Have you noticed just how far down the "Food" channel has sunk? Imagine: once there were quality shows with people like Martin Yan, Mario Batali, Jacques Pepin, in other words, real people showing you how they cook, or how you can cook. Where are those shows now?
But then it started to degenerate, and I can tell you exactly when: the first episode of "Top Chef."
Then it started to wander away from food, but concentrate on entertainment. Now there are dozens of "Restaurant Makeover"-type shows (which should belong on the Renovation Network), "Opening Soon,""Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares," "Ace of Cakes" (who the fuck wants to watch a cake-making competition?), dozens of "Extreme-cuisine"-type shows, (eating worms is no longer the thrill it used to be, folks) and at least here in Canada, they seem to be in heavy rotation on at least three different channels. So you watch the Food Network, then you surf the Travel Channel or Fine Living or even Home and Garden and find the same loop of the same programs.
Oh, forgot to mention the cleavage programs: Nigella Lawson, Anna Olson, Susan Calder, and even if doesn't have one, Rachel Ray. The Babe Food Network.
Just like Arts & Entertainment has now become the "Dog the Bounty Hunter" channel, and National Geographic has now become the "Dog Whisperer" channel (what is it about all these dog show anyway?) now the Food Channel has become nearly unwatchable.
So much for the 500-channel universe. Pablum for the unwashed masses.
Where are the good chefs? PBS. The Food Network is culinary shmatte. The only (culinary school graduate) chef worth watching on Food is Tyler Florence.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. That's why I make a point of watching all the Saturday/Sunday cooking shows. I have a TV in the kitchen and when I do my Saturday projects I like to cook to Julia and beer.
ReplyDeleteThere's a new channel "the cooking channel" which (or so I've heard) promises to be more focused on the food and actual proper cooking techniques, but I dunno.
ReplyDeleteThe food network is the mtv of foodies...remember mtv used to be a good channel? it had alternative and creative-ish content; now it's all "a shot of love" and what have you.
Same with the food network, now it's all dumbing down cooking.
I watch Top chef, and..at the table with..and I guess a few iron chef episodes here and there, I don't even know why I pay for that channel...
If there WERE a new channel called the Cooking Channel I would drop the Food Network so fast it could be a poisonous snake.
ReplyDeleteFood should not be about competitions. I learn nothing from watching other people compete.
Food should be about cooking and eating. I don't watch the Art Channel to see how fast a bunch of artists can paint a landscape. While that would be entertaining once, after the 25th time it's just wearisome.
I want to watch someone make ravioli from scratch -- and show me how. I don't want to see someone else's restaurant get "made over" for the twelfth time.
So, Cooking Channel, here we come! Food Channel, here we go!