Food Network: Canada vs US?
There has been a lot of grousing about the food network on the board, not least from me. I just took a look at the website for the American network, and something struck me: it seems that the Canadian network is still introducing new *cooking* shows with real chefs, not mere personalities, whereas, from my quick perusal of the website, and the comments made here, that seems not be the case in the US. Here, we've got Heston Blumenthal's In Search of Perfection, Anthony Sedlak doing The Main (good food, but hyperkinetic editing), and Ricardo Larrivee (a Quebec guy who really knows his stuff, but would never fly in the US - his accent is too thick, his linguistic faux pas would be very odd if you are unacquainted with French, his personality too Quebecois).
Is FN Canada doing a better job?
Any thoughts on this? Am I correct, or is this a misperception on my part?
Ciao, hounds.
hungry_pangolin
Dec 08, 2007 06:33AM
My guess is that your right on. If you check out most of the cable TV networks, the top (most informed and informing) shows are done in Canada. That's true from children's shows on PBS, to cooking and decorating shows pretty much across the cable TV board.
If I could, I would try to make an argument on behalf of U.S. originated shows by citing the writer's strike as a possible detriment, but too bad... Canada's excellence originates long before the WGA started talking about a possible strike.
Historically, Canada had a real edge financially on production costs, but now, with the crumbling dollar and (gasp!) equality between the Canadian and U.S. dollars, it will be interesting to see if the Canadian edge holds after (when/if) the WGA strike ends.
Stay tuned!
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A few years ago I would've said unequivocally that it's the US FTV that's better. The Canadian one had gone way down hill and although they had more "Cooking" shows, the level of the hosts left something to be desired. Canadian Living Cooks was the worst. The one woman just couldn't string together a sentence to save her life. She was a great cook but a poor TV host. There was also another woman who had a Sara Moulton type show that had an ego like you wouldn't believe. Absolutely ruined what couldve been a good show.
I really only watch the US FTV now so I can't tell you which is better now. Considering the new US FTV has gone so far down in the ladder.
PBS is still the way to go but alas, they've moved the best stuff to HD from what I can see and we haven't as yet taken the plunge.
DT
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The Sara Moulton wannabe was Christine Cushing, and not only did she have a huge ego, she was often wrong. I suspect that her second banana was the one who did the real work on that show.
Agreed about Canadian Living Cooks: decent food, bad presenters.
It's just that this season, FN Canada has introduced some very good new shows that actually address real cooking, which seemed contrary to the general perception on this board. Yesterday's episode of In Search of Perfection (Heston Blumenthal) on steak and salad was fascinating. I'm going to attempt his 24 hour steak with mushroom ketchup. I salivated through the entire episode.
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As I said above, I haven't watched FTV Canada in a few years so I couldn't comment on the new shows.
One other thing that really irritated me was "Chef at Home." Michael Smith is good and all and I loved "The Inn Chef" but the camera angles on C@H bugged the crap out of me.
DT
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OMG I sooo want to try his pickled mushrooms nad mushroom ketchup!!
I think we get a lot more UK shows than the US does as well. not the least on FTV.
Makes my parents really jealous (they're Brits living in the states)
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Christine Cushing still has her own show "Christine Cushing Live", which I can't watch. I think the lady Dave was thinking of on "Canadian Living Cooks" was Elizabeth Baird, who likewise drove me crazy.
However, the worst - by far, by a mile, by a universe or two - was any show featuring the execrable Ken Kostick. He had two, IIRC, "What's for Dinner?" with a nearly as annoying female host, and another whose name I can't remember where he invited guests. He makes Ms. Ray seem positively enchanting by contrast.
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Ken Kostick! What a friggin' meat puppet! And his co-host was Mary Jo Eustace, now best known for having been jilted by her husband, Dean McDermott, in favour of Tori Spelling.
Christine Cushing Live is in reruns. No new episodes.
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Food Safari seems to be only shown in Canada, right? I know it's an Australian show but it's my favorite at the moment. They do a lot in a half hour and go to both professional and amateur cooks.
I've eyed Blumenthat with suspicion since the fish and chips episode where there was a huge gap between the "perfect" batter and the fish. It's not perfect if it has a big air pocket! I might as well cook the batter and fish separately and layer them.
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I haven't watched enough FN US to make a judgement but I don't think FN Canada is that fantastic - why you ask - two words: Food Jammers
That show is an embarrassment. I loathe it.
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I agree, there are lamentably few shows I tune into on FN Canada, they're either pretty good or God awful (the Food Jammer guys, unfortunately are neither entertaining, witty, or barring that much eye candy).
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It's true, I don't even know why they keep showing their shows.
But does the US get the Thirsty Traveler?
One of my favourites.
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We got thirsty traveler 2 years ago, I think on FN. ? Or something like it. Someone on here will know....
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TT comes on Fine Living TV in the US.
One show I miss on FTV Canada was The Food Hunter with Pete Luckett. I don't know why that show didn't do well. Engaging host showing the origin of great food. I loved it.
DT
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Funny... I love that show... not for the food of course but for the DIY stuff that goes with it... and I don't know who pick the music on that show but it is worth watching the show just to listen to it.
But then I guess I am a bit of a food geek too...
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Agreed. I think Food Safari is one of the best shows on FN Canada. Possibly the best.
Which doesn’t say too much I guess, since most of their programming has become godawful over the last few years. And from what I understand, FN US is even worse.
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There's also Laura Calder's show, French Food at Home, which doesn't air in the US, I believe.
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You are right--it doesn't. I caught it when in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, and liked it. She was making various terrines. A couple of "precious" moments but by and large a good, low key demonstration of the food and techniques.
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I am in Canada and I like the some of the Canadian shows - French Food at Home, Chef at Home and Ricardo (occasionally - too much cream and butter for my taste).
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I don't mind the recipes and ideas, but I get so distracted by the way Laura Calder talks. She opens her mouth so wide! All you can see is teeth! And there's something with the way she pronounces 't's' that bothers me. I just can't watch.
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I fully agree that Food Jammers is crap... pointless crap. The inspiration of my original posting was that FN Canada was actually inroducing new *cooking* shows. I didn't mean to imply that it was as good as in The Golden Age.
I'd like to know what Pete Luckett is up to these days.
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PL has an excellent and thriving grocery chain on the east coast. hope he opens one here (TO) soon!
http://www.petesfrootique.com/
Chow!
HL.
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With the sale of Alliance Atlantis (FN Canada parent company) to Canwest Global (soul-less Cdn media giant), I fear that the overall quality may suffer if the focus changes from the love of food to the love of money.
Regardless, prepare for longer commercial breaks, endless programming promos for other channels, and super-imposed promos flying around taking up 1/3 of the screen DURING the show you are trying to watch.
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I'm not aware of the full range of FN shows from the US and I find that I don't tune in to FN Canada very often. If nothing grabbed me on the hundreds of available channels, I used to tune to Food TV. I don't do that any more because I don't find very much that I want to see. I guess that's my long winded way of saying that the Canadian Food Network is no longer worth watching either.
I don't know whether you have all of the Oliver shows, or Blumenthal, or the English version of Ramsay. These have their moments.
The Michael Smith shows have good content. However, his delivery isn't the greatest. I enjoyed the Inn Chef and Chef at Large. His newest show, Chef at Home, is a good idea done (IMO) poorly. Anna Olson has her moments. Ricardo is rather good, though I agree he couldn't succeed in the US and a recent show where he had little children deep frying donuts gave me pause. I quite liked Cook Like a Chef, but that's gone also.
In Canada, we are gifted with never ending episodes of Restaurant Makeover, which is discussed ad nauseum in other threads. Food Jammers is a travesty. Cushing was a bitch. As far as I'm aware, we don't have Sandra Lee or Paula Deen.
I think where I'm going with this stream of consciousness is that Canada is slightly different, but not necessarily better, and is heading rapidly down the same drainpipe.
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Cook like a chef is on in the middle of the night, like 2am I think. I occasionally catch it.
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Actually, because FN Canada has introduced a few new (actual) cooking shows, I'm not certain that it's headed down the same drainpipe. That said, I don't think that FN Can has a 'critical mass' to take it in a different direction, either. Hence my original question... I'm still uncertain.
Unfortunately, we do have Paula Deen. I agree with you on the pointless crime of Food Jammers. I've already slammed Christine Cushing in previous posts as a know-nothing-know-it-all, so I won't be redundant.
BTW, for those who speak French, Ricardo Larrivee's French programme is, stylistically, simpler and better than his English one on FN, though I dislike the product hawking on the French version. SRC at 11am EST.
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I think I like more of the shows that appear on Food Network Canada.
I like French Food at Home, Chef at Home (I know others don't, but I don't mind it), I don't mind Ricardo (he needs to make some new shows because I'm tired of watching the same ones). I use Anna Olsen's recipes often when I bake.
I did enjoy watching Christine Cushing, not sure why, but I did. It's hilarious what you say about Canadian Living because despite the good recipes occasionally, I could never get over Elizabeth's stuttering. I do use Daphna's recipes sometimes though. Food Jammers is horrible, horrible. I've never watched it for more than 5 min.
I think it's good that we get more BBC shows sooner, because I often enjoy those. I think we had Nigella way before US FN, maybe I'm wrong. I've always enjoyed Jamie.
On the US FN, I like Ina Garten, I watch Iron Chef, etc. but I can't think of much else that I like.
p.s. it's not on either FN, but there's this show called Foodies that appears on Global, I think, on the weekends. I've come across it occasionally. It is a fine example of what NOT to do with a cooking show.
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Didn't know about Foodies. Thanks for that, pescatarian. I'll take a look to watch the mistake.
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I can't believe you mentionned that show. Foodies is maddeningly awful. Everything about it is bad. I watch it just to get angry at it. That being said, it is on par with all of CanWest's home decorating, renovation and gardening shows.
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Well, I did mention it as an example of what NOT to do with a cooking show! I can't bear to watch more than 2 min at time when I've caught it in passing. I honestly don't believe that the host has actually made the food she's cooking before she makes it on air and her commentary is laughable.
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The host was one of the judges on the Next Great Chef show, and I believe they kept saying she was a pastry chef. Not sure how much experience she's had otherwise....
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Agreed 100%
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I hope that Food TV Canada picks up more of Ramsay's shows aired on Channel 4 in the UK. I was lucky enough to catch most of 'The F Word' series he was in and got to see him mentoring various cooks of different levels in a far less gruesome competition than what 'Hell's Kitchen' was about. As well, viewers saw part of his personal life- his family and the lambs he was keeping in his back yard.
The show I detest the most, which is produced in Canada is 'Eat Shrink and Be Merry'. I recognize the niche opportunity to show viewers a more healthy way to eat but there's got to be a way to do it without those sisters. To me, they're like nails on a chalkboard in a way I can't really explain...I guess maybe they don't seem to take their role in the show seriously?
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Re: the sisters - that's their shtick. If you look at the cookbooks they made before their show began, you'll see cartoons and cutesy names through all of them.
I saw a commercial the other day that said FN Canada is going to be broadcasting Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Treatment. He's been in the UK food news so much lately; it will be interesting to see what his shows are like.
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I haven't watched the shows but have all their cook books and they have a lot of good stuff for those of us who have to watch their "waste" lines.
DT
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I haven't seen River Cottage Treatment yet, but the River Cottage series are fantastic. Especially the first three: Escape to River Cottage, Return to River Cottage and River Cottage Forever. Treatment looks quite a bit different from his other series in that it's a reality-type show. I'm sure I'll like it though I love pretty much everything he does.
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I don't like how shows on Food Network Canada are becoming more and more 'entertainment' like.
To clarify, any shows that do not teach you how to cook, but rather you just watch them cook, or worse, construction (I'm referring to you Restaurant Makeover... if i want construction i'll turn to HGtv thank you!), Iron Chef America (it's good for cheering on our Canadian competitors, but once again i'd like to see more teaching, although Alton does give a good run through of the theme ingredient and techniques used by chefs), Throwdown, Glutton For Punishment (I miss, the Surreal Gourmet), who the heck is this Fink Guy, Dinner Impossible, you get the idea...
bring back Molto Mario!!!
On Saturdays I really like PBS, I get my gastronomical fill with Julia Child, Lidia Bastianich, America's Test Kitchen, Rick Bayless.. which makes me wonder: why can't Foodtv CAN have such shows?
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i friggin' LOVE dinner impossible...he is great!!!
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Food Network Canada has made a point of moving away from instructional shows and toward "food as entertainment." Why? Because that's where the money is! They figure they can get bigger ratings in prime time from shows such as Restaurant Makeover (the popularity of which astounds and depresses me) and Top Chef than from Julia, Lidia et al. And you know, they're right - they make money hand over first. Face it, the casual viewers they're after are far more interested in Ramsay's tantrums than in his braising technique.
That said, there's still lots of good stuff on the Food Network for those who are serious about food: Heston Blumenthal, At the Table With, the Thirsty Traveller, etc.
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They're just following what FN US has done. "Challenge" shows. "Reality" shows. It's all just fluff.
DT
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I watch Food Network Canada less and less now (I have a DVR, so I still catch shows like In Search of Perfection, At The Table With, and other goodies), but it is so much better than the US Food Network. I have a friend that gets the US version on satellite and the programming seems like it's just Emeril Lagasse, Rachel Ray, and that ol country lady, on rotation several times a day, and those three are the most annoying TV personalities in the world to me. We get those shows too here in Canada, but thankfully not four times a day each, seems we get a little bit of everything up here, good Canadian shows, some US, and some awesome shows from the UK and even some Aussie shows.
One thing I that is really missing on FN though, is a good Asian cooking show (no Martin Yan or Kylie Kwan was it?). Also, I miss Anthony Bourdain, he's on the Travel Channel though, but you need digital cable for that, and my DVR isn't compatible with it.
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In spite of his continual disdain, Bourdain has arrived at FN-US, 10:30 EST on Tuesdays, in an unfortunate vehicle called "A Cook's Tour" which displays every unfortunate character flaw he has. He's much cooler than you are, dontcha know, and in 30 minutes takes advantage of every opportunity to demonstrate it.
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He hasn't really arrived at Food Network. That show is seven years old and Bourdain left FN in 2002 to make a new show for Discovery Travel called No Reservations.
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Jealous now -- I would love to see Cook's Tour -- can't get it on DVD, FN Canada has no plans to show it. AB before he was a chef celeb... oh yeah.
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Just my 2 cents on the best and worst shows on FN Canada.
Good:
The Main, with Anthony Sedlak. Delicious looking food, with the general rationale of the preparation and techniques explained nicely. An engaging host. Unusual accent though. Scottish?)
In Search Of Perfection: The best show on the FN. My main complaint is his is too time constrained to show everything properly in 30 minutes. (So I look it up on Youtube)
Tyler's Ultimate: A somewhat humourless host, but he pulls off some nice looking dishes with good explanations.
Iron Chef America: Just fun to watch. Alton's commentary is also quite interesting and occasionally useful.
Bad:
Rachael Ray - Annoying and fake and basically useless.
Paula Deen - really fatty gross looking food and her accent is ridiculous.
Neutral:
Laura Calder: a bit geeky and with an annoying way of speaking through her teeth. Her food is a little boring. Meh.
Ricardo: Meh
Michael Smith: Chef At Home. I like the content of his show, but he constantly sounds as though he's talking (condescending) to a two year old. Also has a way of oversimplifying international cuisines. "Oh, just add some 5-spice powder and soy-sauce".
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Re: Michael Smith -
"Aromatics"
Said. In. Every. Episode.
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I like that they have more british shows but then it's not really to THEIR credit =/. The only Canadian only show I like is French Food at Home.
I hate that guy in a trailer...ugh
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Continuing with the real Chef trend is the upcoming show on Food Network Canada with Chef Roger Mooking (Nyood in Toronto), Everyday Exotic, aimed at de-Mystifying ingredients (such as Saffron etc)
coming this fall...
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Anyone see the commercials for The Wild Chef? It's got Martin Picard from Au Pied de Cochon and his sous chef wandering around the wilds of Quebec.... the dishes he makes look oddly interesting.
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I saw the first episode the other day, they drive around in the woods w/ his pickup carrying a commercial grade stove, in the dead of winter. He proceeds to cook things like muskrat and civet. All delivered in a stilted Quebecois English. Definitely not US FN friendly.
It's a great show.....
Everyday Exotic meanwhile is pretty pedestrian, your typical instruction show. I would say the ingredients are exotic if you've shopped in chain supermarkets your entire life. Funny thing is he hums a lot while prepping.....
Chef Abroad seems to be mirroring A Cook's Tour/No Reservations, minus the ascerbic wittyness. They seem to have good fixers, interviewing a lot of interesting people.
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I saw it too and thought it was hilarious! Any show that can do a muskrat Chinese bbq over an open fire in the middle of winter has my attention.
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I saw the first episode andd it was awesome. Best new show in a long time.
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love theirs much better than ours. much more to choose from in my opinion and not the same old same old, watch it every time I am in canada which is very often
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