Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Hahaha I couldn't stop laughing.

I definitely have a list of people I would love to see on food television, but that's just a who's who of culinary giants whose food or thoughts about food I admire.

I would love to see an uncensored interview.

The man is honest, and he doesn't back away from his views. I respect that.

I happen to agree with him, too. The FN jumped the shark the day they published their first Sandra Lee recipe for Cool-Whip frosted store-bought Angel Food cake. They sank further into the abyss with every subsequent recipe of hers after that. And, then came Paula Deen, and her fetish for deep frying everything from butter to lasagna to pound cake. If that wasn't bad enough, they indulged her perverse love of Krispy Kremes, and gave her that awful show on Friday night. I won't even start with Rachael Ray.... ugh.

So, bless Bourdain! Lord save us from another Sandra Lee "recipe" or "tablescape", or the caricature of herself that they have allowed poor Paula Deen to become. I can't stand it! It hurts to watch, so I rarely do anymore.

Ina Garten, Giada's cooking shows, and sometimes Michael Chiarello is about all I can watch on FN. Sorry if this seems negative, but I really am on my last good nerve with FN. Aspiring to mediocrity is NOT a goo move for them.

I heart Anthony Bourdain. While I watch my fair share of FN, I have to agree that Ina cooks some really great stuff, but there is something to make fun of every food show host. The Semi-ho stuff has got to go!

Anyway, I find myself setting the DVR for all possible episodes of No Reservations!

Am I the only one who thinks that naming a show "the F-in' Dish" is pushing it a bit? Especially for a network that is "aspiring to mediocrity."

RichardCrystal, I'm in between on Bourdain. While I think he's very smart, clever, funny and a hardworker, I also think he's not a top chef and there are some parts of his personality are too contrived. Like Poochie on "The Simpsons". Anyone else notice that "No Reservations" has become less about food and more about local crazies in foreign countries?

Is it just me, or did Bourdain seem to be seriously wasted?

i think bourdain is getting angrier since he quit smoking. someone refill his wine goblet.

Bourdain was totally wasted, wasn't he?

I know this is an old rant, but jeez, the Food Network used to actually be about food, and I miss it terribly. And regarding the few remaining actual chefs/cooks on the show, I agree wholeheartedly with AB. Ina Garten is great, and Giada DeLaurentis is annoying, but her food is good. Which gets me thinking... If I were starting my own food network, chisaiFood, who would I have on...

Not on topic, so I think I'll start a new one. Fun!

Food Network gets its revenge on a drunk Bourdain.

I love Bourdain, on his show he travels to great places and doesn't wishy wash the way of life there. He finds someone who lives there and shows the best places to eat and make you want to visit there. Some of the shows on the FN are a joke, who changes all the accent colors in the kitchen depending on what you are cooking, get real.

While I think Bourdain is a bit of a blowhard, his views on the FN ring true.

Have you seen the ads for their upcoming/new shows?

"He's a rock-n-roll cake baker."

"He's a male model/hockey player..."

"She's a hip-hop entreprenuer..."

It's about personalities, not food.

And don't even get me started on Guy Fieri. What a tool.

If you watch the next food network star show, and see and listen to the executives that are in charge of the programming.. you may get a feel for why the network has become so inane.

In defense of Sandra Lee: Her style of cooking fills a need. Not everyone in the US is a gourmand, who aspires to perfect the making of scratch puff pastry, clarify their own chicken stock using egg whites and shells, or make their own demi glace using 25 lbs. of beef bones. Many of the cooks in the US are kids who cook for self preservation, because mom and dad work, or mom simply hates to cook and they loathe the thought of another night of Mack and Cheese. I have no problem with Giada, Paula, Mario, Bobby, or the erstwhile Emeril. I've gotten good ideas from all of them. I have been using a Wolfgang Puck roast turkey recipe, from one of his old shows, for years. Unfortunately, RichardCrystal is correct. The Food Network is no longer about food; the shows are about personality and providing entertainment. The Food Network SHOULD air shows that appeal to a variety of cooking levels, and pocket books. Alas, today, in their effort to make everything appear effortless, the Food Network has dummed everything down to the most basic of levels, leaving serious cooks to hunger (excuse the pun) for shows that are more substantial. Despite its shortcomings, I do watch. Michael Chiarello is a personal favorite and watching Cat Cora lay waste to opponents in Kitchen Stadium is an event not to be missed. And despite her plebian affectation, Rachel Ray is the one to watch if you want to make something that is tasty and uncomplicated. One of her ideas, serving crudités’ in a flower pot, was a terrific inspiration. I served a simple spaghetti meal to some friends and served everyone’s individual antipasto/crudités in a clay flower pot. It made for a most charming presentation. I just wish the Food Network would give us less “Paula’s Party” and more of Wolfgang Puck.

I caught this guy on TV one night. he was in Egypt and was acting sooo rough. Whew-hew! I couldn't turn it off. He explores the real life of all these countries-and satisfies the my sometimes obsessive curiosities about what really goes on behind the tourism brochures. I really look forward to journeying with him to all these countries-and boy does he make me want to cook. Frankly, Rachel Ray, Nigela, etc-boring! Anthony-cool dude!

Anthony Bourdain is so opinionated that inspite of his inebriation in this video he clearly and concisely provided spot on analysis of what troubles Food TV. He recognizes the limited talent on the network and I am proud to say that I agree. He is an alcohol fumed and formerly smokey breath of (fresh) air. Isn't it a shame his type of candor hasn't pervaded more of our society!

A couple things here.

Who, in their right mind and in Gods green earth would EVER, EVER pick Ida (hubby, I need my bills paid) Garten (the barefoot part makes me vomit just a little) over Paula Deen? Just who? Well besides a guy who loves reminding his viewers every friggen week about how many drugs he did or how much he loves drinking.

Ida Garten (does she EVER wear ANYTHING but denim shirts big enough to wrap a house in?) does NOTHING. Besides making sure that all the viewers know she is a happening, PC, fag hag.

Deen, on the other had, represents a small part of what southern hospitality is all about. Yeah, it might not be healthy (though wait a few years, it will become healthy, everything does or vice versa) I think the fact that her food represents those backwards nasty southern states may be a good chunk of the reason she gets so much flack.

Kinda like the reason our Bigfoot COntessa is so well liked. "OH you must use GOOD salt, the kind that costs $$$ a pound! Its the GOOD stuff. Yeah ok. Keep selling $35 hot chocolate mix that includes a spatula you bought at walmart.

I give AB a pass because he understands the GREATNESS of Batali. BUt after that.....I don't know. For someone that fits the FN profile of all show and no go.............he should pipe down......don't SOME drugs make you mellow?

gabagool , that was spot on. Well other than the stupid stereotype of Southern States. I really think it's funny how elitist North Easterners are towards the South. I have family and friends in both regions and I can tell you now, people for the North East really need to look in the mirror before they judge others. Most of the more ignorant, backwards, and racist people I know, live in the North East.

Bigfoot Contessa. That's classic.

Hey gabagool - I think both Ina and Paula are good cooks. Grants their style is as different as night and day, but to put down Ina - you are so off the mark. He food is always good, clean and tasty (as I have tried many of her recipes). Also loving Paula with (everything tastes better with butter) attitude - I have also made some of her recipes and enjoyed them just as much. I personally, choose not to pick one over the other. FN is big enough for the both of them.