The Kitchen - General Discussion

[Gam2]

I watched this show religiously when it first came on TV. I enjoyed it and made quite a few of their recipes. It’s been many years since those things were true. I really cannot watch this program any longer. 

[buttersister]

Gam2, I haven't watched in ages. Saturday mornings are much happier. (Also, YouTube has hundreds of really good cooking channels--search away;-)

[chessiegal]

PBS is my go-to for cooking shows.

[Irlandesa]

Saturday's was a bit strange.  I have a hard time believing they've never made chicken cacciatore before. Or a tuna melt. I'm assuming they went back to see what they've made before coming up with the concept, though.

But the dish by the Peruvian chef seems like something he somewhat invented in that it doesn't sound like making it with vegetables is a "traditional" dish, so it's no surprise they wouldn't have made it before.

That said, what he made looked and sounded delicious.  Maybe I'll make it one day.

Since we discussed snobbery last week; I think this week's "tuna fish in a jar" moment was more based on snobbery than the crescent roll experience.  I'm not saying GZ and Katie are wrong to recommend using tuna in a jar.  I'll have to taste test it.  But it's more expensive and I've only found it in the fancier grocery stores in my area so it may not be accessible to everyone.

[Westiepeach]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

Since we discussed snobbery last week; I think this week's "tuna fish in a jar" moment was more based on snobbery than the crescent roll experience.  I'm not saying GZ and Katie are wrong to recommend using tuna in a jar.  I'll have to taste test it.  But it's more expensive and I've only found it in the fancier grocery stores in my area so it may not be accessible to everyone.

My local WalMart carries tuna in a jar. Yes, it is more expensive, but the taste is a million times better than a can or pouch, IMHO. I don't eat tuna that often, but when I do, it's from a jar. There is a definite difference!

[Yeah No]

On 7/17/2023 at 1:08 PM, Westiepeach said:

My local WalMart carries tuna in a jar. Yes, it is more expensive, but the taste is a million times better than a can or pouch, IMHO. I don't eat tuna that often, but when I do, it's from a jar. There is a definite difference!

Is it this brand?  I buy that at Walmart too because it's cheaper than at my local supermarket.  The jarred tuna is usually imported and I've read that because of the method of jarring they can't use temps. as hot as for canned tuna so it tends to be more tender.  I actually find some other brands better than that one but they're usually at places like Whole Foods or Fresh Market and more expensive.  I use it when I make salad Niçoise or Greek salad with tuna.  When I make tuna sandwiches with mayo. I use the canned variety because that's how I grew up eating it and the jarred tuna doesn't taste right to me with mayo.  There are good canned brands of tuna like Ortiz or many Italian brands but they also don't taste right to me with mayo.  Some of the imported canned tunas are very good in my opinion.

Re: This show - I've been recording new episodes and only watching the ones that have recipes I'm interested in and then fast forward until I get to them, then delete.  Those episodes are getting fewer and farther between and so I've been watching the show less and less.

[Westiepeach]

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Is it this brand?  I buy that at Walmart too because it's cheaper than at my local supermarket.  The jarred tuna is usually imported and I've read that because of the method of jarring they can't use temps. as hot as for canned tuna so it tends to be more tender.  I actually find some other brands better than that one but they're usually at places like Whole Foods or Fresh Market and more expensive.  I use it when I make salad Niçoise or Greek salad with tuna.  When I make tuna sandwiches with mayo. I use the canned variety because that's how I grew up eating it and the jarred tuna doesn't taste right to me with mayo.  There are good canned brands of tuna like Ortiz or many Italian brands but they also don't taste right to me with mayo.  Some of the imported canned tunas are very good in my opinion.

Yes! That is the one!

Now that we are talking about it, I just put it on my shopping list...

[StatisticalOutlier]

I've pretty much stopped watching this show, but just saw a couple of recent episodes.

One was re-creating school lunches, and I enjoyed it.  I know these aren't exactly mega-star celebrities, but I like hearing them talk about their school cafeterias.  And Zakarian just can't help himself--they had little half-pint cartons of milk, and he was horrified it was 2% and not whole milk and literally refused to touch it.  Jesus.  Just take a little carton and put it in front of you.  Nobody will make you actually sip that poison.

Interestingly, Jeff made cafeteria-style chocolate chip cookies and Zakarian actually ate some of it.  Which makes me wonder anew why he couldn't even bite into one of Sunny's sugar cookies a while back.  Obviously it can't be a problem with any of the ingredients because I think there's nothing in a sugar cookie that's not in a chocolate chip cookie.

Then there was a street food episode, and Katie fried some calamari and Zakarian was the taster and he said, "It always surprises me when..." and Katie cut him off with "When I make something you like?"  Ha!

I also saw him lick his finger after assembling one of the crepes but they went to commercial without showing what he was doing after that.  Hmm.

[annzeepark914]

Yuck-licking fingers. Use a paper towel, GZ😡

[chessiegal]

I tuned into this today just to see what was going on. The theme was desserts. When they showed the hosts, I thought the circus was in town. Sunny had on a clown wig, Jeff half-hooked overalls, Katie wearing Hawaiian clothes(?) and GZ no coat, open shirt. Too distracting to pay attention to what they were making. That's as far as I lasted.

[Gramto6]

I haven't watched it in a very long time. I look at the synopsis in the guide and then NOPE out!

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

I tuned into this today just to see what was going on. The theme was desserts. When they showed the hosts, I thought the circus was in town. Sunny had on a clown wig, Jeff half-hooked overalls, Katie wearing Hawaiian clothes(?) and GZ no coat, open shirt. Too distracting to pay attention to what they were making. That's as far as I lasted.

Are the producers causing them to look so ridiculous? I keep wanting to watch as I have my breakfast, but I know stuff like this will ruin my morning. 

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, chessiegal said:

I tuned into this today just to see what was going on. The theme was desserts. When they showed the hosts, I thought the circus was in town. Sunny had on a clown wig, Jeff half-hooked overalls, Katie wearing Hawaiian clothes(?) and GZ no coat, open shirt. Too distracting to pay attention to what they were making. That's as far as I lasted.

This was one of those franken-shows where they pieced together segments from different episodes so they were only dressed like clowns in that first segment, thankfully.

I recorded this one because I wanted to see Geoffrey's quick caramelized apple tart, which was never shown.  Instead they showed him making some kind of lemon affogato.

2 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

I haven't watched it in a very long time. I look at the synopsis in the guide and then NOPE out!

Me too for the most part.  I might record an episode a month just for one recipe and then fast forward through the rest of the episode until I get to it.  Most of these "new" shows aren't really new at all but just pieced together from previous episodes, so we're really not missing anything anyway.

[Ancaster]

Like others, I rarely watch this these days, but I was tuned to the channel just now when I turned on the TV and stuck around because I saw Aarti Sequira.  She made a really simple autumn/winter veg "jumble" (like a tray bake but not spread out, rather just mixed in a smallish rectangular casserole dish).  She added Indian spices and crushed hazelnuts, and added feta near the end.  JZ ("J Zed"!) was helping and you could practically see him salivating as he was helping, and he literally chowed down when she passed him a plate.  It was a pleasure to see!  I love Aarti.

It's the ads now and Sunny is up next.  I'm changing channels.

I don't know if it's a repeat but the episode is called "Feast of Fall Flavor".

PS:  Tuned back in to see Jeff make a pretty easy but tasty looking apple cake spiced with some kind of seasonal spice mix (cinnamon etc).  Again, saw Jeff take a pretty healthy sized bite.

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Ancaster

[StatisticalOutlier]

I don't watch the show any more but there was an episode celebrating their first jobs and a description said something about Sunny's Nacogdoches cherry limeade so I had to tune in.  Yep, Sonic.  I have to say the picture of her on her first day of work in her uniform was cute.  And apparently she skated.  Impressive.

And yep, their much vaunted cherry limeade is just Sprite with some cherry syrup and half a lime.

But MAN did it make me want to go get a cherry limeade, even though I've been pissed at Sonic for years because I was looking at my receipt once and saw a "misc" charge for 10 cents or something.  I know, ten cents, who cares.  But it's the principle.

 

[annzeepark914]

The miscellaneous charge was to cover the cost of roller skate maintenance 😺.

[Maverick]

I only got to see a segment or two last week and thus week and it looked like Alex wasn't there.   Is she off the show or is it like when Sunny vanished for a while back in the spring?

[Gramto6]

She may be filming a different show. Gawd help us, I hope not Ciao House!!

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

She may be filming a different show. Gawd help us, I hope not Ciao House!!

What is Ciao House? 

[chessiegal]

6 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

What is Ciao House? 

It’s a cooking competition show she was a judge on. It was a crossover with HGTV where they looked for a villa in Tuscany to hold the competitions. Only one season so far. She really came off as a major beotch, a role she was apparently assigned to do. She was very unpleasant.

[chessiegal]

I see Ciao House was renewed for a second season but I haven’t seen any promos for it. Maybe that’s where she is.

[MerBearHou]

2 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

What is Ciao House? 

It was IMO the worst competition show Food Network has ever put together.  Lovely setting but that’s about it.  Terrible concept; as mentioned by @chessiegal Alex was in her major beeyotch mode; unlikeable contestants.  I watched because of Tuscany, but hated it and did not finish the season.  

[HyeChaps]

Alex hasn’t been on for a few weeks. 
 

i don’t remember there ever being an announcement that she was officially a cohost. 
 

Don’t get me wrong— I like when she is on. 

[Gramto6]

3 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

What is Ciao House? 

Here is the forum for Ciao House if you want to see what we were talking about.

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Gramto6

[Gam2]

The main objection I have for Alex is that she overexplains everything. Sometimes adding obscure details that really have nothing to do with the recipe. It’s almost as if she feels that she has to justify her role on this show.

[Maverick]

 When Alex first came on she was supposed to be a part-time host but then covid happened almost immediately after that and she's been there regularly since.  If she's off filming Ciao House heaven help us.

[Irlandesa]

Alex is still MIA.

The pizza episode was somewhat interesting.  GZ's bianca pizza inspired me to make one as well--not with the same toppings (ick to clams--I just did veggies).

But I did take offense to the pickle pizza at the end of the episode.  I don't like pickles so I would not like a pickle pizza but the pickle pizza they had at the episode doesn't look like any pickle pizza I know.  It looks like their version was a regular red sauce based pizza with large slices of pickle on top.  The pickle pizzas I know have a white base, usually a garlicly/dill cream sauce and are topped with thinly slides dill pickles.  Again, not my thing but I imagine it goes better than hunks of pickled cucumber on top of tomato sauce.  

[bad things are bad]

I like to imagine that Alex popped Mauro in the nose when he mugged at the camera once too often.  A girl can dream 

[Ancaster]

Sunny once again outs herself as thick as two short planks by saying she needs to go back to school to work out how to do the layers in lasagne.

[annzeepark914]

I haven't watched this show in a long time. But each Saturday morning I sure do think about how nice it would be to watch a revised version with replacements for Sunny, GZ and Jeff. 

[Gramto6]

23 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

I haven't watched this show in a long time. But each Saturday morning I sure do think about how nice it would be to watch a revised version with replacements for Sunny, GZ and Jeff. 

Same here!  Though I can tolerate. GZ in small doses, I won't watch again until Sunny and Jeff are gone!

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

Same here!  Though I can tolerate. GZ in small doses, I won't watch again until Sunny and Jeff are gone!

I still record the show and delete it if none of the recipes appeals to me, which seems to happen a lot lately.  And even on the episodes I save there might be one interesting recipe on it, which I fast forward to watch.  And most of the time after I watch it, I don't save the recipe to make later.   So that just goes to show how over this show I am.  And now I can finally say I'm literally "just here for the food", LOL. 😉

[roughing it]

Sunny was surprisingly subdued on Saturday's episode.  Was a nice change.

[chessiegal]

I stopped by this morning just to see what was cooking. My goodness, Jeff really cut his hair short!

[Gramto6]

On 4/13/2024 at 11:26 AM, chessiegal said:

I stopped by this morning just to see what was cooking. My goodness, Jeff really cut his hair short!

Well, maybe I'll pop in next week to check it out. Weren't they doing leftovers? Or was that last week? I look at the listing in the guide and decide if it is even worth a peek. I can only take so much of that bunch at a time...

Edited April 15 by Gramto6
typo

[annzeepark914]

53 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

Well, maybe I'll pop in next week to check it out. Weren't they doing leftovers? Or was that last week? I look at the listing in the guide and decide if it is even worth a peek. I can only take so much of that bunch at a time...

You & me both! It's safer to just check the website to see if the recipes are appealing. I watched the show last Sunday. Katie Lee made a no-bake dessert. When she listed the ingredients: graham crackers, frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip), & instant French vanilla pudding (🤢), I went on alert. I couldn't wait to see if GZ would eat this awful concoction. The camera wasn't on him very much & he had his arm hiding his plate. I don't blame him for not wanting to eat it. But once again, he should've been supportive & been seen taking a bite. It's way past time to change the cooks/chefs on this show. 

[Gramto6]

12 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

It's way past time to change the cooks/chefs on this show. 

Totally agree!!  I think they need to find a focus and just use chefs in that realm. Either Iron Chef types or more of the Pioneer Woman Cook types. This mixed group just doesn't work especially when one thinks he is so much above the others he won't even eat their food...

Or maybe every few years they would change all the chefs/cooks just to keep it fresh. Different styles, different focuses, coming from different experiences, would make it more interesting.

[chessiegal]

Unless the ratings drop, I don't see them changing anything. Or they have one that leaves because of a scandal. 😉

[annzeepark914]

@Gramto6  They don't care. They sit back and let that DD&D, or whatever Fieri's show is called, haul in the advertising bucks. And their neverending competitions fill almost all the other hours. A few folks have true cooking shows. I've said too many times how much I miss the original, tranquil BC show. Ina covered everything: cooking instructions, tips on herbs, *simple* but elegant flower arrangements, and how to create a serene dining table setting (don't iron the napkin folds 🩷). OK...I feel better. I've vented 😁

Edited April 15 by annzeepark914

[Gramto6]

4 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Unless the ratings drop, I don't see them changing anything. Or they have one that leaves because of a scandal. 😉

Sad, but I think also true. And then I still won't be watching....

Edited April 15 by Gramto6

[maggiemae]

I still watch and hope Sunny stops screaming everything. Or seeing her lipstick and nails.

I also look to see if pompous GZ will taste it, and I don't mean like a pea in a recipe.

And I miss Alex.

[Gramto6]

21 hours ago, maggiemae said:

And I miss Alex.

I miss Alex too. But I see Supermarket Stakeout is coming back May 1 so she has probably been filming that.

Thank goodness no mention of Ciao House at all....so far.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Gramto6 said:

Thank goodness no mention of Ciao House at all....so far.

During Spring Baking Championship they advertised Season 2 of Ciao House is coming back in May.  I forget the date. 

Edited April 23 by Irlandesa

[roughing it]

19 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

I miss Alex too. But I see Supermarket Stakeout is coming back May 1 so she has probably been filming that

My husband read (internet, gotta be true!) that Alex was cut from The Kitchen for budget reasons.  

[Gramto6]

5 hours ago, roughing it said:

My husband read (internet, gotta be true!) that Alex was cut from The Kitchen for budget reasons.  

I suppose that could be true, but I'd like to see it from a reliable source.

Re Ciao House, sigh, yeah I saw an ad for it on Wildcard Kitchen. I think more likely than being fired, with Supermarket Stakeout and Ciao House shows she was just too busy for The Kitchen.

[MerBearHou]

It’s funny — on Instagram, many comment to Alex that they miss her on The Kitchen and her reply always, always makes it sound like she’s waiting to be asked back, or she is hoping it works out, things like that.  So I don’t know if she’s being diplomatic to FN and the friends she made on the show and she is indeed spread thin enough w her other shows OR if something happened with budgets.  She’s such a powerhouse on the network that I thought she could pretty much call any shot she really wanted.  

Edited April 24 by MerBearHou

[annzeepark914]

I've always liked Alex and respect her culinary skills & knowledge. I'd rather have her in the Kitchen than Katie Lee or Sunny (neither of  whom is a chef...an Iron Chef). 

[MerBearHou]

I like and admire Alex too and felt like she was a good fit on the Kitchen.  I love her on Alex vs America but I loathed the first season of Ciao House.  

Edited April 24 by MerBearHou

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

I suppose that could be true, but I'd like to see it from a reliable source.

I've seen it mentioned on a lot of sites including these:

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/alex-guarnaschelli-says-shell-be-back-on-the-food-network-after-the-kitchen-ousting.html/

https://www.the-sun.com/tv/10307519/food-network-alex-guarnaschelli-removed-the-kitchen-website/

The latter article claims her name and image have been removed as one of the hosts on the FN "The Kitchen" page and makes reference to her cryptic SM post on the subject.

If she was cut for budget reasons I wonder if the show itself is in danger of being canceled.  Maybe they'll find someone new to add to the cast.

[Gramto6]

Thanks for the links @Yeah No! I appreciate it!

I think that it was a mistake to take her off The Kitchen but maybe cost was a real issue. For me, there is no reason to even check the show out any more. And I wouldn't miss it a bit if it went off the air.

I am glad that FN is not just letting her go altogether. With the exception of Ciao House, I really like all her other shows. She brings a great deal of knowledge to the shows and is a credit to the network overall.