Food Network

[UteStar]

I was not sure where to post this, but because it is all about Food, I went here.

A few years ago when I heard that there was a cable tv station called the Food Network, I just rolled my eyes. Stupidest idea ever. Who would ever watch that station. Holy crap was I wrong. That station rocks.

Over the past 2 years, I have become addicted to this station. The Next Food Network Star and Iron Chef America are awesome shows. I love this video from Iron Chef with all of the secret ingredients shown:

[YOUTUBE]kXqY8EZ21-g[/YOUTUBE]


I have seen Cupcake wars a few times and I like the Diners and Dives show as well...if you have any suggestions on other ones to watch, let me know.

[LiveCoug]

Food network is our favorite channel.

Chopped is one of our favorites.

[Donuthole]

Chopped and Good Eats are two I would take a look at if I were you. Alton Brown's mole is really disturbing initially, but after a few episodes you don't even notice it anymore.

Chopped is great on sommany levels. On one hand, you have these chefs of varying backgrounds and experience levels making up dishes on the fly using random (sometimes insanely random) ingredients in very limited time. Despite all the obstacles, they often come up with dishes that look pretty dang good. They also come up with some dishes that look terrible. On the other hand, you have these extremely smarmy, precocious, judges, all of whom are very successful chefs and restaurateurs. They apply the "rules" as strictly or as liberally as they see fit, depending on how the food tastes, how the chef looks and acts, and pretty much any other criteria they come up with. I watch it to hate the judges as much as i watch it to see the cooking.

[YOhio]

Chopped and Good Eats are two I would take a look at if I were you. Alton Brown's mole is really disturbing initially, but after a few episodes you don't even notice it anymore.

Chopped is great on sommany levels. On one hand, you have these chefs of varying backgrounds and experience levels making up dishes on the fly using random (sometimes insanely random) ingredients in very limited time. Despite all the obstacles, they often come up with dishes that look pretty dang good. They also come up with some dishes that look terrible. On the other hand, you have these extremely smarmy, precocious, judges, all of whom are very successful chefs and restaurateurs. They apply the "rules" as strictly or as liberally as they see fit, depending on how the food tastes, how the chef looks and acts, and pretty much any other criteria they come up with. I watch it to hate the judges as much as i watch it to see the cooking.

Great show. I love it when one of the chefs gets smart with the judges and it becomes an issue of personality. Some of the chefs get really cocky and they're hilarious to watch.

I also love Dinner Impossible. No meal is too impossible for Chef Robert Irvine and his trusty assistants George and Dave.

[YOhio]

One more thing, UteStar is about three years late to this party. Big surprise.

[happyone]

Good Eats with Alton Brown. That is the one show that is a must see in my household - for all three/four of us

[UteStar]

One more thing, UteStar is about three years late to this party. Big surprise.

If you could read (AARRRHHHHGGGG, sometimes you make me soooo mad!), you would have read that I have been watching that station for 2 years! So, I am only 1 year late to the party. And even being a year late to the party, I am sure that I am dressed better at that party than you are!

[MarkGrace]

There's some stuff I like on FN (Iron Chef), but most of my favorite food shows are on other channels (No Reservations, Bizarre Foods, Top Chef, etc.).

[YOhio]

There's some stuff I like on FN (Iron Chef), but most of my favorite food shows are on other channels (No Reservations, Bizarre Foods, Top Chef, etc.).

No Reservations is great.

[Mrs. Funk]

I don't mind the Food Network, especially the competition shows. Chopped annoys me a little because it sets up the contestants to fail, and the judges seem shocked when persimmons, nori paper, and pig lips don't taste good together. I think Top Chef, though it does funky stuff too, is a better test of the contestants' actual culinary skills.

I love No Reservations, but I just like Anthony Bourdain generally. When he quoted Dylan Thomas in an episode of No Reservations, he had me sold. If you haven't picked up his latest book, [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Medium-Raw-Bloody-Valentine-People/dp/0061718947/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280778758&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook (9780061718946): Anthony Bourdain: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51arf96ME5L.@@AMEPARAM@@51arf96ME5L[/ame], it's a fun, good read from a dude passionate about food who is slightly less embittered than when he wrote Kitchen Confidential.

[Pheidippides]

Good Eats with Alton Brown. That is the one show that is a must see in my household - for all three/four of us

I worship Good Eats. That level of food nerdiness deserves tribute.

The new Iron Chef America (hardly new anymore) has grown on me, but I still prefer the original Japanese version for the (intentionally?) campy - yet brilliant - translation work and the bizarre (even to the Japanese) ingredients.

[beefytee]

The new Iron Chef America (hardly new anymore) has grown on me, but I still prefer the original Japanese version for the (intentionally?) campy - yet brilliant - translation work and the bizarre (even to the Japanese) ingredients.

[filsdepac]

My fiancee introduced me the Food Network and she watches it almost exclusively. Ina Garten is her hero, so that's probably her favorite show, but here are our favorites:

1. Chopped - Love how there's always one ingredient that just makes no sense.
2. What would Brian Boitano make? - He's pretty weird, which we like, and doesn't take cooking too seriously, which we relate to.
3. DDD - We've dined at quite a few of the places now
4. Iron Chef - Best judge by far: Jeffrey Steingarten

Couple notes: I don't like the tasting at the end of a cooking show. They have to do it and it makes me uncomfortable.

Giada DiLaurentiis has a huge head. And I can't stand how she says things like 'pasta' and 'linguine' with an italian accent but everything else in normal english.

Non-food channel:
1. No Reservations - Deliciously irreverent
2. Man v. Food - I'm still not sold on it, but fiancee loves
3. Top Chef - Love the quickfire challenges

Edit: Padma Lakshmi is hot...except for the fact that she's with (or was?) Rushdie.

[Pheidippides]

My fiancee introduced me the Food Network and she watches it almost exclusively. Ina Garten is her hero, so that's probably her favorite show, but here are our favorites:

1. Chopped - Love how there's always one ingredient that just makes no sense.
2. What would Brian Boitano make? - He's pretty weird, which we like, and doesn't take cooking too seriously, which we relate to.
3. DDD - We've dined at quite a few of the places now
4. Iron Chef - Best judge by far: Jeffrey Steingarten

Couple notes: I don't like the tasting at the end of a cooking show. They have to do it and it makes me uncomfortable.

Giada DiLaurentiis has a huge head. And I can't stand how she says things like 'pasta' and 'linguine' with an italian accent but everything else in normal english.

Non-food channel:
1. No Reservations - Deliciously irreverent
2. Man v. Food - I'm still not sold on it, but fiancee loves
3. Top Chef - Love the quickfire challenges

Edit: Padma Lakshmi is hot...except for the fact that she's with (or was?) Rushdie.

Man v. Food! I forgot that one! It can be pretty good - sort of an alternative to DDD in many respects.

[filsdepac]

Man v. Food! I forgot that one! It can be pretty good - sort of an alternative to DDD in many respects.

I do like his commentary at the end, he can be pretty witty. Watched him eat a 64 ounce steak, potato, and bread in under 30 minutes (he had an hour) this weekend, pretty impressive.