Throwback Thursday: Cutthroat Kitchen (2013-2017)

Cooking compeition shows have become a staple of Food Network‘s schedule. The problem is that after watching several variations on this theme, the programs start to blend together. It takes a unique premise to make one show stand out from another.

Cutthroat Kitchen aired from 2013-2017. Hosted by Alton Brown, four chefs face each other in three rounds. Each contestant is given $25,0000 and the opportunity to purchase opportunities to sabotage one another along the way. The winner takes home the money that is still in the bank at the end the of game, in addition to the title of champion.

What I like about this program is how deliciously sadistic Brown is. The challenges require the chefs to think outside the box and perhaps be a little more vicious than they would be when they are not in front of the camera.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Advertisement

Chef Boot Camp

At some point in our professional lives, it is easy to forget why we chose that job. There are two paths to take. One would be to change careers. The other is to re-discover what inspired us to join that profession in the first place.

On the new Food Network series, Chef Boot Camp, each episode focuses on three chefs who have lost their cooking mojo. The owners of the restaurants where these chefs work have reached a breaking point. Under the tutelage of Chef Cliff Brooks, they will be forced to learn new dishes and hopefully re-ignite their love of being in the kitchen. If they are not able to succeed, they may find themselves out of a job.

I find this program to be interesting. Though it is a reality show, it feels like it extends into real life because the consequences of what happens on the show extend long after the credits roll.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Chef Boot Camp airs on Food Network on Thursday at 10PM.

Flashback Friday: The Kitchen (2014-Present)

There is nothing like getting together with friends. Adding food into the mix can only make the experience more pleasurable.

The Food Network series, The Kitchen, has been on the air since 2014. Five celebrity chefs (Katie Lee, Alex Guarnaschelli, Sunny Anderson, Jeff Mauro, and Geoffrey Zakarian) chit chat about life as they each create a dish based on a specific theme or style of cooking.

This is one of those shows that I will watch just because I feel the need to turn the television on. I am not a foodie, so watching a straight up cooking show is not my idea must see TV. After 7 years of being on the air, there is obviously a loyal following. But I am not one of them. It’s fine a program, but it is not for me.

Do I recommend it? Not really.

Throwback Thursday: Top Five Restaurants (2015-2016)

Before the internet, asking for a recommendation for a new restaurant was commonplace.

Top Five Restaurants aired on Food Network from 2015-2016. Hosted by Sunny Anderson and and Geoffrey Zakarian, each episode focuses on an individual food. Several professional foodies and chefs are interviewed, proclaiming that their favorite restaurant makes the best version of that particular dish.

Watching this show makes me hungry. The way the food is described by the interviewees is enough of an impetus to at least hypothetically, get on a plane and visit some of the places.

Do I recommend it? Yes

Flashback Friday-Halloween Wars (2011-Present)

When most of us think of sweet treats on Halloween, we think of pre-packaged candies and chocolate sitting in bowl, waiting to be distributed.

Halloween Wars (2011-Present), airing on Food Network, takes that concept and blows it up. Five teams compete to create the scariest and most delicious Halloween related deserts.

I’ll be honest. Among the seasonal cooking competition shows on the Food Network schedule, this is one that I pass on. It’s a fine program, it’s just not one I want to spend my time watching.

Do I recommend it? Not really.

Flashback Friday: The Best Thing I Ever Ate (2009-Present)

A good meal is more than the components that make up the dish. It is an experience to savor and treasure.

The Best Thing I Ever Ate has been part of the Food Network schedule since 2009. The show takes viewers across the country as the network’s stars talk about a favorite restaurant and a specific meal that makes their mouth water.

I’m not a foodie by an stretch of the imagination. But I will admit that some of the dishes look so good that it makes me want to buy a plane or bus ticket to try it.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Flashback Friday: Food Paradise (2007-2018)

A good meal is more than physical nourishment. It is a pleasurable experience that lingers in our memories long after the meal is done. Especially when we are on vacation and eating something that we normally would not eat at home.

Food Paradise aired on both Travel Channel and then on Food Network from 2007-2018. Each episode focuses on a different type of food, introducing the audience to mouth watering dishes from different restaurants across the country.

I’m not a foodie, but my mouth frequently drops when I watch this program. The dishes presented to the audience are nothing short of amazing. Depending on one’s food tastes, one might be tempted to take a trip to wherever the restaurant is located to try the dish they saw on television.

I recommend it.

Flashback Friday-Ace of Cakes (2006-2011)

When one normally thinks of a cake, the image is that of a square or a rectangle covered in frosting with a topping or two.

On Ace of Cakes, Duff Goldman and his team create much more than the basic cake. Their task is to create custom and extremely detailed cakes within a very short amount of time. Once the cakes are completed (sometimes using unorthodox methods), they often travel hundreds, if not thousands of miles to their final destination.

I think this show is fabulous. I love the idea of the challenge of creating cakes that go well beyond what most of us think of a cake. I also love to camaraderie between the team and the creativity it takes to put together their masterpeices.

I recommend it.

Flashback Friday-The Great Food Truck Race (2010-Present)

Innovation comes in many different forms. When it comes to food, food trucks represent innovation in it’s purest form.

The Great Food Truck Race has aired in Food Network since 2010. Hosted by Tyler Florence, the show follows several food truck teams as they drive across the country and try to out cook each other. As in any competition reality program, the winning team receives a cash prize and the glory of winning their season.

I can understand the appeal of The Great Food Truck Race. Any television program, regardless of genre or content does not last ten years without having a loyal and eager fan base. While this is not my favorite show on the Food Network, I can understand its appeal.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

Flashback Friday-Kids Baking Championship (2015-Present)

Excellence in a specific area in adulthood requires years of hard work and study. Excellence in this same area as a child is something to cherish.

Kids Baking Championship has aired on Food Network since 2015. Hosted and judged by Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli, this competition reality show puts its young contestants through their paces. Judged on their dishes based on presentation, taste, and quality, at the end of the season, one contestant is named the winner.

I don’t watch this show very often, but when I do, I am impressed. The level of skill, passion, and talent that these kids have is impressive. I also appreciate that because of the age of the contestants, there is a gentler approach to the competition.

Do I recommend it? Yes.