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Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Chef TV


No matter where you are you're inching your toes toward capris and floral skirts, straw hats and flip flops. But don't pack your beach tote just yet-there are chef shows to watch!

Julia Child would probably enjoy the modern version of the industry that she created-chefTV. After all, she was humours and silly just like many of the shows on now. From the super popular Food Network, to the ever growing Top Chef and the still emerging After Hours with Daniel (on the MoJo channel) chefTV has become an oasis for foodies and fastfoodies alike to come together and enjoy-food and food culture.

My top 3:

I love Daniel Boulud! It was Eater who called him "cute as a button" and I totally agree. He's charming and respectful and the concept of his show is unique. He says in the intro that, "Food tastes better after midnight, than before midnight" (Ask me to do an impression, you'll think you're hearing DB himself). He goes to well-known, non pretentious restaurants and he and the host chef make a meal and eat it with other chefs, industry people, and even actors. We watch as they eat interesting foods and share stories from the kitchen. It's great.


Say what you will about Tony Bourdain, but his show is great! A mix of food and travel and his free form expression make it one of the best hours on TV. The best part is that I learn something (actually a whole slew of things) every episode. It's really good TV.


Ok, ok, maybe it shouldn't be on here but it's so addicting! I like Gordon Ramsay, I really do. He's a total vein popping psycho on the show, and it's all an act (probably). But who cares? The cooks on the show are a joke, GR is a nightmare, but as long as you know that going into it, you'll enjoy it. Or not.


Honorable Mention goes to Top Chef. I enjoy it less and less each season. At least last season one of Erik's former coworkers was on the show-Lia Bardeen. For some reason the challenges have been so boring lately. Cook for a block party...totally not hard to do, or fun to watch. Why not do an episode where the cheftestants have to prepare kid friendly versions of fois gras and oysters?
BUT, there was an excellent parody on SNL this weekend. Check it out on Eater. If you like Top Chef, you'll like this skit. If you don't like Top Chef, you'll like this skit.
And I've never liked Rachel Ray. I always that she was a bif TV joke with boring recipes my mom could make. But after I watched her life story on the food network, I stopped hating her. Erik, too. I can't explain why, but I just don't hate her anymore.
DCW_NYC
-Hilary-
Do you watch ChefTV with your chef? Or is he totally done with TV chefs and the like by the time he gets a chance to watch TV? Are you an Iron Chef lover? An Emeril fan? Admit it!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Going with No Reservations. The sarcasm alone...love it.

~PassionFoodie

Anonymous said...

My chef and I never miss an episode of Hell's Kitchen! The new season is turning out pretty great... except for that sleazebag Jason (aka "Smurf", as named by Ramsay, who is my secret lover). He is one of the most foul, sexist, and ignorant men EVER; every other comment out of his mouth is something derogatory to women and about women chefs... it probably stems out of the fact that he's a crappy chef himself. He makes me FURIOUS! With that negative, sexist attitude, combined with the fact we live in the 21st century, I doubt he'll make it very far, never mind to the top.

Anonymous said...

We just caught up on Hells Kitchen last night, and a little bit of Top Chef. My chef LOVES Hells Kitchen, although when I first saw it I couldn't stand it, I thought it was so obnoxious. But then Chef fell over laughing when Gordon Ramsay did the "That's why it's called NON-STIIICK!!" episode. He rewound that part over and over, he thought it was so funny. Then I started to see it for what it is, and now I think it's pretty funny, too. You gotta give it to the guy (Gordon), he knows how to entertain and he knows what we want to see.

bb

LA RN said...

I secretly love Hells Kitchen but my hubby refuses to watch it because the chefs are "hacks". He does look up to Gordon though and we both enjoy watching Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares on BBC. We get to see what a caring person he really is.

Top Chef is pretty cool but the talent seems to have gone down each year.

We love No Reservations. Anthony is such a character with his booze and his smokes and his humor!