The Kitchen - General Discussion

[roughing it]

In my field, one can't be called an "architect" until they've passed the state licensing exams.  I don't know about the term "chef" though.  It sounds more official than "one who likes to cook", which the latter applies to several Food Network personalities.  Does one have to graduate from culinary school to be a "chef"?

Edited August 31, 2022 by roughing it

[chessiegal]

I subscribe to Blue Apron meal kit service. They refer to me as "chef". The term doesn't seem to mean much.

[Maverick]

 There's no industry requirements to be called a chef.  Many people feel that if you've had formal training you've earned the right to be called chef, otherwise you're a cook.  In the earlier days of FN they seemed to get generally follow that.  But then they had a lot more trained chefs or at least people working in professional kitchens back then.    Once they started things like Food Network Star where they like to cast food "personalities" and starting showcasing all manner of amateurs from firefighters to grandmas, they started getting more free with the term.  These days the criteria seems to be if host or compete on a FN show you can be called chef.   

[maggiemae]

One thing I know is I love her recipes, and Alex's as well.

Sunny and Jeff not so much.

GZ just bugs me because he often won't even take a bite of another host's food. Just claps or takes a drink. But even he seems to favor Alex's and Katie's recipes over Sunny's and Jeff's.

Edited September 3, 2022 by maggiemae

[HyeChaps]

Katie had her hair tied back today.  She often does.  How do Alex and Sunny not get their hair in the food?  Ew

[bichonblitz]

On 9/2/2022 at 11:09 PM, maggiemae said:

GZ just bugs me because he often won't even take a bite of another host's food. Just claps or takes a drink.

This bugs me, too. If you're not going to participate and take a bite of everybody's food then get off the show. 

Sunny did this for a while long ago and it was very noticable but I think she was on a diet or something. That changed quickly, though. She must have been told she has to eat the food but this is GZ we're talking about. He is oh so special and makes his own rules. 

[hiisa]

I like Sunny, shrug. I don't like her ALL the time because she can get loud and obnoxious but I think they all get annoying in their own ways. Someone upthread said that Jeff is funny and intelligent and etc and when he finds the right balance he's a great--thats exactly how I feel about Sunny. I like her. And she was absolutely beautiful in episode 13 of episode 30. But anyway way back in season 1 there was a segment that I loved and I wish they would bring back and every single episode I watch I have a second where I wonder is this the day? It never is. It was "into it or over it" and it was just like it sounds. They ended every episode with something that they were really liking right then and something that they were completely over. I don't even know why but I loved that segment. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

For those who haven't been watching the show lately, some updates.

Bopper is no longer shopping the Pig. 

Alex showed how to grill vegetables on a panini press, and they looked pretty good; Katie lamented that she'd just given hers away to her babysitter. 

Zakarian made salmon and asparagus in a microwave.

Sunny was making a twist on 7-layer dip and asked Zakarian if he knew what 7-layer dip is.  He said he did, so she asked him to name one ingredient in it and he couldn't.  I don't know why he wouldn't just admit he doesn't know what it is.  (The twist was using the ingredients in a gyro as the layers in the dip, and it doesn't sound horrible.)

The "diloosh" instead of "dilution" and its variants is still prominent.

[orangekit]

So, Alex had pink highlights in her hair which really did nothing for her .

She also was fan girling over Harry Styles on Instagram !! Talking him him looking at her and blowing kisses . She even said that she’d marry him in a minute!

Is she having some weird mid life crisis ?  She also was comparing Harry styles to Prince which caused Sunny to make a face and comment as if she thought Alex was crazy! I have to agree with Sunny !

Then again I honestly don’t get the weird obsession that many middle aged women I know have with Harry Styles .  It’s not just a matter of liking his  music , it’s like they have regressed to middle school ! Never thought Alex would be one od those women !

[buttersister]

8 hours ago, orangekit said:

Never thought Alex would be one od those women

Sunny + Price > Alex + Styles.

WTF pink hair? Gramming about Harry? Her poor daughter.

[orangekit]

4 hours ago, buttersister said:

Sunny + Price > Alex + Styles.

WTF pink hair? Gramming about Harry? Her poor daughter.

I know ! At first I thought she went to the concert for her daughter, but it became obvious she was Judd drooling over 20 something year old Harry and saying she would marry him !  Weird !

And comparing Harry to Prince ?  She has a crush on someone who is you enough to be her son ! 

[bichonblitz]

On 9/19/2022 at 12:27 AM, buttersister said:

Sunny + Price > Alex + Styles.

Lets not forget Sunny and her fan girling over Bobby Flay every time his name is mentioned. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

I've read comments here about Zakarian not eating the food but never actually noticed it myself, until now.  The most recent episode was about tailgating, and I'm not positive he understands what that is.  Or maybe I don't.  But he made fish tacos, and said he brought out different courses for the different quarters, and halftime.  I thought tailgating happened before the game.  Whatever.

But Sunny made some sugar cookies with cookie butter (which I'd never heard of) in them.  They looked pretty innocuous.  She used cookie cutters to make them into shapes, like a football or the "we're #1" hand, and decorated them with white icing (like the laces for the football). 

There was a big plate of them and Zakarian took one and held it for a second, and then put it back on the plate.  He couldn't take even a bite of a sugar cookie!  I can understand Jeff and his hard-boiled eggs, because nobody wants to see somebody retch on TV, but sugar cookies?  I try to like the guy, but he sure makes it hard.

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I thought tailgating happened before the game. 

Some people who don't have tickets park in the lot and party the whole game while they watch it on tv. Others have "tailgating" parties at their homes while they watch the game on tv.

[MerBearHou]

11 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

But Sunny made some sugar cookies with cookie butter (which I'd never heard of) in them. 

Oh, for my health, I wish I’d never discovered cookie butter.  It is SO good.  My husband brought some home from Trader Joe’s and it is delicious.  

[StatisticalOutlier]

20 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Others have "tailgating" parties at their homes while they watch the game on tv.

What makes it a tailgating party?  Do they put a TV outside and stand around in the driveway?

[chessiegal]

41 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

What makes it a tailgating party?  Do they put a TV outside and stand around in the driveway?

Nah. Just an excuse to eat and drink. But they start partying before the game.

[buttersister]

On 9/25/2022 at 4:16 PM, bichonblitz said:

On 9/18/2022 at 11:27 PM, buttersister said:

Lets not forget Sunny and her fan girling over Bobby Flay every time his name is mentioned. 

LOL, my ears close up whenever his name is mentioned. 

[Gam2]

I tried to watch this show once over the weekend because I hold out hope that Sunny won’t be in the kitchen yelling, just outside yelling sometimes. Nope. There she was practically screaming. Click.

[Gramto6]

On 9/26/2022 at 5:14 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

But Sunny made some sugar cookies with cookie butter (which I'd never heard of) in them.  They looked pretty innocuous.  She used cookie cutters to make them into shapes, like a football or the "we're #1" hand, and decorated them with white icing (like the laces for the football). 

There was a big plate of them and Zakarian took one and held it for a second, and then put it back on the plate.  He couldn't take even a bite of a sugar cookie!  I can understand Jeff and his hard-boiled eggs, because nobody wants to see somebody retch on TV, but sugar cookies?  I try to like the guy, but he sure makes it hard.

Maybe he has some food allergies that he is not making public.  Guy makes no bones that he doesn't  like eggs and won't eat them, but Zakarian has made no such proclamation that I know of. Allergies maybe, though kind of odd for a chef...

Edited September 30, 2022 by Gramto6

[chessiegal]

10 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

Guy makes no bones that he doesn't  like eggs and won't eat them,

I thought Guy won't eat eggs with a runny yolk, but something like scrambled or omelets are okay. 🤷‍♀️

[StatisticalOutlier]

21 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

Maybe he has some food allergies that he is not making public.  Guy makes no bones that he doesn't  like eggs and won't eat them, but Zakarian has made no such proclamation that I know of. Allergies maybe, though kind of odd for a chef...

Allergies to what, though?  Butter, flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt?  I can't say I remember him ever actually making something with vanilla or baking soda, but I know I've seen him use everything else.  I don't know what kind of cookie butter Sunny used, but I'd be surprised if there's something in it that he's allergic to.

People have commented on his refusal to taste stuff before, but this is my first time I noticed, and I just can't wrap my head around him refusing to take even a nibble of a sugar cookie.

10 hours ago, chessiegal said:

I thought Guy won't eat eggs with a runny yolk, but something like scrambled or omelets are okay. 🤷‍♀️

Oh, Guy Fieri?  I thought the OP was getting Jeff's name wrong, or just calling him by "guy" like "Guy can't even eat eggs."  Because Jeff Mauro won't eat deviled eggs (or maybe even hard-boiled eggs?), and everybody on the show acknowledges it and understands he's not going to eat them.

Edited October 1, 2022 by StatisticalOutlier

[buttersister]

On 9/30/2022 at 11:20 AM, StatisticalOutlier said:

Because Jeff Mauro won't eat deviled eggs (or maybe even hard-boiled eggs?),

Oy, I have something in common with Jeff. 😱 

[novhappy]

Omg you guys. I haven’t watched in forever but I’ve kept up here from time to time. Holy shit Sunny!  The shouting the constant talking THE SMACKING OF THE FOOD IN HER MOUTH. 

she alone makes the show unwatchable. Completely ruins it

[annzeepark914]

5 hours ago, novhappy said:

Omg you guys. I haven’t watched in forever but I’ve kept up here from time to time. Holy shit Sunny!  The shouting the constant talking THE SMACKING OF THE FOOD IN HER MOUTH. 

she alone makes the show unwatchable. Completely ruins it

With the arrival of cold weather, I was looking forward to having a nice breakfast, complete with a cuppa, while watching The Kitchen for the first time since...uh...I can't remember. But this post stopped me in my tracks. Why is she still on this show? They could so easily get rid of Sunny & Jeff and replace them with chefs or cooks who can bring more to The Kitchen's table (professional, or at least pleasant, TV personalities, better recipes, etc). On a Saturday morning, I don't want to be subjected to yelling, caterwauling, pouts. Chefs similar to Michael Symon and Carla Hall, who are creative and have fun, pleasant personalities, must be available, right?

Edited October 8, 2022 by annzeepark914

[novhappy]

22 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

With the arrival of cold weather, I was looking forward to having a nice breakfast, complete with a cuppa, while watching The Kitchen for the first time since...uh...I can't remember. But this post stopped me in my tracks. Why is she still on this show? They could so easily get rid of Sunny & Jeff and replace them with chefs or cooks who can bring more to The Kitchen's table (professional, or at least pleasant, TV personalities, better recipes, etc). On a Saturday morning, I don't want to be subjected to yelling, caterwauling, pouts. Chefs similar to Michael Symon and Carla Hall, who are creative and have fun, pleasant personalities, must be available, right?

Carla would be an excellent replacement for Sunny. I don’t mind the extremely scripted dialogue and bad acting because they do cook alot on the show and that’s what I like to watch. Even Jeffs goofiness is fine with me. But it is not tolerable to bring someone into my living room who is caterwauling and smacking her food. Get out. and Jesus, Mar and Joseph (and the wee donkey) Sunny can not shut the fuck up she is talking in the background 100% of the time!  
 

[bichonblitz]

On 10/9/2022 at 10:53 AM, novhappy said:

Carla would be an excellent replacement for Sunny.

That's a great idea! She would fit in perfectly. Just quirky enough but not overbearing. She's also a trained chef, unlike Sunny and Katie. 

[annzeepark914]

On 10/9/2022 at 10:53 AM, novhappy said:

Carla would be an excellent replacement for Sunny. I don’t mind the extremely scripted dialogue and bad acting because they do cook alot on the show and that’s what I like to watch. Even Jeffs goofiness is fine with me. But it is not tolerable to bring someone into my living room who is caterwauling and smacking her food. Get out. and Jesus, Mar and Joseph (and the wee donkey) Sunny can not shut the fuck up she is talking in the background 100% of the time!  
 

Someone needs to forward this to the producer!

[roughing it]

I've said this before, but I'd love this show replaced with a weekend version of The Chew with Symon, Carla and Clinton Kelly.

[annzeepark914]

I tuned in for the last 20 minutes of today's show. Sunny was making doughnuts (& seemed **relatively** subdued). They dipped their doughnuts in a glaze & sprinkled bacon on top. Everyone did this, but I decided to watch GZ & sure enough, he didn't even take a bite of his doughnut. Then they had a preview of odd sounding food combinations and once again, he never tried anything. How hard would it have been to just take a tiny bite of that doughnut? I haven't watched this show in a while. Everyone looked well-Botoxed (or somethin' 😉).

[Gramto6]

Yeah, I don't usually watch the whole show until Monday morning, watched the last bit this morning, but it does bug me that GZ doesn't  taste a lot of things. Is it some sort of dietary restrictions/allergies? It doesn't make sense for a person on a cooking show not to taste at least a bite of the food. It is odd...

[maggiemae]

I think it is because GZ is vain and distains regular cooking.

I wonder if his kids even eat kid food at birthday parties. Probably never ate at a fast food place.

ETA - he will eat anything on other shows where he is a judge.

Edited October 16, 2022 by maggiemae

[novhappy]

I just watched what I believe to be a new episode. No Sunny and excellent show. Everything was better about it. Seemed way less scripted, no shouting just cooking and chat. They don’t even need a replacement.

[annzeepark914]

8 minutes ago, novhappy said:

I just watched what I believe to be a new episode. No Sunny and excellent show. Everything was better about it. Seemed way less scripted, no shouting just cooking and chat. They don’t even need a replacement.

This is so strange. Just this morning I was thinking about The Kitchen, imagining that they got rid of the loudmouths & I had a nice cooking show to watch. I'd noticed recently that no one was posting comments in The Kitchen section. So, this is great news. Hope it lasts this way🤞.

[Gramto6]

Liked it too! It was easy and relaxed no screeching/hooting please get Sunny off this show. It would be so much calmer w/out her.

[Maverick]

 I only saw a few minutes, but I thought I heard Katie say "someday I'm going to get invited to a party at GZ's house..."   Uh, Katie, if it hasn't happened by now I wouldn't wait by the the mailbox.  

[finnzup]

On 10/9/2022 at 10:53 AM, novhappy said:

Sunny can not shut the f**k up she is talking in the background 100% of the time!  

Yes, yes and yes!!!

[finnzup]

On 10/15/2022 at 8:27 PM, Gramto6 said:

GZ doesn't  taste a lot of things

Yes, very obvious that he only eats certain things.   I know he works out like a fiend, tough work-outs and he's very consistent.  For me, I think he chooses the foods he'll eat to avoid either the calories, carbs or whatever he thinks will derail his healthy lifestyle.

Maybe a bit of snobbery, lol, but I think he works out too hard to eat haphazardly.

[annzeepark914]

2 minutes ago, finnzup said:

Yes, very obvious that he only eats certain things.   I know he works out like a fiend, tough work-outs and he's very consistent.  For me, I think he chooses the foods he'll eat to avoid either the calories, carbs or whatever he thinks will derail his healthy lifestyle.

Maybe a bit of snobbery, lol, but I think he works out too hard to eat haphazardly.

One bite of each of his fellow cooks/chefs dishes won't add a pound onto his precious body. The others are tasting his concoctions. He needs to do likewise, or replace him with another chef. 

[Irlandesa]

I'd never noticed he didn't taste things so I tried paying attention and I think he does taste things from what I've watched but maybe only a bite or two at most.  Unlike others who will keep eating.

[annzeepark914]

3 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I'd never noticed he didn't taste things so I tried paying attention and I think he does taste things from what I've watched but maybe only a bite or two at most.  Unlike others who will keep eating.

I never noticed and when I read posts here about GZ not tasting others' dishes, I was surprised.  From then on I watched him closely. He'll accept each dish of prepared recipes but some he'll take a bite or two of, others he doesn't touch. The others are making such a to-do over the food that you don't notice GZ just sitting there.

[finnzup]

8 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

the others are making such a to-do over the food 

I don't mind the others descriptions of the food, I do mind Sunny's over-the-top reactions to the food, her reactions to the cooking of the food, her reactions to getting the food passed down to her, her reactions to eating the first forkfull.  It's like she's never tasted food in her life, for me, it's sickening.

[MerBearHou]

3 hours ago, finnzup said:

I don't mind the others descriptions of the food, I do mind Sunny's over-the-top reactions to the food, her reactions to the cooking of the food, her reactions to getting the food passed down to her, her reactions to eating the first forkfull.  It's like she's never tasted food in her life, for me, it's sickening.

And her over-the-top loudness in both talking and laughing.  She has GOT to be heard over the others and it is a struggle for her to not comment on everything.  I’ve noticed Alex G really champions Sunny on social media — it’s like Alex knows that Sunny is not well liked on the show and has taken on the job of doing Sunny PR.  

[Gam2]

10 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

And her over-the-top loudness in both talking and laughing.  She has GOT to be heard over the others and it is a struggle for her to not comment on everything.  I’ve noticed Alex G really champions Sunny on social media — it’s like Alex knows that Sunny is not well liked on the show and has taken on the job of doing Sunny PR.  

I agree with your statements about Sunny. I also get annoyed at Alex talking in the background saying “I love that” or “I love when you do that” or “I love that you add that”. Shut up, Alex. We don’t care what you love. She also over explains what she’s doing, why she’s doing it, when she’s doing it, how her daughter feels about her doing it, etc, etc. Again, please shut the hell up, Alex.

[maggiemae]

I love Alex...I think she has a real passion for food and "chiefing." And a love of family and friends. And she is not snobbish about food like GZ. 

Alex and Katie are my favs.

IMO Sunny makes snide comments about GZ...and as a co-host I think she is wrong to do so because it is not done in friendly teasing like the rest of them.

[annzeepark914]

I've always liked Alex. When I used to see her on various shows, she would frequently roll her eyes which made me laugh. Maybe someone told her to stop doing that as I haven't seen those eye rolls on The Kitchen. OK...I nominate Michael Symon & Carla to replace GZ & Sunny 🤓.

[maggiemae]

Sunny always uses her outside voice.

[bichonblitz]

On 11/28/2022 at 9:52 PM, maggiemae said:

IMO Sunny makes snide comments about GZ...and as a co-host I think she is wrong to do so because it is not done in friendly teasing like the rest of them.

You would think the producers would tell her to stop that shit. It's uncomfortable to watch. They just let it go on, though. 

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

You would think the producers would tell her to stop that shit. It's uncomfortable to watch. They just let it go on, though. 

They let a lot of stuff go re: Sunny's behavior (e.g., her childish reaction to losing a cooking or recipe "competition" among the hosts). 

[Maverick]

 They do take a perverse pleasure in scaring the ever loving shit out of her, though.