is it just me, or are today's crop of cooking shows too heavy on entertainment and not enough on cooking? i mean, sure, you have funny cooks, or fast cooks, or cooks the move to the music... but what about cooks that cook? Am I off my rocker here?

I agree. I think the Great Chef series on PBS is the best. It is simply cooking with a narration over the chefs dialoge(usually because they do not speak English). I suppose people who don't cook for a living like to have a little entertainment with their demostration. I usually don't watch nything on the food channel, but if there was a good 'technical' cooking show I would definately take the time to watch, maybe seeing something new.

[lynne]

I agree that most shows are geared towards entertainment and not technical cooking--but they are not geared towards professionals either--mainstream america dictates it all. Their are some shows that are definitely better than the rest. I enjoy Iron Chef for it's creativity and the stamina that these chefs have -- but I have to say that for the show, yes the entertainment value can be fun too. Sara Moulton's Prime Time show (not the one she's been doing forever) can be interesting--but more to watch what other chefs are doing and thinking. Definitely not a "must-see" everynight, but occasionaly, it's fine.

Yes, Martha Stewart, Sara's regular show, Ready,Set Cook and some of the other's are definitely not for everyone--but I know "non-cooks" that watch them religiously to further their cooking experience. Having a sister who knows how to microwave, but rarely does anything more--I get a kick out of watching her get inspired because of something she's seen on TV. The poor girl, she's never done any yeast-based anything before--got inspired and started off with a difficult recipe and did fine! Not bad for my baby sis!

Then there are the shows like Gordon Elliot's Door Knock Dinners--now what's the deal with that!!

For now, I selectively choose what I watch--IRron Chef, old classics such as Julia Child, and of course, Discover's Great Chefs. And I'm glad that now there's a little wider range to choose from than there was 10 years ago!

[mikechefnks]

Just my 2 cents worth---
In my opinion the Discovery network's great chef series, anything with Julia &/or Jacque Pepin, and Essence of Emeril are about the most "technically sound" shows that are on today. Can't stand Emeril Live, plays to the audience too much. Miss the Frugal Gourmet, Prudhomme, Justin Wilson and Martin Yan. Too Hot Tamales was great to watch for the research into the food that they cooked.

The only one I watch anymore is the great chef series, I haven't seen the Iron Chef listed anywhere locally or I would check it out also.

[Pete]

I think that there are a lot of great cooking shows out there. You just have to remember that these shows are geared to the general public, not to chefs. As such they have to be entertaining as well as informative, though many people love food and cooking not many are as passionate as we are. They ones named above are all great shows. Julia, Jacques, the Great Chefs, but to that list I would have to add, TASTE (a great show that spends 1/2 hr on one food item), East Meets West (I thing Ming Tsai is a very talented chef), and Good Eats (a very humorous approach to the techniqcalities of cooking) Also do you know that Food TV has brought back Julia's orignal series along with the Galloping Gourmet (a scary look into our culinary history Ha Ha).

I have to agree with you Pete. The ONLY shows I watch on FoodTV are East meets West, Good Eats and Taste. (BTW, Have you seen Rosengarden's book?? It's an great compilation of his knowledge and style) Anyhow, I tape Ming's show every day and watch it after work. He really is one of the few TV chefs that can pull "fusion" from his international background and transform it into something amazing and NEW.

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[Pete]

for humor and a lighthearted look at food also check out Extreme Cuisine.

Hey, everyone, I heard Martin Yan is going to be back on television this coming September! This is so perfect. Martin Yan is one of the greatest tv chefs and having the opportunity to watch him share his knowledge once again would be fantastic.

if you guys and gals want to check out someone who can cook awesome food for both professionals and for the home than you have to watch Chef Mario Batali and his show. This man can turn pasta and two or three ingredients into something very simple but spectacular. He is extremely knowledgable.

Hey guys its just T.V. and personally Im
for anything that educates and creates an interest in the culinary arts . Some little old lady came up to me last weekend told me about this great show she had seen on Emeril
and that she had made this dip recipe that her friends and family just loved and didnt I just think Emeril was the greatest ? Well
my answer might suprise some of you but I wholeheartedly agreed with her . Emeril has
caught the eye of the world and I realy dont think that theres one of us out there who wouldnt mind our future ending up like his has so far . Remember that you can learn from
everything and if you observe things with an open mind and leave the stigmas and rigid rules of what you feel you have to follow
in order to be a chef aside for a few moments , well then you will become a true chef in every sense of the word . Of course thats just my opinion , good luck and keep cookin!

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[lynne]

So the consensus is that Iron Chef is a pretty cool show. Any thoughts or predictions on the Bobby Flay v. Morimoto (Iron Chef Japanese) battle in New York (showing on June 25th)

[This message has been edited by lynne (edited June 10, 2000).]

[Pete]

I hope Bobby gets "CREAMED"!!!!

Flay needs his cocky *** whooped.

Five bucks says that Bobby will show up with his George Foreman Grill and his Ron Popei Showtime Roti and wonder where it all went so wrong, so terribly wrong......