Chopping, dicing, grating, wine-opening. These sounds combine to musical effect in this commercial for the Saclà brand of Italian sauces. Do you hear strains of "Hey, Mickey!" in this beat, too? Listen closely—and watch—after the jump.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended shows: It's the season finale of Last Restaurant Standing Tuesday night on BBC America. Raymond takes the finalists to his hometown of Besançon, France where they'll have less than 48 hours to open their own restaurant for one night to introduce British cuisine to the French people there. 9 p.m. ET, BBC America
Sarah Haskins on Current offers up some funny and thoughtful commentary on the marketing of yogurt to women. "Who's on first? Yogurt is!" Video after the jump.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
The usual PBS food shows aren't on this Sunday because they're showing Live from Lincoln Center's semistaged version of "Camelot". Check your local listings to see what's on your local PBS station.
Last night's Nightline featured Michael Pollan talking about his twelve commandments for eating from his book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto:
In general, I'm inclined to stick with the tried and true when it comes to food. And let the novelties be tested for a while. I think we need to begin to spend more on food, both in terms of money and in time. I know that's not a popular message. People like their convenience foods. But this experiment of outsourcing our food preparation to corporations has failed us. I mean, it's left us really unhealthy, really unsatisfied. And I think it's undermined the family life and undermined the community.
Video after the jump.
Mario Batali made the braciole from his new book, Italian Grill
If I thought watching Gordon Ramsay hurl criticisms and insults at contestants on Hell's Kitchen was uncomfortable enough on network television, it's even worse uncensored.
For your enjoyment (or pain), watch Ramsay forcefully tell the hapless chefs that he doesn't like their food in this introductory, f-bomb-filled episode from season 2 of Hell's Kitchen, after the jump. (Not safe for delicate ears.)
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended shows: The original Japanese Iron Chef series returns on the Fine Living Network tonight! The theme ingredient will be mango and it will feature Mexican cuisine. 11 p.m. ET, Fine Living Network
And the question is, "What is special about the food eaten by a 'locavore'?"
Serious Eaters, you've been pressed. You have seven seconds to click through the jump. [Tip o' the hat to eatorama]
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
It's fast and good food from Italy to Denver on this weekend's The Best Recipes in the World With Mark Bittman. There'll be pizza bianca, tapas, steak sandwich, burritos, and fast fruit! Sunday, 5 p.m. ET, PBS
"Which is more important, love or a great sandwich??? Tough call" commented Perkymac on today's video, Sandwich Day on '30 Rock'. For those who haven't seen the episode, here's the answer to her question in the form of Tina Fey internally debating whether or not to wolf down a sandwich in front of airport security, or simply hand it over and save precious time to catch her man before he goes to Cleveland.
Of course, she inhales it, and then runs after her man. Thus is the mark of a true—and possibly insane—sandwich lover.
Sandra Lee vs. The Price Is Right vs. The View
Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee, The Price Is Right, and The View were nominated for a Daytime Emmy award in Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling. There's really such a category?
How can Sandra Lee, one woman, on her own, compete against the bevy of belles that is Barker's Beauties? Or the gab-fest led by Barbara Walters? Then again, who cares about hair when there's a more important question: who would win in a death cage match—Barker's Beauties or ladies from The View? I bet Barbara Walters knows kung fu. Or something.
"It's the most wonderful day of all. Once a year, the teamsters go to this Italian sandwich shop in Brooklyn. No one knows what it's called, or where it is. It's a teamster's secret."
Watch the freakishly giddy happiness brought about by Sandwich Day on 30 Rock, after the jump.
Learn how to make crab spring rolls and tequila melon balls with Gordon Ramsey and his assistant, late night funny man Conan O'Brien. What's the verdict on the mayonnaise-enhaced crab spring rolls? "Deep fried mayonnaise is the greatest thing I've ever had," says Conan.
Watch Conan attempt to follow Ramsay's directions, after the jump.
Last week Jen was sent home, under slightly saucy circumstances, apparently. I think that means all my local San Francisco contestants have been kicked to the curb. On a related note, I nearly ran over Zoi in SF's Mission District a few days ago. Sorry, Z. My bad.
Still, even with the City by the Bay woefully unrepresented, the show must go on. The guest judge for the Quickfire and the entire episode is Oprah's personal chef, Art Smith. The Quickfire Challenge gave the nine remaining chefs 15 minutes to make a complete entrée. The consensus was that this was no easy task. Several contestants claimed that even the 30-minute challenges caused near bedlam on the cooking line.
So what's the answer to this seemingly impossible situation, which is meant to simulate the intense time pressures of a popular restaurant? Uncle Ben's microwavable whole-grain rice.
[Once you stop laughing, make the jump, where the spoilers will be ready in about 90 seconds.]
Gordon Ramsay, promoting his latest book, visited Live with Regis and Kelly today to do a cooking demo. Ramsay's comment to Regis Philbin regarding his previous visit to the show: "You were a nightmare last time. You were horrific." A lot of gentle sparring. Video after the jump.
What's Casey Thompson from last season's Top Chef up to? Slashfood has an interview with the executive chef at Shinsei in Dallas, who shares snippets from her post-restoreality life.
What magazines do you look at? Do you ever read blogs or content on the web?
I don't read blogs. I actually read Food Arts Magazine. I'm constantly reading Santé—about food and wine—I read Food and Wine, Gourmet, I'm always picking up Asian Restaurant News, where you read about how to make Peking duck—it's a lot about technique and also written in Japanese. It's really cool. Online, if anything, I read, not bloggers, but people who have created food websites where they share experiences, like pictures from the latest restaurants they've been to. It is like they are going around dining for me, and I get to see what's going on. I also talk to chefs, share ideas, do test kitchens, look at new products.
What's the difference between "blogs" and "people who have created food websites where they share experiences, like pictures from the latest restaurants they've been to"?
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended shows: Gordon Ramsay makes his rounds around the talk show circuit with appearances this Wednesday morning on Good Morning America and Live with Regis and Kelly and at night on the Late Show with Conan O'Brien.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Travel around the world to take a look at sustainable fishing this Sunday on Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie. First, it's fishing in the Long Island Sound in New York with chef David Pasternack. Then it's on to New Zealand where a fisherman limits his catch of abalone to guarantee its survival. After that, it's on to Italy where a traditional fisherman is changing his ways to help make sure there will be seafood left in the future. Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, PBS
Former restaurant manager Martin Hyde was left red-faced after his restaurant, Dillons, was featured on Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares" last season, and is now suing the celebrity chef for £500,000 (almost $990,000) for having ruined his career and reputation.
Mr Hyde, who lived in Balham, South London, before moving to New York more than a decade ago, said he now lives in fear of being recognised as "that loser from the Ramsay kitchen show".
"Being ridiculed by Gordon Ramsay on TV has wrecked my life," he said. 'Gordon completely assassinated my character.
"My reputation is in tatters and nobody wants to employ me. I've only managed to watch it once - because it is like watching myself getting mugged."
Hyde claims that many scenes were faked for the cameras, and says much of the footage was edited to portray him as being lazy. He filed against Ramsay last year but the case was dismissed in court. Will the suit hold up this time around? [via Grub Street]
The winner of last year's Next Iron Chef, Michael Symon, is set to start shooting episodes of Food Network's Dinner: Impossible. "This is my cup of tea," Symon tells cleveland.com. "Tell me something's impossible, that gets me going to prove you wrong."
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended shows: Edward Norton hosts a new episode of National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth. This is a series focusing on the impact humanity has on the environment and the connections between them. This episode covers the effects of overfishing and problems in the world's water supply. Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET, PBS
Cable network Bravo is throwing out the initial casting dragnet for season five of Top Chef. If you live in San Francisco, you better grab your knives and run. The process starts in, oh, a half hour! Here are the locations for open calls:
San Francisco
Monday, April 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Postrio RestaurantLas Vegas
Sunday, May 4, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.b
Craftsteak, MGM Grand Hotel & CasinoNew York (Upstate)
Saturday, May 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Culinary Institute of America
1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park NYNew York City (Manhattan)
Sunday, May 11, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Culinary Institute of America
399 Lafayette Street, New York NY (at East 4th street)Los Angeles
Monday, May 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cicada Restaurant
Hiding a Taco Bell Bacon Club Chalupa in your handbag is certainly one way to get the guys. Commercial after the jump.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
It's fine art and fine cuisine with the documentary Monet's Palate: A Gastronomic View from the Gardens of Giverny. With Meryl Streep, Alice Waters, Daniel Boulud, Steve Wynn, Joachim Pissarro, Roger Verge and Michel Richard, we'll get a look into Monet's love of art and his love of food and the connection between them. Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET, PBS
Harold, your usual Top Chef recapper, is on the bench tonight, so here I am as the second-string Top Chef blogger suiting up and going in to the game.
Why the sports analogy? I'll get to that. But first, the we're going to cut to the 11 remaining cheftestants' armchair-quarterbacking of last week's show.
Spike "heard it through the grapevine" that "a lot of people thought I should have went home." Why? "People are feeling a little threatened" because "I'm a talented dude."
If your talent is wearing crazy hats, sure. [Warning: Spoilers ahead, mateys!]
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended shows: It's another season of dangerous Alaskan crab-fishing. This Tuesday is the season premiere of Deadliest Catch with two new episodes. 9 and 10 p.m. ET, Discovery Channel
In a somewhat similar theme of seeing where our food comes from, this Friday has the show King Corn. Almost everything Americans eat contains corn. So two college graduates plant a single acre of corn and follow where it goes. 10 p.m. ET, PBS
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: It's to Gaeta, Italy we go this week on Lidia's Italy to learn about and make tiella. Sunday, 5:30 p.m. ET, PBS
Last week, Top Chef bid goodbye to Manuel and left Spike in the mix to stir up some controversy. Would that strategy pay dividends this week? Not in the QuickFire, which was a pretty sedate affair. No cook-off this time. It's a blindfolded palate test! Guest judge Ming Tsai, chef-owner of Blue Ginger in Boston, announces that each contestant will try to determine the higher quality item in 15 pairs of ingredients.
Most of the contestants seemed to do alright, especially since the fast-forward editing of this challenge didn't really amp up the drama in any meaningful way. After the blindfolds were removed and the scores tallied, a very confident Antonia had correctly chosen 12 out of 15 ingredients and was rewarded with immunity. Close seconds Jen and Ryan each got 11 answers correct, while Stephanie, who already has two Elimination challenges under her belt, brought up the rear with 6 out of 15. Oops.
[Spoilers after the jump.]
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended shows: This week has the premiere of four new Chefographies. One them is about Food Network itself—weird. Monday to Thursday, 9 p.m. ET, Food Network
Also, Sara Moulton of Food Network's Sara's Secrets has a new show on public television premiering tonight called Sara's Weeknight Meals. Based off of here cookbook, "Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals," the show is about making quick and tasty meals for the work week. Mondays, check your local listings
From Make Magazine's "Make a Cylon" contest comes the Cylon Coffee Maker Model 0001:
Click the individual photos for larger versions.
Fans of the ABC show Lost made Dharma biscuits, but what do Battlestar Galactica freaks make? Well, seeing as how there's not really any iconic food consumed in the show, it seems like, for tonight's season premiere of BSG, fans will pretty much stick to cakes or, as the first photo above shows, cylon-themed Rice Krispie treats.
Related: What do the Galacticans eat? [System 13]
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: This week's Diary of a Foodie is all about Trompe l'Oeil - food that isn't what it seems. Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, PBS
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended shows: Hell's Kitchen is *beep*ing back! Fifteen wannabe restauranteurs vie for the prize of a senior chef position at Ramsay's new restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood (opening in summer 2008). 9 p.m. ET, Tuesday FOX
On a gentler note, this week on The Martha Stewart Show is "Cupcake Week!" She'll be featuring a cupcake recipe each day from bakeries around the country. Monday to Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fine Living Network.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: Looks to be quite the carnivore's weekend of TV with Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie "Bovine Rhapsody" and The Best Recipes in the World With Mark Bittman "Pure Porcine Pleasures"! Sunday, 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET respectively, PBS
Serious Eats head honcho Ed Levine is video-interviewing Alton Brown in the SE offices right now. I'm in the background Twittering it: twitter.com/seriouseats
And now I'm live-blogging it here, too:
And then there were 14. A nice, even number. And we all know that means two teams competing against each other at some point in the episode. But first, the Quickfire Challenge.
Guest judge Rick Bayless, the mucho muchacho of Mexican fine-dining, is brought into the kitchen, and the Top Cheffers' task is explained: Take one of the most down-to-earth staples of Mexican cuisine—the taco—and redefine it as a fine-dining dish.
Seems a simple enough task, but a lot of the chefs are having a tough time of it. As Erik says, "Mexican food is about the people, it's about the street. It's a soulful kind of thing, and and to put fine dining in it, it just kinda bugs me." And Spike, too, wants to keep it street.
Um, guys? Was that the assignment?
Gals? Well, we don't hear much from the women during the Quickfire, as the producers kinda glossed over them for some reason—probably that their dishes were middle of the road, I'm guessing, and didn't make for great TV. [Warning: Spoilers after the jump.]
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: Anthony Bourdain is a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight! 11:30 p.m. ET, CBS
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: Inspired by cuisines from around the world, Everyday Food goes on a tour of dishes from different cultures. Included are: Pastitsio, a Greek casserole; meatballs in Chipotle sauce; a fast-cooking Moroccan chicken; pork chops with Bok Choy; and Mexican wedding cakes. Check it out this Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET, on PBS.
The first time I spotted the enormous and bloated-looking phallic clam geoduck (pronounced "gooey duck") in a supermarket in Chinatown, I thought, "How the hell do people eat that thing?" After watching Mike Rowe on the Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs prepare geoduck sashimi, I now know. And will have nightmares of the elongated skin being pulled off the meat.
Join the fun! After the jump!
This week, with 15 chefs still in the running for the Top Chef crown, the show settled into familiar rhythms and let the audience begin to appreciate the contestants' skills and personalities.
The Quickfire Challenge involved 30 minutes of shopping at the Chicago Green City Market and required a dish with no more than five ingredients, not including salt, pepper, sugar, and oil. Mark, the New Zealander, managed to harass a bunch of vendors and leave behind some of his ingredients. Silly hobbit! [Warning: Spoilers after the jump.]
The famed British chef is the big name attached to The Chopping Block, a show scheduled for 2009 in which "eight American couples running two neighboring restaurants in Manhattan, with one couple being eliminated per week." Sounds like The Restaurant meets Top Chef meets Hell's Kitchen (which White hosts in the U.K.).
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: Martha Stewart is a guest on tonight's Late Night with Conan O'Brien! 12:35 p.m. ET, NBC
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Looks like it's another tough weekend for food on television: just a few new episodes, and PBS is still in pledge-drive mode. Only a few shows after the jump.
Remember that item about Rachael Ray's daytime talk show being in danger of cancellation? Yeah, scratch that. The New York Daily News, always happy to point out errors in the New York Post, talked with Ray's producers at CBS Television Distribution. Despite the ratings dip (everyone else had them, too, CBS says), Ray will remain on the air for the foreseeable future.
The New York Post reports that the Rachael Ray Show may be axed:
The problem is Ray's ratings. When she debuted two years ago, she had a meager 2.5 rating, which her syndicator, King World, nonetheless trumpeted as "The biggest syndicated debut since 'Dr. Phil.' " In fact, one insider said, "They had hoped for more. 'Dr. Phil' beats 'Oprah' and gets like a 5.0 rating—and Rachael's set is very expensive and elaborate; his is just chairs."
While the Post speculates that Marie Osmond (are you kidding me?!!?) might step into the vacuum, reps for the Ray's show deny the rumor.
Season Four of Top Chef kicked off in fine fashion, with Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio returning to lead a motley crew of 16 executive chefs, line cooks, and culinary consultants toward $100,000 and 15 delicious minutes of fame.
At first glance, the mix of personalities and talent levels seems pretty good. Geographically, much like seasons past, San Francisco and New York are well represented. There are a few contestants from the South, and probably too few from the host city of Chicago. Also, as in past seasons, fans of fauxhawks and other dubious coiffure will not be disappointed.
[Warning: Spoilers after the jump.]
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: It's the start of the 4th season of Top Chef this Wednesday! The 16 rising chefs have to put their own twist on a Chicago staple and then serve it to host Padma Lakshmi and guest judge Rocco DiSpirito. The first elimination challenge is a head to head competition. 10 p.m. ET, Bravo
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: "Into the Fire NY." Tony accepts the challenge to return to Les Halles to work this old Tuesday double shift. 10 p.m. ET, Travel Channel
I just mentioned Bourdain in an earlier post as being one of Serious Eats's favorites. Here's just one reason why. From his Travel Channel blog:
Currently, wading through the submissions for the Travel with Tony thing—an often terrifying task. Just started in—but so far it’s like choosing between John Wayne Gacy, Linda Kasabian, or Robyn Miller. So many people seem to be videoing themselves from a cellar apartment—a suspicious-looking chest freezer in the background. Posters of Taxi Driver and multiple copies of Catcher in the Rye. Empty tubes of airplane glue. A plastic tarpaulin rolled up against wood paneling … So many candidates seem to want to take me to rural areas in the Pacific Northwest. The words “drainage culvert” and “wooded area” keep coming up. And I’m supposed to TRAVEL with one of these people? I’m demanding a full background check, polygraph…and a Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality test—along with the usual Rorsach
Since we know Serious Eats readers are not homicidal Dungeon Master basement dwellers, maybe we can help Bourdain out here by mentioning to our fair audience that the Travel with Tony contest (it's exactly what it sounds like, folks) is open to video-entry submissions until March 15.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Looks like a tough weekend for food on television: most of the Food Network is in repeats, and PBS is in pledge-drive mode. There's very little new, worthwhile food programming this weekend. Only a few shows after the jump.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: "Hawaii." Is the most exotic of the states more than just leis and luaus? Tony goes to see if there's something more. As for “what the hell happened” with last week's episode, he explains on his blog. 10 p.m. ET, Travel Channel
Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern: "China, Beijing." The season premiere starts with Andrew traveling to Beijing. He'll eat his way through the city, from imperial dishes to street snacks. He'll also eat at a restaurant that serves only penis. Check back tomorrow, when we'll have a preview. 10 p.m. ET, Travel Channel
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: Sunday afternoon catch Have Fork, Will Travel as Zane Lamprey takes a culinary tour of Budapest, prepares goulash, and finds out why paprika is in so many local dishes. 3:30 p.m. ET, Food Network
I love this commercial for Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods show on the Travel Channel. [via AdRants]
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: "Romania." Tony and his friend, Zamir, are off on another adventure, this time to celebrate Zamir's 50th birthday in Romania, a land of vampire tales, Communist regimes, and an intense culinary history. 10 p.m. ET, Travel Channel
Last Restaurant Standing: Episode 4. 9 p.m. ET, BBC America
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: On Saturday night catch Paula's Party and Throwdown with Bobby Flay as they appear on each other's shows. First Flay is a guest at Deen's Black and White Ball. Then Paula is challenged to a chicken-fried steak throwdown. 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET, Food Network
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has bought the Emeril brand for a cool $50 million ($45 million in cash, $5 million in stock). What does buying Emeril's brand entail exactly? Everything but the Bam! man's restaurants.
According to the Associated Press, Martha and company are buying:
What does all this really mean?
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. We present Fresh Food on TV—a weekly guide to what's new (or notable) on weeknight food television, so you don't miss anything worth watching. And, on Fridays, we'll post a weekend list for Saturday and Sunday viewing.
This feature is a work in progress, so if there's a program you feel we've overlooked or something you'd like to see added to the list, let us know. We'd like this feature to be as useful to everyone as possible.
Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. This week we launched Fresh Food on TV—a weekly guide to what's new (or notable) on weeknight food television, so you don't miss anything worth watching. In the beginning of the week, we'll post weekday lists, and on Fridays, we'll post a weekend list for Saturday and Sunday viewing.
This feature is a work in progress, so if there's a program you feel we've overlooked or something you'd like to see added to the list, let us know. We'd like this feature to be as useful to everyone as possible.
Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Recommended show: On Sunday Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie follows four food bloggers in their natural eating habitats, including two of our favorites, David Lebovitz and Chez Pim.
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. So we're launching Fresh Food on TV with this post—a weekly guide to what's new (or notable) on weeknight food television, so you don't miss anything worth watching. And, on Fridays, we'll post a weekend list for Saturday and Sunday viewing.
This feature is a work in progress, so if there's a program you feel we've overlooked or something you'd like to see added to the list, let us know. We'd like this feature to be as useful to everyone as possible.
Times may vary with region; check your local listings for exact hour and channels.
Bravo has unveiled the 16 cast members of Top Chef: Chicago. Not much geographic diverstiy here: seven contestants from New York City*, four from San Francisco, two from Atlanta, one from Los Angeles, and only two from the show's host city. (What's up with that?)
Bios and pix are available here, and it's hard to tell from them who's going to turn out to be the ornery one. Could it be Andrew, wielding a meat mallet? That would be the obvious choice at the early stage. Or maybe Lisa's playful mushroom-tossing just a feint to hide her troublemaking side.
Perhaps we'll turn to that old saw by Brillat-Savarin, "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are," in looking at their favorite recipes.
From his blog on the website of the Travel Channel, where he's currently producing episodes of No Reservations, Bourdain says:
They have nothing newer, or fresher or better - after all that time - than my first, stumbling, nascent attempts at making travel/food television? They don't have any material from anyone else - like from someone who doesn't make constant rude and obscene suggestions about their stable of "stars?" Surely they haven't reached so far down the bottom of the archives as to want ME back?!
[via Eater]
Calling all Survivor fans: Courtney Yates may not have been crowned the sole Survivor on last night's finale, but if you'd like to the see the first runner-up model/waitress and self-proclaimed "world's biggest b----h" serving food instead of trying to win challenges for it, grab a table at the Coffee Shop in Union Square. According to a recent interview with the guys over at Grub Street, she once received a $250 tip from Taye Diggs. It may not be a million dollar prize, but perhaps her newfound fame will bring in more big tips à la Taye.
Bam! The news hit the blogosphere and the airwaves like a ton of gumbo. The Food Network was canceling Emeril Live, the long-running piece of "eatertainment" that put both its star and its network on the cultural and culinary map on our collective psyches.
So what does a serious eater make of all this? Now that prime-time television is going to be an Emeril-free zone for the first time in what seems like forever is that cause for celebration? In some ways, yes. The show had run its course. The Food Network had ridden the Emeril horse to death. Think about it. Emeril Live had been coming into our lives in prime-time Monday through Friday for ten years. Not once or even twice a week like House or American Idol, but five times a week for ten years, which is forever in prime-time terms.
According to a spokesperson for the Food Network, Emeril Lagasse is not severing all his ties with the cable network that give him his start, contrary to what was mentioned here earlier today.
Emeril Live, however, is no longer in production (repeats will probably air into the next century). Essence of Emeril, his daytime cooking show ("stand and stir," as these shows are called in the biz), will continue in production. It airs at 2 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. Saturdays. He will also continue to host and participate in specials on the Food Network.
The spokesperson would not comment on whether the cancelation of Emeril Live means that Emeril is no longer involved in an exclusive arrangement with the Food Network.
Having worked in the cable television business for a long time, I have to surmise that he is indeed now free to pursue other television opportunities, prime-time and otherwise.
From mediabistro.com: "Contract negotiations between Emeril and parent corporation Scripps have broken down. Lagasse is leaving the Food Network as a result and the last day of production for Emeril Live will be on December 11." [Update: Emeril not leaving Food Network]
The show opens and, you know what? I'm really happy there are only two chefs left. That's fewer people to match dishes to. And, I think—I hope—that this finale will devote as much time to, you know, the cooking process as it will to the judging shenanigans and the plethora of commercials that breaks up those deliberations.
Anyway—exciting: The finalists, Michael Symon and John Besh, will face off in Kitchen Stadium, giving one man a taste of his future and the other a taste of what might have been.
At this point, and I'm typing here at the three-minute mark, I've got to admit to you that I'm pretty sure I know who wins. That is, if the Toronto Star restaurant column that appeared on October 6 is to be believed. (By the way, don't click that link if you don't want any spoilage.)
Speaking of spoilage, it follows, after the jump.
This Sunday's battle royale between John Besh and Michael Symon probably needs little fanfare to attract the dedicated viewers of the reality series. That said, anyone who is a fan of Iron Chef America and hasn't been tuning in to watch the major-league tryouts should make some time to enjoy what should be a great match.
And here are some exhaustive links for those who want to study up on the whole Next Iron Chef phenomenon:
From Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David's technique for dealing with people talking on their cellphones in restaurants. (video)