Cooking Shows

[Willy]

Mind of a Chef--that sounds like a good one. Gonna have to hunt it down.

[Karon Adams]

I like Mind of a Chef. if it is the one I am thinking, it is David Chang. and Christina Tossi is his partner and operates Milk Bar next door.

[JCBBQ]

mind of a chef is great! Also Chef's Table

[jholmgren]

Loved Good Eats. It was really what got me more serious about cooking. Always liked to dabble, but Good Eats had such a great variety of food and went into such great detail on the methods and reasons. The entertainment value as well - AB and I definitely share a quirky/snarky sense of humor. I do watch the occasional Cut Throat Kitchen, but it just doesn't do it for me.
I had the pleasure of meeting him during one of his tours. He could not have been nicer and more personable. He treated each person he met like they were the sole reason he was successful.

[mayapoppa]

Another vote for Mind of a Chef. Also used to love Good Eats. And Top Chef was a guilty pleasure, but the current crop of comp cooking shows is just too staged and repetitive for me. Haven't watched any of the BBQ shows, kind of intrigued, but I have a sense that competition BBQ and what I want to do are different animals.

[CandySueQ]

The competition BBQ shows on TV are first of all TV shows. Second is the cooking part of the competition. After being on Chopped Grill Master this year, I can tell you it's not staged. I messed up the cooking all on my own...I was surprised that I got so much air time, but I believe that's because I know how to "amp up" personality for the cameras. Plus, I'm pretty passionate about outdoor cooking and grilling.

[Huskee]

I have yet to see your episode (don't have cable, haven't seen any episodes for that matter). Is it available online anywhere?

[CandySueQ]

Just checked Chopped on foodnetwork.com. The Grill Master series isn't up yet, which means they'll likely broadcast it a few times more.

[Brisket Syndicate]

They're all on Amazon. This season's episodes are lumped in with season 24. Also, I thought you did great Candy. Having a bunch of random items thrown at you, and expected to make a delicious, yet tasty meal has to be a ton of pressure. I was impressed with every one.

[(Stephen)]

I have watched most of the shows at one time or another. I do like the competitions, but not the candy, cupcake, or cake ones. Can't say I like the old fashioned how to cooking shows. I enjoy Gordon Ramsey, restraunt impossible, and the one that saves bars. I don't care for the competition one where they can buy things to make it harder on their opponents. Pretty silly. Havnt seen the BBQ pit masters on lately, so I've gotten out of sync since it changed networks. I've never seen Americas test kitchen.

[Karon Adams]

I get tired of the rescue shows. they, too, are always the exact same thing. a restaurant that has been around a while, the owner has family/personal/health issues and the place slowly goes downhill. TV personality comes in, shows the cameras the dirty kitchen, dirty storage and the family's dirty laundry. somewhere along the line, celebrity becomes Dr phil, then his people redecorate overnight, he gives them a new menu and a couple of lessons, steps out, tells the camera how hard it was, he hopes they'll make it, and walks away.

Sometimes a quick epilogue (after so many <time period> the place was thriving or dead.

Sometimes I wonder if they have these folks come in, give them a boost, then sell the place to another owner with the new décor.

I have enough dirty laundry of my own, I don't need theirs.

[Willy]

"...becomes Dr. Phil..." Love it!

[Steve Retherford]

I could live my life without ever seeing another Restaurant: Impossible.

[DBoone]

I grew up watching the Galloping Gourmet - best episode was when he was made to measure everything including an apple, it was hilarious.

Then I graduated to the Frugal Gourmet right about the tine he started the cooking American series. I still use that cook book.

Good Eats was great and I still watch it through reruns and Netflix.

We tried Master Chef, Hell's Kitchen and a couple of others but Ramsay's viciousness put us off those.

BBQ Pitmasters and Pit Wars were pretty enjoyable and I liked 'em but she didn't so I record and watch them when she's out running errands.

[Willy]

The Frug was great. Like you, I still use "Cooks American" and "Immigrant Ancestors".

[BigBear]

Whatever happened to Iron Chef America? I keep waiting for new episodes but haven't seen any in a long time.

[PaulstheRibList]

I really enjoy the cooking shows!

Chopped - it's my goto veg out show. Learned a few things and enjoy the best cook usually winning!

Iron Chef - wow, those guys are impressive!

Pitmasters - i've watched seasons 1-4, maybe some of 5. liked it all, some are more engaging than others, and some of the stuff is corny, but it's fun and interesting.

Myron's BBQ Wars show (in season 1 now), really liking this!

Diners Drive-Inns and Dives - man, I want to eat at those places! Even more, I want to cook some dishes like that. Lots of them.

[Karon Adams]

I don't "DO" mbait, so sushi is absolutely NOT my thing. Having said that, the God of all things Asian Kitchen, Morimoto, may just reform me. the stuff he makes is SO gorgeous and delicious looking, makes me forget it is supposed to be wiggling on a hook! I am SERIOUSLY saving in a sock, with a goal of about $250, to make a run to Atlanta and sitting down to one of the Chef's Tasting Plates.

[PaulstheRibList]

Karon Adams, I didn't know there was a Chef's Tasting Plates to go to Atlanta to pay $250 to participate in. Now I have to add that to my list!

[Karon Adams]

I'm trying to generously make certain I'm not caught short. the plates, depending one the menu, I suppose, are listed as between $125-$150. the rest I want to make certain I have for tip and, gas money to travel down and back.

But, seriously, Morimoto is practically a GOD in sushi and certainly a DemiGod in all other forms of cooking. If any of you remember when the Japanese PM came to visit and they had a State Dinner at the White house, it was Morimoto who prepared the dinner. Toro Tuna Tartare. like I said, I am not really a fish fan in the first place and have never been a fan of Sushi. but, if Morimoto or his chefs are in the kitchen, I am more than wiling to try. I don't think I would for anyone else.

[CapersQ]

Bobby Flay's BBQ Addiction was a good show, but like others here I like shows that show how to do. The only competition show I ever watched regularly was Iron Chef and that got ridiculous. When Mario Batali left the show he said he was fed up with snot nosed starlets who knew squat were judging his food, he had enough.
You Tube is the best place for cooking shows now, and all on demand. Get a good internet TV box and YouTube is like Netflix.

[Karon Adams]

that is pretty much what used to make me mad. there were always some real food people judging but so often they had to include one of the bubbleheaded Hollywood types who's full experience of food was probably McDonald's. Some of the comments were just plain ridiculous. I 'get' that I might not do better, I am not a professional food critic or judge and, for me, it's about what *I* like. I love the way Meathead puts it. the ONLY taste buds *I* have to tickle are mine. and I'm certain the bubbleheads are honestly offering the opinion of what they like or don't. But, to put professional chef's reputation and expertise to that kind of 'judging' is simply asking too much.

[Danjohnston949]

I won't let the Local Cable Co. Trespass On Our Property to Hook Us Up! Long Story saved for another day. I used to enjoy Julia Childs and Yan Can Cook! I an Known Far and Wide as the Famous Chinese Chef-- Who Flung Dung! I have never heard of most of the shows referred to here. Dan

[BigBear]

I have to admit, Jack Maxwell is pretty entertaining as the Booze Traveler. Man, that dude's liver has got to be like leather!

[Siouxfan]

For competition shows, I enjoy: Master Chef/ Chef jr., Hells Kitchen (a little drama, but I am a Ramsay fan), The Taste (cancelled).
Otherwise, its: Lidia's Kitchen, Simply Ming, America's Test Kitchen, BBQ U, Primal Grill, and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

[Karon Adams]

You know, I used to watch Bobby Flay's BBQ addiction, but I stopped after just a few shows. the reason was, while he was doing some cool cooking in the back yard, for all intents and purposes, he had an outdoor, 5 star restaurant kitchen in the yard. not something from which I could EVER learn much.

[Locotech]

I'll watch some of the competition shows, but prefer actual cooking shows. In Canada, chef Michael Smith has a show called, "chef at home". He does simple, very good recipes. There's a Canadian version of triple D, called "ya gotta eat here"...wow, is it some bad. The host is a guy who's trying to be funny, but isn't. I think ya could feed him a turd sandwich and he'd be blown away. There's always Nadia G, in Bitchin' Kitchen...she kills me.