Script's is launching a new cooking channel...

14 years ago

Script's is dumping Fine Living & using the network to launch The Cooking Channel on May 31, 2010.

Looks like they're abandoning The Food Network to those blasted quasi-reality competition shows that I detest although Script's says they are good ratings producers. Why? FoodTV repeats those shows endlessly. Even the daytime programing on FoodTV is nothing but reruns. I'm so sick of Ina's 'Back To Basics' & chicken dinner for Jeffrey.

I don't have a feel for this new network...the commercials haven't impressed me too much but I'll watch a bit & see what direction they go. I'd sure like to see real instructional programing geared towards specialties...bread baking, authentic Asian & Mexican, Thai...no more Italian. I'm so sick of Giada.

I've got Comcast & do not get Fine Living so I'll probably not even get the new channel.

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: The Cooking Channel

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Comments (13)

annie1992
14 years ago
I'm not home in the day so I still enjoy the daily programming where they actually cook something.

I just detest Ace of Cakes and will turn it off when it comes on. The same with those cake decorating challenges, I learn absolutely nothing from those. Let Ace of Cakes show me how to roll fondant and I'll turn him back on.

I noticed the Travel Channel has gone to a lot of "Food Wars", "Man vs Food" and challenge type programming too. I certainly don't see the attraction but I hate reality TV, so I don't watch things like "Survivor" either.

Annie
cookebook
14 years ago
I hate all those stupid competition shows too. The only time the Food Network is worth watching (in my opinion) is saturday and sunday mornings. However PBS has some really good cooking shows here on saturday. I've been watching them lately instead.
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sally2_gw
14 years ago
I bet it'll be on one of the channels that goes with the more expensive packages. That's the way it is for Fine Living now, and the DIY channel. HGTV has gotten pretty bad, too, with fewer and fewer instructional shows and more and more real estate shows. I don't mind the competition shows, but there's too many of them for sure. I don't want to have to pay extra for the higher tier cable. I'm paying enough right now, thank you.

Sally
User
14 years ago
Another who detests what has happened to the Food Network. There are only a very few I watch anymore. It's hard to find a show that's informative let alone inspiring!

For some reason or other though I do enjoy Chopped and I love Diners, Drive Ins and Dives....go figure.
foodonastump
14 years ago
Oh man I keep going back and forth about switching to FIOS. I really don't want to, but I see they offer Fine Living now and Cablevision doesn't. But I really don't think I could stomach a Food TV that's suddenly 100% of the junk I can't stand.
cookebook
14 years ago
Miss Chase I love DD&D too. I used to like Chopped when it first started but I lost interest after the first season.
BeverlyAL
14 years ago
Just like you all I don't watch those so-called "reality" shows, am sick of Ina's Back to Basics and Jeffery's Roast Chickens, as well as Ace of Cakes and all of the reruns. I watch the PBS Create Channel more than any other and they need lots more cooking shows.

Fine Living is nothing but Food Network reruns and I'm about ready to drop it from my Cable as it is an expensive nothing. Same with HGTV and all of their real estate programs. The new cooking channel will probably be more of the same. And for those who think Rachel Ray is hyper, how about that silly Brian Boitano!
plllog
14 years ago
I'm an artist, so I actually like Ace of Cakes and the cake challenges because I like to look at the designs, but you all are right--it has nothing to do with food! Nobody actually eats the decor on cakes anyway! And what I'd want to learn (besides how to roll fondant a la Annie) is how they make cakes that sit around forever and are still good to eat!

What ever happened to Sara Moulton?? Her show was great! She actually knew how to cook and answered real cooking questions posed by real people. And I loved Ming Tsai, too. I have no use for the current crop of chefs who don't know how to cook, and I only turn on Food Network for background noise companionship when I'm home alone and don't want to be distracted from what I'm really doing. :)
annie1992
14 years ago
Oh plllog, I love Ming Tsai too, I can watch him when I'm at Elery's because he gets PBS Create channel, just like Beverly. I don't get that here.

I do watch our local PBS which has America's Test Kitchen and something called Sue Chef, which is a local cooking show using local ingredients. We used to have Fork In The Road with Eric Villegas, I loved that, but now that he's gone "national", I guess we can't afford him. Sigh.

I don't like Chopped, I never did, but I do like Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. I've seen all of them a couple of times, though, they need to not show reruns a million times...

Annie
gemini40
14 years ago
I agree with the majority that the Food Network is bad. I started with the cooking shows on PBS many many years ago. You acually learned something.Now I am going back to them again. What is the point of these competition cooking shows.... Iron Chef what is up with that mess of a show?I don't get it and hope the Food Network goes belly up.
stir_fryi SE Mich
14 years ago
I used to be a huge fan of FN but I got just got bored of it.

I was watching Chopped the other day -- the contestants got some ridiculous combination of ingredients and then put up with ridiculous criticism from the 'experts' -- I'd like to see what those judges would have come up with using yogurt, popcorn and pears.

I do admit though, I love the Next FoodNetwork Star and Dinner Impossible.

The cooking shows have become repetitive and have bored me for years.
lpinkmountain
14 years ago
I used to love "Iron Chef" (the Japanese version), it was so fun and funny, but of course USA had to beat it into the ground the way we do with most things. It is well known that I love Michael Chiarello but I don't have cable anymore and he's not on much (which is probably why I still love him). My favorite cooking shows are now on PBS, I ADORE Lidia Bastianich's Italian cooking show, and also like Sara Moulton and even Martha Stewart's everyday cooking, and several others they show from time to time, including Julia and Jacques Pepin. I've never liked any of the "Test Kitchen" recipes I've made, they've been OK, but do not end up being my "go to" recipes for anything. But the show is tolerable only because it has a certain kitschy humor IMHO, like most of them. But Lidia is my all time favorite. PBS really does these kinds of shows well. I think they should do more.
althetrainer
14 years ago
I actually don't mind Food Network. My favorite is Alton Brown's Good Eat. I know, a lot of reruns but I still like watching him.

Like plllog, I also like Ace of Cakes and Ultimate Cake off. I am often amazed to see what they can make out of cakes. Having said that, I don't glue myself in front of the TV when the show is on. I just watch the beginning and the end because I am just curious.

We used to watch the original Iron Chef too, thought it was hilarious. We don't watch Iron Chef USA, don't like it that much.

Another show (not on Food Network) I watch is a British show called "Come Dine With Me". Four party hosts cook for each other and by the end of the show, the winner gets 1,000 pounds.

Al

Script's is launching a new cooking channel...

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annie1992

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