Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Wow, it is old. Wonder why it was on the "recently commented" column?

@buffy ~ ^ This thread is pretty old.

Soup's On! is my personal favorite. It's the first thing that came to my mind when I read the topic.

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!

I originally found Alton Brown VERY annoying...could NOT watch an entire episode. The, there was one that I was very interested in the topic and became hooked. I've learned so much from watching Good Eats - the science behind everything helps me understand and be a better cook.

I loved Jamie Oliver in his "Naked Chef" days...simple, few ingredients.

And...I truly miss Justin Wilson...

Alton Brown, no contest.
I have learned so much from all of his shows. I considered myself quite a cook because ever watching Alton. But after I started watching Good Eats (long. log time viewer here) I realized I didn't know what much about how and why food cooks. Watching Alton has greatly improved my cooking. He also really inspires me to try new things because after watching the show I feel like I have the knowledge and skill to actually make the dish. He inspired me to smoke salmon (but not in a cardboard box), make soft pretzels and brine a turkey. I would have never done that if I hadn't watched his show. :)
And I love Good Eats from an entertainment stand point, it is always funny!

@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.

Alton Brown, sometimes Ina when I can find a new episode and always Mario and Michael Chierello.

eek -- I meant "ARE most inspiring TO me." Sad that I am a native English speaker....