Food Network Happenings

They keep offering up more and more ridiculous food related shows.

I gave up early on Alton Brown's game show Cutthroat Kitchen - too silly to bother with.

They are now putting up a new show based on his old Iron Chef series which I did enjoy called Iron Chef Gauntlet, which may turn out to be OK, although I rate the Iron Chef shows highest starting at the original Japanese version (if you ignored all the fake drama) and going down a bit from there.

Cooks vs. Cons is at least entertaining, but the spirit of idiocy lives on at Food Network - the new show Ginormous being a glaring example http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/ginormous-food

[Jenise]

I don't even look a the Food Network anymore. It has been so long since they did or aired anything interesting that I don't even remember what the channel number is. Watched about three episodes of Cutthroat Kitchen, but couldn't stand it. After awhile the situations are all alike. Did see an ad for Gauntlet, though from it I couldn't figure out what the show would be. Haven't seen Cooks vs. Cons, but again saw a commercial and rued that Geoffrey Zakarian who I otherwise adore would sink to this. This is better than running your restaurant, really?

Yeah, Zakarian seems a bit out of place, but the premise - some cooks some amateurs - works prett well and gifted amateurs routinely get taken for chefs. Maybe you should sign up?
Bet you'd fool them!!

[Jenise]

I appreciate your confidence! I'll make a point of watching an episode. HOWEVER, tonight we binged watched five episodes of Avec Eric and we're working our way through Chef's Table Season One. (Yes, I finally got Netflix.) Hard to imagine going from that kind of culinary programming to a game show, and being even nominally impressed.

Agree, but once you've watched all the good stuff on Netflix, its nice to have a fallback.

[Jenise]

No doubt! I'll check it out.

Old style Iron Chef

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF-I7hnGv4o

Old style Iron Chef

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF-I7hnGv4o

That's hilarious!

Yeah, old Mario is fairly outspoken.

[Jenise]

So who watched Gauntlet last night? Can't believe they brought back Donatella Arpaia....

Don't get it here until next week - how was it?

[Jenise]

Different. Alton Brown supposedly told the FN he'd do it his way or wouldn't do it. His way consists of having competitors compete with one another, a la Top Chef. Chefs rush to select their key ingredient from a table of offerings per a theme, though it's obvious they already know what those are going to be because there are no fights over the same ingredients. He's the sole judge of that segment, chooses a winner and a loser. Then an elimination round a la Masterchef commences between the loser and whoever the winner of the first round selects to cook against the loser (strategy! sportsmanship! drama!). For this round, the two chefs cook the same ingredient as displayed in that coffin-like case from the original Iron Chef, and the remaining chefs all stand in the back and watch, tossing out cliche reality-show encouragements like "You can do this!". Unassisted, they prepare three dishes to present to two judges, in this case Geoffrey Zakarian and Donnatella. They fill out score cards just like old Iron Chef based on taste, presentation and I can't remember the third. Use of star ingredient? Not sure. So this is going to go on for a few weeks and then the winner, or winners, will face "the Gauntlet": Flay, Morimoto and Symon.

Apparently FN was worried that no new chefs would ever beat the Gauntlet, and this is where Alton Brown supposedly stood his ground. Maybe none will be good enough, and that's reality.

Rob Feenie won Iron Chef America in 2005 - you can watch it here

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtp03b ... _lifestyle

I used to do wine events at his restaurant and got him talking about his Iron Chef appearance, Apparently the contestants know the secret ingredient ahead of time and can plan a menu, which makes sense.

[Jenise]

Rob Feenie won Iron Chef America in 2005 - you can watch it here

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtp03b ... _lifestyle

I used to do wine events at his restaurant and got him talking about his Iron Chef appearance, Apparently the contestants know the secret ingredient ahead of time and can plan a menu, which makes sense.

Clearly they do. They bring the ingredients they'll need, and their assistants hit the ground running. In later years they went through the motions of having a conversation but they were lame and obviously just for show. I dislike the pretense, but it persists.

Interesting seeing Feenie. I've never laid eyes on him, but was lucky to have had the whole ten or twelve course tasting menu at Lumiere before he decamped for the Cactus Club. It was a superb meal, and he served a pea ravioli that made me cry.

Pea ravioli sounds good

(BTW - Did a soba noodle fork appie with veg and S.E. Asian sauce last night that I'll try on you. Also tried a Joe Bastianich kale, tomato and white bean dish that received good reviews from the vegie faction).

[Jenise]

I'll look forward to it. Did you ever cook the collard greens?

I'll look forward to it. Did you ever cook the collard greens?

We did - different from kale but not totally dissimilar.

[Jenise]

I'll look forward to it. Did you ever cook the collard greens?

We did - different from kale but not totally dissimilar.

IMO they're the strongest of the greens. They're fab braised with ham and small potatoes--best idea is to divide the collards and let about 60% go for the longer cook and add the remainder about ten minutes before serving--best of both worlds.