I find cooking shows that are actually about cooking a meal are harder and harder to find on TV. Most are competitions and I can’t stand them. I have found some good shows on YouTube. What are your feelings on these shows. And suggestions
Cooking Shows
- Thread starter pocofan
- Start date
I watch very few current cooking shows and tend to watch ones from 20 years ago (or further) on YT these days.
That said, generally, the cooking shows on your PBS affiliates are still about cooking and education - things from Chris Kimball, like Milk Street, or the whole family of ATK/CC from his previous life…even if I don’t like what they’re cooking, I’ll still watch, just because I like watching people cook. I think Walter Staib’s Taste of History is due to start back up on our local station - I can’t recommend that show highly enough. It’s educational and entertaining.
I’m trying to convince my wife to spring for the PBS streaming cost, because it opens their whole library of cooking shows up to the subscriber.
One I’m watching on YT these days is New Scandinavian Cooking (or something like that) - 90% of what they make, I’d never make, but it’s fascinating nonetheless. I’ve watched their Christmas episode probably five times now.
That said, generally, the cooking shows on your PBS affiliates are still about cooking and education - things from Chris Kimball, like Milk Street, or the whole family of ATK/CC from his previous life…even if I don’t like what they’re cooking, I’ll still watch, just because I like watching people cook. I think Walter Staib’s Taste of History is due to start back up on our local station - I can’t recommend that show highly enough. It’s educational and entertaining.
I’m trying to convince my wife to spring for the PBS streaming cost, because it opens their whole library of cooking shows up to the subscriber.
One I’m watching on YT these days is New Scandinavian Cooking (or something like that) - 90% of what they make, I’d never make, but it’s fascinating nonetheless. I’ve watched their Christmas episode probably five times now.
medtran49
Forum GOD!
We watch the actual cooking shows, but rarely watch the competition cooking shows. Top Chef because they actually cook and generally don't make them do outrageous things and there's no screaming and cursing. And we'll watch Worst Cooks mostly for the laughs.
The screaming host and the I’m in my 50’s but act like I’m a cool 18 year old fraternity brother host are the ones I can’t take. I’ve been enjoying Brian Lagerstrom lately. Joshua Weissman is one I’m trying to get into. He has a ton of knowledge but his presentation style is a tad wonky.
In the UK, there is a long tradition of well made cooking programmes which really do show how to make a recipe. Thankfully the tradition continues. They are well filmed, slower paced programmes than the US shows with very little 'excited shouting' which sadly seems to prevail in the US cooking shows, I've seen. There are exceptions of course, for example 'Barefoot Contessa' - but I have a feeling this is made by a UK company (?). There are competitive shows in the UK too, but the best of them also show a lot of process.
JAS_OH1
Forum GOD!
A lot of competition cooking shows are similar to parliament? Can't understand what anyone's saying and nothing gets finished on time or is done in a shoddy fashion? 
Like you, the competitions drive me nuts. I really don't see the point of them. I'd love to watch some really top chefs preparing some of their signature dishes, but this generally doesn't happen. Those were the days when I could watch David Rosengarten, Sarah Moulton, John Ash, Michael Lamonaco or Rick Bayless actually teach me how to make a special dish.
It might be a bit different over the pond, don't really know, but watching a load of stressed out cooks getting bullied by a celebrity with a big ego (with the exception of Master Chef USA and Master Chef Spain) doesn't really rock my boat.
Iron Chef?? I don't eat iron.
It might be a bit different over the pond, don't really know, but watching a load of stressed out cooks getting bullied by a celebrity with a big ego (with the exception of Master Chef USA and Master Chef Spain) doesn't really rock my boat.
Iron Chef?? I don't eat iron.
We have a show called Chopped where the competitors make a dish with “surprise” ingredients. I don’t see the point of it. I saw a comedian that said if you really want a cooking challenge come yo his house and make a meal with the ingredients in his refrigerator. A can of beer, a candy bar and a slice of cheese.
Oh yes - I've seen that. Dreadful show.
The comedian has a much better idea. Open my fridge and you'll find beer, cream cheese, fennel, eggplant, Greek olives, chorizo and hot dogs. Try doing something with that!!
badjak
Über Member
I bet you I could manage...
Maybe with some cupboard items
It's how I normally (have to) cook
medtran49
Forum GOD!
There used to be a show called "Take Home Chef" starring Chef Curtis Stone. He would go up to usually a woman grocery shopping and offer to go home with her and cook a meal. He had to use whatever ingredients she had in her cart or at home, as well as kitchen utensils and equipment at home. He was quite pleased at what he had to work with at times, other times not so much.
Timenspace
Legendary Member
I believe I saw that on yt, a younger guy with blue eyes? I also found it really cool and informative.
Timenspace
Legendary Member
There is a non-chef, a simple Nonna, who migrated from Italy to the Us, whose home cooking I watched a great number of times. Buon A Petitti on yt.
She prepares traditional Italian dishes and her own variations of those.
Authenticity and non-showy tone, and very good recipes where what kept me watching.
Sometimes I'd watch Jamie Oliver.
A few random male chefs that seem to know their trade, can't remember the names...some bakers both female and male, enterpreneurs in cooking...
She prepares traditional Italian dishes and her own variations of those.
Authenticity and non-showy tone, and very good recipes where what kept me watching.
Sometimes I'd watch Jamie Oliver.
A few random male chefs that seem to know their trade, can't remember the names...some bakers both female and male, enterpreneurs in cooking...
Now that's the sort of thing I'd like to see. Why? Because it's practical.
You get home one day after a long and stressful day at work and open the fridge.
"What the heck am I going to make for dinner??"
You see 5 or 6 ingredients and suddenly, an idea springs up. That's the way to go: creativity.
No, quite the opposite, he’s an older, rather stout German chef.
I tend to think of him as the German Jacques Pepin, because he was trained in a similar fashion in Europe, growing up in a cooking family and apprenticing and working in various hotels, before moving to the US to work.
Anyway, his show centers around cooking in 18th century kitchens in historic colonial-era American kitchens, using period pieces and cooking in the big open fireplace and all that. It’s educational and very entertaining, and he’s quite funny himself, when he wants to be.