The Kitchen - General Discussion

[Gramto6]

7 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

It will be a dark & stormy and *windy* day. Sunny's tresses will be swirling all over her head as she grills whatevahhh, shivering in her silvery metallic dress. Actually, I wish Food Network would provide her with a studio kitchen *now*!! They must have sets that she could spiff up.

You'd think so. I just don't get her out there in the yard still. Maybe there are some legal/contractual issues??

[buttersister]

Yeah, it may have started out as private Sunny not wanting anyone to see her kitchen (for whatever reason), but now I'm started to wonder if Sunny is just fucking with everybody.

[FormerMod-a1]

I'm beginning to wonder if she's even outside a house.  Between that massive and steep grass hill behind her, and only ever seeing that or an occasional deck railing, are we sure there's even a house there somewhere? (jk)

[Yeah No]

16 hours ago, bosawks said:

I’m not going to lie I’m really looking forward to her cooking outside in February during a Nor’easter.

We already had a Nor'easter last week so we may not have to wait that long, LOL.

[buttersister]

Throwback/throw up episode this morning--a reminder why I stopped watching the studio shows. And what an improvement it made to not have them all on a set kitchen together.  

1. Katie's in-studio nails on chalkboard voice 
2. Geoffrey projects alpha dog vibes/has chopsticks nearby
3. Jeff's insecurities on full display
4. When I enjoyed watching Sunny

So Jeff starts dicing a stack of corned beef planks but announces he's giving them a brunoise. Lord love Sunny, who quickly called his bs and pointed out a brunoise is a precise eighth of an inch dice. Jeff started referring to it as a dice. He later made a crack about what's taught in culinary school, at which point Sunny said she'd gone to the school of watching her mama and grandmama cook. 

Then Jeff starts making a mornay sauce, which calls for gruyere cheese. But don't worry, he says, if you can't find it, you can substitute cheddar or jack. Really? What about Swiss cheese, you motor-mouthed meathead?

Was it ever established that the sound of the way-too-enthusiastic-but-not-seen audience was anything but a recorded track? 

[MerBearHou]

1 hour ago, buttersister said:

Was it ever established that the sound of the way-too-enthusiastic-but-not-seen audience was anything but a recorded track? 

I actually went to a taping of The Kitchen -- it's done in New Jersey.  Really fun and interesting.  There were about 20 of us in the audience off to the side and there is a PA telling us when to clap loudly.  So it's a live group!  We met the chefs afterward and Alex G. was the guest chef that day.  They were all very, very friendly -- except Alex.

[MerBearHou]

Oops - double post.

Edited December 21, 2020 by MerBearHou

[Yeah No]

2 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

I actually went to a taping of The Kitchen -- it's done in New Jersey.  Really fun and interesting.  There were about 20 of us in the audience off to the side and there is a PA telling us when to clap loudly.  So it's a live group!  We met the chefs afterward and Alex G. was the guest chef that day.  They were all very, very friendly -- except Alex.

Interesting!  How would you describe Alex as being unfriendly?

[Maverick]

 Just caught this week's episode.  Oy the Christmas Carol stuff was painful.  I actually think that would have played better if they were together in the studio. 

 Y'all weren't kidding about Sunny's look this week.  She looked like she just stumbled out of some biker bar in South Dakota. 

 Adding to Alex and Sunny mysteries, I checked the end credits for Remote Producers.  All 5 of the hosts are credited along with Katie, Jeff and GZ's spouses.  No one for Sunny or Alex.  Sunny is either doing hers on her own or not crediting whoever is holding the camera for her.  Alex is more surprising because her fiance has been shown to be her producer so that plus the missing ring are things that make you go hmmmm.  

[MerBearHou]

2 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Interesting!  How would you describe Alex as being unfriendly?

The others really talked to us and were engaged.  Alex's face and demeanor could not have been less interested in meeting us.  I told her I'd been a fan for so long (which was true) and she barely even changed expression.  She seems to "turns it on" for people that matter to her (or TV cameras) and then turns it off right away.

[Yeah No]

2 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

The others really talked to us and were engaged.  Alex's face and demeanor could not have been less interested in meeting us.  I told her I'd been a fan for so long (which was true) and she barely even changed expression.  She seems to "turns it on" for people that matter to her (or TV cameras) and then turns it off right away.

Aha, very interesting, she sounds to me like a phony.  I originally detested her but had softened on her over the years.  Maybe my first gut instinct was right.

[Yeah No]

8 minutes ago, Maverick said:

 Just caught this week's episode.  Oy the Christmas Carol stuff was painful.  I actually think that would have played better if they were together in the studio. 

 Y'all weren't kidding about Sunny's look this week.  She looked like she just stumbled out of some biker bar in South Dakota. 

LOL, you crack me up!  Hey at least she put on a jean jacket - meanwhile it was probably 30 degrees outside and she was freezing her ass off.

[Ashforth]

6 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

I actually went to a taping of The Kitchen -- it's done in New Jersey.  Really fun and interesting.  There were about 20 of us in the audience off to the side and there is a PA telling us when to clap loudly.  So it's a live group!  We met the chefs afterward and Alex G. was the guest chef that day.  They were all very, very friendly -- except Alex.

It wouldn't surprise me if, like many shows filmed with a live audience in the Before Times, the audience reactions (applause, laughter) are sweetened up in post-production. 

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, Ashforth said:

It wouldn't surprise me if, like many shows filmed with a live audience in the Before Times, the audience reactions (applause, laughter) are sweetened up in post-production. 

Yeah...cause the group isn't really funny. Jeff, at home, is funny at times. I was wondering if the ratings for the at-home episodes are higher or lower than when they were at the studio. Just wondering if TPTB at Food Network find the at-home version better (like a number of us do). Oh...I saw an old studio episode recently & was stunned by how nice Sunny looked. I'm doing a lot of wondering lately & wondered if anyone from FN is on here. Didn't we think that about one of the networks last year?

[Ashforth]

26 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Yeah...cause the group isn't really funny. Jeff, at home, is funny at times. I was wondering if the ratings for the at-home episodes are higher or lower than when they were at the studio. Just wondering if TPTB at Food Network find the at-home version better (like a number of us do). Oh...I saw an old studio episode recently & was stunned by how nice Sunny looked. I'm doing a lot of wondering lately & wondered if anyone from FN is on here. Didn't we think that about one of the networks last year?

The funniest thing I've seen on The Kitchen was in a recent re-airing of an old Thanksgiving show when GZ made a dirty comment about prepping a turkey for roasting ("Oh, I'm gonna get in there") and the whole cast was trying to keep it together. I don't recall whether there was any audience reaction, because I was busy cracking up. I posted about that before, apologies for the repeat.

In other old repeats, I'm reminded of why I used to avoid this show like the plague (ooof, bad comparison). The crafting segments had a lot to do with it. 

On the FN thread, someone regularly posts the ratings.

To me, they are all much more likeable cooking from home than in the studio. Even Alex. 🤭 

Sunny is a conundrum, but hey, we need someone to rag on. You go girl, with your winter outdoor cooking!

[chessiegal]

Looking at ratings for The Kitchen over the past year, the ratings really haven't changed much regular to family style. It's always been one of FN's highest rated shows.

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Yeah...cause the group isn't really funny. Jeff, at home, is funny at times. I was wondering if the ratings for the at-home episodes are higher or lower than when they were at the studio. Just wondering if TPTB at Food Network find the at-home version better (like a number of us do). Oh...I saw an old studio episode recently & was stunned by how nice Sunny looked. I'm doing a lot of wondering lately & wondered if anyone from FN is on here. Didn't we think that about one of the networks last year?

I love the at home version much more than the studio version.  I saw a repeat the other day from in the studio and they were all over-acting and yelling over each other to the point that I had to turn it off.  I've gotten used to them being less obnoxious and more like regular people.  I'm afraid that based on Jeff's recent social media comment that they're going to start filming in the studio again, so I'm kind of worried about how I'm going to feel about the show if they do that.

I love it when Gus comes begging when Katie is cooking and her little baby starts cooing in the background.  Plus the cutaways to her husband behind the camera are cute too.  Gus was adorable in his little holiday getup.  I could live without Sunny outside all winter, but even so she's still more tolerable at home than in the studio.

[annzeepark914]

Oh me oh my, Katie Lee. That egg dish was not appealing to me. I've always either tried, or been impressed by whatever she makes. Not this time. And especially coming right after GZ's snazzy Eggs Benedict? Speaking of GZ, why didn't he offer a bite of that delicious looking egg dish to his camerawoman? That surprised me. But then, maybe she doesn't care for eggs. Alex had a ring on her left hand. It was funny that she said don't wear black, and jewelry, when making doughnuts. 

[cameron]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

Oh me oh my, Katie Lee. That egg dish was not appealing to me. I've always either tried, or been impressed by whatever she makes. Not this time. And especially coming right after GZ's snazzy Eggs Benedict? Speaking of GZ, why didn't he offer a bite of that delicious looking egg dish to his camerawoman? That surprised me. But then, maybe she doesn't care for eggs. Alex had a ring on her left hand. It was funny that she said don't wear black, and jewelry, when making doughnuts. 

I actually thought it looked good.  Very typical of southern type breakfasts.  Make something very similar to this myself.

[trudysmom]

On 12/26/2020 at 11:28 AM, annzeepark914 said:

Oh me oh my, Katie Lee. That egg dish was not appealing to me. 

Ditto.  Either biscuits and gravy, or egg on biscuit with cheese, but cheese and gravy, no thanks.  I also have never seen sausge gravy made that way.  Born and lived in Texas my whole long life and momma and daddy always drained (or dreened, heh) the grease off the sausage first, made the gravy, added the meat back in.  But to each his or her own.  

[annzeepark914]

Well, three of them are back in the studio kitchen. Sunny and Katie are working at home (smart, IMO). So, I turned the volume waayyyyy down for Jeff's and Sunny's presentations and it was bearable. Re: the food? I'm going to make Katie's eggplant "boats". That melted cheese looked so good. I liked GZ's pork tenderloin slices with the diced turnip. Alex's salad of greens and how she layered the flavors (I loved the walnuts) and how she put honey at the bottom of the dish makes me want to try it. Good show, but not as appealing as when they're all working at home.

[Koalagirl]

Everyone (Alex, Jeff and GZ) was back in the studio kitchen except Sunny who was banished to the outdoor patio ( she commented that she’s still social distancing) and Katie who was at home.  This is the best I’ve ever seen Sunny look - almost no makeup and her hair sleeked completely back.  
 

[buttersister]

Seeing cold air breath when Sunny was talking outside was distracting, but not as much as Jeff’s return to mugging for the camera and glancing around for approval. 

[Gam2]

Geez. Could Alex be any more of a know-it-all? Shut up, woman. And Sunny? Go inside before you freeze to death. No one else is standing outside for hours to cook on their grill. My husband grills in the winter in TN but keeps coming on back into the house from our screened porch while the meat is cooking. This makes you look like a moron.

[Ashforth]

Yeah, not happy with "back to the studio but Sunny is banished to the outside set". Is she living some dangerous lifestyle that we would love to know about? They did do a good job of social distancing on the set, but they still should have been wearing masks. As far as we know right now, and we're pretty far into this, Covid-19 is transmitted by air, not germs on food or plates. IMO, there was no reason for the other chefs not to taste the food cooked on-set. If so, JUST STAY HOME.

I thought Katie's eggplant parmesan boats looked good, but too much. The eggplants were too large and there was too much cheese. Despite what we hear so often on these shows, there is such  thing as too much cheese.

ETA: Yeah, no GZ, I don't see turnips being the hot vegetable of 2021. If I'm wrong, I'll eat crow (with turnips).

Edited January 3, 2021 by Ashforth

[annzeepark914]

I wonder why FN brought them back into the studio. Even though they were not close to each other, it still was risky (and sets a crappy example). And, it was totally unnecessary. The segments taped in their homes the past year were very entertaining and IMO, much better at showing how to prepare recipes.

[Gramto6]

2 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

I wonder why FN brought them back into the studio. Even though they were not close to each other, it still was risky (and sets a crappy example). And, it was totally unnecessary. The segments taped in their homes the past year were very entertaining and IMO, much better at showing how to prepare recipes.

Totally agree! I like the at home segments so much better! And why is Sunny stuck outdoors still??? I get Katie Lee not wanting to come in with a new baby at home...but wtf with Sunny???

Edited January 4, 2021 by Gramto6
typo

[rustyspigot]

Sunny still outside made me laugh. And with the honey solidifying. Come on!

Alex had a very calm tone (yes while being a know-it-all).

I refuse to believe the humble turnip will be the food of 2021.

[Maverick]

 Really?  You think after a shit year like 2020 people are going to be like "turnips, yeah!"?   Whatever, food "trends" are ridiculous.  I usually don't mind when The Kitchen does segments on dumb shit trending on instagram because I find it funny that people buy into this dumb crap, not taking it as guidance on what I should be cooking.  But stop trying to make shot happen, Kitchen. 

 I agree having Sunny outside was weird. Like, is she not allowed to use the bathroom as other people either?  Maybe she refused a covid test?   Or refused to wear a mask when not on camera?   I don't see the point of having her come in if she's not going to interact with the other hosts and still be outside.  I do agree she looked really good though. 

 I have mixed reactions to them being back in the studio.  I adjusted to the at home shows but I'm in the minority that preferred the regular show.  This obviously isn't back to normal but at least it's taking a step.  I don't get not tasting the food.  They been doing Chopped and the various holiday shows and eating the food there.  

[Irlandesa]

5 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

I get Katie Lee not wanting to come in with a new baby at home...but wtf with Sunny???

You never know about people.  Sunny might have underlying conditions which make her nervous to get COVID.  She might have to take care of someone more vulnerable.  Or she really just doesn't want to get an upredictable disease.  Sunny does things that annoy me but trying to take extra precautions in a pandemic is not one of those things.

Then again, they might have just decided that there was only social distance room enough for three people inside but it's still easier to have Sunny in the studio than at her home.

6 hours ago, Ashforth said:

I thought Katie's eggplant parmesan boats looked good, but too much. The eggplants were too large and there was too much cheese. Despite what we hear so often on these shows, there is such  thing as too much cheese.

I make something similarish to what Katie made.  Or maybe not similar at all but it's delish.  Instead of cutting the eggplant in two, I will make many thin(ish) slices lengthwise or I turn the eggplant on its side and cut 1/2 inch rounds. Peel at your discretion. I put on some olive oil and season (without salt because that releases water according to GZ).  I roast the eggplant and a container of cherry tomatoes sliced in half (also tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper) on separate pans.  I then take pesto (better if it's home made or from the refrigerated section in the grocery store for ultimate freshness) and top the eggplant rounds (or strips), then top that with some of the roasted cherry tomatoes.  Finally, I put a little bit of parmesean cheese on top and throw in the boiler for a minute to melt/char the cheese.  Just putting it in the oven would probably be enough too.  They're so so good. 

It might be the same amount of cheese but it won't feel like the same amount of cheese.

19 minutes ago, rustyspigot said:

I refuse to believe the humble turnip will be the food of 2021.

I had my first turnip (that I know about) this summer when I bought a produce box from a local restaurant.  That was kind of fun. I had to identify the vegetables, think about what I'd do with the vegetables and then actually cook with them. I was not creative with the turnip; I just roasted it.

[buttersister]

Turnips are fine. I use one in my chicken soup to balance the parsnip and carrots. Pickled and colored by beets, they rock with Middle Eastern appetizers or in falafel sandwiches. Geoffrey the Turnip King? LOL!

He and Jeff need to go back home STAT! Their families make their segments watchable—I find them insufferable in the studio.

[rustyspigot]

I agree turnips are fine. I randomly got a Sunbasket last February and decided to try it and then COVID conveniently hit. And they sure like to include turnips in the meal kits. And lots of cabbage. Maybe GZ is an investor (kidding).

[StatisticalOutlier]

31 minutes ago, rustyspigot said:

Sunny still outside made me laugh. And with the honey solidifying. Come on!

I have a friend who told me that he had a friend who went to dinner with someone she didn't know very well, and was served an artichoke.  She wasn't sure what to do with it, so she ate the whole leaf thing, instead of scraping it.  The person she was with expressed surprise, so she explained that eating the whole thing provides health benefits, and then of course felt like she had to eat another one.

I'm thinking of Sunny continuing to be outside is a variation on that theme. 

 

31 minutes ago, rustyspigot said:

Alex had a very calm tone (yes while being a know-it-all).

Here's what I got from Alex's segment:

"I want to kind of gather them up, stems and all, and then just literally slice these greens up."

"The carrot tops, Sunny, to your point, I literally just take a few of the tenderest leaves off there as if I were stemming parsley."

"So then literally, right on top, all of it."

"So you can literally just put this much to spill it right in here."  (I don't know what she meant--it's when she was putting the salad into the serving bowl.)

 

14 minutes ago, Maverick said:

 I have mixed reactions to them being back in the studio.  I adjusted to the at home shows but I'm in the minority that preferred the regular show. 

I vastly prefer the regular show.  The other version just seemed like an assortment of youtube videos.  I like the interactions, and I like production values.

[annzeepark914]

If Alex is a know it all, so is GZ (who comes across as arrogant--he's been tossing around cheffy lingo lately). But they're excellent chefs & I enjoy watching them cook.

[Gramto6]

Just an aside, but I noticed there was a clear shot of Alex's engagement ring in her segment to dispel any questions... I prefer the show in their home segments. Enjoyed that a lot ...in studio...not so much...

[HyeChaps]

Did they ever make an official announcement that Alex was a cohost?  It seemed like they were just sliding her in every so often to eventually substitute for Katie during maternity leave. However, Katie had the last laugh and did not miss much at all due to advance recording. 

[annzeepark914]

13 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

Just an aside, but I noticed there was a clear shot of Alex's engagement ring in her segment to dispel any questions... I prefer the show in their home segments. Enjoyed that a lot ...in studio...not so much...

Y'know, I saw that pretty ring and wondered if it were "the" ring.  Good!  

[outtahere]

Sunny does have Ulcerative Colitis.  I believe it's a disease that makes her pretty vulnerable to Covid.

[chessiegal]

36 minutes ago, outtahere said:

Sunny does have Ulcerative Colitis.  I believe it's a disease that makes her pretty vulnerable to Covid.

Bless her heart. My husband has it. For the most part, it's under control with medication. But when it's not, it's terrible. I haven't heard it's an underlying condition re: Covid.

[outtahere]

It's not an underlying condition for Covid but rather makes her vulnerable to any threat to her system.  She is more susceptible to any illness she is exposed to because her system is compromised.

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, outtahere said:

It's not an underlying condition for Covid but rather makes her vulnerable to any threat to her system.  She is more susceptible to any illness she is exposed to because her system is compromised.

So maybe she shouldn't be cooking outside in weather that's cold enough to see one's breath.

[Gramto6]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

So maybe she shouldn't be cooking outside in weather that's cold enough to see one's breath.

That's why I don't understand why she isn't at home like Katie, cooking from her own kitchen. Makes no sense...

[Maverick]

 Yeah, if she's got a reason she doesn't want to be around others, fine.  But I don't see the purpose of her coming into NYC just to tape outside vs. taping outside at her home.   Other than it prompted better wardrobe choices. 

[Gramto6]

1 hour ago, Maverick said:

 Yeah, if she's got a reason she doesn't want to be around others, fine.  But I don't see the purpose of her coming into NYC just to tape outside vs. taping outside at her home.   Other than it prompted better wardrobe choices. 

And wig choices... I liked the pulled back look...

[butterbody]

Well, I fell for that turnip commercial, and went right to the store to buy all the ingredients for GZ's pork dish. I even heard Alex in my head as I swirled the butter in at the end. It was beautiful. The perfectly cubed, equally sized turnips remained untouched on everyone's plate but mine. But then again, I like everything. Regardless, turnips will Not be the hip new veg of 2021 at Casa Butterbody.

[Door County Cherry]

2 hours ago, butterbody said:

Well, I fell for that turnip commercial, and went right to the store to buy all the ingredients for GZ's pork dish. I even heard Alex in my head as I swirled the butter in at the end. It was beautiful. The perfectly cubed, equally sized turnips remained untouched on everyone's plate but mine. But then again, I like everything. Regardless, turnips will Not be the hip new veg of 2021 at Casa Butterbody.

I thought his dish looked good.   Did the people know they were turnips or did they try them and decide nope?

[Ashforth]

11 hours ago, Door County Cherry said:

I thought his dish looked good.   Did the people know they were turnips or did they try them and decide nope?

I was impressed that he cut the pork tenderloin into medallions and it wasn't overcooked, but I'm not so sure it would be easy for a home cook to accomplish. Pork tenderloin can go overcooked in a minute. Plus, what do you do with the very skinny end of the tenderloin that isn't suitable for medallions?

I'm also curious @butterbody about whether your family/guests tasted the turnips. I find that they can be bitter, even when cooked. I think a rutabaga may have been better for that recipe, because in my experience, they tend to get sweet when cooked. As someone noted upthread, they are a great addition to chicken soup. 

[Brookside]

Zacharian made something with fried onions on top.  Sunny: "Did you fry those yourself or are they from a can?"  Seriously?  

Dear g-d, how much salt did Jeff Mauro just thrown into his dish?

Does JZ wear gloves when he's on his tanning bed?  His head and neck are weirdly red/orange-coloured but his hands are white like the snow.

Jeff, please learn the the correct pronunciation of au jus.  It's not difficult.

Thank you Alex for pronouncing horse radish correctly.

Thank you Pandemic for making me notice and post about stupid stuff from a show like The Kitchen.

[Spunkygal]

1 hour ago, Brookside said:

Zacharian made something with fried onions on top.  Sunny: "Did you fry those yourself or are they from a can?"  Seriously?  

Dear g-d, how much salt did Jeff Mauro just thrown into his dish?

Does JZ wear gloves when he's on his tanning bed?  His head and neck are weirdly red/orange-coloured but his hands are white like the snow.

Jeff, please learn the the correct pronunciation of au jus.  It's not difficult.

Thank you Alex for pronouncing horse radish correctly.

Thank you Pandemic for making me notice and post about stupid stuff from a show like The Kitchen.

And how about Sunny cooking a frozen pizza on the ever-present grill and then spicing up ranch dressing? Wow, I want her job—and I’d present from my own kitchen! 

[annzeepark914]

30 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

And how about Sunny cooking a frozen pizza on the ever-present grill and then spicing up ranch dressing? Wow, I want her job—and I’d present from my own kitchen! 

I turned off the TV just before Sunny's segment started. Frozen pizza does not belong on a cooking show.