The Food Network

[theloggg]

If anyone is a fan of the channel...

Food Network expands menu
March 28, 2001
Web posted at: 10:33 AM EST (1533 GMT)

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Food Network plans to unveil 950 hours of original programming this year, including two primetime series that will debut this summer, Variety reports.

Although the cable channel declined to say how much money it is sinking into original programming, a spokeswoman said the investment has increased by 67 percent from last year.

Food Network will continue to diversify its lineup with shows geared to general-interest audiences rather than food professionals.

Set to premiere in July, the weekly outdoor adventure series "Appetite for Adventure" will be hosted by Tori Ritchie and chef/mountain climber Joey Altman.

"Unwrapped," which began as a series of specials, will become a weekly series in
July. Marc Summers will host the show, which investigates popular foods.

This fall, pop singer k.d. lang will host "Roadie Chefs II," a sequel to last
season's special on what musicians eat while on tour.

The special "NBA Cafe: Most Valuable Moms," featuring the mothers of pro basketball players talking about food, will premiere May 13.

The network will devote an entire weekend to cult hit "Iron Chef" June 1-3. The weekend will culminate with "Iron Chef 21st Century Battle."

Food Network is available in 56 million households.

[SeattleDeb]

Food TV is still not available on cable here!

I Love food network and excited to hear about their new programs but I hope there are no more Emeril Shows. It seems like he is on every other show.

[Anneke]

...because "Bam-b-b-bam-bam" is best left to the Flinstones...

[coolJ]

Good Eats, The Best of, East meets West, Malto Mario. These are a few of my favorite shows on Food TV.

[layjo]

Yeah I enjoy alot of their original specials like "Legendary Hangouts", and "Road to Bocuse De Or" and some of the shows mentioned above! Yesterday they had a special on Grahm Kerr's Galloping Gourmet Show, but I missed it and forgot to record it. Maybe they will have a rerun of it soon.

[Greg]

Afra, a bit of an explanation regarding the contempt of Emeril (from my point of view, anyways). First, Emeril was not all that popular as a TV chef starting out. Then he met with some marketing strategists. The result is the Emeril you see today high-fiving his audience and yelling "bam!". I've seen him on TV in a setting where he didn't have to be that "TV Emeril"; he's really quite a different person, rather shy from what I've heard. To me, cooking is not about glamour or being phony to make a buck; other than my own continuous striving for perfection, it's not about me at all. For me, any night is worthwhile if just one customer walks out the door having had one of the best culinary experiences of their lives ( I still remember a night five years ago, served a simple sauteed tilapia with an orange/basil compound butter; a couple that ordered it said it was the best fish they'd ever had). If someone wants entertainment , they're not going to get it from me and they shouldn't be getting it from a show that is allegedly about cooking; they should see a movie or go to a concert. Emeril is trying to entertain and have a show that is supposed to teach about cooking, but, as the saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it, too. For an excellent learning experience via the TV, I turn to Julia Childs and Jaques Pepin; these two are clearly about teaching and sharing the knowledge they have; they're not up there trying to entertain and push their expensive spice mixes on the unwitting masses. Just my rambling, Belgian ale infused opinion, though.

[markdchef]

Emeril is a sham. The shows on FoodTV have nothing to do with the food in his restaurants which are expensive and the food is prepared by non-celebrity chefs. BAm! is a catch phrase that has played out long ago like "Where's the Beef?" I find little to no value in his show. The essence of Emeril (a half hour more serious show) is only slightly better than his regular show. And do they have to show it repeatedly? I much prefer Bobby Flay, Mario Batagli and Ming Tsai. Serious cooks who can entertain without the Bam!

[Pooh]

I second Anneke, Greg and MarkdChef!

Any of you watch Charlie Trotter on PBS?
It's series II of Kitchen Sessions.

I bought the book when it came out and cooked practically everything in it. Everything turns out great and I do like to watch him on TV. I think he's pretty !!!

[KyleW]

I know that Emeril can wear people out. I also know that if I watch his show I am not going to learn a great deal. Here's where I think Emeril is great. He is making food exciting and intersting to a large universe of people that previously thought food was Kraft Mac & Cheese. More people interested in really good food means more people in your restaurants. More people interestedin cooking good food at home means higher demand (and hopefully greater supply) for a wide variety of quality ingredients. I look at him as sort of a pied piper.
Kyle

At least Emeril IS entertaining, making people who otherwise would not be interested in watching a food show watch one. And I like his recipes, at least they're "cookable" for the average person who has a kitchen in the home and not a kitchen in a commercial place. And I believe the reason his earlier show wasn't a success was because he didn't have interaction with anybody. We "bam" a lot around this house and it's fun. Take it for it's worth ... and all you professional chefs out there, lighten up. it's a dang show. i think if any of you were to be offered to be on TV you would probably go for it.

[Svadhisthana]

Afra, sometimes if an account stays inactive (you did say you had been to busy to visit the site) they will clear the files.


Svadhisthana

[angrychef]

I think I saw that Emeril will be having his own show on NBC next season. I'm not gonna watch it, I'm just a little tired of "BAM!" and "kick it up a notch!". Best show on Food Network, IMHO, is Good Eats.

[shahar]

Being new in the states I was intoduced to Emeril only a few months away. The recipeds are nice, but personely I can't stand whatching a show that shouts at me. I don't despise Emeriil, but he's not a real chef to me. When was the last time he actually cooked something?! It is good to make people excited about food. But that doesn't mean i'll enjoy watching it.
"Naked Chef" for me every night!!! Great food, great brit atmosphere, And I love the way he talks about food - Pucker!

[logose]

Emeril saga continues...
Success in business doesn't always equate to being the best in that field. People like energetic personalities and showmanship. In that case Emeril truely delivers. But for others more concerned about talent, passion, and ability behind the dishes may look for a more subtle approach,
Julia Child and Jacque Pepin (my hero!) are who I grew up with. Julia has the home cooking perspective whereas Jacque Pepin is the consummate professional chef. Both obviously knows their subjects extremely well. On top of this they are very entertaining to watch. Not all entertainer chefs today can boast the same.They are my favorite on the Food Network.
Also the series The Best Chefs of ... on Discovery channel (I think) takes very accomplished chefs and follows them through the whole dish from prep to presentation. Perhaps more geared towards the professional.
CoolJ, your favs are my more current ones.
Especially Good Eats.