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Our agreement that Sandra Lee is a charlatan notwithstanding, she's very much present at the Food Network right now. She's prominently included in the "Food Network All-Star Party," along with Rachael, Paula, Emeril, Bobby and Michael, given equal billing with these Chefs with Chops. Cooking schools. Fine restaurants. Award-winning cookbooks.
Sara Moulton's show, Sara's Secrets, has been cancelled (admittedly, this wasn't my favorite show - but she's my all-time favorite Food Network chef, her show Cooking Live was sublime). Dmnkly wonders if this isn't a harbinger of a bigger, more insidious change going on inside Food Network... and in the world at large. Could the very respectable, cooking-institute-trained Sara's replacement by the QVC-trained Sandra mean that the Food Network has sold out to the packaged goods companies?
The claim is not so far-fetched. After all, the great cooking game shows of yesteryear (remember Ready Set Cook? I loved that show!) are being replaced by more and more fawning trips through factories that make candy, cookies, cereal, Twinkies, and soda. And more and more Rachael Ray shows where she eats and opines on how cool things are, around the world.
I'm worried that the quality chefs are being forced out and replaced with "personalities" who are trained to sell, not to cook. Already Rachael - much though I adore her - is clearly a salesperson first and a foodie second.
If I had my way, we'd bring back my classic faves like Cooking Live and Too Hot Tamales and Ready Set Cook and do away with the window dressing and the factory tours. Am I in the minority? Or does America really want to learn more about how Red Hots are made?
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12-13-2005 @11:09AM michelle said... Yea, I want the cooking too. The good cooking. I don't want to see how to make packaged tortelleni with velveeta cheese sauce (thank you, Sandra!). If I were kind of drunk and had limited kitchen supplies, I could have come up with that one too.
Personally, I am also getting sick of the 'how food is made' shows (although, I know there are quite a few people who like those). But, I could live with those if FN replaces Sara Moulton with a similarly-skilled host for another cooking show.
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12-13-2005 @10:59AM Punisher2k said... I think those shows have a place but would like to see more shows like Good Eats then Unwrapped.
As evidenced by the new commericals (We start in the kitchen...) it's apparent that Food Network is looking to expand it's viewer base by adding shows that are food themed, not food centric. It is a real shame to see it happen.
The reality is the only way we can effect change is to not watch Food Network but until another food oriented station comes to light, they have a monopoly that can't be beat.
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12-13-2005 @11:18AM Dmnkly said... I think the real question is whether, in the process of making this transition, Food TV is leading or following. It seems clear that there's a distinct shift that's been happening as the quality chefs dwindle, but is this because Food TV viewers, for the most part, don't WANT quality chefs anymore? I really want to believe that the level of appreciation for good food in the States has significantly elevated over the past decade, because the alternative is... well... depressing. But if Food TV's response as they grow is to become less and less discerning about the quality of the food their shows produce, is it simply because Mario, Sara, Bobby et. al. are a niche market and we don't see it because we're in the niche?
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12-13-2005 @11:59AM Eric said... I couldn't agree more. This is the main reason why I've stopped watching the food network as much as I used to. Simply put, there are no longer as many quality chefs on. I've moved back to watching PBS cooking shows again.
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12-13-2005 @12:11PM FJK said... I have so many theories about this. The most arcane has to do with the loss earlier in the 20th century of middle class household help and the industrial sponsored rise of "scientific cooking," the increase in college educated women (and the need for them to have a domestic science related career because they couldn't work in a man's field) and home cooks' loss of confidence. You can throw in the increasing distance between the grower and the consumer in the marketplace and you have yourself a Phd dissertation.
The most skeptical has to do with what a great fit shows like Semi Homemade are for advertisers, since you rarely see a multimillion dollar ad budget for say, fresh string beans or unbleached flour.
I have to say in her own way Sandra's connoctions and expectations are as elaborate and fantastic as Martha Stewart's ever were. And just as unrealistic for most home cooks. I swear some are even more time consuming then just doing things from scratch.
While I've never been a fan of the Emeril type of show, I've enjoyed Sara's shows. I realize Food Network needs to appeal more to the masses, but its recent programming choices make me feel alienated from the channel. Which may be okay by them, as long as their audience of potential Kraft consumers grows.
We are witnessing the transition of the network from its earlier, more specialized "opinion gate keeper" appeal to its more marketing driven "cash cow" mass adoption stage. Hopefully, there will always be programs that we can relate to on the network. Or maybe enough of us will be alienated that some saavy business person/visionary will decide their is an audience for the Gourmet channel or the like. And the cycle will begin again.
I think Food Blog Scool has a thread on this topic, too.
http://www.foodblogscool.blogspot.com
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12-13-2005 @12:20PM FJK said... Oops. I just double checked and couldn't find that thread at Food Blog Scool. Must have seen it elsewhere. Sorry.
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12-13-2005 @1:38PM FJK said... File Under Unable to Leave Well Enough Alone -- I found that thread. And, duh, it was at Slashfood back in November.
Great posting on Sandra Lee and lots of juicy comments.
http://www.slashfood.com/2005/11/02/semi-homemade-why-not-make-it-really-homemade
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12-13-2005 @1:41PM Susan said... When listing the many ways in which the Food Network is pandering to specific audiences and sponsors, let's not overlook the abundance of their new form of 'special,' the FN-sponsored COMPETITIONS (cakes, cupcakes, wedding cakes, sugar sculptures, gingerbread, ad infinitum). The tediously stretched-out programs could be shown (if necessary) in a half hour. Better yet, just tune in to the last five minutes for a glimpse at some utterly amazing and some not-so-amazing productions.
I'm not above using a can of crescent rolls for a quick appetizer, but that isn't what kept many of us tuning in, utterly entranced. Let's lose the 'add-a-can-of-creamed-soup' mentality that pervades the American approach to cuisine. I'm not looking to food-as-entertainment, but rather, to have my knowledge of GOOD food that is well-prepared, furthered and enhanced.
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12-14-2005 @3:07AM Dmnkly said... Time to organize and take this thing wide...
...the Evil One is upon us!
http://dmnkly.livejournal.com/39703.html
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