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STIV61, you list the website for THE KITCHEN DIVA! show but obviously you've never read about the show or the host, Angela Shelf Medearis. She isn't cooking "soul food" which I guess you place in the fried chicken and barbeque category or assumed she'd be doing since she's African-American. Mrs. Medearis via THE KITCHEN DIVA! show is trying to address the need for healthier eating by preparing locally grown, organic, and often-times vegetarian dishes. The program is sponsored by a non-profit organization called Book Boosters, so if you have a problem with the production values I suggest that you make a donation as they operate on grant funds and donations so that they can provide the program at no charge to PBS stations in the hope that viewers who are suffering from food related diseases can use her recipes to prepare traditional favorites in a healthier way. I also looked at the photos, video clips from her shows and recipes on her site and I thought the food looked delicious!

@iliana: loving the "concept" of starbucks = the accessability of
having a cafe experience here in america. a totally unique experience,
pre-SB -- except in ethnic neighborhoods. not the same thing as having coffee in a "coffee shop" or diner.

i think they started taking themselves too seriously. i don't want to detract from the SB success story/phenonomon -- which was at first, seemingly spontaneous. they just started orchestrating too much, in my opinion - making it like a SB religious experience or something. it's only coffee....

Tyler Florence without a doubt. Even though his frenetic presentations sometimes get on my nerves, he cooks real food that is absolutely delish. I've never made one of his dishes I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

Close second is Ina for all of your above reasons. She inspires confidence and never pronounces that her way is the only way.

Not quite a issue worthy of debate but from a business perspective it is interesting.

Starbucks (SB's) built their business on the historical coffee house platform borrowed from the Europeans.

They also brought the bold (over roasted) European brews and offered them to those who patronized their kiosks.

Initially patrons came to enjoy the coffee house ambiance. The coffee was tolerated.

SB's recognized early that those who came and purchased coffee were leaving their cups half full/empty--you decide depending on your attitude.

So SB's began to provide "candy bar coffee"---it started with chocolate and cream to hide/mask the awful over-roasted bitter brews and extended into cappuccino, lattes, caffe' latte's ,mocha's and other offerings that would cover the bitter/off flavor notes caused by over roasted coffee.

Smart business decision--but like many decisions made by SB's they had not thought beyond the next shareholder's meeting.

SB's built their coffee houses with reckless abandon and to keep the business afloat (cash flow) they began selling cold drinks, snacks and even today soup and sandwiches. Not enough pure coffee drinkers were around.

Wouldn't the "coffee connoisseurs" keep them in business? You know the fellow snobs who purchase just a very special cup of "Verona" fast and easy -compared to a non-fat, soy latte with extra foam-- (Pleaaassse). But those long lines are not made up of "connoisseurs" they are made up of "the masses" trying to cover the awful SB's brew with all sorts of concoctions--caramel, egg nog, chocolate--extra cream--please anything to lessen the taste of this terrible burnt brew..

The long lines of patrons could be lessened and perhaps ever more NEW customers would arrive if the coffee was palatable and not requiring a chemist from DuPont to cover the acid..

The reality is:

If you took away the food, cold drinks, sugary flavored drinks--and iced beverages the Starbucks connoisseurs would not have a line in which to wait and they --in time-- would not have a place to sit and use their Wi Fi because SB would be filing for bankruptcy protection.

So the "masses" who know more about coffee than SB.

Howard understands this and is attempting to build a Dunkin Coffee program with the franchise--so far the brand he built is smothering him in this attempt.

If he doesn't figure this out soon as other smaller coffee franchise have, then Starbucks is doomed.

The food is excellent--great sandwiches.

@luswim06 - I nearly had a heart attack!

There was a "SLop marathon" of sorts over the weekend. Glad I was busy...LOL.

Semi-homemade! That's MY favorite :)

Okay, okay. Just kidding. keep reading...

I love Ina--she gives even the most fattening recipe appeal and class. She just has this lovely demeanor and experience that makes me enjoy watching her show even when I don't love what she is baking.

I also like Giada, despite her cleavage...'nough said.

at Love2Cook--I also like Ace of Cakes--it's something i can always flip to if nothing else is on!

Well as someone who's done some bad low budget *Public acess" cable TV food shows himself ( Stone soup and Sandwhich "Lord Nelson" being my gold standards) the worse the host is and the the poorer the production values are the the more entertaining I find them.

So I'll list a few in no particular order of subaltern standards I give you:

"Art of food"
http://www.wendybrodie.com/
(Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard her hubby is a horribly annoying sot not to mention they've even fed thier dog scraps on the show!)

"Miss Lucy's cajun" nightmare
http://www.lpb.org/programs/lucy/classroom/index.html
(Just awful, she once smashed grapes with her feet :-(

"The kitchen diva"
http://www.divapro.com/
(Soul food is good hers is not and she has a staff the helps her and it still looks awful...mind numbing enhancement with *Diva cam*)

"The chef's kitchen"
(All at once a horrible vehicle for shilling a multitude of mediocre to bad products doing recipies that very few would try at home with a blabbermouth big boobed J.A.P. that simply won't shut up. Her signature phrase is *Wow*)
For all your video torture:
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v6972068z8qT7TCN

I think that's enough to inflict on you all for now....oh yes I have more (:=

For me, it's a tie between Alton Brown and America's Test Kitchen. Both shows explain the science behind what you're cooking, and understanding why something cooks the way it does leads me to almost always cook it correctly. They also both offer excellent, simple recipes that form a great platform to start experimentation. They're also both incredibly geeky, which might be another reason I like the so much.

Yes, yes. Alton, Ina, Jamie, Nigella, Tyler

I am a fan of Nigella, even if she does make cooking look like porn. And i think I would leave my fiance for Tyler! Alton brown is singlehandedly responsible for making me the new "Queen of Gravy" in my family, the man is a genius but I fast forward thru a lot of the scientific parts, cooking in my house is a little less science and a little more whatever I have in the fridge tonight. Emeril turns me off, he wipes his nose WAY to much-gross.

Jamie and Nigella most inspiring me. Their attitudes make me feel like I can do everything they can. Or maybe I just have a thing for Brits? Who knows!! ;)

Lately my favorite is probably The F Word on BBCA. I like the mix of doable recipes, competition and other food related snipets that are so much more educational than the non-cooking food programming that Food Network seems to think is acceptable television. I make Gordon Ramsey's Rabbit Fricassee every year for Easter.

However, I think my favorite cooking program was the little 5 or so minute Get Stuffed programs that used to air late at night on ITV when I lived in London. Those were great easy recipes for anyone living on a budget and quite entertaining to boot!

I didn't at first, but I've learned to love Bobby Flay. Especially after a Boy Meets Grill episode when I swear he was wasted.