A recent article appeared in the LA Times that caught my eye. You may read it here. It brings an interesting light on what Joy and I have been noticing as well, but never really wanted to talk about it. Please indulge me with your thoughts with my post:

There are parts of this article I agree with and there are that I do not. I’m going to start with what I do not agree with in this rather interesting piece. First, the network is called “Food Network,” it is a network devoted to food. Whether that food is cooked or given in form of what to eat where–as long as it is food related–this should not be a mitigating factor to if it is worth watching. Another disagreement I have is this article singles out only a handful of the people from the channel. If there is a significant pull to the channel, the article leaves out names like Alton Brown, Bobby Flay, Ina Garten, and Paula Deen. These are a few of the names of trustworthy and great personalities but are somehow omitted from mention here. Does he like their shows or does he believe they are also included in the networks downfall?

Another disagreement I have is that is the current recipes that are being presented are “watered-down” in an effort to attract men to the channel. I beleive it is the faces and the content of a show that matters. The food plays a small part of it, but it is the personality of the host or hostess that makes me want to make their dishes. When “The Next Iron Chef” started, Joy and I watched intently. We knew exactly who the final two would be. We knew John Besh would make it because we saw him dominate his Iron Chef opponent from an earlier showing. Symon had this Bobby Flay-like demeanour about him that made him appear intimidating. While my money was on Besh, Symon will indeed make a great addition to the Food Network family. Which takes me to where I agree I start to agree with this article.

I look at shows like Everyday Italian and Boy Meets Grill and I get the urge to make anything presented. Each one makes their own unique style and anyone who reads our personal blogs or even our recipes here, any of our guests can attest there is nothing watered down about the recipes we pick from either of these hosts. Their shows are fin to watch as well. Then you have shows like “2 Dudes Cooking” and “Gourmet Next Door,” and we get no interest in making their concoctions. They are dull, lifeless, and while their dishes may be worth the effort, I’m bored before they get to the completed dish.

Then there are these shows that I am on the fence with. Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, mentioned in the article, Ace of Cakes, and Simply Delicioso. Both are entertaining shows, their hosts are very energetic. However, for the “home cook,” a term I have heard dropped quite a bit, these shows seem to be a bit too involved and impossible to follow for any tips or tricks for something to serve their family. Joy and I want to try making a fondant cake because of Duff, but opening a diner in the Phoenix area does not sound like something we would want to do if we could afford to do so. When they’re interviewing the owners of their famous places, very rarely do we hear about their start-up. I would love to hear how some of these places made their mark in their respective cities. The only thing I have to say for Simply Delicioso is I get a Latin version of Giada. I have yet to see an episode, but from the commercials, this is what I see.

Then there are the no-brainers. I’m not talking the logic of preparation, I am talking about the quick-fix shows: 30-minute meals, Quick-Fix, and Semi-Homemade come to mind. Maybe even Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger can fit in here. These shows are what embody the “home cook.” Their recipes make cooking a lot easier for the masses. I really cannot find a reason to call their techniques invalid or unwatchable, and their presentation is top notch. I am not sure why there are more shows on this network like these.

2008 will be an interesting year for food network and Joy and I will be watching for realistically creatable dishes. For the rest of the shows that do not mention cooking, we will be analyzing them to see if they stay true to the vision of the channel: The heart and soul of Food.