I also find the Neelys incredibly annoying. I watched an entire half hour hoping it would get better...it did not. Approximately 100 "my man" and "your man" in 30 minutes!!

All of the new shows annoy me from one degree to another. The Neelys are among the worst! I've learned to move on to other channels. If it's the Wal-Mart crowd they want, then that's probably what they are going to get.

I agree, the Neelys are among the worst of TFN's new shows...I have to change the channel when they come on. If that is the calibre of their new shows, unfortunately, they will lose lots of viewers.

I vote for Alton Brown as my favorite!

It seems like they're trying too hard with the race/ethnic-balancing tokenism. You can't force this, you just can't. If they find a Korean chef as bad as the woman on "Simply Delicioso" I will scream.

Look, they want new demographics, fine. They think because Ace of Cakes has this GenX vibe and that show is successful, hey they'll do a new one - "2 Dudes Catering" - UGH! Wrong.

It can't be THAT hard to find a real black chef with personality, that doesn't do ribs! Their mis-steps smack of too much corporate brainstorming (oxymoron I know). They should be leaving it up to the smart independent production companies like Al Roker's to bring them the ideas.

As far as Alton - I love him too, but that awful and pretentious "Feasting on Asphalt" was ego-gone-wild.

It's nice to hear that I am not the only one annoyed by the new format of Food Network. I also thought the Neely show would be good (and it could be - they don't make bad looking dishes) but it is just the baby talk and such that is irritating. I watched it once and that was enough for me.

I remember the day when my cable company added Food Network as a regular channel. I was thrilled and it was good but not anymore. My PBS Channels have much better cooks and chefs that REALLY do cook and show us how to use different ingredients, the origin, etc. without all the cleavage and "trademark talking".

If you take a look at E. W. Scripts' description of FoodTV it would seem Joe has exactly nailed what the network is emphasizing. It's noteworthy that the food comes way down the list of their goals, "...while also expanding its repertoire of technique-based information."

Their primary goal is entertainment not culinary instruction. I have to assume they know their business model & demographics better than I...so, it looks like that's what the majority of the likely viewing public wants.

I also really enjoy Alton's 'Good Eats'. I try to watch it a couple times/week. I always learn something quirky that I think is fun.

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: E. W. Scripts' description of FoodTV

Alton Brown is my fave, too, because I always learn something. I agree with most of these sentiments, too. I used to watch a lot of Food Network, but realized after Christmas that either my tastes were changing - or FN was changing. I think it's a combination of both - and I may have OD'ed a little on FN at Christmas.

I like PBS for Lidia and Jacques Pepin. The other week, Paul Prudhomme was on. And I usually learn something from America's Test Kitchen, too.

It just occurred to me that I've never seen Amy Finley's "Gourmet Next Door" on FN - not even seen it advertised. (She won Next Food Network Star last season.) Went to the website and it looks like maybe it's kaput?

The "Gourmet Next Door" was scheduled on Sundays at 1pm. I saw it once. I just visited the FoodTV site and for Finley's show, it says "No upcoming episodes are currently available". Maybe it was pulled.

Last season's "Next Food Network Star" was an absolute bust in so many ways. The whole season, the judges were complaining to the effect "I don't think we have any real winners here". And then one of the two finalists was exposed as a big liar. And when they brought Amy back to fill in, everybody was just confused.

As I said, I applied for the fourth season. No call back. The deadline was July 30, which I met, and the time when they said they would call back was early October.

When I went to the website in mid October, I discovered that not only did they not make any decisions, they extended the deadline. But they did it in a very quiet way. They sent out "casting calls" (insider invitations) to broadcast companies. They went looking for professional personalities rather than chefs/cooks. On the site, they did announce such a casting call and gave eight cities where you could audition. It was never announced on tv and it was only in small print down at the bottom of the website.

The FoodTV producers basically said they found no real personalities in last year's show and found no personalities in this years applications.

They're looking for more Rachels, Giadas, Ingrids, Sandras and Robins. "Chefs" whose real schooling is tv.

I'm not sour. I'm just disappointed in FoodTV and find that I watch it less and less and PBS more and more.

Let's hope the pendulum swings. Let's hope they find new producers who believe in substance.

Joe

Another veto for the Neeley's. I found the guy pretty okay but Mrs. Neeley was annoying to me. I was looking for the remote control to change the channel when I got interested in the cole slaw she was making. I make a pretty good cole slaw but I tried the Neeley's recipe and it was great!

Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw
Recipe courtesy The Neelys 2 pounds green cabbage
4 carrots
1 small sweet onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cut cabbage in quarters and remove core. Peel carrots and onion and cut into pieces that would fit through the feed tube of a food processor. Fit food processor with the large-holed grater attachment and push cabbage, carrots, and onions through feed tube to grate. In a large bowl, toss vegetables together.

In another medium bowl, prepare the coleslaw dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar, and cayenne. Toss dressing with the cabbage mixture, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

I guess I am an old crochety curmudgeon person....because I hate the RR and the Paula Deens and the Giadas and PUH-Leeze....deliver me from Alton Brown!! That "bed head" dressed hair that my grandchildren affect...too old for that....the "confidential" attitude and most of what he confidentially says is either not so or stuff any beginning cook already knows!

There are TV cooks/personalities....and there are real cooks....who run a restraunt...or many restraunts. Those are the guys and gals I want to take lessons from....not the "personalities".
And don't tell me that Paula and her sons run a restraunt...nor that RR runs a restraunt....
I mean real places like Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Rick Bayless and Wolfgang Puck run. And real teaching chefs....like Julia Child and Jaques Pepin.
I like to watch a cooking show that features a skilled cook, making good food....but without all the cutsie-poo carp. I am very anti "personalities"...like Paula and Rachael....and Paris Hilton.
Rachael demonstrates good food, but what she does is not rocket science nor is it haute cuisine....it's pretty well down home easy cookin'....and if that's what you want to watch...I guess she's what you are looking for.
Linda C....for curmudgeon!!

Linda, I have your perfect match:

Todd English

Talk about no personality! Does his mouth even move when he talks?

I enjoy Rachael. She is extremely creative and I get alot of ideas from her. She is definitely over-exposed.

Don't mess with my Giada - love her - and for the record - a trained chef with a defined vision and passion.

Alton - I'll go with Linda on that one. Don't love his show. The props annoy me.

Robin Miller has a respectable background and teaches what she knows - nutrition. I find her show a bit boring, though.

My 2nd fave after Giada is Ina.

You guys are making me so very glad I gave up television. Sounds dreadful. But then I hated Emeril and his "BAM!" even back when he was "new".

"So they donÂt need someone who uses polysyllabic words from other languages."
Translation: They're just dumb down everything until they reach the lowest common denominator. No challenge, no learning curve, no stretching beyond the comfort zone...just cutesy, fluffy, giggly, insipid packaging with no product inside. Nice. I'll pass.

(And the thought of an entire cup of sugar in cole slaw makes my pancreas want to shut down. That's a huge amount of sugar. I don't even want to know what the glycemic index would be on that dish. Wow.)

Gina, there is a cookbook called A Taste of Heritage: the New African-American Cusine. It came out in 2002. The recipes are from a dozen black chefs from across the country. There is one rib recips -- one using a LOT of fresh horseradish -- but there's also Calypso Shrimp, chicken in champagne sauce, pheasant in port sauce, :) So, yes, there are some African American chefs out there...probably too busy making good food to be bothered with Food TV's "cute and perky" imperative. .

I did not dislike Mario but unless you've been to Italy, I don't think most people could relate to his show. My DH once bought me a Mario cookbook for Christmas and I returned it -- way too many bizarre ingredients (such as octopus) -- sorry, not real people food.

I used to be an avid watching of Saturday FN shows -- don't know when the last time was I devoted a Saturday to it.

They wonder why ratings are down on the weekends, and why they are down on the actual cooking demo shows - I have an answer for them. I've seen them 20 times each already! Just how many times do they expect us to watch the same episode of Barefoot Contessa or Everyday Italian? Those are 2 of my favorite shows, with Michael Chiarello's show up there with them. I just wish they'd air more than a few new episodes of these shows every few years.

I don't understand how The Ace of Cakes is considered successful. Everyone I've talked to about it hates the show, including young people. I tried watching it when it first came on, and just couldn't sit through even one episode. And I really don't understand that show about the history of junk food. It's got to be the worst show on Food Network, but it seems to be on all the time, that is, when they're not doing travel shows.

Maybe I will start taping the cooking shows on PBS.

Sally

Joe, I would've loved for you to have been selected as one of the contestants for the next FN star [laborious sigh]. Maybe you should submit a video dressed in some outlandish costume while braking out into James Brown's "Get Up Offa That Thing" to get their attention.
Seriously, I don't really know what the Food Network execs are looking for. It's obviously not about the food anymore.

I don't usually have time to watch TV, but of the few shows I've sat through, Barefoot Contessa had always been at the top of the list of shows (I thought) I'd never tire of.
But now, after watching "Jeffrey's Birthday Surprise Party" 347 times, I'm finally ready to put down my tv remote, bid adieu to my favorite cooking show, and -brace yourselves- pick up a book instead.

Sol

I think Gina Neely is cute. I am glad to see a show about a solid black family with good family values. Heck-put me and my husband in the kitchen together and yeah-things may get "saucy" too LOL!! No seriously...we hug and snuggle and feed each other-we have fun!
Generally when I cook, there is music playing and I have been known to stop what I am doing and shimmy shake or sing out loud ect...but then again I do not take myself too seriously.
I am having fun and thats what its all about. Life is too short to get hung up on all the "proper" rules.
So what is the Neely's are a one trick pony...so what is Paula wears her rings when she cooks...so what if Sandra's blouse is low cut....who really cares??

But as with all things, if you do not like it, change the channel and avoid spending money on the sponsers products.

JMHO
Susie

When I saw the ads for the Neelys and heard her say, "always takin' my suga", I knew I would not watch. I happened upon it and it was more than I could take. I would really like Semi Homemade, if Sandra would talk in a normal voice. She emphasizes every other word. My favorite would be Ina, but she swings her hair out of her eyes every time she lifts her head and I envision hair in the food. Alton's props bother me too. If he could just do the show without them, I would love it. I got to see "Gourmet Next Door" once. And going from restaurant to restaurant, saying how good the food is, before you have even swallowed it, IS like watching someone's vacation slides. How fun is that? I can tolerate Paula's Home Cooking, but can't take Paula's Party. She says/does too many sex innuendos on that one. With that said...

I love Michael Ciarrelo and Tyler Florence. They don't do anything that annoys me. lol Could be their good looks. I wouldn't toss them out of the kitchen for using my poultry cutting board for beef. :)

ditto on the Neelys and that "suga" commercial. I can't stand anyone shouting at me such as the Oxyclean guy. Give me Julia anytime.

The only shows that interest me at this point is Tyler's ultimate at 8 on Saturday morning followed by Jamie at Home. I was not into previous versions of Jamie Oliver as I find him a little hard to watch, but I really love the setting and format of his new show which is about using produce from his over the top beautiful garden.

Sometimes I still go look at their line-up but only in a wistful way for something that's just gone now. We hardly ever tune in anymore.

I have a fairly extensive cable package but the way its bundled I don't think I get FN! On some of the other cable channels I watch Ina, ATK and Giada (though Giada looks and talks very much like a psycho woman I worked with once).
I don't necessarily love her recipe's but I love that skinny blonde woman with the show...oh cant remember...she puts things together with mixes and processed food. Dang. Anyway the reason I love her is that she always, or almost always used to include a mixed drink recipe at the end to be served with dinner or at the party. What ever happened to cocktails! Nothing wrong with an adult having a nice civilized cocktail. There is something very 50s about her in general.

Mary, you are referring to Sandra of Semi Homemade. I don't have much patience for her--too much botox and sort of a semi-comatose stiffness. I'll take Bobby Flay over any of these guys. He has such a disarming style and is cute to boot too.
jo

I hadn't noticed the Botox - she just reminds me of women from the fifties, I suppose you could call that semi-comatoxe stiffness, or maybe just a certain type of manneredness. I don't know Bobby Flay - does he make cocktails?

Mary, we do catch Sandra on occasion for "cocktail time" or "tini time". Most of her stuff is not really drinkable as it's so sweet but the theme is so fun. We've made a few things, such as her dirty Mary which has a little olive juice in the mix. Yummy.

I agree with what Sally & others say about the food network shows being a lot like watching someone's holiday videos but I do like Guy Fieri's Diner's, Drive-ins & Dives. Mainly because it's exactly how Bill & I travelled the country BC (before child)- touring back roads by motorcycle, not classic car, and eating where the locals did. Whenever we catch that show we end up with more of a "gotta go there!" attitude and a long list of places to visit.

But I rarely watch food network anymore, because they never seem to be showing anything that I want to watch. I remember when we were doing our renovation & had no kitchen for 5 months. I made it a point to avoid FN because the programs always made me want to cook something...lots of somethings. That was about 18 months ago and it wouldn't even be an issue now.

Mary- maybe Sandra's semi-comatose stiffness is a result of the cocktails? Far too few chefs on FN incorporate a good cocktail into their repertoire and that's a niche that I could certainly fill!

Nina

A good cooking show has to have more than a fun personality - just look at Julia Child.

I don't watch any more, unless it's an occasional Iron Chef America at midnight. They lost me with Rachel Ray - just too insincerely cute and perky, and it's gone down hill from there. That Giada person has a fake stuck on smile, and some of the new ones are just creepy. If they made good food, that would help, just being "cute" in the kitchen isn't enough.

My kids, the demographic they are probably aiming for, don't watch Food TV at all, though my 27 y.o son does like America's Test Kitchen and some of the other cooking shows on PBS, he got me interested in that one.

Maybe, if the women were young and naked (like the Speed Channel), guys would watch and then they'd start cooking.

I think they'll swing back to a reasonable, middle ground, soon enough, when they find no one watching any more.

Like every other business , the FN is driven by the numbers & surveys of their patrons. A third of the US population does not consume any alcohol & another third only consumes an occassional drink. The US ranks 40th in the world for alcohol consumption. These numbers are continuing to drop. (came from the Time Magazine article linked below & browsing through the CDC website) With 2/3rds of the country either non-drinkers or only an occassional drink...E.W. Scripts will not be using much air time on cocktails or wine pairings.

My FIL owned his own liquor store designing business in CO. By the mid-80s, there were so few new stores he was forced out of business.

The Time article shows an interactive US map & alcohol consumption by state.

I'd like to see more shows on baking specifically bread but that's not going to happen either. I found an industry study (performed for the food storage container industry, 2000) that reports only 66% of US households reported baking from scratch within the past year & dwindling. They note in that same report that the refrigerated dough industry is growing but only slightly stating Pillsbury's extended 18-month take-over confusion & resulting lack of advertising. Now, with more advertising from both Pillsbury & General Mills they are seeing growth in their refrigerated dough segments but growth is still slow to moderate. The main reason stated for the decline in home 'from scratch' baking was the increase of in-store bakeries & rising quality of the products coming from those in-store bakeries. Since these numbers are not lost on E.W. Scripts executives, it's not likely I'm going to get my wish for more baking shows on the FN.

Another industry report stated that the US population is using their ovens more than their stovetops. Rachel Ray will probably be making fewer 'stoups' next year! lol

The numbers on alcohol were a surprise to me. I 'thought' wine & beer consumption had been climbing for about a decade. If they are, it's not enough to reverse the declining consumption that's been going on for the past 3 decades.

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: Time Magazine - Oct. 30, 2006

I thought Michael Chiarello and Giada frequently, if not on every show, made cocktails as part of what they serve. I guess Giada makes some kind of drink, not necessarily alcoholic. I'm not a cocktail drinker, so I usually wish they'd use the time they spend making a cocktail doing some other recipe that would be more useful to me. I usually go do something else while they're making the cocktails.

Sally

I would think that drinking out had dropped considerably since a DWI infraction will cost you your job. Correspondingly I would think drinking at home had remained the same or gone up. Personally I'm a wine and beer type, one of one or the other with dinner. I just loved that Sandra was so 50s without even trying to be. She has the skinny coiffed blond look, and that whole vienna sausages on toothpicks and a cocktail thing, with the cocktails flying in the face of political correctness. And some of her stuff isn't bad if your aren't a purist.

I think what I miss most in all of these cooking shows is the wasted opportunity to teach people. They claim to be trying to teach people how easy it is to throw something healthful together at home - but they normally just show you what to add, basically read you the recipe and you watch
- not the details or why's of how things work together, the differences in flour, why baking soda not baking powder or what buttermilk does and how you might substitute for it if you don't have any, whether you should put something on the top part of the oven, the middle, the bottom, why? etc. etc. etc.
I loved some of Martha's shows for that reason. A whole half hour on ironing! Because she really talked about all the different things to think about when ironing; fabrics, temperature, steam, spritzing, where to start, top or bottom front or back. When you were done watching you could do more than just iron the same item she ironed, you could apply what she talked about to all your ironing. I eat that kind of detailed info up! She had a whole show just on firewood, I was so happy! Who knew there were different types of axes for splitting firewood? Or that you could get a special weight for the head of the ax?
But you hardly ever get that on all these "add some flour and whisk it around and then add egg bla bla bla " H*** lady (or gent) I can read a recipe, I don't need to watch someone do the same - dont just tell me how wonderful it smells and tastes - instruct me! I think this was also why the The Joy of Cooking was such a hit - lots of detailed stuff you just never knew, not just recipe's.

I agree with you Mary but the US demographics aren't supporting many 'instructional' shows. Scripts acknowledges that entertainment is their first goal with cooking techniques coming in at the bottom of their mission statement.

From the article I linked to above, it seems the instructional shows are the ones losing audience. Prime-time entertainment-type shows are doing great.

From the article...

"Executives at the Food Network and its parent, E. W. Scripps, paint a rosy picture of the networkÂs prime-time ratings. They say its average 2007 prime-time audience of 778,000 viewers is its highest ever and it has had success attracting the younger audiences that advertisers find especially attractive.

But the networkÂs total day ratings have dipped to an average of 544,000 people from 580,000 a year ago. More significant, its signature weekend block of instructional programs, known collectively as "In the Kitchen," has lost 15 percent of its audience in the last year, to 830,000 viewers on average. This has left the network owing refunds, known as "make goods," to advertisers, Ms. Johnson confirmed."

So, it would seem we are the anomaly.

/tricia

I hear what your saying triciae but they don't have to make boring instructional shows. Just ask the current favorites, Paula, Ina, Giardia etc. swap a few "Oh this will be so good" Oh this smells great" (of which their are way too many) comments for a few tidbits of real cooking information! It happens occasionally and I always notice. Once Paula, when frying chicken, let it slip about how much oil should be in the pan and how many pieces max should be in the pan and how you should wait between adding them because of oil temp drop - useful! but the way she said it was such an afterthought, like she had run out of "oh SCRUMPTIOUS" remarks and was desperate to fill time. Just a bit the other way around. Watching someone just do a recipe out of the book gets boring I don't care how much they go on in their best Oh this is so good voices. Which btw makes me feel like they are talking to a child and gets annoying.
Really I'm writing this because I hope the Food Network and HGTV reads this:)

I enjoy the English lad and the nutritionist (think they have removed her)and some others. And I may be too conservative or old-fashioned, but I have a pretty good chest line for my age, and really tire of seeing all the exposed boobs.

As a former rabid fan of many Food Network shows, IÂve grown quite cynical over the past few years due to the overall change in philosophy of the Food Network. It used to be that being a chef and cooking a meal above and beyond your skill level was something to strive forÂand TFN was a phenomenal resource to help bring home cooks like us to a new level. Now, fewer and fewer shows show real cooking and more and more shows are basically CliffÂs Notes guides to the kitchen. ItÂs a matter of self-improvement vs. quick fix. Thank God they still have Alton. In my opinion, Rachel RayÂs and Sandra LeeÂs shows are at the center of this problem. Rachel always says "IÂm not a chef, just a cook" and Sandra isnÂt even a cook. All she does is open cans and packages. DonÂt get me wrong. IÂm not naïve enough to think that everyone should be a chef. Rarely do I ever have time to attempt to cook anything beyond a quick meal which is why there is a definite place for "Cliffs Notes"/cook shows like Rachel and SandraÂbut give me back some of my old school, real chef, teach you something new FN shows. Bring back Mario Batali. For the love of God keep Alton happy. Keep Giadia because sheÂs a nice mix of both philosophies. Give both sides of the coin representation.

And in case anyone from TFN reads thisÂPLEASE CANCEL THROWDOWN! It is quite possibly the WORST show IÂve ever seen on TFN. So rude and pompous! It really makes Bobby Flay look like an arrogant jerk! Maybe he is. I donÂt know. My hatred from this show begins in the opening introduction where he proclaims "I may win...I might even lose." Wow. Quite the humble statement. The episode I saw he challenged a very nice young woman with her own wedding cake business. He goes to take lessons on how to make a wedding cake and wins the throwdown. You could really see how crushed the poor girl felt when he won and said in front of everyone that it was the first wedding cake heÂs ever made. I know Bobby is a fantastic chef...but does he really nead to parade into a scenario and beat up on average/non celebrity chefs who were tricked into thinking they're getting a FN show? That poor girl makes cakes for a living and he beat her with nearly zero experience. You wouldn't like it if someone came to your work and outperformed you at your own career and then proclaimed they'd never done it before! This show is AWFUL!

In closing you absolutely MUST read an excellent blog by Tony Bourdain (my absolute favorite chef next to Alton to watch and learn from) on Michael RuelmanÂs website. ItÂs a well written article that will be well worth your time to read and I hope add to this discussion.

http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2007/02/guest_blogging_.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Bourdain commentary on TFN

Joe and Linda pretty much summed up my feelings about the new Food Network. It's a shame what has happened.

Mario was the best. Stirfryi, it's worth a trip to Northern Italy to find out what that food is all about. Seriously. Not for wierd ingredients, but for just plain delicious preparations. All the food there is comfort food.

The original Iron Chef was great entertainment (not instruction). The subsequent ones are pale imitations.

What I don't understand is who the audience is for the new type of shows like the Neeleys. I personaly don't know anyone who likes those shows. The people I know either do not watch cooking shows or like the instructional type of show with creativity in the food. Not more hype and not another roast chicken or more garlic smashed potatoes. That Danny Beame is more hyped up than RR.

I go back to when FN literally started. They had mainly "cooking" shows which I enjoyed and learned from. They had a couple of commercials Mainly related to applicaable products. Now the shows are 50% commercials which means in a 30 minute show maybe 15 minutes of content. I always enjoyed Sarah Moulton and more recently Jamie Oliver. Kind of have a problem with the rather contrived gathering of "friends" which is the excuse for preparing what ever. Julia, Jacque and Sarah basically prepared meals to show you how to do it yourself. Giada, Michael and Ina are something in the mould of the ones I mentioned but they do tend to have the contrived parties.

Also, if you have Dish or cable, Discovery Home has some excellent cooking shows. As a man who enjoys creating and cooking, what they are serving up at the latest greasy spoon doesn't appeal to me. I also get a lot of good ideas from Saveur Magazine. I do think PBS has some of the better shows but some have moved to FN.

Sarah Moulton was the show that first brought me to FN. I also liked Jamie Oliver although I did have a problem understanding him at times. I do like Racheal Ray but my favorite is Barefoot Contessa - just wish she would have some new shows. I do agree the "parties" are very contrived.

That's funny about Jamie. I've spent a lot of time in Wales and I have trouble understanding him.

I catch the shows every now and then but don't watch any on a regular basis. The "personalities" get to me after awhile. And they seem to show reruns alot too. I also didn't watch the the Neelys because the commercials turned me off. And I am not being critical just observant, but to me Giada's head looks too big for her body. It bothers me and I can't watch it because of that. And I don't like most of the things she makes.

As DH says when he catches part of a show I am watching. "Frying something in a pan is not really cooking. They're not chefs, just short order cooks." Give me Julia Child or even Martha Stewart where you actually learned something.
Clare

Alton Brown has made budding chefs out of my 6 and 9 year old sons - we TIVO him so we can buzz through the commercials. I gave up on Food Network the day I clicked it on to see that Barbie-Sandra character, standing in a kitchen where all the actual tools were replaced with ornaments and colored water in glass jars, discussing the items she'd glued onto her window valance and previewing the upcoming segment about her "tablescape". Just typing it out has me appalled all over again.

I am a lurker here, but I just have to weigh in on this one. :)

I just hate the new direction of the FN!!! OMG who in the world watches this stuff I don't understand - fast food joints, how commercial candy is made, someone traveling around telling you how luscious the local food is ... yada yada yada ...

I used to watch and love the FN because it was ABOUT cooking and was instructional along with being entertaining. I loved learning and watching other people cook and see how they do things! The recipes are nice, especially after you see someone make something and want to replicate it, but there are TNTC places to get recipes.

I believe that Iron Chef is popular because you are seeing people ACTUALLY COOKING and that is why I love it. I just wear my eyes out trying to catch all the glimpses of their cooking techniques that they do manage show. :)

Alton Brown is great but OMG so many reruns! And limiting their cooking shows to Sat a.m.'s is just nuts to me. I have a life and Sat am I a.m. busy living it! I want to see this stuff on weekday evenings when I am relaxing!

I truly believe that the FN is totally mistaken in what they *think* we want - numbers or not. They became big because of the *teaching* and have helped (thank gawd) bring many more ingredients to our markets because of the demand from watching these shows.

We love Julia because she TAUGHT us ... and this is what the FN needs to get back to. Otherwise I truly believe they will go down the tubes.

So ... that's my 2 cents worth and I really don't think I am alone in my opinion.

Getting off my soapbox now but I just had to "emote." :)

MaryT

I completely agree with you, Mary T, and welcome out of lurkdom!

Sally

Every week now I see on other channels, chefs such as Ming Tsai, Hubert Keller, Michael Chiraello, Mario, Lidia Bastianach, Wolfgang Puck and others. So what if some of them are reruns. Sure beats what I see on FN.

The worst trend, and it may be on both FN and Travel Channel (I no longer follow these closely), is the search for wierd foods, insects and other disgusting stuff. This is worth maybe one 30 minute show, not an entire series, just for the novelty of it. One thing that REALLY annoys me about those showe is that they include some truly good foods as "wierd" just because they are a little out of the ordinary and may spook some viewers.

Jim

An ol time FN Gal,I couldnt get enough...now i feel like every time i put it on I see rachael ray or some stupid show definately not a cook channel! UGH!!!

I've been watching the food network since I was a kid. I usually leave it on during the day on a Saturday or Sunday when I'm home but there are just some shows that aren't worth watching. Down home with the Neely's seems to be geared toward something else other than cooking...I'm not sure I like Semi-homemade....the reason why I'm watching the FN is to learn new things and techniques, not to find ways of cheating to get a home cooked meal. Rachel Ray does a great job to make a full homemade meal in 30 minutes (usually takes me an hour to make the same thing hehe) But there are a lot of new shows that I just think are a cop out. I'm sure they are trying to target different audiences they have become more diversified but have lost sight of what the purpose of food network is and that is to educate not entertain

This kind of sums it up, doncha think?

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Paula Deen, Best Of Food Network

I happened on this site and enjoyed reading the comments about the direction of the food network. I too used to be a real fan of the network, but do not watch it on a regular basis. I chalked it up to m y life getting busier and TiVO, but that knew those weren't the only reasons b/c when I catch Julia or Jaques or Lidia on TV, I find myself sitting there and watching. Can't say that about the shows on the FN. I do like Giada, Ina (think b/c onf the calming nature of their shows, Giada's style and the fact that I actually do learn something and have tried and like their recipes). I also like Nigella b/c of the naughtly, yet subltle "not obvious" sensual way she has with preparing food. These 3 are my fav's b/c I actually learn something and have tried their recipes. I even like ole' martha b/c of the same reason.

I am a black woman who grew up in a fairyly "boustrius" family in the bronx during the 60's and 70's. I and my family used to LOVE watching Julia Child (I commonly referred to her as "the cooking lady") on the "ups" channel 13 in NY, on a black and white t.v., grainy picture and all. How is it that "the cooking lady" could command the attention of my family and I is beyond me, but I think it had to do with her voice, precesne and the fact that we actually LEARNED something. Juslia also had a dry sense of humor and thought nothing of bringing out a blow torch, goggles and all, in a couple of the earlier episodes. I thankfully have most of her videos and watch them as my life permits.

I am glad FN is reconizing the need for diversity, but the Neely's, sorry to say, are not the answer. I confess tat I only watch the episodes that feature one or more Neely men. Gina's over the top, swinging of the fake hair, need for attention attitude/behavior and screechy/baby voice drives me nuts. I don't need a FN "personality" telling me how/what to do w/my man in the kitchen...I have that covered just fine, thank you. PLEASE FOOD NETWORK, if you are reading this, LET THE NEELY MEN HAVE THEIR OWN SHOW WITH OUT GINA NEELY!!!

P.S. Thanks to the "Eric08" that forwarded the link to the Tony Bourdain commentary. It cracked my up. Tony is another of my favorite chefs. Unapologetically real.

So, what do ya'll think of Aaron (Big Daddy's House), the new FN star?

I'm thinking, not that great of a choice. Of all the shows I saw (not all of the competition) him cooking in, it was all about the "spice and the heat"...if your not into "spice and heat", then what?

I thought Lisa was much more educational and actually gave you techniques, not just recipes.

I actually watched this series. I thought all of them were quite awful, actually.

Of the three finalists I liked Aaron the best. His camera skills were non-existant; but those can be taught. His food always looked good, IMO. The selection committee loved his chicken parm even though he'd forgotten all about the need to prepare the dish until there was only 17 minutes left on the clock. He can learn how to walk & chew gum at the same time...

Lisa's overall personality gave me an anxiety attack! Her hyperactivity was overbearing and patience will never be her middle name I can't imagine how she could teach a beginner cook a darn thing. She also came across, IMO, as though she felt superior to the other contestants...an especially notable example was the mac 'n cheese...she was positive she could make the best mac 'n cheese yet Paula Dean said it was awful! I think it would have been much harder to teach Lisa the skills she would need to cultivate to be a success for the network.

As far as Aaron's food being all about "spice and the heat"...currently, the network doesn't have a show specializing in that type of food & there's probably a niche open. Lisa didn't offer anything not already available with watching other network shows, IMO.

I've seen Aaron's promo for the new show (starts Sunday & since I don't watch on weekends I'll never see it) & thought he'd learned a tremendous amount of camera skills. He was actually talking & cooking at the same time!

After watching this series (first one I've watched), I can better understand why just having cooking skills isn't enough for the network. It really is also about personality & being able to entertain.

/tricia

I will watch Aaron's first show...I watched Amy's first show..and I loved her!! during the Food Network Star..and even voted for her over Rory...But her show and personality was a bomb..
I only watched this Food Network Star, in the marathon last week, and then the finale..Aaron did "grow" more than anyone. And I felt he was the only choice of the three finalists.

I agree about the Neely's! I can't stand Gina..she's over the top and syrupy.