Posted by Erin Zimmer, July 8, 2008 at 2:15 PM
Editor's note: Another Meet & Eat today with the folks behind Serious Eats. Today we're pleased to introduce Shane Lyons, Sunday night's dismissed contestant on The Next Food Network Star. His cereal-crusted chicken didn't make the cut, but he put up a good fight all season. —Erin
Name: Shane Lyons
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Occupation: Cook
URL: thebluestar.net
Favorite comfort food? I LOVE Buffalo wings with thick and stinky blue cheese.
Guilty pleasures? Ben and Jerry's Cinnamon Buns ice cream.
What food won't you eat? Soy butter.
What would you like to try but haven't yet? Haggis.
Favorite food person? Alton Brown.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, July 7, 2008 at 6:30 PM
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: There's a lot to watch this week: the new season of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservation starts tonight, Sunny Anderson has a new show called How'd That Get On My Plate also premiering tonight, and new episodes of Emeril Live are airing on the Fine Living Channel.
Monday (July 7)
Emeril Live: "Emeril's Las Vegas Fish House." Secrets from Emeril's Fish House in the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. 7 p.m. ET, Fine Living Channel
Good Eats: "Tuna, Surprise!" Canned tuna. 8 p.m. ET, Food Network
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Posted by Raphael, July 7, 2008 at 11:15 AM
This Tuesday is the season finale of Hell's Kitchen, pitting Louis Petrozza, catering director, against Christina Machamer, the culinary school student. Most people have doubted whether or not the contestants were actually qualified to function as executive chef at Gordon Ramsay's new Hollywood restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at The London, the reality show's grand prize. The New York Post runs the first in-print mention (that I've seen) that the prize is, unsurprisingly, fictitious and executive chef by title only:
Do you honestly think, my sweet pea, that I'm going to be that stupid and that vulnerable? That I would stick my ass to the window and give one of them a chance to run that restaurant, which is a multi-million [dollar] investment? One of them will be part of an amazing team, put in the deep end. But they will definitely not be running the room." For the record, the winner will be called an executive chef, but in fact will be one of 65 chefs responsible for all hotel meals, including breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner...
Previously
In Videos: Don't Burn Gordon Ramsay
'Hell's Kitchen,' The Game: A Review
In Videos: 'Hell's Kitchen' Uncensored, Season 2 Episode 1
Posted by Erin Zimmer, July 7, 2008 at 9:30 AM
If the remaining five contestants had never babysat, or were the types to ignore the brats and run away with the pizza money, it was clear this episode. Five delightfully cute Girl Scout Brownies (that means ages six to eight) arrived to moonlight as sous chefs. Some stole the stage and should really teach the remaining crew a thing or two about camera charisma—the pigtails helped—while others were ignored and silent. Like Shane's pipsqueak partner, who was basically shoved aside as he made chicken.
The Challenge: Who Has the Cutest Brownie Sous Chef?
Not really, but that was a major factor in achieving camera friendliness. Contestants had to perform a cooking demo on the Rachael Ray show alongside an eight-year old. If you had any strategy you knew to snag the one with the cutest, chubbiest cheeks. Cheek squeezability, such a key to any food media success. How perfect for Aaron, repeatedly criticized for lacking "personality," since he got the snuggliest of eight-year olds. Judges agreed that she, er he, gave his most "un-self-conscious performance yet." Can you fit her into your pocket for next time, Aaron?
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Posted by Raphael, July 5, 2008 at 1:00 PM
"What we do is the same thing like those on Broadway. Everyday you open the curtain and it's a new show." —François Payard
Learn more about renown French pastry chef François Payard of New York City's Payard Patisserie and Bistro in his interview on Nightline's "Platelist" series. If you're not craving chocolate right now, you will after watching Payard make chocolate French toast and chocolate cake. After watching the video, grab the recipes and read more of the interview at Nightline's website.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, June 30, 2008 at 6:30 PM
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: On Tuesday night, check out the season finale of Hell's Kitchen. The last two chefs, Christina and Petrozza, travel to New York City to prepare their signature dishes. They are also given the task of designing and running their own restaurants. Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET, FOX
Monday (June 30)
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: "In the Family." Family run eateries in
Baltimore, Maryland; Miami, Florida; and Salt Lake City, Utah. 10 p.m. ET, Food Network
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Posted by Erin Zimmer, June 30, 2008 at 2:30 PM
I really wasn't a fan of this show when handed the beat. Everything felt so sloppy, forced; the goofy personalities were hard to watch. These people are seriously on television? Not to mention a decent Food Network time slot. But I found a new way of looking at it, and now I'm hooked.
The Next Food Network Star is less a food-food show, more a spoof of everything else on the network. The focus is not on raw kitchen talent, Asian street food or four-second meals. Instead, it's like a sketch comedy group's reaction to food television today. The overstated personalities, the ridiculous do-or-die challenges (involving something of grapefruit-caliber), and our obsession with fame. Then you realize it's not a joke, but a real show with real people running on a real network's budget, which fascinates me on some level.
The First Challenge: Avoid "Delicious, Amazing, Yummy" Descriptors
Iron Chef alum Cat Cora explained why six wicker baskets were sitting on the counter. Were they going on a picnic? Nuh-uh! Contestants had thirty minutes to create dishes using secret ingredients inside these baskets. But the second part was the real challenge. Explain another contestant's finished dish on screen without using the predictable "food" words or looking lame on television—their weakness.
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Posted by Sarah Wolf, June 28, 2008 at 8:00 PM
Is eating trash about to become cool? The forthcoming British Internet game show Ready Steady Skip, based on the popular TV show Ready Steady Cook, is poised to give dumpster diving some image-boosting publicity. Promoted as "the game show where needlessly wasted food is recovered from the bin and turned into delicious dishes before your very eyes," the full show will be released online in July. In the meantime, enjoy the cheerfully zany trailer, after the jump.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, June 27, 2008 at 8:00 PM
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 series premiere of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef with Anne Burrell. She'll be making a meaty Bolognese without overnight simmering or pricey ingredients. Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, Food Network
Saturday (June 28)
Jamie at Home: "Beans." Jamie works with beans this episode as he cooks three different recipes to show the ingredient's versatility. 9:30 a.m. ET, Food Network
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Posted by Hannah Howard, June 26, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Food Network Addict brings news that Emeril Live lives on. The Food Network booted the show from its prime time line-up in May, but from July 7-11 at 7 p.m. ET, the Food Network's corporate sibling Fine Living will welcome Emeril with five new episodes of Emeril Live. After a week of abundant Emeril, an episode of Emeril Live will air every Monday evening. If that's not enough Emeril, Fine Living will show episodes from the Food Network library every other night of the week.
Will you be tuning in to watch Emeril kick it up a notch?
Related
Emeril: Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?
Martha Stewart Buys the Emeril Brand: What's It Mean?
Emeril Still Alive at Food Network
Posted by Gordon Mark, June 23, 2008 at 7:00 PM
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: Martha Stewart is on Late Night with Conan O'Brien Tuesday night. Tuesday, 12:35 a.m. ET, NBC
On the Martha Stewart Show this week, she'll have Chef John Fraser and Chef Fabio Trabocchi. Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. ET, NBC
Monday (June 23)
Good Eats: "Celeryman." Alton Brown explores the different uses for celery. 8 p.m. ET, Food Network
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: "Where the Locals Go." Local favorites in Atlanta, Louisiana, and Albuquerque. 10 p.m. ET, Food Network
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Posted by Erin Zimmer, June 23, 2008 at 4:45 PM
The Next Food Network Star must have a private string orchestra for all the sappy music. It's becoming less a show about food, more a therapy session and mope party. Last week, our robotic, perky-faced friend Kelseybot turned on Niagara Falls for judges, "Um, I really am so passionate about ..." She goes on and on as tears stream down, and with that, her blond booty was saved.
Other contestants must have taken note, since this week, Aaron teared up about his still-missing son who ran away from home, Lisa dedicated her dish to her brother fighting in Iraq, and self-deprecating Jennifer overapologized after misshucking an oyster. "If I can't shuck an oyster, I can't do anything," the poor thing declared.
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Posted by Emily Koh, June 21, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Perhaps more known for his expletive-laced tirades more than he is for his restaurants, Gordon Ramsay is now facing an inquiry from the Australian Senate "for filling the television with an astounding volume of foul language":
The Australian Senate inquiry was prompted by wide protests against Mr. Ramsay’s coarse vocabulary, which is not bleeped out on Australian television because the show is broadcast after 8:30 p.m. Viewers pummeled the station with complaints anyway, the Catholic Church wanted the show dropped, and several senators, as The Telegraph of Britain delicately put it, “were outraged by the British chef’s turn of phrase.”
The inquiry was prompted after Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi saw an episode of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and was horrified by the number of times Ramsay spewed "the F word" in a single episode (read: 80 times in 40 minutes)—"And I'm not referring to fondue," he added.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, June 20, 2008 at 7:00 PM
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
Based on what he's learned about different variations of pizza in Italy, Jamie makes a traditional pizza, a calzone, and quattro gusti pizza. He tops basic dough with fresh vegetables from his garden and bakes with a traditional wood oven. That's this Saturday morning on Jamie at Home. Saturday 9:30 a.m. ET, Food Network
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Posted by Raphael, June 20, 2008 at 9:45 AM
Nightline continued its "Platelist" series last night with none other than Gordon Ramsay. He does the standard cooking demo and the brief biography but shares some particularly harsh words for food critics:
"Unfortunately, today at the age of 41, my persona gets judged over my substance, which is really frustrating," he said. "I've been cooking for 21 years, and it shows on the wrinkles of my face. But here's the scenario: I'm now being judged by individuals that know less about food than I do. But yet, you have to take it like a man. Well I don't want to take it like a man anymore. I'm fed up with the sarcasm, the damn right rudeness and more important, the arrogance of food critics. Have they actually spent a 16-hour shift cooking 70 to 80 lunches, 120 to 150 dinners short staffed, fish cook is not turning in, produce inconsistent because of the weather?"
Oddly, Nightline cut out parts of the interview from the broadcast and posted larger excerpts to its website: Ramsay, the serial marathon runner and strong believer in physical fitness, insists that his staff be fit, expecting them to hit the gym, going so far as to weigh his chefs every time they step into the kitchen:
"Staying fit is part of the important role of a chef today. I think the days of the balding, alcoholic, fat chef have long gone. The pressure on young chefs today is far greater than ever before in terms of social skills, marketing skills, cooking skills, personality and, more importantly, delivering on the plate. So you need to be strong. Physically fit," he said.
"So my chefs get weighed every time they come into the kitchen. And they run. And they seriously look after themselves. They have free memberships to the local gyms, and more important, I need them to … not just to train their palate but to look after themselves."
Video after the jump.
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Posted by Raphael, June 18, 2008 at 9:15 AM
During last night's Hell's Kitchen, one of the contestants, Christina, burned Gordon Ramsay. Not once, but twice. His response? You get called a "thick cow" and, of course, yelled at. Videos after the jump.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, June 16, 2008 at 7:15 PM
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 reunion of Top Chef Season 4's chefs! They'll talk about the show and answer questions from viewers. Also, Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Ted Allen will appear, and the fan favorite chef will be announced. Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET, Bravo
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Posted by Erin Zimmer, June 16, 2008 at 6:15 PM
©iStockphoto.com/Veni
Remember the Real World locale guessing game? "I heard Los Angeles! No, it's totally New Orleans, stupid." The same intrigue and mystery now follows Top Chef, except sources like food blog Snack and now Grub Street have revealed that season five will in fact call New York home. Come July, you can whip out your camera phones and start stalking the wandering knife cases.
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 16, 2008 at 12:40 AM
Top left: Kelsey yucks it up for Martha. Top right: Kelseybot explains her potato dish. Bottom left: Kelseybot turns on the waterworks. Bottom right: The judges aren't having any of it.
I have to admit, I haven't been paying that much attention to this show. I missed the first ep completely and only really caught up on the second one via Erin's recap last week, along with some online videos of the action.
Even most of the way through this episode, I was like, OMG, will it ever end?!?
But then, in the last five minutes, all became clear. I am now a devoted follower. As long as Kelsey remains on the show, that is.
I cannot get enough of her robotic, forced delivery. It is just insane. It's equal parts Rachael Ray (fast and cheap eats) and Ron Popeil (wide-eyed robotic peppiness) with some Home Shopping Network thrown in for good measure.
Like, check out her delivery after the Mini Challenge, which was to present "your culinary point of view," as expressed via the humble potato. It appears after the jump, along with spoilers, of course.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, June 13, 2008 at 7:45 PM
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
The PBS shows are back after two weeks of Great Performances at the Met. Chef David Chang appears on Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie to talk about good fast food, and then Chang appears on The Best Recipes in the World With Mark Bittman to share a pork recipe. Everyday Baking From Everyday Food is all about cupcakes and Lidia's Italy focuses on boar. Sunday, 4–6 p.m. PBS
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Posted by Ed Levine, June 12, 2008 at 3:00 PM
"Dale and I are totally cool, I've seen him four times in the last couple of weeks." —Lisa Fernandes, 'Top Chef' finalist
So how do you feel now after the finale of Top Chef Chicago? It's over and done, and I'm totally cool with that. I met some awesome people, I got to cook with some great chefs, and overall I had a great time.
What was the hardest thing about being on the show? The hardest thing to deal with was being in seclusion, with no outside contact with the real world. In the reality TV world, you have to get permission to go to the bathroom, to have a cigarette, to do anything. It's like you're a little kid. And they don't even turn your mic off when you go the bathroom.
Did we get to see the real you on Top Chef? Top Chef is reality-show reality, it's selective reality by definition. The cameras are running 24 hours a day, but they only show a tiny part of what they film. The producers often focus on a small part of someone's personality because they're trying to make the best reality show they can. I understand that. It doesn't mean that all of us on the show are going to like everything they show. But that's part of the deal.
Do you regret anything you said on the show? Of course. I'm a human being. I say stupid things, like we all do. But I try to never look back or to live my life being full of regrets. I definitely learned from my mistakes.
How do you feel about the blogosphere? I'm like everybody else, I think. I find it difficult to read negative comments about myself. But I don't want to focus on the negativity. I didn't mean to offend anybody, and I'm sorry if I did. I totally overreacted. [Major spoiler after the jump.]
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Posted by Harold Check, June 11, 2008 at 11:37 PM
We're still in Puerto Rico, having just witnessed the departure of Antonia last week. The three remaining chefs—Richard, Lisa, and Stephanie—are brought before Tom and Padma where they find three famous New York chefs—Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, Dan Barber of Blue Hill, and April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig—each standing by a separate table of proteins and ingredients.
Tom announces that the final challenge will be simple: Create a four-course tasting menu for nine diners, starting with fish, moving to poultry, then red meat, and finishing with dessert. As the challenge is outlined, both Lisa and Stephanie express some concern about being forced to produce a dessert. One senses that a storyline is unfolding, even with just this one small hint.
The "sous chefs": Eric Ripert, Dan Barber, and April Bloomfield.
Furthermore, Tom tells the contestants that they'll have Ripert, Barber, and Bloomfield as their sous chefs for the competition. Who gets whom? And, perhaps more important, who gets the smorgasbord of proteins arrayed in front of each one of them? [A table full of spoilers, after the jump.]
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Posted by Hannah Howard, June 11, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Do you love Top Chef, and yet sometimes find yourself ruminating, "Man, are the contestants old!"
Then Top Chef Junior has your name on it. Bravo announced today the development of its new competition series, where teens will compete for the Top Chef title and accompanying prizes and fame.
A docu-series is also in the works. If Jackie Warner of Workout fame gets a show about running a gym, then why shouldn't Jean-Christophe Novelli star on a show about opening a cooking school? Bravo executives think he should.
With Top Chef as the number one food show on cable, Bravo is seeking to expand their food domain. Frances Berwick, the executive vice president and general manager of Bravo Media, made the following statement:
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Posted by Adam Kuban, June 11, 2008 at 2:30 PM
The season finale of Top Chef: Chicago is tonight of course. If you'd like to catch up on what's gone down in previous episodes, check out Serious Eats' Top Chef coverage here, including Lisa's infamous denunciation of food bloggers "who can't even afford to eat in my restaurant, let alone know how to cook." After the jump, our predictions on who will win.
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Posted by Raphael, June 10, 2008 at 6:15 PM
This morning, Good Morning America put their Mythbusters hats on and tried to pop popcorn with their cellphones. The hoax has hit mainstream television. Not bad. Video after the jump.
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Ted Allen will be busting food myths on the new Food Network show, Food Detectives, bringing you answers to questions like whether gum really stays in your stomach for seven years, or if an "apple a day" really does keep the doctor away. Sounds like it has the potential to be interesting, although that there's enough material to sustain it is questionable. The show premieres Tuesday, July 29, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Posted by Raphael, June 10, 2008 at 12:15 PM
"We used to have this rule, my friends and I, that if we couldn't get on the first subway... we went to breakfast. And maybe that was the beginning of my food career."
ABC's Nightline continues their "Platelist" series with Chef Bobby Flay. In between demonstrating recipes for Bar Americain's Gulf Shrimp and Grits and Fulton Fish Market Cioppino, he talks about being a bad high school student, his father's influence, and his earliest food memories. You can read more of the interview on Nightline's website. Watch the video after the jump.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, June 9, 2008 at 6:00 PM
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: Wednesday night is the last of the two-part finale for Top Chef Season 4. The winner "will receive $100,000 in seed money to help open a restaurant, furnished by the makers of the Glad family of products; a feature in Food & Wine magazine; a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen; a gourmet dream vacation in the French Alps; and will earn the title of 'Top Chef.'" Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET, Bravo
Also, on PBS this week there are a few shows you can watch with your kids that are food related: Sesame Street and WordGirl on Tuesday, and Reading Rainbow on Wednesday. Various, PBS
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Posted by Erin Zimmer, June 9, 2008 at 5:15 PM
The second episode of The Next Food Network Star aired last night and it's safe to say we're still smitten with Lisa Garza. We were nervous we'd starting hating the "firecracker dynamo" contestant with her razor-cut hair and super-bronzed cheeks. But she whipped out her head bandanna and prepared crostini-style French toast with honey crème fraîche on a moving train, with the boldness we expected her to, and we're still fans. So are the judges, who handed her the get-out-of-jail-free immunity status at the end of the episode.
The challenge took place on a New Jersey rail line, where teams of three had to prepare three-course brunch plates with ingredients (bread, cheese, and meat) acquired in previous trivia rounds. Each round took place at a different New York shop (Amy's Bread, Alleva Dairy and Esposito's Butcher). First to screw up its momentum, the Green Team (Jeffrey, Kelsey, and Kevin) guessed wrong on the bread question. "For white flour, what two parts of the whole wheat grain are removed?" They nervously answered "hull and husk" (correct answer: germ and bran), which had Jeffrey hopelessly rolling baguette dough for way too long.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, June 6, 2008 at 7:30 PM
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
Robert Irvine is a guest on Sunday night's episode of The Next Food Network Star! He'll wake the finalists up early in the morning and test their knowledge of food before they have to prepare and serve an original brunch menu on a moving train. Sunday, 10 p.m. ET, Food Network
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Posted by Raphael, June 6, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Most people are surprised that she's made it this far—the finals of this season of Top Chef—what with her back-stabbing and pettiness. Everybody seems to hate her; bloggers don't seem to be fans; commenters everywhere seem to generally despise her. Maybe Bravo's producers painted her as the villain, but when asked by the New York Daily News if she's read the reactions online, Top Chef contestant Lisa Fernandes responded:
Oh no, I don't read the blogs—you couldn't pay me to read the blogs. I don't want to know what people who can't even afford to eat in my restaurant, let alone know how to cook have to say about me, and the few comments I did read on Eater.com a few weeks back because my job asked me to read 'em. The best they could come up with was that I was ugly.
Previously: 'Top Chef' Episode Wrapup: Pork and Beans
Posted by Alaina Browne, June 5, 2008 at 3:00 PM
"She is sooo interesting to look at.... Firecracker dynamo."
—Susie Fogelson, judge and VP of marketing at Food Network
Season 4 of The Next Food Network Star premiered Sunday night, and the contestant we can't stop talking about is Lisa Garza. It's hard not to notice the Anna Wintour–esque former beauty queen who's now the co-owner of and special event planner at Suze Restaurant (her husband, Gilbert, is Suze’s executive chef). Lisa has no formal culinary training, but she has apprenticed for her chef husband for the last 15 to 16 years. Her bio gives her current age as 32, so that would make them high school sweethearts?
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Posted by Harold Check, June 5, 2008 at 1:00 AM
Time has passed. Fauxhawks have changed hue. Do-rags have been discarded. Hair has been shorn. Other than that, it's a remarkably familiar bunch that arrives in sunny Puerto Rico for Top Chef's penultimate competition.
Once Antonia, Richard, Stephanie, and Lisa land on the island, they're immediately whisked away to the beach where they meet Padma and guest judge Wilo Benet, one of Puerto Rico's pre-eminent chefs. He informs the crew that they've got a Quickfire challenge to attend to, which consists of creating pairs of small fried snacks called frituras. Basically, it's beachy snack food. Good for carbo-loading with an ice-cold cerveza. And the chefs will need to center their snacks around the plantain, a favorite local ingredient.
[Spoilers después del salto.]
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Posted by Gordon Mark, June 2, 2008 at 5:30 PM
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 first of the two part finale for Top Chef season 4 Wednesday night. The remaining four chefs travel to Puerto Rico to compete for the final three spots. Chef Wilo Benet guest judges. 10 p.m. ET, Bravo
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Posted by Adam Kuban, May 31, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Looks like Adam "The Amateur Gourmet" Roberts will be the man to watch if you want to follow along with the Food Network's Next Food Network Star show this season. He interviewed each hopeful as he or she got booted and will webcast video spots with the bootees as well as host "viewing parties" for each episode. Details on The Amateur Gourmet.
Posted by Gordon Mark, May 30, 2008 at 6:00 PM
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 night is the premiere of The Next Food Network Star! Even before the 10 finalists unpack, they have to team up and cook for a table of Food Network Stars! Sunday, 10 p.m. ET, Food Network
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Posted by Raphael, May 30, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Oreos may be the wold's best-selling cookie, but it has yet to make much of a impression in biscuit-obsessed England. Nightline covers the Oreo invasion on British soil: what's the Oreo's strategy, how is it being received, and, most importantly, does it dunk well in tea? After the jump, watch the analysis of the Oreo takeover.
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Posted by Harold Check, May 29, 2008 at 1:22 AM
We've got five chefs left. Lisa, Stephanie, Richard, Spike, and Antonia. Last week, we lost Dale. If you are still misty-eyed over that cut, head on over to Bourdain's blog for the straight dope on why Lisa and Spike are still wearing their whites.
As this week's episode begins, there's just one more elimination before the remaining four chefs head to the finals in Puerto Rico. On the way to the Top Chef kitchen, the group makes a side trip to Allen Brothers, a well-known meat purveyor in the Chicago area. Here, the contestants don hairnets, gird their loins, and sharpen their knives before heading into the back to cut some steaks.
The Quickfire challenge is laid out by Joanne, a representative of Allen Brothers. Each chef is given a dry-aged rib rack that they need to convert into Tomahawk Chops, thick steaks with long, completely frenched ribs still attached. They have 20 minutes to make the steaks look perfect.
[Thinly sliced spoilers after the jump.]
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Posted by Raphael, May 28, 2008 at 12:15 PM
"Fortune cookies were invented by the Japanese, popularized by the Chinese, but ultimately they're consumed by Americans." Jennifer 8. Lee, author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, talks about the prevalence of Chinese food around the world and its major role in American culture on Charlie Rose. Watch the video after the jump.
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Posted by Raphael, May 27, 2008 at 5:00 PM
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 finale gets closer as they're down to the final five on Top Chef 10 p.m. ET, Bravo
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Posted by Raphael, May 27, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Josh "Mr. Cutlets" Ozersky, editor of The Grub Street, was a guest on last Friday night's Nightline, in which he goes to Hill Country Barbecue to discuss whether calorie labeling in restaurants would affect people's ordering:
I'm a purist. I love it when it's incredibly complex and layered—when all the arts of gastronomy have gone into a dish. But it should all be based on the beauty and simplicity of animal fat.
I don't think calorie counts are going to stop people from ordering something that's really good.
Ozersky compares the calorie contents of a grande mocha Starbucks coffee with whipped cream and pound cake (800-plus calories), a Big Mac (540 calories), Au Bon Pain's Southwest Tuna Wrap (860 calories), a tropical fruit smoothie from Dunkin' Donuts (720 calories), and the biggest stunner—what he calls "sucker salads": the Pecan Encrusted Chicken Salad at T.G.I. Friday's, clocking in at 1,360 calories.
Ozersky: "Pecans seem healthy. They're nuts. Chicken is skinless, there are greens. It's colorful and healthy, yeah, but it's almost as many calories as three Big Macs."
When asked if calorie labeling would improve people's lives, Ozersky replies, "It doesn't make my life better. I have a freakish existence. But I'd say it probably makes for a better society."
Video after the jump.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, May 26, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Flat-screen TVs and waterbeds are two of the comforts enjoyed by Kirk Christie's dairy cows on his farm in Iowa. The idea behind the frills is that cows will make more milk if they feel more comfortable—"Christie estimates his cows' milk production has increased 10 percent since he installed the waterbeds." Watching TV helps the cows get used to different kinds of voices, which prevents them from getting as nervous when they have to hear the different voice of people who visit the barn. Christie isn't the only farmer using this method to increase his milk production—the idea to use waterbeds on dairy farms originated in Europe more than a decade ago.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, May 23, 2008 at 5:30 PM
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
Iron Chef Bobby Flay faces off against Chef Bob Iacovone, from New Orleans' Restaurant Cuvee, on this Sunday's Iron Chef America. Sunday, 10 p.m. ET, Food Network
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Posted by Harold Check, May 21, 2008 at 11:18 PM
I have a feeling that Tom Colicchio regularly shows up at 5:45 AM in most of the chefs' nightmares. That said, at the beginning of this episode, well before the sun cracked the horizon, the head judge arrived loudly at the Top Chef barracks.
And if the pre-dawn wake-up call wasn't enough, Tom tells the six remaining chefs that their Quickfire challenge will be to work the egg station at one of Chicago's best-loved (and busiest) breakfast spots. Of course, in the hustle, I managed to miss the name of the place. Any Chicagoans? A little help in comments, please...
[Spoilers, over easy, after the jump.]
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"The Food Network will air reruns of Emeril Live! in the afternoon. But corporate sister the Fine Living Network will pick up the show at 7 p.m. starting on July 7." [via Food Network Addict]
Posted by Gordon Mark, May 19, 2008 at 5:45 PM
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 a chef-travaganza on Tuesday's Martha Stewart Show! Chefs Mario Batali, Harold Dieterle, Mark Strausman, Emeril Lagasse, and Joey Campanaro are on to prepare simple suppers. 1 p.m. ET, NBC and Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET, Fine Living Network
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Posted by Raphael, May 18, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Last night's Saturday Night Live featured Steve Carell doing a funny monologue about having drank too many Red Bulls:
You know, the most amazing part of SNL is the schedule. You're putting in 18-hour days - by the end of the week, you're exhausted, and you have to count on your adrenaline to kick in. But what if it doesn't? Now that's why, as a precautionary measure, I drank six Red Bulls. Now, I never had one before, so I hope that's enough. And I also ate a bunch of Sour Patch Kids...
Video after the jump.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, May 16, 2008 at 7:30 PM
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 off to Chile in this Sunday's episode of Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie. They'll be bring us around Chile, finding some of the best seafood in the country, and visiting the birthplace of potatoes. In the kitchen they'll teach you how queso fresco can create a hearty stew. Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, PBS
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Posted by Harold Check, May 14, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Alright, we're still in Chicago and we still have six more chefs to sort through, several of which I hadn't pictured making it past week two, much less week ten.
Here's who's left, with a cheat-sheet in case you still don't have the names straight: Lisa (pierced eyebrow), Antonia (unflappable expression), Stephanie (curls) , Richard (fauxhawk), Dale (headband, grimace), Spike (hats), Andrew (beard, crazy eyes).
As we head into the Top Chef kitchen for the Quickfire, we see that this week's guest judge is Sam Talbot, a popular finalist from Season Two. He and Padma introduce the opening challenge, which is to make an innovative salad, or as they embarassingly put it: "bring the sexy back to salad." [Insert eye-roll here.] The chefs have 45 minutes and access to whatever ingredients they need.
[Incredibly sexy spoilers after the jump.]
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Posted by Adam Kuban, May 13, 2008 at 6:30 PM
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.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, May 12, 2008 at 6:30 PM
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
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Posted by Raphael, May 10, 2008 at 1:00 PM
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.
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Posted by Gordon Mark, May 9, 2008 at 7:00 PM
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.
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Posted by Raphael, May 9, 2008 at 12:30 AM
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.
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Posted by Raphael, May 8, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Mario Batali made the braciole from his new book, Italian Grill
, on Jimmy Kimmel's show last night. Kimmel did indicate he knew his braciole. "I'm from Brooklyn," he said. That, Mario said, is known as "Western Italy." The whole exchange, after the jump.
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Posted by Harold Check, May 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Looks like we've got a supersized hour-and-fifteen-minute episode this week called "Wedding Wars." So, before it even starts, we already know it's a group catering challenge. Right out of the gate, the eight remaining chefs head to the knife block and break out into two teams of four.
On Team Fork, we've got Antonia, Andrew, Richard, and Stephanie. (Lots of wins on that team.)
On Team Spoon, there's Dale, Lisa, Nikki, and Spike. (Lots of hats and bandanas on that team.)
And it makes sense that teams have formed because it's time for everyone's favorite the Quickfire Relay Race, with Tom Colicchio subbing in as referee and arbiter of relay hand-offs.
[Spoilers after the jump.]
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Posted by Robyn Lee, May 7, 2008 at 12:15 PM
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.)
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Posted by Gordon Mark, May 5, 2008 at 5:45 PM
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
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Posted by Raphael, May 3, 2008 at 7:30 PM
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]
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Posted by Gordon Mark, May 2, 2008 at 6:00 PM
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 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
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Posted by Raphael, May 2, 2008 at 3:45 PM
"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 h
