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The Ten Most Recent Comments By jehjeh

From Talk

What's your Favorite Food Movie?

Oh wow--so many great food movies out there. The first I saw at age 13--The Godfather. Yes, all that yummy Italian food between button men, tommy guns, and mafioso intrigue.

After that--Babette's Feast (don't watch this at the end if you're hungry); Like Water for Chocolate (book was even better with interesting recipes--I mean really, quail with rose petals!); Chocolat (I second GrizDave about the marvelous cast), Eat Man Drink Woman and its wonderful remake, Tortilla Soup. Big Night--oh wow- can I get a reservation?

Some actually made me sick--like The Cook, Thief, etc... I could not finish watching. La Grande Bouffe--ditto. I do not like seeing food treated with such disrespect. Since I cannot and do not eat pork, Tampopo left me cold foodwise--but the other elements made it a fun flick.

Oh yes, that scene in Flashdance--very sexy food scene.


It is a shame they never released Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? onto DVD. I never saw it and would love to. Am definitely planning on seeing Ratatouille.

Definitely agree with Sandro--just make a great movie that effectively uses food and food scenes and we're happy.

And now--how about a topic that uses food scenes in books? Anna Karenina -- just read it for yourselves...

jehjeh at 11:19AM on 07/17/07

From Talk

What's your Favorite Food Movie?

Babette's Feast is my absolute favorite food movie.

jehjeh at 4:50PM on 07/15/07

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

I rarely watch The Food Network (TFN) these days. There just isn't anything much on there to interest me. I have very little positive to say and the rest is negative (sorry).

Since I really enjoy food science, I will say Alton Brown is my favorite and wish they would put more food science shows on.

Ah--finally a place I can vent about "Her Awesomeness"--Rachael Ray. Definitely NOT my favorite. And yes, she is so hyper at times and says "awesome!" so often (and don't forget the punctuation mark), I wonder if she isn't actually on something... The word "awesome" has been worked and reworked and overworked to the point that I don't care who says it--I despise the word and could swear it is the average American's only known adjective. Also, since she makes way too many burgers, I wonder if that isn't the only thing she really knows how to cook (and hey, I'm a burger fan myself--just not of the Chez BK or Mickey D version).

I would like the "Barefoot Contessa" more if I just didn't harbor the sneaking suspicion that Ms. Lawson was saying to the rest of us: "I have the perfect house, perfect kitchen, perfect career, perfect friends, perfect marriage; I live in the Hamptons and I'm LOADED--couldn't you just die?" However, she does look like she knows what she is doing, and I admit, as financially strapped as I am these days, I would quite happily settle down with someone like her Jeffrey.

The Iron Chefs, both Japanese and American, I can take or leave. I do admit to feeling dismayed when hearing one of the challenger chefs on the Japanese show had used horse fat to flavor something or other. I'm just glad it wasn't offered to me.

And yes, Giada needs to put her boobs away. She is more convincingly Californian than Italian.

In addition, I am saddened to read that TFN used to be much better--that it has deteriorated into cheap entertainment using food as a prop. But then again, when did chefs begin to be treated like movie and rock stars? I'm all for recognizing hard work and accomplishments, but I have no doubt that the ego of many "chefs" today rivals that of most ubermodels.

And it galls me that TFN even has constant repeats--and it really galls me that it has the nerve to go off the air and try to subject us to paid programming/infomercials. (So many stations already do that to us.) Jeez Louize, I mean, aren't we already paying for cable/satellite?


jehjeh at 11:14AM on 07/15/07

Responses to Comments by jehjeh

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

First of all I have to recover from laughing sooo hard at the remarks from:
Nance- re: Sandra Lee on the Kwanzaa cake (topping in with corn nuts) please tell me your joking, I don't know if you or Sandra's Kwazaa cake recipe want to kill ME. rotfl.
Jensings- your comment also made me roll off the couch, well put.
Alssa- same as above
Thanks y'all for a very good laugh.

Now who I like:
Alton - becuz he is silly and informative, I like that.
Emeril- becuz of due respect, but he needs to (or has) retire, his "bam" has gotten a little too old.
Ina- like her soft spoken demure and her recipes seem very good, but did she make a pact with the devil? Read her bio eveything thing she did she is successful at... hmmmmmm. That nervous laugh does get to me though.
Tyler- tried some of his stuff....really good.
Sara Moulton- like her alot, she is so relaxed, I like her cooking, she teaches, and she covers UP!! I miss her.
Cat Cora-total professional, she is very pretty but like all chefs ( iam one myself) cover's UP!! She wears a chef coat. I like her demure and professional knowledge.
Anthony Bourdain- Love his shows, they tell the real shit that goes on in cultures.
Mario- real authentic chef. Love his shows and his foods. Wll miss him too.
Duff-I like but other then his oux and Mary Alice many of his workers seem liike there on drugs.
Guy- I like him. his show makes me sick becuz my city has very few diner, drive-ins and dives anymore( I live in Seattle). His other show I only saw a few times, but I liked what he made so far. He's funny.
Symon- I like him. He's professional and his giggles crack me up. I like his food.
Flay- His actual shows bore me to sleep but I do respect his success and I 'm sure his food is good. I hear good reviews about his restaurants.
Ming Tsi- I miss him, he too is a Pro. and I loved his show. I made a dish of his for Mother's Day once and it turned out great but man, I almost had to hop a plane to Asia to get some of the ingreds. for it.

Now for my dislikes:
Paula Deen- I like her home program (she's somewhat mellow) but the shit she makes.......
Paula's party- That is enough to make my ears bleed. Is she drunk on that show? She is flirting, forgetting what they are doing she is hamming it up. Nooooooooo!!
Robin What her name- Boring.
Giada- I liked her pogram when it first aired, but now it is a joke. Yes that phoney accent, the Farrah Fawcett smile, yes the low cut shirts. Shit she is making Italian food (maybe), she should be professional and wear a chef coat. You get shit all over yourself making Italian food. It's food food porn.
Sandra Lee- Ah wtf is she doing on FN? Yes she has a concept for making things go easy in the kitchen, yes someone above wrote that some chefs use canned this and that for fresh and its true, and that is good, but she can at least come through with some dishes that are homemade 100% for the times one has day off or special occasions ect. Anyone can open a box or packet and just add shit to it, but I thought the FN was to educate people how to make real dishes.
Bobblehead aka Rach Ray- She is over the top of WHAT???? Yes I play a game with my boyfriend, everytime 30 mins. airs we get beers ready and when she says her imfamous words "EVOO, sammies, delish, garbage bowl, awesome, eyeball it, giggles, ect., we take a drink. Guaranteed your tipsy (if not drunk) in 30 minutes. FN needs to restructure what their goal is really quick. Do they want the true chefs that really show people methods, ideas of real cooking or do they want to have circus acts like they are airing?

pjracz10 at 1:04PM on 08/04/08

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

Rachael, Guy and SLoP should be BANNED. Every Rachael recipe I've tried has come out like s**t.

I love just about everyone else on the FN.

BITTER at 7:04PM on 03/10/08

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

Wow.....the animosity towards Sandra Lee in some of the comments is quite interesting. I’ve worked with and have hired professional chefs over the years and the short cuts they use in their cooking isn’t much different from Sandra Lee’s. She’s just honest about it. I know of one 5-star restaurant that opens a can of Campbell’s tomato soup, adds some garnish, gives it a fancy name and charges a ridiculous price. Anyone who utilizes a can of San Marino for a tomato dish cannot possibly sit in judgement of others.

I’ve tried some of the recipes of the highly rated “chefs” mentioned here and found them to be quite disappointing. The end result is what it’s all about....not how much one slaved in the kitchen.

Sandra Lee makes cooking fun....especially for those just starting out. And nowadays, with so many young folks working many hours in serious careers, I’m sure it’s nice to have a quick, fun recipe when one finally gets home at 7:00 pm and the kids are famished. I can’t wait to try some of her recipes with my grandson when he gets old enough.

I liked Alton Brown better before he went gimmicky and goofy.

parker at 1:25PM on 01/29/08

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

I watch Food Network much more for technique and principles than recipes. Travel shows and food competitions are time-wasting. How about healthful cooking, vegetarian recipes, dairy substitutes, ethnic cooking other than Italian, bread baking? I can't eat pork or shellfish, or mix dairy and meat. How about cooking with those limitations.

FAVORITES: Alton Brown. More time and less clowning, please.
Giada. Reasonable recipes; fewer distractions (2), please. Maybe her body is too small.
Robin Miller. I respect her as a wife and mother. Realistic recipes. A nice lady.

WORST
Paula Dean, Ina Garten are toxic. Rachael Ray has too much TV and commercial exposure. Why does every one of her recipes have to contain cheese and pork? Emeril is generally boring, but occasionally he shows an excellent technique. His "Live" show is dreadful. Sandra Lee: I just turn off the sound and watch. I don't care what she's doing.

sabaraba at 12:03AM on 01/03/08

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

I think Food Network made the gradual decision to make the channel more about food and life and less about cooking technique... what with the average American's non-stop hectic life. Cue: 30 Minute Meals and the like.

I supremely enjoyed Batali's program with the three guests observing, asking questions and sampling his dishes - it was a beautiful and simple concept for a cooking show. It was what cooking should be, about learning and sharing with people. To whoever said he moves too fast and undercooks everything, I am going to fight you.

I don't like Rachael Ray or Sandra Lee either. A lot of people go bananas over Ray though. I've never watched an entire Sandra Lee.

Alvin at 4:31AM on 01/01/08

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

Wow...who spelunked the archives to find this gem of a thread!!!

There are very few shows remaining on TVFN worth watching if you are amongst those with tastebuds. TVFN has switched its target to the Cool Whip Contingent instead of sticking with hardcore foodies (such as us).

Ina Garten, Michael Chiarello, Alton Brown and Giada DeLaurentis are the last holdouts doing valuable cooking instruction at TVFN. The rest is fluff and nonsense - i.e. Unwrapped and The Secret Life Of... One exception might be the "challenge" shows which, depending on your interests can be intriguing.

The absolute worst hack on TVFN is without a doubt Sandra Lee. Her show is nothing about cooking. She assembles boxes of this with cans of that, pours in a little envelope of "soup" powder and calls it cooking. After attending one of Shamdra's Junkfests, I imagine her guests go out for dinner. If they can drive.

chiff0nade at 6:56PM on 12/29/07

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

Favorites: Alton, always. He's a genius, funny, and has resisted the pressure to get hairplugs. : P I viewed what I'm guessing some people were declaring his rude behavior on the Food Star, and I think they need to take a breath and grow up a little; after all, these contestants were presenting themselves as both knowledgeable about cooking and having the charisma and creativity to create their own show--I don't think his expectations were too high. It's the network's that should be much higher.
Nigella I have loved for years, although I am dismayed by some of the shortcuts on the new show.
Jamie Oliver has had some great recipes in the past, so I'm interested to see the new show.
Anthony Bourdain is more himself, and therefore more entertaining on the Travel Network, but certainly worth watching in the original Cook's Tour.

Should be cancelled immediately, if not sooner:
Paula Deen, please sit down and allow Southerners to retain some semblance of self-respect. Every time I hear her, I can feel my brain cells committing suicide, and her recipes nauseate me. Less is more, Paula.
Rachel Ray--I used to find $40 a Day marginally bearable if only for the locations, but eventually stopped tuning in not only because of her overdone, annoying banter, but especially because of the appallingly paltry tips she would leave the kind people who served her food. It's no wonder she always wound up eating alone--no one else wants the waiter spitting in their food because they're sitting with a cheapskate! Since those early days, it's hard to escape Rachel. She chases me from one network to another, and even if I don't stumble onto one of her myriad shows, I can't escape her hawking something in commercials, nor her unnaturally shiny eyes in the grocery checkout line. God save us.
Sandra Lee: like a clone gone awry, she has followed Rachel in the Food Network's race to the bottom. I came across an amusing article that addresses this on a wider scale: http://chriswalkerversus.blogspot.com/2007/04/chris-walker-vs-dumbing-down-of-america.html Atrocious doesn't adequately describe her show. Just how stupid does FN think we are--and are we? *shudder*

caprafan at 6:16PM on 12/29/07

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

I love AB I've been a fan from the first show--even my 9 year old son loves him. I think he's sexy too, geeks are hot. I also love Tony Bourdain, asshole or not--he's talented and I enjoy his unfiltered view on food and celebrities.

I love Mario, Ina,Michael Chiarello & Sara Molten for their cooking and talent. I truly would love to eat at these peoples houses. I love that Ina hasn't let her fame go to her head, it's nice to see that for a change.

I love Paula because she's Paula, simple and yes she does whip up some pretty unhealthy stuff, but fried food is good food--even to this California girl. Fir all you naysayers, Paula refuses to open up another restaurant and devotes time and money to her family. This is a good thing in a world of greed. I do have a problem with her sons and husband riding on her shirt tails. Her husband even signs her books at book signings...why he didn't pen them?!

Do not like RR, Sandra Lee (except for the cocktails)Emeril (I would NEVER eat at one of his restaurants. Amy whatsher name that just one the food network star show.

Lastly how can you not want to make out with Nigella, that is one beautiful woman.

esspressomeup at 2:58PM on 12/23/07

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

For a while I was hooked on Nigella Lawson..where did she go? Right now I think Alton Brown is the best host. He's actually educational even if you don't cook. The man should be on Discovery and not FN. My least favorite is Paula Deen. I'm sick of that overdone southern drawl and all that butter and mayonnaise is tiresome.

RichardCrystal at 1:22PM on 12/12/07

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

Giada just doesn't get it, does she? Nigella Lawson doesn't have to have half her breasts hanging out to show how sexy she is. Perhaps it's because her face is actually pretty and her head is a normal size. Giada really needs the distraction of her breasts to take the attention away from the bobble head. She is truly unattractive. Of course, there are plenty of unattractive people in the world, and that's just fine, but Giada believes she is an Italian Godess. News Flash...NOT!

Plus, her cooking is for children. Seriously, anyone with half a brain can cook better than Giada. Sandra Lee also cooks easy meals, but that's what her show is all about. It's supposed to be easy! Giada pretends she's a good cook, but if anyone has tried her recipes, you'll quickly understand how good a cook she really is. She tries to make everything Italian by adding some basil or changing one other ingredient. Sorry, Giada...that doesn't make it Italian. That's like making spaghetti and meatballs and adding a tablespoon of curry to call it Indian! Make some real Italian food for a change.

Did anyone see Giada on the Today Show a few weeks ago? She was so out-of-place, she had no idea what to do. She looked like a complete fool because she had nothing to say. She sat there like she was scared to death. Let's hope the Today Show producers don't make that mistake again.

JackB at 8:12AM on 10/09/07