Cooking Show Reviews

What to watch, and what to miss

Iron Chef: Fun to watch, but not to follow

This series is often replayed on various cable networks, after it stopped airing original shows in 2002. This eccentric game-show style cooking show started in Japan in the early 90s, then was picked up by the Food Network and dubbed over in English.

Each show has a chef challenging one of the host's Iron Chefs in a cook-off, with the host's choice of a theme ingredient. Each battle lasts about an hour, is difficult to follow, but hilarious to watch. The intensity with which chefs battle for the title, coupled with the voice-overs and the explosive host, makes this show a must-see. Just don't count on it to help with your family's next meal.

Martha Stewart: Cozy but condescending

Good luck to the guest chefs on Martha Stewart's daytime show. This kitchen diva has the tendency to speed up, or occasionally assume too much while preparing a meal. But more often than not, her cooking shows are helpful, with hints on storing and processing foods, from preparing fine cuisines to ordinary candies.

Emeril Live: Spices up the kitchen

This New Orleans-based chef keeps things hot in the kitchen, with his Food Network cooking show Emeril Live. He's known for his famous Bam! after explaining a dish, keeping your attention and leaving you waiting for more. But watch closely! This chef may sometimes go too fast for the beginner. Good thing there's a pause button!

Celebrity cooking gets the chop

It had potential. It made normal, day-to-day, people, maybe even people who are lousy in the kitchen, feel better about their skills. But P. Diddy's ill-fated Celebrity Cooking show dropped off the networks after only four shows aired. While it wasn't necessarily the most instructional cooking show, it probably gave a lot of people a reason to pick up the spatula and try again.

Food network does it all

An entire cable channel devoted to food and cooking shows? Anyone who's kitchen comfortable should know what channel this is. The entire network is devoted to its name: food. But while cooking shows were their first interest, the network is now moving more into histories, informational and the just plain odd, such as a chocolate clothing fashion show. This network features Emeril, Wolfgang Puck, dessert shows, and Rachel Ray recipes; if you can think of it, it's on this network.

The network also has various digital video clips, for viewers to peruse before deciding on a show.

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