The Food Network? Yesterday and today - Page 4

ChefBillyB · #46 08-25-2009, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeniek

I completely agree with this statement! I had someone ask me once if I cooked a new meal every night and when I told them I did they gave me the oddest look! I think we get stares in the checkout lane at the grocery store too because we're one of the few families (well that shop at our store anyway) that doesn't have anything pre-prepared in their carts! I do my fresh shopping at the local farmer's market and all we use the grocery store for is canned and dry goods.

The reason why there are frozen foods in carts is because Mom and Dad have to work for a living.......The kid doesn't grow up with any knowledge of cooking but they do have Soccor, Baseball, football,dance, tennis, Volleyball, swimming, whatever.....Find a Kid that has his Mom home and you will find a Kid that knows how to cook....................................We all took the 3 cars in the driveway and the 500K house.....................See what we got.........................Bill

leeniek · #47 08-25-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChefBillyB

The reason why there are frozen foods in carts is because Mom and Dad have to work for a living.......The kid doesn't grow up with any knowledge of cooking but they do have Soccor, Baseball, football,dance, tennis, Volleyball, swimming, whatever.....Find a Kid that has his Mom home and you will find a Kid that knows how to cook....................................We all took the 3 cars in the driveway and the 500K house.....................See what we got.........................Bill

Both my husband and I work full time and I make a fresh meal every night and while my kids are fussy eaters at times, they will eat pretty much anything. I did stay home for a few years when they were small and I know I had "all day to make dinner" ....HA! anyone who says that hasn't been a stay home mom to two active kids who like the local parks and libraries.... and yeah then too I cooked every night. We didn't go for the 3 cars and 500K house.. thank goodness,.. or the hockey or all that running around from activity to activity

niznickr · #48 08-25-2009, 03:33 PM

Not to play devils advocate but, FN is just a network, they rely on what the market wants to plan the entertainment. Unfortunately or fortunately, what they show is what the masses want. I do not like a lot of the shows either, but, ****...if the kids are watching it and loving it, then they just may become interested in the culinary arts and become our future Executive Chefs of America. At the end of the day, isn;t that what we all want anyway....the next generation to keep the culinary arts alive and appealing? I would hope so........

KYHeirloomer · #49 08-25-2009, 04:41 PM

You're assuming the network execs know what the masses want. Such is not the case, as evidenced by FN's continued loss of viewership and revenues. They threw away the demographic that made them without really having a replacement. So now they're casting around trying to to give us shows that are: 1. cheap to produce, and, 2. maybe will bring in the mass audience.

A classic case. In their chefography of the Neeley's the network president specifically talks about how their popularity is due, in part, because of the format of a couple cooking together. "People want that," she insists.

Uh, huh! Then how come, among all the really stupid shows they've put together the past couple of years, there are no other couples having fun with each other in the kitchen?

Instead of focusing on what they claim is a winning format they'd reather experiment with things like that new show with Brian Boitano---which, far as I can tell, should be subtitled Bob & Ted's Excellent Adventure in the Kitchen with the Muppets.

Or how about that Chefs And The City? Gimme a break! That's neither good food nor good entertainment.

leeniek · #50 08-25-2009, 07:47 PM

My husband works in advertising (he's a graphic designer for an ad agency in TO) and well sadly the people making the choices as to what goes and what doesn't have no clue what mr and mrs public want to see or hear or even have on their cell phones for that matter. It's all about competition and if the other guys is doing it then by gum the client has to do the same thing better whether or not it appeals to the rest of the world or even their own clientele. Clients are their own worst enemies at times and some of the stories he tells me are downright funny! (and really sad too because these freaks are very well paid for their stupidity)

niznickr · #51 08-26-2009, 01:03 AM

KYheirloomer,
good points indeed and well taken. As far as couples having fun in the kitchen...well my wife and I have fun in the kitchen but it is not "cooking".... :P

KYHeirloomer · #52 08-26-2009, 06:51 AM

Ahhhh, Niznickr. But have you tried it with Creme Anglaise?

petalsandcoco · #53 08-26-2009, 10:24 AM

Creme Anglaise is divine................thick, soft and full bodied, it goes with just about anything.....

EricTheard · #54 08-31-2009, 04:18 PM

Amazing how dirty this thread got all of a sudden.

There are still some interesting shows on the food network. Maybe not as many as a few years ago but Bobby Flay is the man and Alton Brown knows as many food facts than anybody I've ever met. The key is to get what you can out of the shows that are on. The ones you can stomach watching anyway, which excludes any of Guy Fieri's shows and that new winner Melissa for me. All things are gonna change eventually, no sense in being so irate over it. I keep on watching the channel waiting for the Japanese Iron Chef to begin airing again, those guys did some serious cooking. Anyway, there isn't any other channel so devoted to the progress of American Culinary growth. Even with all those home cook style shows at least people can learn how to make a meal from canned goods rather than running to the closest Mickey D's. I would definitely like to see more shows that appeal to me and my industry, but I'll take what I can get.

One last thing, I cant believe so many people are complaining about Giada's cleavage. That's just a bonus when watching her show. And it helps me ignore her over-dramatic pronunciation of every ingredient.

bughut · #55 08-31-2009, 04:34 PM

Is very difficult not to over pronounce Italian IMO. The language lends itself to a passionate performance. We're all learning it at the moment and we sound ike a scene from the Sopranos when we get going. I know what you mean tho. She's a bit OTT
As a man lovin woman, I have to say...She's hot!

ED BUCHANAN · #56 09-01-2009, 07:23 AM

Some of the food handleing I see on the food network is a discrace. This big daddy guy supposed cook , sticking his fingers into the food over and over to tast it??? Health Department should descend on their studios and issue fines and court appearance citations.

radhaks · #57 09-01-2009, 10:38 AM

I agree entirely with FN journey from a really interesting show (at least for non-professional cooks like myself) to a completely useless network, aside from AB's show. Too bad! More time for Discovery or History Channel for me (sadly, even Desperate Housewives has become something I would watch over FN shows).

iconoclast · #58 09-01-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ED BUCHANAN

Some of the food handleing I see on the food network is a discrace. This big daddy guy supposed cook , sticking his fingers into the food over and over to tast it??? Health Department should descend on their studios and issue fines and court appearance citations.

lol he is one of the biggest culprits... i watched his show a few times, and the food is just bad... it doesnt even look appetizing on the show.

petalsandcoco · #59 09-01-2009, 08:11 PM

Nothing makes me see green but when a chef sticks his finger in food to taste instead of taking a few extra seconds to get a spoon. I was shocked to see my Jacques Pepin to do it last night.

RAS1187 · #60 09-04-2009, 03:27 AM

If FN became a constant 24/7 loop of Japanese Iron Chef reruns, I seriously would never turn my tv off.