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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