Celebrity Chef Roundup: Books, TV/Film, Restaurants, Websites, News

Post by **Darb** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:08 pm

Rachel Ray gets on my nerves - that, plus she's not a true chef. She's just a TV personality who cooks a little. Feh.

I really like Anthony Bourdain - I like straight-talking go-for-the-jugular tell-it-like-it-is goombas, and that's definitely him. His books are a total gas.

Does anybody remember the PBS series, Two Fat Chicks? They rode around on motor scooters. And there was that Cajun guy, who always said "whoo-eee!" He was entertaining. I also used to watch The Frugal Gourmet a long time ago, Jeff Smith was a controversial fellow though, with lawsuits alleging sexual abuse of young men surrounding him. I'm not sure he was ever convicted, but there were several suits that were settled out of court.

* It was "Two Fat Ladies". The show went off the air because one of them passed away, due to a lung ailament and/or heart attack. I loved their show.

* I thought it was Paul Prudhomme who was always saying "whoo-eeee". He was a very fat, round, jolly looking man with black hair, and a strong louisiana backwater accent.

Post by **Darb** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:18 pm

My impression of Tyler Florence is that he's a bit of a culinary lightweight. I can usually tell when he's cooking something from cue cards, with little advance prep, vs something he's personally well acquainted with. Emeril's the same way. I have a low tolerance for TV chefs who pretend to know what they're doing, with regards to their theme du jour, when they're actually out of their element. Tyler has a few things he seems to do fairly well, but other than that, he comes across (to me) as a male version of jill cordes / rachel ray ... a perky personality with pretty face, playing the role of a semi-competent culinary tourist who's paid to go gushy/google-eyed on cue.

Getting back to Rachel Ray again ... I watched her take a bite of this burrito type dish once, and she was waxing poetic about the contents, when you could clearly see that her teeth didn't even reach them (i.e., she took a bite from one end and got nothing but folded tortilla). I have this uncontrollable urge to reach into the TV and smack her, whenever I flip past her show. She's a chatty, perky culinary lightweight, with a 1000 watt smile. I just can't picture her banging out a couple hundred meals a night, for weeks on end, in a hot kitchen sans audience ... she'd probably be crying for her hair dryer, and nail polish, and whining about blisters on her knife hand, after a few short hours.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:43 pm

No. I thought it was Justin Wilson. Maybe your right. Justin also said "I guarantee!" and "What I am about to, did,"

Paul Prudhomme was the big fat guy with the white cap.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:48 pm

Your right about Rachel being so annoying. Almost as bad as Alton Brown! My wife still thinks Tyler is cute though. But I hear yah.
What I liked about him originally in Food 911 is that he made foods that anybody can make with the ingredients in their fridge. One of my pet peeves about Emeril is that he always makes these exotic foods with ingredients that you can't normally always get at the store.

There isn't a chef out there that just makes simple everyday stuff.
Even the cook books always have fancy stuff. Im convinved if there was a basic cooking show or book for beginners. It would do well.

Post by **Darb** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:04 pm

Food 911 had its moments.

As for everyday cooking ... do you like "Lydia's Italian-American Kitchen" ? She focuses on basic rib-sticking italian style home cooking, and she's good at it. I enjoy her show from time to time.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:22 pm

I don't think I have ever seen it. I think it might be during the day. I think my wife has seen it. I have heard of her before. I notice when a show is starting out they tend to put it on between 4PM and 8PM to get the most exposure. Once your a has been you get booted to and AM or late PM timeslot.

violetblue · Post by **violetblue** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:22 pm

Paladin wrote:Hey! I'm from the Southside of Chicago! Actually Rachel is from Massachusetts and then lived in New York.

The old japanese Tron chef shows were great!

The cajun guy is Justin Wilson.

Oops!

Well, I lived on the southside of Chicago (or as you probably say it, Chee-COG-Oooh) for many years, so I guess it's OK for me to poke fun. I thought someone from the 'hood told me they grew up with her. My bad.

Don't be mean to Rach, Brad. Rach (I call her Rach, and no, I don't know her, that's just what I like to call her) cooks some good stuff. You need to get on that show, what is it, "Food Network's Next TV Star," then you can have a showdown.

I think Justin Wilson was the name of the guy I remember, the Cajun chef. I forgot about that "I guarantee, (Ga-ar-a-unn-tee!)" with about five syllables.

I think I had heard one of the "Two Fat Ladies" (that DOES sound nicer) had passed away. They knew what they were doing and just did their own thing. Talent and a sense of humor, a rare combination.

Oh, two chefs that really annoy me--Tyler Florence and Bobby Flay. Bobby Flay, especially, is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Talk about an annoying voice! He's just got this smart-alecky attitude, but not in a good way like Anthony. I remember this show he did for a while where he would go into restaurant's kitchens and show how they made their signature dishes. He would start taking over and acting like he could do it better. So annoying.

Post by **Darb** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:17 pm

I have a chef friend of mine who's met Flay in real life, on a professional basis. The man is, shall we say, not especially likeable, in person.

I also think many of his flavors, culinarily speaking, are overwrought ... kind of like an overdressed whore.

The man doesn't have a subtle bone in his body.

tollbaby · Post by **tollbaby** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:29 pm

Violet, was dating a guy from the south-east ChicAHgo area.... now dating a guy from North ChicOHgo (I really don't get that).... it's all just really bizarre. LOL

violetblue · Post by **violetblue** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:59 am

Brad wrote:I also think many of his flavors, culinarily speaking, are overwrought ... kind of like an overdressed whore.

Snap!

Post by **Darb** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:10 pm

I forgot to include too much makeup too.

violetblue · Post by **violetblue** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:51 am

Has anybody seen the new Food Network show, Party Line With Dan and Steve? They are the winners of The Next Food Network Star contest. I have not seen it yet.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:59 am

I have seen it and have seen the whole The Next Food Network Star contest. I can see why they did win though, they have a chemistry together. Although they still seem a little nervous. I imagine it takes time to get comfortable with the camera. It is easy for us to criticize being on the otherside of the camera. The show itself doesn't really seem like its anything special. Although they do give out some useful tips and shortcuts on receipes and on entertaining. The show isn't in my list of favorite shows though.

Post by **Darb** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:14 pm

I havent seen their show, but I did see the contest program. They seem like a pair of twinkies with a bit of catering experience and some on-screen chemistry ... but other than that, I wasn't overly impressed.

No offense intended, but being gay is hardly sufficient grounds for staking out unique/memorable culinary turf and deserving of a show.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:27 pm

Yeah but Im sure the TV execs are licking their chops! Imagine the Gay target market, two high incomes and no kids per se. That's more $$ for the pickings. Have you noticed a catering to that market on TV in general in recent years?? Wonder why? Hmmm,.. $$$$$

tollbaby · Post by **tollbaby** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:55 pm

Brad wrote:No offense intended, but being gay is hardly sufficient grounds for staking out unique/memorable culinary turf and deserving of a show.

No, but it's very trendy

violetblue · Post by **violetblue** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 4:35 pm

Well, I didn't see The Next Food Network Star, which is a shame because I'm sure I would have liked it. So I don't feel qualified to comment on their abilities to host a show. But I do hope they beat the other contestants because of their abilities, foremost. I almost used the eyeroll Smiley on you again, Brad!

I'm definitely going to be watching for the next installment of "Next Food..." series. And I am going to catch the Party Line show. Good idea if they can get over their jitters and get on with it.

Evaine · Post by **Evaine** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 11:38 am

I don't often venture into the food and drink zone, but Brad mentioned the Galloping Gourmet at the top of the thread. I used to love that programme! Partly it was the way he used clarified butter and garlic crushed under the knife in just about every dish he cooked, followed by the "short slurp" of wine - and then inviting a member of the audience to eat it with him.
Back in the seventies, it was almost exotic (I had never seen garlic in real life at that time).

Post by **Kvetch** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 11:42 am

Evaine wrote:(I had never seen garlic in real life at that time).

I find this idea truely frightening...

I don't think a life without garlic would be worth living.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:10 pm

Kvetch wrote:
Evaine wrote:(I had never seen garlic in real life at that time).
I find this idea truely frightening...

I don't think a life without garlic would be worth living.

Here's my Tom Cruise impression,...

" Some people say,.. if you don't like garlic,..then get the h*ll out!,...
Well I love garlic!"

Ahh Hmmm

Thank you

Evaine · Post by **Evaine** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:21 pm

Truly - when I was seventeen, my dad made spaghetti bolognese for the family for the first time ever, and we spent some time poking at it with our forks and wondering how to get it up to our mouths without splattering the whole table with sauce. It's wierd to think that spag bol was once exotic and unfamiliar cookery.

Post by **Darb** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 9:12 pm

Kvetch wrote:
Evaine wrote:(I had never seen garlic in real life at that time).
I find this idea truely frightening...

I don't think a life without garlic would be worth living.

Pity me - I cook as a hobby, but my wife can't eat garlic or olive oil AT ALL, and even her tolerance of hot spice and onions is rather limited.

tollbaby · Post by **tollbaby** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 12:28 am

Brad.... one of my directors at work has a GARLIC FARM. *dies* He brings me a fresh bulb every week, and I have to give them away to family & friends because I can't digest much garlic (hiatal hernia *grumble*)

Sean Whitton · Post by **Sean Whitton** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:54 am

Heh, for xmas I got a mushroom growing kit! We couldn't stop laughing.

Post by **wolfspirit** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 9:22 am

Xyrael wrote:Heh, for xmas I got a mushroom growing kit! We couldn't stop laughing.

You should come out to where I live. WE have some of the best muchroom growing soil in the US, if not the world.

wolfspirit