Worst Cooking Show?

[Tracer]

I hereby nominate Sandra Lee for the top prize. Her incredibly disgusting concoctions cannot be topped.

[chefgirl]

1. It's a toss up

I agree with you about Sandra Lee. Some of the stuff she makes just makes me want to yak, but there is some redeeming quality to her show, I suppose, for people who really can't cook.

Therefore, and I know I'll probably get flamed, but I have to nominate Iron Chef. OMG! As a show, I've never seen anything so damned pompous and irritating.
Go ahead...give me octopus toes and I could make something just as exotic as these guys, but only if everyone watching agrees to fawn endlessly over my own personal recipe for Octopus Toe Ravioli with Deep Fried Hens Teeth Filling and Sea Urchin Roe garnish! :eyes:

The ironic thing is, Morimoto really IS one of the best chefs in the country right now, but that show is pure dreck!

OK, just zipped up my flame suit, have at it!

-chef-

[KittyWampus]

13. Indeed, Sandra Lee's Use Of Premixed Stuff Means Tons Of MSG

just thinking about her stuff makes my blood pressure rise.

[Hans Delbrook]

33. I don't really consider Iron Chef a cooking show

I really thought it was meant as pure camp - and that's pretty much how I take it.

[K8-EEE]

36. Octopus Toe Ravioli!! LOL!!!

Iron Chef if the weirdest thing I've seen in my lifetime. Besides a GWB press conference maybe.

I love the translators when they are tasting the food. The actressy girls, they always have to put in a giggle at nothing every other word to match up the sync. It's always the same female translator. It cracks my husband up when I talk like her after the show. Oh heehee....it's fish, and very good, although I expected more fish flavor. heeheh, so, I'm a little disappointed.

[Neecy]

2. I'll probably get flamed too....

But I DESPISE Emerile Live. There's something so irritating about listening to him that my skin just crawls, and most of his food is just totally unappetizing to me. It's usually about as attractive as prison food.

Food Network, fortunately, has come up with some different programming so it isn't All Emerile, All The Time.

[The empressof all]

4. BAM!!!!

God, I HATE Emerile. He's boring and annoying. It's one of the few shows I turn off when I flip to the Food Channel.

[Biased Liberal Media]

22. *Small voice*...I like his show

He cracks me up...but i have a wacky sense of humor...

[NamVetsWeeLass]

27. I am with you Biased, I like Emeril

He is the only person on the planet to use NEARLY as much garlic as I do. No, I am not kidding.

[K8-EEE]

34. I Like Him Too!

He doesn't bug me at all, and I think the stuff he makes looks delsh!

I like the live format -- love the band!

[hobbit709]

48. Garlic

Evidently you belong to the same school of cooking. "One Can Never Use Too Much Garlic"

[madmax]

47. I like him, too!

Most of the silly things he says have a double meaning :evilgrin:

BAM!!!

Part of it may be an ethnic thing. He's Portuguese and so am I. I can relate to him growing up with his Mom in the kitchen cooking everything from scratch and everything was cooked with garlic - lots of it.

[Hans Delbrook]

32. I won't watch it for a millisecond!

If I even hear his theme music I start shrieking "take it off!" He's so pompous and his audience seems to be composed of mindless idiots.

[XanaDUer]

5. He sucks!

His BAM! crap makes me crazy.

[Bluebear]

8. "Kick it up ANOTHER notch!!!!"

He adds garlic or tabsco and the audience goes crazy like he just cured cancer. I think he has taught a lot of cooks that the more spices the better, without concern for balance or flavor.

[chefgirl]

11. LOL!

Funny you should say that. In school we had a chef that used to hammer into our heads "if youre not sure, just throw it in. Might not taste great, but at least it will have flavor"

I think of him EVERY time I see Emeril adding garlic like there's no tomorrow.

-chef-

[NamVetsWeeLass]

28. Whoa, hold on....

I use a ton of Garlic and have been since way before anyone even heard of LaGasse. My Stuff does have balance and flavor it is just strongly seasoned. On an interesting note, I don't like anything I cook, but everyone else says I should be a cook. I have a few recipes that people have wanted to market, but they are mine and If I wanna sell them, I AM The one that will benefit. I don't use recipes, everything is in my head, and things variate depending on what/how somehting tastes to me when it is cooking.

[helnwhls]

9. that seems to be the prevailing talk

I have not met anyone who likes the show.

[wryter2000]

12. LOL

I spend most of my time watching Emeril saying, "Oh, yuck...why would he want to do that?" Did you see the time he filled the whole studio full of smoke? One night, Willie Nelson was on, though. I wish he'd done the cooking.

Another one -- I hate to say it because we met him, and he's a sweet, sweet man -- Martin Yan's dishes leave me cold. They just look bland. I love his noodle-maker guest, though.

[ironflange]

10. Yes, Emeril is extremely annoying, but

His Emeril's Essense is fabulous, and kudos must go to him for making the recipe freely available to all. Here it is:

1 1/2 teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon oregano
3/4 teaspoon thyme

Mix well and store in an airtight container. Use within 3 months.


Ironflange's note: I make it without the salt, and I like to pulverize it into a powder with my mini foor processor. I use the stuff all the time, it's great on popcorn too.

[Chovexani]

15. If you don't like Emeril Live try his other show

A lot of people I know don't seem to like the Vegasness of Emeril Live but like his other show called Essence of Emeril. That one is more like a traditional cooking show and he is much more subdued and toned down.

It doesn't bother me though, I find him entertaining and I like his food, I think he's probably the best one on Food Network besides Paula Deen and whatsherface with the tiny body and HUGE head on Everyday Italian (Giada DeLaurentis?). More importantly as a novice cook I pick up a LOT of really great tips from him. I was watching him the other night and he gave a great tip about mashed potatoes. He said to put them back on the stove on low heat after draining them instead of mashing them right away, since there's still water in them...I tried it last night and for the first time in my life I managed to not fuck up mashed potatoes. Emeril is my hero.

I think I tend to defend Emeril 'cause I've actually been to Emeril Live and eaten his food (my sister used to work in cable advertising and got a couple of tickets as freebies, we got to sit up at the counter for a show he did on breakfast...it was to die for, seriously) and a lot of the wackiness on that show is due to the floor people telling the audience to go crazy...like for instance they tell you to cheer whenever he does stuff with certain ingredients, like garlic etc. It's largely manufactured and not really Emeril's fault.

[imenja]

52. Love Paula Deen, don't buy DeLaurentis

I don't find Giada DeLaurentis convincing. The food looks great, but somehow I don't trust a chef who doesn't look like she's eaten anything but celery a day in her life. I guess I'm prejudiced.

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. I would have to agree

The one cooking show I always turn off.

[flamingyouth]

20. I can't stand him either

Although I did get a good recipe once for a wasabi-crusted salmon with mandarin glaze. That's the only decent recipe I've ever gotten from him.

[Blue Gardener]

25. I always turn OFF Emerile

I find him irritating and in general don't care for what he's cooking. Plus he's just on WAY too much.

[TommyO]

38. Emeril as well...

I'm not the first to say this, and won't be the last, but I can't stand the show at all.

[Eurobabe]

44. It's 'Emeril' to you Neecy

now damn, what am I gonna do with my BAM! cooking apron?? I won't flame you because you've posted some kick ass recipes. I think Emeril is amusing at best, but you can ditch that essence crap.

[bearfan454]

49. Emeril uses WAY too much oil for me.

I'd puke if I ate all that oil.

[demnan]

3. How to Boil Water

that blonde yenta really gets on my nerves!

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. EMERIL....and also that white haired, southern lady with the smoker's...

voice on Food Network that makes lots of overly fattening, pretty awful looking food that I left behind in my youth (my mom was a pretty bad cook!)...I also get bothered by the quirky, overly cutesy things that RAchel Ray says and does with her mouth, though her show has some good things

[AgadorSparticus]

7. would have to agree with you on Rachel Ray. i don't mind the perkiness

and the recipes sometimes look good, but it's the voice and her facial expressions that get on my nerves.

[Chovexani]

14. LOL! Sandra Lee rules

On a TV message board I post on all the time, we call her "SLop" and also "Ol' Puddin' Cups" (since she likes to scoop out the pudding in pudding cups and use it as an "ingredient" a lot).

The worst thing I ever saw her do were those so-called truffles that were glops of canned frosting with some powdered sugar crap on top, they looked like dog turds.

I love her show in a Mystery Science Theater kind of way, it's hard to describe. Also I love watching it because no matter how crappy a cook I am I can turn on Ol' Puddin' Cups and I always feel better 'cause nobody can suck as bad as she does...:)

[helnwhls]

16. the show with the new york couple imposing on restraunts

They go into restraunts around New York and have the cooks show them a dish. They talk like idiots through the whole show. It does not sound like either are really comfortable on camera or in a kitchen.

The times I have seen the show, the chef's all look like they could just smack the two of them. I think the couple claims to be Italian, but they are just ugly Americans. I can not for the life of me remember the name of it.

EDIT: If I could spell, I would be dangerous.

[FuzzySlippers]

17. This isn't a whole show

but does anybody else get those syndicated Mr. Food segments on their local news? That stuff he puts together looks atrocious.

[artboy]

18. I hafta agree

Mr. Food SUCKS!!!!

oohhhhh is so good! Oohhhhh you really suck!

[Blue Gardener]

24. I'm with you

There's just something kind of creepy about the guy.

[helnwhls]

26. I agree! That man will put anything in his mouth

and that is not always a good thing!

[eeyore]

21. Anthony Bourdain!!!

Okay, his show (A Cook's Tour) isn't really a traditional cooking show, but it is by far the most entertaining thing on the Food Network.

I also highly recommend his book Kitchen Confidential. Having spent many years in the restaurant world, I can vouch for his account of the underbelly of the food service industry.

He's a chain smoking, beer swilling potty-mouth - pretty much the distillation of the people who staff every restaurant I've ever worked in.

Plus, he's a fantastic chef!

[The empressof all]

23. I don't know how great a chef he is

But I totally agree that this was the best ever show on Food Network. It was smart, entertaining and informative. I wish they would bring him back.

[Rhiannon12866]

29. I also love Tony Bourdain!

He's got to be the most entertaining guy on The Food Network, but he's not on anymore!:-(

[Stinky The Clown]

30. Worst? Anything with Bobby Flay

I see this guy as a pretty boy who knows a little about cooking. Many others on TV seem like serious culinarians. He may have a few restaurants and may know about cooking, but he seems more about style and flash than substance.

Of course, this could also be pure jealosy on the part of a 57 year old short, round, bald, Italian guy.

[Kipepeo]

31. plus he stood up on his cutting board

all arrogant, when he was on iron chef, disrespecting everyone. I can't stand him.

[K8-EEE]

35. He Seems Like They Type Of Guy

Who poses in the mirror when he's alone. Total egomaniac. Date from hell and a boring cook.

[Jessica]

39. He gets my vote - I can't stand him. He's probably a repuke.

x(

[mrbassman03]

42. Seems like a jerk...

I dunno why, but I just get irritated by him.

[Chovexani]

43. I HATE Bobby Flay

Between the way he showed his ass on Iron Chef and his so-called "Southwestern" cooking, I fucking hate him. I loved how Morimoto smacked him down in the post-interview.

Newsflash Bobby, Southwestern cooking is about more than putting corn in everything.

[Rhiannon12866]

46. I agree! Bobby Flay is totally on right on the edge

He makes me tense because I keep waiting for him to hit somebody, LOL!:scared:

[Rhiannon12866]

37. "Unwrapped" There's no cooking going on, even though it's on the

Food Network. There are just so many kinds of candy that they can show how they're made. And it's on all of the time!:grr:

[denverbill]

41. OK, that gets my vote too. I hadn't considered it cause it wasn't cooking

IMO, Food Network should only do cooking shows. Now, about 1/2 the shows are about restaurants, kitchen design, etc.

[Rhiannon12866]

45. I know! I don't mind the ones about kitchen design so much,

Though I truly hated "Ultimate Kitchens," because the host got on my nerves, LOL! But I just hate the shows that are about nothing, like "Unwrapped" and "Top 5." What's the point?:shrug:

[Ramsey]

40. Any of the product placement shows

FoodNetwork used to show cooking shows in prime time, but lately it's all these stupid product placement shows telling you about products, trying to get you to order stuff or buy stuff, like Food Finds, Unwrapped, Roker, etc.

Boring!!!

[orpupilofnature57]

50. Rachel too way,GRATES ON ME LIKE I'M PARMESAN

[calico1]

51. I used to watch Rachel Ray all the time

but lately she is getting on my nerves. Too overly perky and too cutesy. She tries too hard to be cute. And for some reason her always saying how much she loves to eat LOTS of food or eat ALL DAY or ALL NIGHT or have HUGE portions annoys the hell out of me. Why does she think acting like a glutton is appealing? Maybe it is to some people but not me. She does have some good ideas though and I love her kitchen! I never watch Emeril. Doesn't appeal to me. I think he is too much of a "star" now to be taken very seriously. Sandra Lee with her canned and packaged foods is disgusting. And she is just plain weird. Rarely watch. I think the Southern lady is funny and looks like she'd be a hoot to spend time with but those recipes! Nothing special. Just lots of starchy, greasy foods. Hardly anything she makes appeals to me.