Brunch at Bobby's and Symon's Suppers are two alliterative shows that use the exact same kitchen set. I get that they can't build a new set for every single show they decide to produce, but at least make an effort to make them look different. Or build a generic kitchen set that can be decorated in a way to make it look different and to the personalities of Flay and Symon. Maybe not have such a distinctive backsplash and frosted glass refrigerator door.

[Skyfall]

Has anyone watched The Kitchen lately? Seems they've dialed it down some and have stopped making Katie Lee a thing.

[Jaded]

30 minutes ago, Skyfall said:

Has anyone watched The Kitchen lately? Seems they've dialed it down some and have stopped making Katie Lee a thing.

I like to watch it when I remember it's on and commented about it last month. I forgot it was on today until I saw the notification that a reply had been made to this thread in my inbox. You can tell the difference between last season and this one when an episode from last year comes on after a new one from this year.

Edited May 28, 2016 by Jaded

[selhars]

My problem with Guy isn't that he changed it back to the original Italian. It's that in ENGLISH with don't roll "Rs" so for him to insist on pronouncing it the "Italian" way is stupid. He doesn't say any OTHER Italian word that way -- why just his name?

I lived in Italy and speak Italian and I think it's stupid.

If he doesn't  say  parrrmigiano rrrregiano, or marrrinama then he doesn't' need tay fierrri to the point where it sounds like fietti.

Sorry I just think it's very pretentious.

[BennyB]

Just noticed today....and this is for Ellie Krieger fans.....That she has a new series on PBS called "Ellie's Real Good Food"  It seems to have just started here in the SoCal area about last week...here's the link:

http://www.elliekrieger.com/ellies-real-good-food/

[Spunkygal]

I am a regular viewer of Cake Wars and Cupcake Wars, but wondered if anyone else is watching Cake Hunters on Cooking Channel? It's not as bad as I expected. Sure, it has its share of manufactured drama when the client calls the baker with a change at the last minute but I have been impressed with every baker they've shown....really beautiful work. I really loved the gender reveal cake where they made the huge diaper pins to burst the balloons to see what color edible glitter would spill out on the cake. I will keep watching.

[bad things are bad]

Found it amusing when I was in the UK last week that FN UK shows reruns of Diners Drive Ins and Dives, along with some Restaurant Impossible and early morning Barefoot Contessa. Now why in the world would anyone in the UK want to watch DDD? I know travel to the US is pretty common but jeez louise. 

[Rick Kitchen]

To help them bask in the American stereotype of fat, sloppy people eating grease and carbs.

[rcc]

18 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

Found it amusing when I was in the UK last week that FN UK shows reruns of Diners Drive Ins and Dives, along with some Restaurant Impossible and early morning Barefoot Contessa. Now why in the world would anyone in the UK want to watch DDD? I know travel to the US is pretty common but jeez louise. 

To think the UK has to watch Guy Fieri..... and wonder if all Food Network hosts are as obnoxious as he is. Irvine belongs to them. The Contessa is not so bad but too pretentious for me.

[biakbiak]

They order series from The Smokeless and Steph Curry's wife.

[Rick Kitchen]

Yet again another non-cook hosting a Food Network show.

Food Network picks up show starring Ayesha Curry

 

Maybe they thought she was a cook because her last name sounds like a food.  Seriously, though, I would have thought that her tweet about the NBA being rigged would have given them some pause.

[biakbiak]

She has a cookbook coming out and has a blog that has recipes in addition to other lifestyle things which she has been doing for awhike, so it's not a new thing for her. She has also done cooking events in the bay area.

[Irlandesa]

Because Greg Grunberg heavily promoted it, I watched Nickled and Dining today. I thought it was going to be "guess the price of this dish?" with both expensive and inexpensive eats.  Instead, it was all "cheap" eats.  The problem is that it's filmed from a very L.A. point of view. I live in a decent-sized midwestern city and I thought those prices are about what I'd expect for a gourmet donut, a high quality food truck and happy hour at a decent restaurant.  It might be cheap for L.A. but it's average price in some parts of the country and it's expensive in other parts of the country.

[biakbiak]

I hated the stupid "trailers" efore the reveal. I live in San Francisco and I was not surprised at the prices or considered them crazy deals. My favorite donut shop here sells a very similar donut for $2.00, hell I thought $4 per taco was a bit on the pricey side for a happy hour price. 

Eta to add I checked the website and their happy hour prices are actually $5 per taco currently.

Edited July 18, 2016 by biakbiak

[TDT]

On 7/5/2016 at 9:56 AM, bad things are bad said:

Found it amusing when I was in the UK last week that FN UK shows reruns of Diners Drive Ins and Dives, along with some Restaurant Impossible and early morning Barefoot Contessa. Now why in the world would anyone in the UK want to watch DDD? I know travel to the US is pretty common but jeez louise. 

i think Guy actually did a DDD episode in London

[NewDigs]

2 hours ago, TDT said:

i think Guy actually did a DDD episode in London

DDD London

[bad things are bad]

I'm surprised that Guy's presence anywhere in Europe hasn't broken NATO.  Get out, you wanker Americans, and take your bloody donkey sauce with you! 

[Aquarius]

21 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

I'm surprised that Guy's presence anywhere in Europe hasn't broken NATO.  Get out, you wanker Americans, and take your bloody donkey sauce with you! 

Could it have brought on Brexit?

[Maverick]

 No, but a few centuries ago it could have given us our own Brexit without a war.

[Treehugger]

I discovered a new favorite show for me to watch, Follow Donal to Europe.  At least, it's new and favorite to me.  The host is engaging, the people he interviews are interesting, and the food and scenery is amazing.  I'm so happy right now!

[NewDigs]

26 minutes ago, Treehugger said:

I discovered a new favorite show for me to watch, Follow Donal to Europe.  At least, it's new and favorite to me.  The host is engaging, the people he interviews are interesting, and the food and scenery is amazing.  I'm so happy right now!

Oh gosh! I just got around to watching last Sunday's NextFoodNetworkStar and he was a guest judge. I liked him. Tia Mowry not so much but Donal seemed sharp and witty and knowlegeable.

Are you sure he's a regular on the Food Network? lol

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm sure they mentioned his show but my attention and retention may vary.

[chessiegal]

7 minutes ago, NewDigs said:

Oh gosh! I just got around to watching last Sunday's NextFoodNetworkStar and he was a guest judge. I liked him. Tia Mowry not so much but Donal seemed sharp and witty and knowlegeable.

Are you sure he's a regular on the Food Network? lol

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm sure they mentioned his show but my attention and retention may vary.

He's on Cooking Channel, not FN. CC ran a marathon this afternoon, good show.

[rcc]

On 6/19/2016 at 1:36 PM, BennyB said:

Just noticed today....and this is for Ellie Krieger fans.....That she has a new series on PBS called "Ellie's Real Good Food"  It seems to have just started here in the SoCal area about last week...here's the link:

http://www.elliekrieger.com/ellies-real-good-food/

I just found her on Create today. She's very good. She has a slight southern accent to me. Where is she from?

[biakbiak]

On 7/30/2016 at 3:00 PM, rcc said:

I just found her on Create today. She's very good. She has a slight southern accent to me. Where is she from?

She was born and raised and still lives in NYC.

[Christina]

My mom watches a show called Flea Market Flip where two teams of two buy stuff from the flea market, re-do them, then re-sell them. The person with the most profit wins $5000. Well, tonight I came across a Farmers' Market Flip on the Cooking Channel based on the same theme. The two teams are given $200 and 30 minutes (I think) to shop, then they make a pop-up restaurant and the team that makes the most profit wins $5000. As near as I can tell there has only been one episode aired, but for a competition show, it isn't too bad. 

[annzeepark914]

On 7/31/2016 at 9:01 PM, biakbiak said:

She was born and raised and still lives in NYC.

Funny!  I'm from NY and someone from the midwest recently asked if I'm from Texas, that I have a "slight southern accent" (I don't think I do).  Well, I'll have to watch for that show.

[biakbiak]

Did anyone catch Tyler's new show? Tyler's Test Kitchen he literally recycled his Mexican pot roast tacos from Tyler's Ultimate, it was so weird because it was clearly a new show with a different set but the recipe was the same with only one or two tweeks.

[chessiegal]

58 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Did anyone catch Tyler's new show? Tyler's Test Kitchen he literally recycled his Mexican pot roast tacos from Tyler's Ultimate, it was so weird because it was clearly a new show with a different set but the recipe was the same with only one or two tweeks.

No, I didn't. When is it on and on FN or CC?

[biakbiak]

5 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

No, I didn't. When is it on and on FN or CC?

FN, Sundays at 10am.

[annzeepark914]

For some odd reason, I recently watched Brunch with Bobby.  Katie Lee was on (that woman's voice is just horrible!) and she made her lemon-deviled eggs with fried oysters.  Wow...I've been salivating ever since.  Am recuperating from rotator cuff surgery so once I'm outta this sling, I'm making this dish (going to only halve the number of eggs but do the full amount of fried oysters).  Bobby was actually decent on this show.  Maybe he's gotten the word!

[chessiegal]

Bobby wanted to do "Brunch with Bobby" for some time, according to an interview with Bobby I heard. FN told him there was not enough time for it, so when Scripps changed Fine Living to Cooking Channel, he got his shot. I love brunch, and apparently so does Bobby. I like the show enough that I bought his cookbook.

As for Katie Lee, that nasally voice is so annoying I can't watch her. I tried to watch her "Beachfront Bites" show on CC because I enjoy those types of shows. I didn't last one minute, I find her voice so annoying.

Edited September 3, 2016 by chessiegal

[Jaded]

I'm watching Tyler's Test Kitchen right now and he made it sound like he had this easy way of making homemade hamburger buns to go with the burgers and sauce he was preparing. I had to do something so I missed the part where he explained what was needed to get the buns made but found the recipe on FN's site. It seemed pretty easy until I got to the part about needing  3 carbon dioxide (CO2) chargers to charge a  iSi whipped cream siphon.....

[Jaded]

I just tried to watch an entire episode of The Pioneer Woman for the first time and she is so annoying. Her voice and mannerisms are like nails on a chalkboard. On the episode this morning she was making meal kits and kept repeating "meal kits" so much while she was speaking I thought the show was nearly over. I checked the clock only to realize was there were 15 more minutes and I couldn't take it anymore. I remember reading here I think that she treats her kids differently or something when they've been on or she's spoken about them. I'm pretty sure it was her.

[chessiegal]

Jaded - head on over to the Pioneer Woman forum - plenty of snark over there. I find her unwatchable, but I love reading the threads. Very entertaining,

[annzeepark914]

9 hours ago, Jaded said:

I just tried to watch an entire episode of The Pioneer Woman for the first time and she is so annoying. Her voice and mannerisms are like nails on a chalkboard. 

Oh yeah!  I cannot take that constant little smile.  Who talks while they're smiling nonstop?  I watched the show for the first time in for-evahhh the other day (was desperate for something to watch) and while she was cooking/explaining, I wondered if she ever had a serious look on her face--like maybe in mid-childbirth?  Can't you just see her screaming in labor pain but still with that silly little grin on her face?  So anyway, they had a competition going on out in the south 40 between her family and her brother in law's family.  As they were scampering around the pasture trying to outdo each other in sack races and other nonsense, I looked out at the distant horizon and wondered: how can anyone live out there in the middle of nowhere?  Back on topic:  the brisket she made looked delicious and I think the onion "strings" might have been good (not sure).  Dessert was ice cream in between two cookies which could be good.

[Bastet]

I can't watch her, either.  I don't want to, mind you, as I don't like the kind of food she cooks, but I can't even have it on for a few minutes to see if for once she might be making something I'd want to eat -- there is something horribly off-putting about her to me.  Part of it is that demented smile.  And indoctrinating her kids with a parade of gender stereotypes.  But it's also just something visceral; I truly cannot stand to look at or listen to her.

[Albino]

I'm one of those rare (apparently) viewers who actually likes the Pioneer Woman.  I know, I know.  However, I do appreciate the snark.

If you really want to read some stomach-churning crap, head over to the comments on her website.  These people absolutely worship the ground she walks on.  She'll post a story about - oh, I don't know - clipping fresh parsley from her herb garden and the outpouring of admiration and awe is stunning.  "Ree, you are truly blessed!"  "You go girl!"  "I don't know how you do it Ree!  God bless!".  WTF?

To get back on topic, does anyone remember a show from years ago where the host - I think it may have been Tyler Florence? - where he went to the home of someone and showed them how to make something they were having trouble with?  This was before Food Network really took off.  I can't remember the name of the show...sorry.  I always liked it because it seemed more "real" than the stuff on now.

It's so funny to wath shows from years ago...they seem so rudimentary and un-flashy, which is what I like about them.

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, Albino said:

I'm one of those rare (apparently) viewers who actually likes the Pioneer Woman.  I know, I know.  However, I do appreciate the snark.

If you really want to read some stomach-churning crap, head over to the comments on her website.  These people absolutely worship the ground she walks on.  She'll post a story about - oh, I don't know - clipping fresh parsley from her herb garden and the outpouring of admiration and awe is stunning.  "Ree, you are truly blessed!"  "You go girl!"  "I don't know how you do it Ree!  God bless!".  WTF?

To get back on topic, does anyone remember a show from years ago where the host - I think it may have been Tyler Florence? - where he went to the home of someone and showed them how to make something they were having trouble with?  This was before Food Network really took off.  I can't remember the name of the show...sorry.  I always liked it because it seemed more "real" than the stuff on now.

It's so funny to wath shows from years ago...they seem so rudimentary and un-flashy, which is what I like about them.

Yes it was Tyler Florence. The show was called Food 911. I really liked it.

[Spunkygal]

I had a happy surprise the other day when I accidentally stumbled upon Tom Kerridge's Proper Pub Food on Cooking Channel. I first became aware of him when watching BBC America's rerun of Masterchef UK The Professionals. (Wow, what an awesome series THAT was. If you like the Great British Baking Show, please look for this show of professional competing. You won't be disappointed.) Chef TK was a mentor on a couple of those segments and I liked his food and how he worked with the contestants. His restaurant is Michelin rated and if I ever make it back to the UK, I am including this as a dining experience.

Apparently this show (TK's Proper Pub Food) was originally broadcast in the UK in 2013 (according to my DVR) and it is on Wednesdays at the ridiculously stupid time of 7 am Central. Way to go, Cooking Channel, bury this delightful chef and his incredible food at 7 am. Anyway, I want to eat everything on today's episode, especially the goose egg dressing (he served with asparagus but could also put on a salad), the monkfish and the gin and tonic granita!! Such interesting food with a charming, entertaining chef. BTW! The two episodes I've seen are set in his kitchen which adds to the charm factor for me. Here is the link to the show on CC's website. 

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/shows/tom-kerridges-proper-pub-food.html