If you had to pick new judges who would they be?

[mlp]

I wish they'd replace Giada with Amanda Freitag.  She's pleasant, attractive and has a sense of humor.  More importantly, she's a chef and she's good at giving criticism without being nasty or demeaning.  I always like to see her on Chopped.

[cooksdelight]

4 hours ago, mlp said:

I wish they'd replace Giada with Amanda Freitag.  She's pleasant, attractive and has a sense of humor.  More importantly, she's a chef and she's good at giving criticism without being nasty or demeaning.  I always like to see her on Chopped.

Ditto. I really respect Amanda’s critiques, something I could never say about Giada.

[Simon47]

18 hours ago, biakbiak said:

The only way Michael Symon would take the job is if Bobby quit and told him it was okay. Maybe they could get rid of Giada and have Michael and Bobby host together. 

That would be a good idea!

[rejnel]

I like several of the people mentioned above, especially Alex. But here's my proposal: two judges we really like (Alex and Anne, maybe?) plus a different judge each week who's a Food Network fan. They wouldn't get to decide who's booted, but they'd get to weigh in on both the food and the personality/presentation of the contestants in each round. Have a different person each week so they don't come in with a favorite (assuming all is shot before the series drops). It might really alleviate the sense that there's a pre-ordained winner!

[parrotfeathers]

On 7/19/2018 at 12:32 PM, biakbiak said:

The only way Michael Symon would take the job is if Bobby quit and told him it was okay. Maybe they could get rid of Giada and have Michael and Bobby host together. 

Why would he want to stay?  Surely this isn't considered a move "up" the career ladder.  I don't understand why either want to do it.

Love Ina!  Yes--Alex and who is the blond lady that cooks against her sometimes?  Amanda F?

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, parrotfeathers said:

Why would he want to stay?  Surely this isn't considered a move "up" the career ladder.  I don't understand why either want to do it

It’s one of the highest rated shows on the network.

[BennyB]

On 7/10/2018 at 10:43 PM, biakbiak said:

On 7/10/2018 at 10:28 PM, HappyDancex2 said:

Paul Hollywood and Marcela Valladolid.  And keep the vagina table.  Snicker 

The most interesting thing about them was their affair.

Whaaaat?!?  Do tell!

[Westiepeach]

7 minutes ago, BennyB said:

Whaaaat?!?  Do tell!

She was a reason his marriage broke up. Google it!

[MerBearHou]

14 minutes ago, BennyB said:

Whaaaat?!?  Do tell!

Lord Honey, where have you been?!?! :)  It was quite the scandal!  Yep, Google it!

[Westiepeach]

5 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

Lord Honey, where have you been?!?! :)  It was quite the scandal!  Yep, Google it!

I think it was just in the past 5 years ago. Quite the scandal!

[biakbiak]

Just now, Westiepeach said:

I think it was just in the past 5 years ago. Quite the scandal!

It didn’t get hardly any media attention in the US so if you didn’t follow message boards it was easy to miss. Neither were high profile enough in 2013 and their show was a flop so it was basically ignored by the media here. In Britain it was a huge story because of his fame there.

[BennyB]

"In 2013, Paul admitted to having an affair with fellow chef and short-time U.S. GBBO co-host Marcella Valladolid, causing him and Alexandra to split. He eventually called the affair the "biggest mistake of [his] life" and returned to his marriage."

Oof...brutal....

[Lamb18]

On 7/29/2018 at 10:32 AM, parrotfeathers said:

es--Alex and who is the blond lady that cooks against her sometimes?

Amanda Freitag. They judge together on Chopped sometimes.

[cooksdelight]

I love Amanda. She’s one of the unsung heroes of FN, she does a lot of charity stuff. But she does this thing with her hands... I don’t know how to describe it.... when she is talking and describing something, her hands go into this weird claw configuration.

[Westiepeach]

I would like to see someone actually "mentor" the contestants. Teach them what to do on camera. Teach them how to "take a bite" and then talk about what they ate. Teach them how to engage the audience, and engage any other guest they are cooking with. All I saw Bobby and Giada do was mock the contestants. I really doubted the current judges interacted with the contestants at all.

[parrotfeathers]

6 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I love Amanda. She’s one of the unsung heroes of FN, she does a lot of charity stuff. But she does this thing with her hands... I don’t know how to describe it.... when she is talking and describing something, her hands go into this weird claw configuration.

Yes, she does talk with her hands.  I really do like her and Alex too.

[meowmommy]

6 hours ago, Westiepeach said:

I would like to see someone actually "mentor" the contestants. Teach them what to do on camera. Teach them how to "take a bite" and then talk about what they ate. Teach them how to engage the audience, and engage any other guest they are cooking with.

Alex did this when she hosted LCK...I mean Star Salvation.  She can be really bitchy on Chopped, but she really went out of her way not just to judge but to teach the eliminated finalists.  And she has a sense of humor, which LBH completely lacks*.  I wish they could convince Alton to come back and pair up with Alex. 

And when they have guest judges, allow them to participate in the actual judging, not just eat food and make a few comments.  

* Actually, I'm trying to think of any redeeming qualities LBH brings to this show, and I'm completely stumped.  She does nothing, nothing to enhance the viewers' enjoyment.  A large number of us are not entranced by her 75 gleaming teefies or her unholstered ta-tas.  Her delivery is about as wooden as any first-round reject, she displays no warmth or personality, and I'm not convinced she's the be-all and end-all of Italian cooking.  It's mightily offensive to have a food "judge," moreover, who clearly despises eating food.

[Westiepeach]

Yeah, let’s just make fun of the contestants instead. That’s better tv. *eyeroll*

[Lamb18]

On 7/31/2018 at 7:51 PM, parrotfeathers said:

Yes, she does talk with her hands.  I really do like her and Alex too.

A few years ago I named twin baby girl lambs Alex and Amanda. Alex is no longer around, but Amanda is and she's a good mother.

[cooksdelight]

4 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

A few years ago I named twin baby girl lambs Alex and Amanda. Alex is no longer around, but Amanda is and she's a good mother.

That is the sweetest thing I’ve read in a very long time. :)

[Lamb18]

On 8/2/2018 at 12:22 PM, cooksdelight said:

That is the sweetest thing I’ve read in a very long time. :)

I was just petting Amanda yesterday. When she and Alex were very small, they would sit in my lap.

[Gregg247]

I think before naming new hosts, we need to figure out the future of the show itself.  In the early days, they seemed to legitimately be trying to find a "star" for TFN, someone who could host a successful show(s) for them.  S2 gave them Guy Fieri.  I thoroughly enjoyed having Bob and Susie as "the network", making decisions based on each chef's personality and perceived ability to translate a winning persona on-air.  They did a lot of on-air tests, the "Dials of Doom" with focus groups, and meet-and-greets with the public as challenges.  Also, you know, cooking challenges!

In recent years, they seem to have given up on the "star" portion of the show.  The "winner" gets no show of their own; they just start showing up on other reality shows as a judge.  They probably make more money from this show as a typical "reality show" than they do as a contest to find the best, most telegenic chef.

If they went back to the original version of the show, I'd appreciate a couple of network executives from TFN who judge the contestants on their merits, as future stars that can financially benefit the network.  If they stick with the most recent incarnations of this show, then just pick any random TFN hosts and give it to them.  It won't matter who it is because it won't matter who wins or loses; its all just a farce.

[El maestro]

On 8/20/2017 at 1:35 PM, Simon47 said:

Ina Garden would be good. She shows great knowledge, awesome skills, and a purpose as to what the assignment is. I liked Bobby, but he has had his day, @mlp. Replacement? Nancy Fuller. I want some old people in the house.

I like her recipes, but I feel her  style is too boring for prime time tv. 

[El maestro]

I like Alton Brown. He has a background on TV and knows how it works better than most people in the food network.

[El maestro]

I would never understand the hate that Giada gets whenever she is a judge.  Most of her speeches are as scripted as the rest of the judges.

[cooksdelight]

I don’t hate Giada, that’s a bit harsh .... but when she takes a tiny nibble on a fork and scrapes it with her teeth I cringe. She barely tastes enough to know if it’s good or not.

I like Alton, agree he’d be fun to watch.

[StaceyNotStacie]

I’d love to see Martha Stewart as a judge. I don’t think she’d hold anything back and it would force the Food Network to improve the quality of their contestants. 

[cooksdelight]

Martha’s been a judge on Chopped, with so-so reviews. She ate everything with chopsticks, causing me not to watch.

[HyeChaps]

A judge would pass judgment on cooking skill and camera presence. It was great in the old days when Alton and Guy would mentor the contestants about what works on camera. Bring back Guy as a mentor (if he has time with all his projects). 

[parrotfeathers]

So is there going to be a 2019 Food Network Star fiasco?

[Skyfall]

On 6/23/2019 at 2:18 PM, parrotfeathers said:

So is there going to be a 2019 Food Network Star fiasco?

Looking like s negative ghost rider.

[parrotfeathers]

2 hours ago, Skyfall said:

Looking like s negative ghost rider.

Thank you.  But it does surprise me if they aren't doing it.

[cooksdelight]

They won’t announce it’s not coming back, that would mean admitting the show finally flopped. 

[Irlandesa]

Then they'll take a year or two off so they can "reboot" it.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

Then they'll take a year or two off so they can "reboot" it.

I thought that too.  But I hate how they just don't say anything one way or another.  The ratings weren't bad, in fact it was always one of their better rated shows.  From what I read on "Showbuzz Daily" the ratings were consistently higher than "The Great Food Truck Race", which I don't understand why is still on while FNS is not.  I think the "new-ish" management hated FNS, though.