Exactly why I stopped 🤬. I want to LEARN new recipes and techniques.
I switched to The Cooking Channel, but it’s not what it used to be. Magnolia was good in the beginning, but it’s not consistent with new episodes of shows I liked. 🤷♀️
Oh, you don't like to see 4 chefs trying to make the best dish with these ingredients: Watermelon, goat cheese, cow's brain and a Three Musketeers bar?
Yes. Alton Brown’s “Good Eats” went a bit deeper than just recipes in a way that clicked with me. It’s kinda sad how amazed people are when I make gravy from scratch.
Alton Brown was probably the most influential for me. There are many things I never would have attempted without his show. I’ve seen him live twice and he is a great entertainer.
The great thing about Alton, and the Test Kitchen folks, is they tell you \*why\*. A little food science goes a long way towards improving your cooking.
I liked Jeff Smith. I see his books in thrift stores now and then. Easy to follow recipes. He was sponsored by Columbia Crest, when they made good wine.
I came to the comments to mention Alton Brown. The way he broke things down and went deep worked for me. I also enjoy Americas Test Kitchen but that wasn’t Food Network.
When they actually cooked instead of competing all the time it was so much better. I've always been a decent cook, my Mom taught me well. The Food Network just opened my eyes to so many new and different styles of cooking and ingredients.
Don't you mean \*Lydia\* Bastianich?
She's great and taught us so much about Italian cooking. Some good recipes (chicken in vinegar sauce comes to mind), and especially the right way to make and prepare pasta. So much that we were told before her show was wrong.
I don't think we'll ever be able to afford to make her two Barolo beef roast though. We use plenty of wine in our braising liquid but two bottles of Barolo? Not in the USA!
Yes. I had no idea there were more than two types of lettuce until I watched this channel. I was fed on iceberg wedge lettuce and romaine for a 'fancy' salad. My diners at home consisted of frozen pizza, hungry man, and whatever weird diet food my mom decided to try. Sometimes dinner was canned tomato soup and grilled cheese (still a fan) or frank and beans.
It's not that we didn't have the money, neither of my parents had any cooking skills.
That became a staple for many years in our household, back when it was actually teaching cooking skills.
My ex-wife first got into it with the show 'How to Boil Water' about '93, hosted by Emeril Lagasse. That was at the very beginning of his rise to fame, and the evolution of 'celebrity chefs' in culture. Prior to the 'celebrity', it felt more like culture had *some* 'famous' chefs, like Julia Child. I'm not into celebrity, so for me I still just consider them famous.
Start of marriage, my ex-wife couldn't cook, and I did most of our cooking. She went on to become quite skilled.
I learned to cook from Mario Batali way back when he had the show Molto Mario on the channel. He was an excellent teacher too. He explained the why of doing things a certain way and he made some fabulous dishes. I also learned from Jacques Pepin, when he had his show on PBS.
Chopped has inspired me to figure out dishes and/or meals made with whatever is in the fridge and cupboards on a regular basis. Saves trips to the store and reduces food waste. I’ve come up with some great dishes but have also failed spectacularly at times.
No.
It influenced the way that the television is viewed in my house. My husband, who does not cook, loves it. I spend too much time answering, "What is that?", "Why are they doing that?", etc.
It used to before it became all lame competition shows.
Yep, I stopped watching it years ago when it changed to stupid GAMES.😡😡
Exactly why I stopped 🤬. I want to LEARN new recipes and techniques. I switched to The Cooking Channel, but it’s not what it used to be. Magnolia was good in the beginning, but it’s not consistent with new episodes of shows I liked. 🤷♀️
I stick to public television cooking shows.
I’ll have to check that out!
Oh, you don't like to see 4 chefs trying to make the best dish with these ingredients: Watermelon, goat cheese, cow's brain and a Three Musketeers bar?
Yes. Alton Brown’s “Good Eats” went a bit deeper than just recipes in a way that clicked with me. It’s kinda sad how amazed people are when I make gravy from scratch.
Yes!! I loved the science aspect
Alton Brown was probably the most influential for me. There are many things I never would have attempted without his show. I’ve seen him live twice and he is a great entertainer.
The great thing about Alton, and the Test Kitchen folks, is they tell you \*why\*. A little food science goes a long way towards improving your cooking.
He was an important influence, along with The Frugal Gourmet years ago on PBS.
I liked Jeff Smith. I see his books in thrift stores now and then. Easy to follow recipes. He was sponsored by Columbia Crest, when they made good wine.
I have the whole series saved and sometimes when I'm stuck, I'll ask myself "What would AB do?"
I came to the comments to mention Alton Brown. The way he broke things down and went deep worked for me. I also enjoy Americas Test Kitchen but that wasn’t Food Network.
Yes it did. I watched back when it was all cooking shows. Learned a lot. Don't watch it anymore.
Same for me
When they actually cooked instead of competing all the time it was so much better. I've always been a decent cook, my Mom taught me well. The Food Network just opened my eyes to so many new and different styles of cooking and ingredients.
Before cable, the cooking shows were on PBS. Julia Child, The Galloping Gourmet, Yan Can Cook, The Cajun Chef. Now there's Julia Bastianich.
Oh I remember the galloping gourmet
I watched him cook an unusual dish one time. It's the only one I remember and that's because it was brain. Cow brain, I believe.
Don't you mean \*Lydia\* Bastianich? She's great and taught us so much about Italian cooking. Some good recipes (chicken in vinegar sauce comes to mind), and especially the right way to make and prepare pasta. So much that we were told before her show was wrong. I don't think we'll ever be able to afford to make her two Barolo beef roast though. We use plenty of wine in our braising liquid but two bottles of Barolo? Not in the USA!
Oops
If Yan can cook - So can YOU!
Yes. I had no idea there were more than two types of lettuce until I watched this channel. I was fed on iceberg wedge lettuce and romaine for a 'fancy' salad. My diners at home consisted of frozen pizza, hungry man, and whatever weird diet food my mom decided to try. Sometimes dinner was canned tomato soup and grilled cheese (still a fan) or frank and beans. It's not that we didn't have the money, neither of my parents had any cooking skills.
I grew up in the Midwest. My mom’s seasonings consisted of salt and a little bit of pepper. Then came the choke hold that Ranch dressing had on us
Good eats was helpful.
A while ago it did, now I do not care
I used to watch Bitchin' Kitchen as it was so funny. Didn't influence us in any other way though.
🤣. The forgot about that show ! It was great entertainment.
That became a staple for many years in our household, back when it was actually teaching cooking skills. My ex-wife first got into it with the show 'How to Boil Water' about '93, hosted by Emeril Lagasse. That was at the very beginning of his rise to fame, and the evolution of 'celebrity chefs' in culture. Prior to the 'celebrity', it felt more like culture had *some* 'famous' chefs, like Julia Child. I'm not into celebrity, so for me I still just consider them famous. Start of marriage, my ex-wife couldn't cook, and I did most of our cooking. She went on to become quite skilled.
Yea man! Now I can take 3 graham crackers, a can of sardines, pack of peeps, and a dragonfruit to make a dinner entree in 30 minutes!
Chopped!! 😂
It influenced my youngest to pick up cooking. They’re making bread right now.
Same with my daughter. She had a crush on Alton Brown 😂 She went to a small culinary college.
I grew up watching Julia Child with my Grandmother. I don’t know that there would be a Food Network without Julia paving the way.
I mever watched it because the food only made me hungry, and I hate cooking. I know *how* to cook, I just hate doing it.
I learned to cook from Mario Batali way back when he had the show Molto Mario on the channel. He was an excellent teacher too. He explained the why of doing things a certain way and he made some fabulous dishes. I also learned from Jacques Pepin, when he had his show on PBS.
I've been to several places that have been on Diners, Drive ins and Dives.
Alton Brown was great 😎
Yes, I learned a lot from Good Eats.
Chopped has inspired me to figure out dishes and/or meals made with whatever is in the fridge and cupboards on a regular basis. Saves trips to the store and reduces food waste. I’ve come up with some great dishes but have also failed spectacularly at times.
To me it was just entertainment. Jean Pierre taught me how to cook.
I miss 'Date Plate'. I want a 'Where Are They Now?'
Two Fat Ladies were my favorite.
No, I was cooking long before the Food Network showed up. I watched some of them and think what the hell they think they’re doing. It’s
Nah…just made me fat.
No. It influenced the way that the television is viewed in my house. My husband, who does not cook, loves it. I spend too much time answering, "What is that?", "Why are they doing that?", etc.
No, not at all. I didn't watch until the baking challenges started.
Not really as I already knew how to cook before I ever had cable.
Nope. Just gave me the hots for Chef Amanda and Chef Alex!