[phatch]

I don't have cable or satellite so I don't see programs on the Food Network.

But the ads I see Mr. Florence doing for Applebee's make me think he's incapable of good food. Granted it's Applebee's and that's already a strike against good food.

Is he really as bad as those ads make him appear?

[canadiangirl]

I find Tyler to be a good chef. He has some fresh good food ideas. But,yes he should not have agreed to do those ads. Applebees has the worst food. All frozen re-heated overpriced disgusting food. I don't understand why a chef of substance would agree to do it-except for money, which is wrong and misleading. I mean how can you expect to get a fresh burger when the patties are ALL FROZEN! YUCK!

canadiangirl

[castironchef]

On TV, he appears to know what he's doing, why he's doing it and shows good skills. He's a good teacher and appears like someone you'd like to have a few beers with and scarf down some good food.

I have standards, too. But for the right amount of money . . . .

[cwshields]

My thoughts as well, Tyler appears to be a very compentant chef. But $$$ is very tempting. Everytime I've eaten at Appleby's the meal sucked to put it mildly...dry and gristely <sp?> steaks, and freezer burnt vegies as well as very small portions..thank goodess. I don't do Appleby's unless my friend's absolutely want to go there as I've never had a meal there that I couldn't make better with very little effort.

Originally Posted by castironchef

On TV, he appears to know what he's doing, why he's doing it and shows good skills. He's a good teacher and appears like someone you'd like to have a few beers with and scarf down some good food.

I have standards, too. But for the right amount of money . . . .

[abefroman]

I dont like his show cooking with Tyler or whatever its called, but Food 911 is good.

I'd have to say the top chefs/shows are:
Bobby Flay/ICA
Alton Brown
Emril
Wolfgang Puck (even though Im not a fan of his accent, veg-a-tables)
Food 911

[shel]

I've watched numerous episodes of his cooking shows, read (but don't own) one of his cookbooks, have gotten many good ideas from him, and some of his recipes have been quite good, his techniques very helpful.

So what if he does some commercials for Applebee's. Other chefs plug other restaurants, products, or services, with some being far worse than Applebee's.

Shel

[phatch]

I don't object to chef endorsements. It's just that I had nothing else to judge him by but those Applebee's ads and I was hoping there was something more to him than what those showed.

Phil

[even stephen]

Ask yourself one question....Is Applebees, as a chain, successful....
he may be trying to raise the bar......I've heard that he is a great
teacher as well....not as patient as on TV, but very competant and
gifted.....$$$$$$$$$$

[ChefRAZ]

If you have a fast connection online you can check him out online.
Food Network Video Guide - Quick and Easy Recipe Videos, Tasty Travel Videos, Cooking Videos, Party Ideas and Recipes Videos, Healthy Food Videos : Food Network He does a good job.

[oldschool1982]

Originally Posted by even stephen

Ask yourself one question....Is Applebees, as a chain, successful....
he may be trying to raise the bar......I've heard that he is a great
teacher as well....not as patient as on TV, but very competant and
gifted.....$$$$$$$$$$

Well said Stephen! Anyhow FWIW.....

There was a time when places like TGI Friday's, Bennigans, Houlihans and even Applebee's were the bench mark for the industry. Not so much by white table cloth standards but for the rest of those places out there. I guess what has now become the "Casual Theme". The food was (by most standards) above average in quality and execution. They had extensive menu's for both dining and the bar and judgeing by the 2-3hr waits to get in not too unsuccessful. But like the Dodo.......

As I see it, Applebees as a company see's an opportunity and so does Chef Tyler. Now the ingredients may not be the highest of quality and in some ways the execution is lagging but for the most part the whole effort is commendable. I'd never thought I'd feel this way especially about Applebees but..... They are making it work for the folks that enjoy the concept.

As a side note.... Way back when in Atlanta, me and my fellow restaurant co-workers had some mighty fun times frequenting those places. Places like Friday's, Copperfields, Applebee's (and the couple dozen other ideas patterened after them that had sprouted up and now dot the country) were always a place to unwind and hash over the days events. I for one am happy to see an effort to make things better. It's good for the industry over-all. So....Anyone trying to improve even on mediocrity or the sub-standard is not doing themselves, this or any other industry a dis-service.

[RAS1187]

I started off in a Fridays kitchen, granted I can not really eat there ever again, I have alot of respect for those hard working souls pouring in all their efforts in exchange for minimal compensation. My old GM best described this type of cooking as "massive mass production".

I just got back from applebees actually, that Bruchetta burger Mr. Florence has is pretty decent, my only complaint is that Applebees will not do burgers medium, med-well or well only.

[DC Sunshine]

Luckily being outside the US/Canada, we don't get the ads. We do get his shows on cable. I've always found them to be good, especially Tyler's Ultimate, in which he features one dish, for example, the Ultimate Roast Chicken, and goes thru it in a very down to earth manner, complete with sides and a sauce.

My daughter asked me today actually which TV chef was my favourite - I named him. So, I'm judging my response just on his shows, not any promo's he may have been in for $$$$.

[tmikuckis]

I personally think he's a good chef, atleast for television purposes

[KYHeirloomer]

I think his presence is very entertaining. However....

1. I have a problem with anything called "ultimate." I feel the same way about titles that include the word "complete." Both of them reflect hubris of the first order. Hubris, btw, doesn't translate as pride. It translates as arrogance.

2. I've only tried one of his recipes. It didn't work. I was, fortunately, able to figure out why, and salvage the dish. But there should never be that sort of major problem in a supposedly tried & true, made for TV recipe. And I now feel I could never trust any of his others.

3. We've sampled several of his Applebees dishes and found each of them disappointing.

[Chef at Heart]

We have an ongoing joke in my house about Tyler and bacon. It might have just been a string of chance, but several shows in a row were just about putting bacon on whatever he was cooking at the time.