No Reservations with Reservations
I actually like the guy (despite the Cleveland episode of "No Reservations" that made us Clevelanders looks like a bunch of pork-obsessed crazies). He takes a mature and seasoned view of food that his status and celebrity allows him, which I think is pretty cool. There is no doubt that he is honest or at least speaks his mind (I mean, come on, the dude doesn't seem to have a filter at all) and I for one would love to sit and have a beer with the guy, though he undoubtedly would drink me under the table.
So I see his face staring right back at mine at a recent visit to Whistlestop Bookshop and decide to take our relationship to a whole new level; I'm going to buy his book. I only started diving in to Medium Raw a few days ago, but I find myself at odds with the author on one thing that he is so passionate about, namely his hatred of everything Food Network.
He refers to the shows as "dumbed down" and "ridiculous" (admittedly there are some ridiculous shows...don't even get me started on Semi Homemade). He actually seems to detest that these shows are actually entertaining and the chefs and/or cooks are friendly and relatable.
While I did laugh (out loud) as I was reading those pages, I just had so much trouble with Bourdain's point of view. Why is it so bad to have "dumbed down" shows about food if it makes people actually get off their asses and cook? Why is it bad that people get excited about food that is readily available in their neighborhood grocery stores? I mean, I love watching him go all over the world and eat some pretty incredible foods, but I'm not rushing out to get some cow brains any time soon.
I guess what I am trying to say is that there is a place in this world for both points of view - neither of which are mutually exclusive. I'm entertained by both. I learn from both. And I genuinely like both.
There is something about Food Network that Tony and I do agree on, though.
That Sandra Lee is a freaking train wreck.
4 comments:
The problem is, by and large, he's dead on target. Dumb and Dump is what you get anymore on Food Network. And the problem with that is it's not benefiting anyone by challenging their skills or making them aspire to more. It's stylized, unrealistic crap staged in mountains of expensive cookware under movie-perfect lighting.
Some people - I'd like to think the majority of the old FN audience - don't want ten minute this and bargain that. I know you guys don't from the recipes I see you both post and speak of.
Food Network used to be wonderful, a fixture on my TV. Not anymore. If Food Network was living up to its original mission, they would never in a million years have begun the Cooking Channel - a station that shows real chefs really cooking and a lot of interesting international food shows.
FN is one big mess of re-runs and second-rate reality shows to pick the next idiot who won't last long (seriously, Guy Fieri's the biggest success of Next Food Network Star - that alone says it all).
Bobby Flay's a hell of a lot better chef than challenging the Pie Moms of Podunk, Iowa to a throwdown and I'd like to think he dies a little inside every time he cashes the checks for that show.
What used to be fresh and magnetic has really lost its shine.
Giada's original show has been tweaked, but only enough to make it seem fresh. Same with Barefoot Contessa, which I still think is the best thing going on that channel. Paula Deen is a freakish imitation of her original self. Emeril still, somehow, gets to BAM all over the place. And even the new folks only seem pale in the face of their predecessors.
Alton Brown's wildly informative show is pushed aside so he can host Iron Chef, a show that I doubt makes many people want to cook.
The NYTimes posted up a solid critique back in the fall of 09 that speaks exactly to this whole thing. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html?scp=1&sq=out%20of%20the%20kitchen%20food%20network&st=cse
And this line of attack is nothing new for Bourdain either. He wrote what one can imagine to be the outline for the section of Medium Raw on Michael Ruhlman's blog back in 2007. http://blog.ruhlman.com/2007/02/guest_blogging_.html
Basically, while a lot of things about Bourdain tick me off, I can say for him that his show doesn't pander or used boxed mixes. And I'm more likely to watch him than any of the recycled vomit on FN these days.
Do you have an opinion on this, Bill? ;)
First off, I was thinking about the whole Food Network/Cooking Channel brand when I was making my comments- I should have been more specific. That being said, I agree with you on many, but not all, points. I can't watch Paula anymore and I want to kick Guy every time I see him.
I guess our criteria for what we are looking for in these shows are quite different. You are much more experienced and creative in the kitchen than I am, so I think we are starting from very different places. I want to #1 be entertained (why else do you watch TV?) and #2 learn something. Ina, Alton, Giada, Bobby (when he's actually cooking) all hit these points for me. And I have faith that Aarti will be good as well.
I do agree that the mother ship has become a MTv to the Cooking Channel's MTv 2, but there are still shows on there that I am able to enjoy without feeling like my intellegence is being insulted.
I'm hesitant to call what Sandra Lee does "cooking"; I don't see how she encourages anyone to change their consumption habits.
Anthony Bourdain is a crass a-hole, but he loves food and his craft. The Food Network continues to pander to the lowest common denominator with gimmicks peddled by gimmicky people masquerading as Chefs.
While Mr. Bourdain may be abrasive and difficult to listen to, I know I will never see him in a commercial for Dunkin' Donuts or an unrealistic "cooking" show.
Let us know what you think of the remainder of the book; I'm thinking about purchasing it.
I should probably keep my trap shut, but I gotta say that I've watched cooking shows for the better part of my adult life. Sometimes, I want to learn technique--so I watch things like Barefoot Contessa, Giada, Alton, etc. I'll even watch Rachel Ray from time to time, because I think she does a good job of making the average person feel like "I can do this!" Yes some of the new cooks/celebs have about as much culinary authority as Brian Boitano (Oh wait, he has a show!), but, I'm the kind of person who watches and observes. If I watch 10 cooking shows and they all tell me it's important to have a hot pan if I want a good sear on my steaks, or that butter needs to be COLD if I want my biscuits and pie doughs to come out flaky, then I learn to heat my pans and chill my butter. I think this is true for others as well.
As baseless as they seem, I enjoy watching some of those mindless cooking/reality shows. They entertain me...and I'll take a Throwdown with Bobby Flay over Jersey Shore eight days a week.
Oh...and Bourdain can suck it.
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