S12.E07: Tiki Takeover

[Rick Kitchen]

3 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

Exactly. If the show or the host is boring, I'll change the channel. It's why I watched Martha Stewart years ago, I got interested in her various projects and food. Same with Caprial's Cafe (I REALLY miss that show). I became an Ina Garten fan due to her quiet way of cooking, and her recipes are great. I don't see any of these people catching my interest.  If FN has to pull in people who have already been on TV in order to cast the show, the show is done.

Can you imagine Ina trying to do one of these shows?  "Show us more personality, tell us about a trauma in your past."

[buttercupia]

good riddance to joy and her boring ass refried southern cooking that we've seen 100 times. she truly brought nothing unique and her aversion to anything outside her comfort zone marked her as filler from the get go. 

problem being there's not really anyone left to root for.  I hope yaku makes it back. I don't mind erin much. but i'm not really excited about anyone. i'd love to have Ana cook a meal for me and we could sit around and eat and chat over drinks but I don't see her doing a show.  I don't even know with this show any more.,

[cooksdelight]

1 hour ago, Commando Cody said:

Doing reality TV for a living is a thing. Reality TV people are cast. Ana was probably hired to do this show. I think Penny was cast for this show in her season. I don't think they expect these people to win, but if the viewing audience can get all whipped up about a character on a show maybe they won't get bored watching. Unfortunately, the producers keep some of these "plants" around for too many episodes. Maybe it's written into their contracts. 

They absolutely fricken-lutely are cast. I know several people personally who were on various shows and they were recruited. Those poor folks sending in audition tapes, hoping for a shot, don't have a clue.

[bluepiano]

1 hour ago, buttercupia said:

good riddance to joy and her boring ass refried southern cooking that we've seen 100 times. she truly brought nothing unique and her aversion to anything outside her comfort zone marked her as filler from the get go.

I'd like to think you're right, but judging by FN's programming, they seem to believe you can never have too much southern cooking. (or too much bbq/grilling). So my sneaking suspicion is that we'll see Joy return and be in the finals, if not the winner.

I've travelled in the south, and you actually find some really interesting food, and not just in the big cities. I've had some great meals in places you wouldn't expect to find sophisticated cooking. It's not all fried chicken and grits. But like you said, Joy gave us the same old, same old.

Edited July 5, 2016 by bluepiano

[Snarklepuss]

3 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

They absolutely fricken-lutely are cast. I know several people personally who were on various shows and they were recruited. Those poor folks sending in audition tapes, hoping for a shot, don't have a clue.

How low this show and this network have sunk.  I'll bet TPTB love the angle of populating all their shows with "celebrity" plants just to grab a few more viewers.  As far as any real person getting on this network and doing any real cooking goes anymore, they figure we always have "chopped".  And they even have celebrity chopped too!

[HappyDancex2]

According to Michael Symon all of this stuff is just a product of ratings.  He says we say we want cooking shows and things that teach us how to cook but the reality is that not enough people are watching them.  Even the ones with entertainment value like iron chef aren't being produced anymore.  Beat Bobby flay is the same concept but far cheaper to produce in comparison to ratings points.  I have to admit I do watch a lot of the cooking game shows but no cooking/teaching shows.

the last time I ventured into a stand and stir was Trisha yearwood, where it looked like a fun girls night.  Unfortunately it consisted of rolling cream cheese (a southern favorite!) and green onions and salsa and deli ham in a flour tortilla, cutting them and proclaiming it was Redneck Sushi.  I was horrified.  I had flashbacks of Semi Homemade there.

im sure you could throw those on the grill for the grilling episode though.  /snark

[Mabinogia]

I don't watch instructional cooking shows. If I want to make something I look the recipe up online, or buy a cookbook. I do like the challenge type games. I like this show because it's so ridiculous. I don't take it seriously, and I have a feeling the network doesn't either.

[Alapaki]

When I watch this show, and I think of Food Network, I'm reminded of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer finds the Merv Griffin Show set.  "It was a grind trying to fill 10 hours a week. I'm not sure I was ready to have my own talk show set"

Ana is clearly there for a predetermined number of episodes.  Damiano may have a problem getting al'dente around women, so Giada's not gonna Sugar Momma him to the finals.  Is someone on this cast a baker?  Because they've really kept that on the down-low.  Tregaye isn't a walking racist caricature at this point. What th4 fuck is a "love chef"?  Barry White called, he wants his entire personality back.  

Challenge:. BAKE SOMETHING using frozen ingredients.

Contestant; throw a bunch of shit in a bowl and let it thaw.

WINNER!!!!!!!

[Jesse]

22 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Ana still brings nothing to the table (see what I did there?). If they're doing more competition shows, they have to cast based on personality. If they can rein in Sassy Black Girl's vocabulary a bit, she is, unfortunately, what they are probably looking for. Just enough food authority. They're not going to cast another African American male, so the Love Chef is out. You can't understand Damiano half of the time. What's left? Erin? She also has a big personality. But does she have enough authority on the savory side to be considered a legit contender? If so, I guess this thing is between her and Tregaye. 

Bleh. 

If they think they want a whole baking show, Erin could have a real shot. And she could become a judge on one of the million baking comp shows?

5 hours ago, Rick Kitchen said:

Can you imagine Ina trying to do one of these shows?  "Show us more personality, tell us about a trauma in your past."

I was just thinking that! We would haaaate her on this show.  "What's your culinary point of view?"  "A very rich, somewhat 80s style of catering." "And can you bring up the energy some?" "No." (NB: I love Ina.)

[Alapaki]

1 minute ago, Jesse said:

I was just thinking that! We would haaaate her on this show.  "What's your culinary point of view?"  "A very rich, somewhat 80s style of catering." "And can you bring up the energy some?" "No." (NB: I love Ina.)

But it's always been thus, going back to Season 1.

"I made a shit pie"

*crickets*

its just like the one my abuelita used to make"

/commence gushing praise

[MajorWoody]

Once upon a time, I had some respect for Bobby Flay. That time has passed. His continued defense of Ana is contrary to all the evidence shown to us on the previous episodes. She is a veritable black cloud of misery when she is on camera. I don't care what she can cook, watching her on any type of food related show, whether it is stand and stir, visiting eateries, or as a judge, her negative demeanor is too much of a turnoff to stick with her on a show. This is almost as bad as his behavior with the long fingernailed, tattooed floozy on Worst Cooks a few years ago. At least that bimbo was somewhat personable. This one is not.

Jinnard definitely lost some nice guy points this week. His arrognant attitude towards Erin, and also his demeaning comments about his wife basically being his brood mare showed a seemy side. 

Damiano, as he has almost every week, ignores the challenge, and does whatever he wants, while complaining about the rules and demeaning his opponents. I wonder if he will be whiing as loudly when he is vacuuming Giada's pool after he is eventually cut? He is another one whose personality will keep people from watchng any show he might host.

Erin was portrayed in victim mode this week. At least she did nothing over the top annoying.

As I have said in previous weeks, Tregaye has potential, but not if she she sticks with the black clown stereotype. Unless FN decides they need a black stereotypical clown to appeal to some mystery demographic. 

Bottom line, this show is called Food Network Star. Not FN's best new chef, or Top Chef. A network star would infer that personality is a large part of the equation, along with cooking skills. Having only one should be an automatic disqualifer, contrary to the garbage Flay has been spewing. Having no personality, or even worse, a negative personality, should be grounds for removal, no matter how good a coo the contestant/character is. Ana's complaints about the other contestants remind me of the old saying: If you run into one person who is an asshole, maybe that person really is an asshole. If everyone you come across is an asshole, the odds are that you are the asshole. Ana is that asshole. A weathered, negative, famewhore of an asshole.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

12 hours ago, spiderpig said:

  I'm trying to think of a term to describe the non-appeal of Ana (other than her personality).  She just looks - busted.  Too much peroxide, too many hours on the tanning bed, combined with that pale lipstick which looks good on nobody over the age of 12..

The phrase you are looking for is....rode hard and put away wet....

 

should have read everything Snarklepuss beat me too it....

Edited July 6, 2016 by SingleMaltBlonde

[SingleMaltBlonde]

9 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Trisha Yearwood, Valerie Bertinelli and Patricia Heaton are three of the most recent hosts of cooking shows on FN. While I'm sure they like to cook and have some recipes, I very much doubt that they've brought every recipe they use on the show to the table.  I think this is where the FN kitchens come in hand.

There absolutely does need a balance but so far Ana hasn't shown enough cooking skills to make up for her unease in front of the camera and somewhat offputting personality. (And  I'm not talking about being super hyper.  I love the calmer personalities on the network like Ina.  Heck, Dan and Steve are still my favorite winners of this show. )

I think Trisha is all her....I haven't watched enough of Valerie and the few times I have watched Patricia's show I don't think she can actually cook.

[HappyDancex2]

This thread is providing magic laughs.  Thank you snarkers for letting it fly.

[smiley13]

This episode is a joke!  How does Ana continue to skate through?

The highlight was smug Erin losing the baking challenge to Tregaye.  That actually made me laugh.  Erin's resemblance to Miss Piggy is distracting.

I will never understand the disdain for anything to do with the 1/4 of the United States that is The South.  In looking back at the full list of the contestants, 6 of 12 come from Southern states

Edited July 6, 2016 by smiley13

[Snarklepuss]

4 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

According to Michael Symon all of this stuff is just a product of ratings.  He says we say we want cooking shows and things that teach us how to cook but the reality is that not enough people are watching them.  Even the ones with entertainment value like iron chef aren't being produced anymore.  Beat Bobby flay is the same concept but far cheaper to produce in comparison to ratings points.  I have to admit I do watch a lot of the cooking game shows but no cooking/teaching shows.

The problem as I see it is that FN is not content anymore with being a network aimed at people who love food and cooking but want to draw in the general non-foodie public to generate even greater ratings.  And that's why they are always whining that "not enough people" watch them.  That's just total BS if you ask me.  Millions of people want to watch cooking shows, it's just that they want to make even more money by attracting both them plus everyone else to generate even greater ratings and money.  They used to be content with aiming themselves at foodies but then they got dollar signs in their eyes and as usual, greed took over.  There's certainly no shortage of people interested in food out there and how to prepare it or there wouldn't be seventy billion magazines and websites out there devoted to recipes, plus special holiday books, plus cookbooks, food blogs, etc.  My local Barnes and Noble's cookbook section is taking over the rest of the store and the manager told me that sales have never been better.  Even at my local BJ's the book table is half cookbooks!

[cooksdelight]

At this point, I'm expecting Honey Boo-Boo to be a guest judge, and the challenge is that they all have to make "sketti" for her.

[RCharter]

12 hours ago, smiley13 said:

This episode is a joke!  How does Ana continue to skate through?

The highlight was smug Erin losing the baking challenge to Tregaye.  That actually made me laugh.  Erin's resemblance to Miss Piggy is distracting.

Please don't drag Miss Piggy into this....she is fabulous!  Truly a style icon and a badass lady to boot!

[chessiegal]

Who are all the "Southern" cooks on FN people are referring to? Paula Deen is long gone, and Damaris Phillips' show is no longer in production. Trisha Yearwood is from Georgia, but the food she makes on her show is more like generic comfort food than what I'd call Southern.

[qtpye]

On 7/4/2016 at 2:47 PM, bluepiano said:

Yeah, his bragging about his nine kids doesn't seem to be how much he loves them or enjoys being a family man. It's all about what a stud he is. Like his story about the biscuits his wife made for him, and how he knew he wanted to make babies with her and then couldn't stop. It's not what I want to hear on a food show, and his whole attitude seems very pre-women's lib sexist. Real men "make babies." And presumably real women are there to crank out the babies.

 

I am not a chef, but I do like to cook.  Before I was married, it was not unusual for me to cook for a guy around the fourth or fifth date.  If a man ever ate any of my food and replied "Gurrrl, this butternut squash makes me want to put a baby in you".  I would make a mental note not to ever cook it again and never have anything to do with the guy who said it.  I say this now as a mother who adores her kids.  For the record, getting implanted with your seed is not the greatest compliment you can give to a woman...just, "your dinner tastes good" will suffice.

[schnauzergirl]

Just read an article (I'll try to find the link) that has this as its bottom line: More  Americans say they like to cook than actually do cook. This may translate into most people who watch cooking shows have good intentions, but little follow-through.     

As for FNS, there's nobody in this year's group I'd make a point to watch. I do think Tregaye and Ana are the best cooks there, but poles apart in personality.  Is it easier to tone down Tregaye or light a fuse under Ana?  Where are Suzy and Bob when they're needed?  The one person I would not watch under any circumstances is Damiano.  His arrogance is only slightly less than Justin Warner's.

[JTMacc99]

14 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

Millions of people want to watch cooking shows, it's just that they want to make even more money by attracting both them plus everyone else to generate even greater ratings and money.  They used to be content with aiming themselves at foodies but then they got dollar signs in their eyes and as usual, greed took over. 

Their product has always been advertising and subscriber fees.  That's what Food Network sells.  That's what pays the bills, and it has been that way from the start.  And as the choices on the cable packages became more interesting over the years, and then the internet and streaming video also became a big competitor for eyes, Food Network tried out shows like this one. And THIS one turns out to be their best rated show.  

I don't know if I would call it greed so much as just trying to stay in business.  It's not like Food Network is a hugely successful operation.  

[JTMacc99]

.

Edited July 6, 2016 by JTMacc99

[spiderpig]

As noted upthread, Food Network seems to try to be reinventing itself like CW, CNN Headline News, MSNBC, SyFy (hate that name), History Channel, the late lamented Court TV, all the damn Discovery Channels.  Aren't they all owned by one or two corporate entities? Each used to have unique and informative programming.  Now it's all the same grade F crap. (A news channel running prison shows all weekend, and the science fiction channel showing Braveheart?)

Mr. pig spends most of his viewing hours watching Netflix or Amazon Prime.  I'm still a sucker for food shows - but I do have my limits.

Trying to keep it on-topic, this series seems to have completely lost direction since Kermit, Medusa and Brooke bailed or were kidnapped by aliens.  I don't like the contestants, Bobby & LBH look like they'd rather be elsewhere, and after the last couple of debacles this show is a farce.

Still watching to see people making fools of themselves, though.

[bad things are bad]

Quote

Man, Joy really is a curse, isn't she?

Which reminds me of an old Nilsson song (like there's any other kind!) sung country-style:

"Joy, to the world, was a beautiful girl, but to me Joy meant only sorrow"

Edited July 6, 2016 by bad things are bad

[bad things are bad]

Quote

Tregaye isn't a walking racist caricature at this point

I'm curious to know how much of Tregaye is actually her, and how much is coaching (be SASSY, say FLEEK) and edit monkeys

[J-Man]

Quote

the last time I ventured into a stand and stir was Trisha yearwood, where it looked like a fun girls night.  Unfortunately it consisted of rolling cream cheese (a southern favorite!) and green onions and salsa and deli ham in a flour tortilla, cutting them and proclaiming it was Redneck Sushi.  I was horrified.  I had flashbacks of Semi Homemade there.

Aunt Sandy would've found a way to include a seasoning packet in her version.

[Snarklepuss]

2 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

Their product has always been advertising and subscriber fees.  That's what Food Network sells.  That's what pays the bills, and it has been that way from the start.  And as the choices on the cable packages became more interesting over the years, and then the internet and streaming video also became a big competitor for eyes, Food Network tried out shows like this one. And THIS one turns out to be their best rated show.  

I don't know if I would call it greed so much as just trying to stay in business.  It's not like Food Network is a hugely successful operation.  

Well, I agree with Ms. Pig that somehow FN used to find a way to stay in business while not feeling forced to descend into the depths of grade F crap.  Even THIS show didn't descend into the depths it is now descending to in order to generate ratings.  I don't doubt that the business climate has become more competitive and audiences have changed over the years, but I still think the change is mostly about having more suits around to think of more "creative" (aka tabloid tactics) ways to maximize profits.  More people than ever are interested in food in the US.  Even if they don't cook themselves they enjoy watching other people cook.  I think that if they really had any sense they could find a way to entertain those masses without resorting to pablumizing their offerings.  At the rate they're going their target audience is a 14 year old male or at least someone with all the emotional maturity of one.

[Crucial]

3 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

Well, I agree with Ms. Pig that somehow FN used to find a way to stay in business while not feeling forced to descend into the depths of grade F crap.  Even THIS show didn't descend into the depths it is now descending to in order to generate ratings.  I don't doubt that the business climate has become more competitive and audiences have changed over the years, but I still think the change is mostly about having more suits around to think of more "creative" (aka tabloid tactics) ways to maximize profits.  More people than ever are interested in food in the US.  Even if they don't cook themselves they enjoy watching other people cook.  I think that if they really had any sense they could find a way to entertain those masses without resorting to pablumizing their offerings.  At the rate they're going their target audience is a 14 year old male or at least someone with all the emotional maturity of one.

I think stop having the celebrities on the show.  Stop with Valerie, Haley, any You Tube "Sensation", any actor at all.  I'm very tired of the Food Network "Celebs"  Valerie I don't think knows anything about a show.  Same with Haley or any other one they have on the Cooking Channel or Food Network. I'm SO sick of the Celeb aspect of things.  These shows SUCK.  Ugh Patricia Heaton, Valerie Bert - you too (You aren't from One Day At A Time still,)  These have a show because who is in charge now and not because they are good at what they do.  Anyway One aspect of what is wrong.

 

Stop with stupid challenges.  Have a Rachel Ray, Live Talk and stuff like that.  But the stupid stuff now is embarrassing.  Make normal challenges - hmmm no fleeking will be going on???

[SingleMaltBlonde]

22 hours ago, smiley13 said:

The highlight was smug Erin losing the baking challenge to Tregaye.  That actually made me laugh.  Erin's resemblance to Miss Piggy is distracting.

In all fairness Bread Pudding isn't baking....

 

5 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

I'm curious to know how much of Tregaye is actually her, and how much is coaching (be SASSY, say FLEEK) and edit monkeys

I think these contestants come up with a schtick without a clue as to how it will play...I still can't understand what whimsical food might be??  I think it was the first guy off...he seriously thought he would win just repeating bacon?  Like there are parts of this nation where bacon isn't available?

 

8 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Who are all the "Southern" cooks on FN people are referring to? 

On the first episode 5 or 6 of the contestants were plugging thier southern heritage like it's a unique perspective....unless it's Southern Vegan we have pretty much been there and done that...it just because a weird contest to see who can deep fry a combination of butter and mayo.

[smiley13]

They want people to share about themselves, so if they are from a Southern state, it should be mentioned.  How often has Damiano mentioned his Italian heritage?  Or Ana and her Cuban background?  At least these folks live in the South.   Neither of them live in Italy or Cuba.

[txvoodoo]

On 7/4/2016 at 2:29 PM, cattykit said:

See, now I think that would be a great idea for a show--What Went Wrong?--where they start with someone making a terrible taste-face because they fucked up a recipe, and then showing how to fix it.

I would TOTALLY watch that.

 

On 7/5/2016 at 4:56 PM, HappyDancex2 said:

According to Michael Symon all of this stuff is just a product of ratings.  He says we say we want cooking shows and things that teach us how to cook but the reality is that not enough people are watching them.  Even the ones with entertainment value like iron chef aren't being produced anymore.  Beat Bobby flay is the same concept but far cheaper to produce in comparison to ratings points.  I have to admit I do watch a lot of the cooking game shows but no cooking/teaching shows.

the last time I ventured into a stand and stir was Trisha yearwood, where it looked like a fun girls night.  Unfortunately it consisted of rolling cream cheese (a southern favorite!) and green onions and salsa and deli ham in a flour tortilla, cutting them and proclaiming it was Redneck Sushi.  I was horrified.  I had flashbacks of Semi Homemade there.

im sure you could throw those on the grill for the grilling episode though.  /snark

I watch Ina, because I still learn from her, unlike many of the other demo shows.

I watch CreateTV channel for the rest of the "how to do it" shows - Jaques Pepin, Martha, Lidya Bastianich, etc. Also gardening and DIY things, since HGTV and DIY don't actually have "how to do it" shows anymore, either. They're all now either competitive or pseudo reality. 

I watch FNS for snark value.

Edited July 7, 2016 by txvoodoo
to edit out weird doubled-up content

[HappyDancex2]

Editing monkeys control the perception of how we should look at the potential Star.  In demaris' season her shoulder shimmy got the wahwah edit for being awkwardly sexual.  But Ana holds up some coconuts in fronts of her breasts or makes boob bikini eggs and it's met with howling laughter and encouraging remarks.  

[backformore]

Quote

In all fairness Bread Pudding isn't baking

Exactly.  I believe that if Erin had come up with a bread pudding made of already-baked brownies and cheesecake,  the judges would have criticized her for not baking.

[cattykit]

7 hours ago, txvoodoo said:

I watch Ina, because I still learn from her, unlike many of the other demo shows.

I watch CreateTV channel for the rest of the "how to do it" shows - Jaques Pepin, Martha, Lidya Bastianich, etc. Also gardening and DIY things, since HGTV and DIY don't actually have "how to do it" shows anymore, either. They're all now either competitive or pseudo reality. 

I watch FNS for snark value.

 

I hate that DirecTV doesn't carry the CreateTV channel.  I miss it from when I had cable.  Maybe the ratings suck for stand and stirs because they don't have any actual chefs doing the standing and stirring.  I don't want to watch some country singer or Aunt Sandy pretend to cook.  Wasn't Emeril very popular when he had his nightly show?  And it was Sara Moulton, back in the day, that attracted me to Food Network in the first place.  Her show was the bomb.  I think maybe the last time they had an actual chef doing actual cooking and teaching was Anne Burrell's show, which they placed in Saturday morning purgatory.  That show was 20x better than anything else she's ever done on this network.

I'm always suspicious of anyone saying they're giving us what we want, when there's only one option.  Like how they held free elections in the Soviet Union. 

[Alapaki]

Quote

 

  QUOTE

Quote

In all fairness Bread Pudding isn't baking

Exactly.  I believe that if Erin had come up with a bread pudding made of already-baked brownies and cheesecake,  the judges would have criticized her for not baking.

 

Indeed.  What Tregaye did is called THAWING, not baking.

Disclaimer: The following criticism is based on a hypothetical scenario wherein the outcome of the freezer-baking challenge was NOT 100% predetermined, as I absolutely believe it was.

It's frustrating when every contestant but one on a competitive reality show takes the rules of a challenge seriously and the one who half-asses and disregards the rules ends up rewarded for doing so.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

7 hours ago, backformore said:

Exactly.  I believe that if Erin had come up with a bread pudding made of already-baked brownies and cheesecake,  the judges would have criticized her for not baking.

Bread pudding and berry crumbles are always the go to on Top Chef for chefs who don't bake.  The frustration with Tregaye is I think she's a really smart think on her feet Chef/caterer...I think if she dialed down he sass and showed her brains I would be a fan.

[bluepiano]

14 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Editing monkeys control the perception of how we should look at the potential Star.  In demaris' season her shoulder shimmy got the wahwah edit for being awkwardly sexual.  But Ana holds up some coconuts in fronts of her breasts or makes boob bikini eggs and it's met with howling laughter and encouraging remarks.  

Everything is met with howling laughter this year, whether it's Jennard doing a split or Tregaye's finger wave or any number of things. It's like they've realized the show has forfeited any legitimacy it once has, so they're trying to sell it as comedy. Combined with the fact that Bobby and Giada just don't give a damn anymore.

[parrotfeathers]

On July 4, 2016 at 1:46 PM, SingleMaltBlonde said:

I think the disclaimer usually says the producers have input...so they can keep around crazy or drama.  I think like Tom on Top Chef, Bobby gets his way....I honestlly don't think Bobby has a thing for Ana, I think he's sick of personality winning over the food...and he loves Ana's food.  I remember on Bobby's first show thinking he was a total D!@#....

 

I don't think he has a thing for Ana either--I'm sure with his fame he could pretty much take his pick within his circle of admirers and I cannot imagine Ana's looks being remotely appealing to him.  I actually do watch him on Beat Bobby Flay and over the years decided he wasn't a total jerk.

[spiderpig]

I don't understand the 2 judge concept with this and Masterchef.  Budget cuts?

[cooksdelight]

46 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

I don't understand the 2 judge concept with this and Masterchef.  Budget cuts?

I'd say ad revenues might be down, so yes, that's a possibility. Also, some of the people who've left have gone on to do different things.

Ana is going to be a featured chef in a big fund-raiser in the L.A. area, along with Katsuji Tanabi and some others.

[spiderpig]

55 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Ana is going to be a featured chef in a big fund-raiser in the L.A. area, along with Katsuji Tanabi and some others.

If Ana's a fundraising chef, does that tell us something about this season's result?

I really enjoyed Katsuji, btw.

[cooksdelight]

Katsuji didn't win so maybe that's the trend here. It's a meal of different Spanish-style cultures so all of the chefs are from different ethnic backgrounds.

Watching this episode, I wish they'd get rid of Domiano and put him out of his misery. And Erin needs to loose that Hello Kitty bow in her hair.

[txvoodoo]

On 7/7/2016 at 10:18 AM, cattykit said:

I hate that DirecTV doesn't carry the CreateTV channel.  I miss it from when I had cable.  Maybe the ratings suck for stand and stirs because they don't have any actual chefs doing the standing and stirring.  I don't want to watch some country singer or Aunt Sandy pretend to cook.  Wasn't Emeril very popular when he had his nightly show?  And it was Sara Moulton, back in the day, that attracted me to Food Network in the first place.  Her show was the bomb.  I think maybe the last time they had an actual chef doing actual cooking and teaching was Anne Burrell's show, which they placed in Saturday morning purgatory.  That show was 20x better than anything else she's ever done on this network.

I'm always suspicious of anyone saying they're giving us what we want, when there's only one option.  Like how they held free elections in the Soviet Union. 

Yup. I don't include the current demo shows in actual education shows. They're all just ads to go to the website so they can get web ad views - there's no real technique shown. They don't even tell you amounts anymore, or temps! "Pop it in the oven for 30 minutes." "stir in pan until done." What's done? These shows are meant as entertainment, but alas, they don't do well there either.

[txvoodoo]

2 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

And Erin needs to loose that Hello Kitty bow in her hair.

Oh, please, yes. Of course, it does fit in this Season of Caricatures. She is the Cutesypoo Chubby Retro Baker, just like Tregayne is Sassy Black Girl, and and Damiano is Token Hot Sicilian (Italian) for Giada to droll over.

(Gawd, as a Sicilian, I feel disloyal but I also want to smack Damiano upside the head.)

[cooksdelight]

Sassy Black Girl with Hot Pink Lips, don't forget. I have been wondering if she would be a good fit in a show teaching young people how to cook. Air it on Saturday or Sunday, and gear it toward teens. She could invite some of Jennard's 9 kids to help with demos.

[PRgal]

3 hours ago, txvoodoo said:

Oh, please, yes. Of course, it does fit in this Season of Caricatures. She is the Cutesypoo Chubby Retro Baker, just like Tregayne is Sassy Black Girl, and and Damiano is Token Hot Sicilian (Italian) for Giada to droll over.

(Gawd, as a Sicilian, I feel disloyal but I also want to smack Damiano upside the head.)

 

Damiano is hot in a "himbo" kind of way.  I suppose Giada likes that type. 

[SingleMaltBlonde]

10 hours ago, parrotfeathers said:

  I actually do watch him on Beat Bobby Flay and over the years decided he wasn't a total jerk.

The boy can cook...I like brunch with Bobby and his grill show (have tried recipes from both)....I also think he's really good at the competition stuff so they put him on a lot of stuff.

I say this as a baker...if you ever watched Top Chef Just Desserts pastry chefs are control freaks....Damiano would have done well on that show.  He is out of his element on here.

[parrotfeathers]

Something very appealing to me about Damiano's Italian accent.  I haven't even noticed if he can cook.  I'm the say way about a man in an armed forces uniform.  Good thing I wasn't raised near a naval station--my momma would have had a very difficult time reining me in.

[cooksdelight]

I was never a silent movie fan, so there's no way I could watch a cooking show with Damiano as host... with subtitles. Because he needs them, as the show has shown.