Cooking Shows

[Karon Adams]

Which ones do you watch? do you watch them at ALL? I watch MasterChef. I like it of all because it IS a straight up competition and it MEANS a lot to the competitors. because these aren't line cooks, these are Moms & dads, brothers & sisters. Suffice it to say, I like it and not so much others. I am sure others have similar views about the shows they watch. that's as it should be.

anyway, I'm wondering, since the advent of Sous Vide, when or if, we will begin to see them on our shows. Now, I d0o know that back in the day, there were, occasionally competitors who were in process of beginning their meal, begins with the "Immersion Circulator" the first time I heard Alton mention that little gadget I wondered what it was.

Well, now they are pretty easily found and pretty nicely distributed among folks who like great food.

So, I wonder if we will see them being part of MasterChef? (right beside the Blast chiller) that means the steak will have the perfect temperature/doneness. leaving the chef to perfect seasonings, sear and sides.

what do you guys think? are we gong to see that happen? do we WANT to see it happen?

[_John_]

The kids love cooking shows, we watch Chopped, both US and Canada, Cutthroat Kitchen, BBQ Pitmasters, Guys Grocery Games. Only issue I see with Sous Vide on shows is that there is usually a really tight time limit, so I'm not sure they would actually get done.

[Karon Adams]

yeah, but when the time is 60 minutes, that's plenty of time to do a steak or piece of pork and certainly a piece of fish. Now, we DO want people to know HOW food is cooked at the very basic levels but, let's face it, the Master Chef Kitchen and the Iron Chef Kitchen is HARDLY back to basics! I don't have a problem with tools. am Immersion Circulator or Sous Vide Stick is definitely something a great chef in a restaurant would have. heck, I am in the process of trying to justify a second so I can use it for sides. not sure how I can make that financially justifiable to feed two people. but give me time, I'll eventually find an excuse.

[Yno]

I am just old fashioned, I guess. Just old, too, but that is beside the point. I really don't much like competition cooking shows all that much. My favorite show is America's Test Kitchen, and also Cook's Country, which is basically the same show in a different kitchen. I sometimes catch Jacques Pepin - I love to watch him bone a chicken in about three seconds. I was brought up in the days of Julia Child, The Galloping Gourmet, and the Frugal Gourmet; shows that taught cooking, not how to play games with food. Most of the competitions are somewhat staged, and some have some very strange judging. I think Cutthroat Kitchen is a disgrace compared to Alton Brown's Good Eats. Iron Chef is not too bad, but I guess I am just a Luddite when it comes to the newer genre of 'cooking' shows.

[Yno]

And "Bitchin' Kitchen". I may be old, but I'm not dead yet!

[Karon Adams]

I'm with you on Bitchin' Kitchen. that an easy ask in my house. I don't think HWMO has any CLUE what's on the stove but he'll happily sit and watch a marathon!!! I agree about Cut Throat. (A) the premise is ridiculous. give each cook 25K, only the last chef standing gets any money, he only gets what he hasn't spent but he can only win by spending all his money. so, the entire show awards precisely $27 dollars and 32 cents to the winner and the program itself is a clown show. I love Alton Brown but this is an embarrassment. I have been able to FORCE myself to watch about 5 minutes of it. ghastly.

Good Eats went a LONG way to being one of my favorite shows because it was how TO cook from a scientific 'this is why eggs make great souffles' standpoint. and, really, who can resist belching sock puppet yeasties???

I used to watch Chopped, but it, too has become repetitive and boring.

About all I watch now is MasterChef and MasterChef Jr. my critiques on them have a lot to do with production more than anything. it is obvious that JR has a smaller budget. they make up for that with longer shots, ore drawn out pieces and double eliminations for the first half of the season.

however, in both, I am SO over the drawn out "and the person who is going home tonight....... the person who has completely missed the mark....... the person we had Such high hopes....... and....... and........ and........ (long commercial break) and the person who....... who....... who....... is SoAndSo........

The other thing I have come to despise is the word "Dreaded". the English Language had beaten up and stolen the milk money of EVERY language ever spoken (and actually murdered Latin which is now considered a dead language) Can Gordon PLEASE find another adjective? PLEASE!

But, I still like the show because there are great plates of food being made and incredibly excellent lessons to be learned. every time Gordon breaks down a Salmon (not that I ever will have a $500 fish under my hands but the technique is incredible), watching all three demo Flambe, and Graham prepare a 3 course breakfast. VERY nice.

But, what I love MOST about MasterChef is MasterChef Junior. kidlets who would just be learning cursive handwriting are creating some of THE most incredible food! and, in the end, masterchef, adult and Junior, is looking for magic. the last Junior finale I watched logan and (I can't remember the other young man) Sam, I think was his name, had a very sophisticated palette for a young man his age and very good technical work. anyone would be thrilled to eat at his table. but he lost to logan. Logan didn't have the sophisticated and encyclopedic knowledge of food that Sam had but he had the fiary dust touch, the instinct that, every time, will lead to a chef who creates the next new innovation. Chef's can learn but that bit of Fairy Dust is what brings Creation. for that reason, Logan won.

MasterChef Jr is the BEST thing out there encouraging kidlets to grab a skillet. and, frankly, with all the misery in this country and all the horrible things kidlets can do and sadly ARE doing, let's encourage and celebrate young people cooking!!

[GadjetGriller]

I loved "Good Eats" (In fact I still record it off "Cooking Channel" ) but hate Cutthroat Kitchen. I Enjoy BBQ Pitmasters but cant watch it cause then I want to smoke some meat! (its just two of us and usually have not finished the last thing I smoked yet)

[CandySueQ]

I'm a fan of the Pioneer Woman -- she's like a real, everyday kind of cook.

[Locotech]

tried watchin the 'pioneer woman', she made ham sandwiches with a bag of buns and some sliced lunch meat, not much pioneer.......lol

[Papa Bob]

I do enjoy pioneer woman watched one episode where her man did whole beef tenderloins on the grill outside would love to have that recipe and or idea. really stuck in my mind I am a good eats, Americas test kitchen, cooks country and for some reason the mind of a chef has its grip on me and the contests, Rachel rays kids show how in the heck those kids do it

[Ernest]

I'll watch any except Rachael Ray. She's fugazi

[Fire Water Music]

Fugazi? Only the best band ever

[Craigar]

It drives my wife nuts, but I watch all of the BBQ related TV shows. This summer I have somehow missed recording and watching Man Fire Food so maybe I can catch up this winter. The Booze Traveler 2nd season starts tonight so we will be watching that if the football game is a snoozer.

[PappyBBQ]

My wife LOVES the cooking shows, in particular Pioneer Woman (she [PW] drove me nuts at first but I'm coming around). She also likes Bobby Flay and Giata. I'll watch the BBQ themed ones now and then.

[Willy]

I'm with those who feel the Food Network has become almost worthless. A competition show or two was fine, but now it's pretty much all competition and shows from which you might pick up a tip or two are few and far between. Triple D was fun, but it's so overplayed. Guy gets old pretty quickly (I tire of hearing him say "nice bark", "great smoke ring") So sad to see Alton transformed from the guy who came up with an entirely new, informative kind of cooking show into a game show host. I'm sure the money is good, heck, I suppose I'd likely do the same thing if I was in his shoes.

Give me ATK and the other stuff on PBS anyday.

[Noonesperfect]

I also agree with you. ATK and Cooks Country, along with Pioneer Woman and an ocaissional celebrity cooking show, but no competition shows for me. It reminds me of when the SciFi channel starting carrying Pro Wrestling.

[richinlbrg]

Agree with your comments, Willy .

A few years ago I went to a BBQ restaurant featured on Triple D in Fairfield, CT. Was TOTALLY unimpressed, and wouldn't go back. Funny thing is that it was directly across the street from a REAL dive hot dog place that is GREAT and one that really should have been a Triple D feature! Paul Newman used to frequent it, too.

[Karon Adams]

it isn't really hard to be featured on one of the food network shows like DDD. pay the fee. that's, sadly, what has become most of the morning shows, these days as well. 5 minutes of news and the rest is advertising of one form or another. every guest is hawking a book, product or restaurant. heck, some have even gone full QVC on air. Morning TV putative 'News' programs with anchorette standing there saying. "WOW! What a BARGAIN!" When a show or station goes full QVC, I'm done. Here's me, watching LOTS of Netflix, these days

[Huskee]

I agree with Yno to a T. Really like the original Alton, Pepin, and ATK. Loved the older shows like Frugal and Julia Child. Another PBS show I really like is Lidia's Kitchen, the Italian woman. These shows teach you. Not a fan of gameshow cooking shows, and how the judges are so petty.

[Papa Bob]

your showing your age Huskee, frugal gourmet

[Papa Bob]

Justin Wilson I guaranteeeee it

[Huskee]

Papa Bob I'll always be a young'un. I'm even younger than Aaron Franklin!

[Jerod Broussard]

I watched some BBQ PitMasters on YouTube to see what people actually do to the meat for competitions. Now I am really glad I never had any desire to compete.

[Karon Adams]

I was wondering about competitions and a 'friend' suggested I become a judge. so I did. Now I have less desire than EVER to become a competitor. I understand why there must BE a time limit on a BBQ competition. I mean, you must have some kind of arbitrary rules. time limits force everyone onto the same playing field. but, my Pork Butt generally needs at least 15 hours. I could get it done in 12, but I'd rather let it take the 15. that's AQFTER about 3 days of prep.

these days, the chemical meat conditioners needed to win a competition, it is just not worth it. there are only two reasons to do competitions. to increase sales at a restaurant or for the bragging rights. well, three, there are some who are good at actually making a living from the competitions and there is a LOT of money involved.

since learning about competitions, I am far less interested in either judging or competing. oh well. If anyone wants to go partners and carry my rub to competitions and my sauce (cause there is a third reason, to prove your sauce and rub in the hopes of putting them on grocery shelves) I'm happy to go partners.

But I want no part of doing the travelling and time on the line. can't do it for physical medical reasons anyway.

But, like I have said before, there is no chemical, no wood, no cooker and no critter that can take the place of time. the best BBQ in the world (and the best food in general FTM) will never be seen on any competition stage. because nothing takes the place of time.

[Huskee]

I'm kinda with Johnny Trigg and his philosophy on his meat- simple, no injecting. I probably wouldn't win in today's competition world though. I'm certainly never going to compete if I HAVE to doctor it up that much. The realer the better in my book, if real doesn't win I guess I won't compete.

[CandySueQ]

Johnny is an amazing cook who ques with a moral code, IMO. Does very well in competition. Real does win, sometimes! I just love doing it -- any part of it! I am a master judge (31 contests), a cook (over 150 contests) and this year became a contest official for KCBS. Obviously, I'd rather cook than do anything else. For me, it's about the companionship of my fellow BBQ nuts and getting out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas!

[Spinaker]

I don't like them, I am much more apt to watch Martha Stewart than some stooges compete on some ridiculous competition show. Although BBQ pit masters can be entertaining. Some good people on there.

[Papa Bob]

Martha Stewart, I do enjoy her shows. I do understand she doing a new one next season, JAIL HOUSE ROCK, cant wait to see her do a pruneo in the commode. sorry just couldn't resist.

[Livermoron]

I'll watch pretty much anything BBQ or grill related. Pit masters was interesting for a bit. I like ATK and Cooks Country for technique, but double or triple the spices. I also like Pepin...

[jmott7]

Six years ago, at the end of an under-employed summer, a water main broke a couple of blocks from us. I was up all night, getting stuff off the floor, standing up to my knees in the yard, and mostly making sure someone was awake to get the wife and baby out the door if need by (thankfully not). So, around 5:30, after they finally got it shut down, I came in, cleaned up, and put my head down for a little while. About an hour and a half later, I got out of bed, threw on a t-shirt, and decided to go have a look at the hole in the ground. On my walk there, a news van pulls up next to me, and this incredibly coiffed and made-up woman sticks a microphone out the window and into my bald, unshaven, almost-no-sleep-in-two-days face and says, "Do you want to be on TV?"
I can't even look at the thing since.

[Willy]

Another good source for cooking info is Lynn Rosetto Kasper's podcast: http://www.splendidtable.org/episodes. Listen while you cook, or mow, or walk, or...

[Spinaker]

Love her on NPR

[SwampDonkeyzBBQ]

I watch almost all the BBQ shows. I also watch Pioneer Woman, Iron Chef, and Chopped on Food Network. On Netflix, I really like to watch Mind of a Chef. Netflix is also picking up many more cooking shows.

Edit: I forgot to mention Good Eats on Netflix also.