Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

When I'm eating at a restaurant, I don't necessarily know who the chef is, and the person in charge of the kitchen on any given night might not be the same person who created the menus and recipes. If the creator isn't around and the people on the line can recreate the dishes properly, I'm fine with that.

Sure, I'd like a famous chef to cook my meal personally, but that's pretty unlikely to happen unless I win some sort of contest. Or unless I catch tomorrow's famous chef at today's "flipping burgers" stage of their career.

But being a good restaurant chef isn't the same thing as being a good TV chef, just like being a good print reporter doesn't necessarily translate to being an on-air personality. Sometimes a person will have both talents; sometimes not.

If someone is entertaining on TV, I don't think they necessarily have to have a string of restaurants first. I mean, Alton Brown is entertaining and educational, but not a restaurant chef. And someone being a good restaurant chef doesn't always translate to what I can do in my kitchen, based on equipment and ingredients. Yes, it might be entertaining to watch the Sous Vide Chef for an episode or two, but after that, it would lose its value because I can't recreate the dishes at home.

Maybe the combo of all the above. I also think that it takes a certain personality and how you react to people that does the trick itself. I mean there are some wonderful chefs out there but they do not have the "UMPH" it takes to attract an audience and keep them stay tuned. If they had a show that was all about cooking (and strictly cooking, that's it) then fine. But with all the other reality shows and ext, the networks are driving to the people who like that. Therefore you get the competitions, the Y'alls, the tablescrapes, the Evoo, the cleavages, the BAMS, and all the other drama.

I don't know but I kinda like Mario's cleavage.

@Heart, pick up one of AB's cookbooks at the library and browse through it; you'll get a good idea of his style and you'll get a good idea whether you'd like that style or not. He's kind of nerdy, and some of his TV props are a little cheesy, which I think is part of his charm. I mean, if you have to know about molecular bonds or whatever, it's more amusing and maybe easier to understand if he's cutting up garden hoses and playing with toy trains.

I saw him on some show and he explained that his scientific cooking approach wasn't born because he was good at science or cooking -- it was his only way of mastering cooking -- by figuring out why things worked a certain way. And in the process he learned the science and was able to create edible food. So he's not at all pompous or arrogant.

Anyway, his books are sort of the same way. If you like his style, then it might be worthwhile to buy one of his books.

be careful of the crack you wish for. it could be wow or ewww.

@dbcurrie--sounds like I would love him. I love America's Test Kitchen, Howard McGee and all of that geeky food science stuff. Cheesy props and truly smart people are a plus!

For me it's a combination of these:

* Someone who has to know what he or she is doing at the stove because it's an opinion I have formed and not one created by a media machine.

* An inventive cook who can make something glorious out of nothing, by the sheer knowledge of experience.

* Where it concerns a specific restaurant, I have to remember a dish to the point where it permeates my dreams. ("I was walking through a purple forest and came upon a lime green table - and that Beef Wellington was beautifully plated and waiting for me!")

* As far as having a show, I need to learn from the demonstrations performed by the chef. He or she must be comfortable in front of a camera, i.e.: Ina, Giada, Mario. The babble gene, i.e. Shamdra Lee, Cheap Chic or whatever the hell her name was - makes me want to drip lye into my ears. There's a reason the camera focuses on Ina's hands - she's doing something worth watching. There's very little education in watching someone put corn oil in cake mix.

@Cara_Mia - I love Dave Lieberman. You would think with the economy in the toilet, they'd showcase him more given his schpiel is economical cooking. ((Shrugs))

I define a Celebrity Chef as one who:

A) Appears on television;
B) Has their name on a product;
C) Has written a book;
D) Is recognized around the world;
E) Travels all over the world;
F) Is no longer living paycheck to paycheck.

They are EXTREMELY Lucky and were in the right place at the right time.

I believe a celebrity Chef is a person that becomes a Star Chef without knowing he or she will become so successful...like Mike Symon of Cleveland.
You see shows like Top Chef and there are some contestants that really ham it up for the camera ,they want to be the next Mario and it shows because they are trying way too hard.
Which reminds me...does anyone else think that Alton Brown has changed?? My husband and I think his head has gotten a little too big.....just an observation.