Unpack Your Knives!

The Next Food Network Star returned to some big changes on Sunday for season 6 including the addition of Giada De Laurentiis as a mentor and a spectacular move to Los Angeles.

“We’re using Giada as a mentor figure, where she talks about her experiences being a host on a network, and that’s one more element we didn’t have before", said Co-host Bobby Flay.

Quite frankly, I once overheard a couple in the grocery store bantering the ingredients of one of Giada's recipes (Apparently, they had watched her show and were attempting to make whatever dish that was prepared on television). My immediate thought was...Well, never mind what my initial thought was at the time...Let's just say that I was on the verge of laughing at them in public.

Anyway, back to the show. I appreciate the lively tempo of the new format (Moving to L.A. was an obvious good decision) and a change-up in host/judges also certainly helps to enliven what was once viewed as a very dry program.

I would change a few other things about the show, as well - such as stocking the entire panel with Food Network stars (Why have only one on the panel?), appoint Guy Fieri as host (Agreed, his looks are distracting, but he does bring personality), and completely, unequivocally change the set. Moreover, there are a number of things that I would overhaul about the ENTIRE network - but, that is a discussion for another time (Remind me later).

With the latest season, the show appears to be patterning after Bravo's ultra successful cook-off program Top Chef, which might not be a bad idea...

Anyone Hungry?

Yum! I do not know about you, but I actually enjoy watching food while I eat food and this summer we can look forward to a another batch of recurring reality shows around the concept of cooking.

For your culinary viewing pleasure, we have Hell's Kitchen 3 (Fox), The Next Food Network Star (Food Network), and Top Chef 3 (Bravo). If you were not eating before, you will after watching these treats.

The Fork On The Right Is The Salad Fork

Quite frankly, it is easy to get the shows confused (Forgive me fellow producers), and they all have the key events in common: Professional Chefs of various personality, living together all competing for a career as a professional chef.

Congratulations - You have just won yourself a JOB!

Considering most of the contestants on these shows are all moderately and/or professionally trained chefs already working in their chosen field, the main premise of each show is a competition among members for some type of job or 'career' related to cooking -

• Top Chef - 15 aspiring chefs compete for a chance to win the prestigious title of "Top Chef".
  
• The Next Food Network Star - 12 aspiring chefs compete for a chance to win their own 'cooking related' show.


• Hell's Kitchen - 16 aspiring chefs compete for a chance to win the coveted position as Executive Chef of a chain restaurant in Las Vegas.
  

Further and even more confusing is that the above shows are all on the schedule during the same season, at relatively the same time.

Let's Eat!
Other similarities also include COOKING (Of course). Now, the food prepared on these programs are not everyday meals and not the way most people dine (Most people do not have the desire to create a culinary masterpiece from vending machine novelties).

Maybe Not...Out of the few times that I have seen these programs, the food is great for visual appeal, however, not at all what one would consider satisfying. Perhaps, I am not speaking from the position of 'gourmet', most of the food created (On one show in particular) not only sounds unappealing, but looks largely inedible.

Having said, it is possible that food can be over thought, over prepared and over presented, and although I consider myself a very picky connoisseur, I do not eat magazine pictures of food - I like things simple and for the most part plain; taste matters more than a grand presentation.

If you are feeling inspired or adventurous, the good news is that you can actually go to the websites of Top Chef (Bravo site) and Food Network Star (Food Network site) and get the actual recipes of the dishes prepared in the show- Oh my, I wonder if the recipe ever turns out like how it appears on TV!

So, maybe in just someway these shows are teaching us it's not the job - but, how you COOK that matters...