720 replies to this topic

[buttersister]

Since we've been discussing the launch of the Cooking Channel in the Food Network Going Downhill thread, it's time to give this new Scripps network show its own special place.

So what will be the difference between Food Network and the Cooking Channel? A NYTimes piece from last month serves up this morsel:

“The feel and style we’re going for is a little grittier, a little edgier, a little hipper,” said Bruce Seidel, the senior vice president for programming and production for the Cooking Channel.

(I pray he's not a "story guy" like the Tusch.)

Wow. Emeril, Rachael and Bobby Flay! Hip. A lot of stuff from our Canadian friends! Edgy. Reruns of Julia Child? Gritty! (Ok, I still watch Julia reruns on PBS, but that's my point, they already run on PBS.)

The CC is promising more ethnic cuisine (Indian and Chinese so far) and I'm up for that. Unless it turns out to be a variation on the unwatchable Melissa and her flair for the French.

Still, I'll hope for the best. At least it'll be nice to have some fresh meat.

[Puds38]

I think I read somewhere (facebook maybe?) that this was to replace the Fine Living Network because FLN was perceives as too high falooting. Allegedly the emphasis will remain on food and cooking. The promos look interesting I guess we'll have to wait and see if the manage to keep the focus on the food without the gimmicks.

[Sandstar]

As long as they keep Iron Chef, I don't care what they show.

[toolazy]

I'm really excited about this, especially the ethnic cooking and the Canadian shows. One of my favorite cooking shows was that adorable "cooking without recipes" guy. Michael something, I think. His food always looked good but I would have killed my own mother for his amazing house and even more amazing pantry.

I'm also excited about the reruns of Julia Child & the Galloping Gourmet. Yeah, I know PBS shows some old JCs but not very regularly - usually only during their pledge drives - so I'll be psyched if the CC shows them regularly.

[addicted_aardvark]

I find it funny how Scripps/FN's execs are falling all over themselves to now compete with PBS and those other channels that carry cooking/"dump and stir" programming. And how this is now what the same target demographic that needed to have competition shows wants.

However (despite being "old" and out of the demographic), I too am quite looking forward to the oldies (Julia, etc.) and the chance to see some of the Canadian offerings I've heard about, as well as the "ethnic" programming. It looks to be an interesting variety, at last for a couple of months.

Edited by addicted_aardvark, May 10, 2010 @ 12:10 PM.

[cissyboo]

Two Indian cooking shows, and a Caribbean show? I am so going to watch this channel, presuming my cable company carries it. I think I have FLN, but I rarely go above 120 on my channel guide.

[orchidgal]

Great, now I really do have to steal the cable box from the family room and put it in the study so I can watch this channel.

I'm being cautiously optimistic that the CC will be what we have been missing from FN for a while (or at least since the current PTB came on board).

[angelblades]

I'll have to add a tier to my service to get this channel. I'm going to hang on every word posted here before I up the bucks.

[CydW]

So, having trashed what the Food Channel used to be, they're now introducing a new channel to recreate it?

[Mr Basset]

It looks like they're mostly just taking and rebroadcasting cooking shows from Canada and the UK. Is the channel developing any new shows on its own?

[vera charles]

All the reviews I've seen online and in the newspaper have been mixed. The main criticism is that the new channel seems to lack an identity and any sense of what it wants to be. They are filling the hours with a mix of rebroadcasts of Canadian and British shows, reruns of really old US shows, and new shows from the same old FN hosts -- Emeril, Bobby, Rachel, et al. I guess we will all have to watch for a while and see if it develops into something worth watching or not.

Frankly, if all they did was recreate what FN used to be, I'd be thrilled. At the very least, I don't see any reality shows or contests advertised, so that has to be a step in the right direction.

[Biosynth]

Just wait a few months, Vera Charles. I bet by this time next year it will be the all contest/road eating channel just like FN is.

[chessiegal]

I'm interested in seeing what Julia Child shows they broadcast. I can watch her almost every day on Create, but they are her newer shows - cooking with masters, baking with Julia, and Julia/Jacque. I have a few episodes of The French Chef on DVD. I remember when I saw her for the first time in the 70's, I thought she was the funniest thing on TV - pulling out her blow torch, huge cleaver raised over her head to hack meat, and holding up a celery root and declaring how ugly it was.

[buttersister]

I was wondering the same thing, chessiegal, because I thought that PBS had the rights to those shows (all her shows, actually), so I'll be curious to see what CC bought.

Opening Day line up. No dump and stir in prime time. And two shows about Indian cooking the first day.

Otoh, FN is ripping off the restaurant wars segment of Top Chef and calling it a series.

[Hieland Foodie]

I'll wait and see how long it takes them to have their own version of Fieri.

[FuschiaGoddess]

Just read the Cooking Channel blog and am now officially excited. Looks like they're bringing back two of my favorite grand and glorious culinary queens: Two Fat Ladies ride again !

[addicted_aardvark]

Yay!! about Two Fat Ladies!

Interesting Opening Day Lineup. Typically, none of the primetime shows grabbed my attention. Rather blatant retreads with new hosts. Guess giving Aida the travelling show is tweaking the concept "younger and grittier"? At least she won't have to answer questions on topic. Food Jammers, which I saw mentioned earlier, sounds like taking Alton's quirky creativity to a new level. And will, IMO, depend entirely on the hosts. But - the daytime shows sound very promising, even if they include previously-shown-in-Canada shows. Should make for an interesting summer.

I'll wait and see how long it takes them to have their own version of Fieri.

Puh-leeze, no. Let it be a Loooooong time before whoever is anointed rises to his frequency of screen pollution.

[Mr Basset]

I was wondering the same thing, chessiegal, because I thought that PBS had the rights to those shows (all her shows, actually), so I'll be curious to see what CC bought.

Opening Day line up. No dump and stir in prime time. And two shows about Indian cooking the first day.

Otoh, FN is ripping off the restaurant wars segment of Top Chef and calling it a series.

So what's really the difference between this channel and the Food Network if they're not going to have any cooking shows in primetime? This is really disappointing.

[Hieland Foodie]

Love the idea of Jennifer and Clarissa back on the air. Bring on the Two Fat Ladies.

[toolazy]

Not having actual cooking shows in primetime is extremely irritating. I thought that was part of the point of the new channel. Wishful thinking, I suppose.

[osomarie]

I'm not going to knock it until I try it. I'll be content if they don't have any stupid reality/competition type shows.
And The Two Fat Ladies pretty much seals it for me, at least initially.

Maybe if a lot of the shows are Canadian, we won't get so many of the forced "y'all's" heh.

And the COST! I was just about to cut back and eliminate the cable package that had the Food Network and just keep the digital channels which had Cooking Channel but now - oh no, they say - you can't do that anymore. Grrr. Will I have to cut back on my food budget to watch the food channels? Where's the logic in that (guess I've gone mad) ;)

Edited by osomarie, May 17, 2010 @ 4:57 PM.

[whitepepper]

I think we're doomed... A Dallas Morning-News article on the Cooking Channel quote:

But it also looks like the Cooking Channel will stick to the formula that has made Food Network a culinary cultural force: the focus on personality-driven shows.

It's a pretty interesting article, although it kinda focuses more on the Food Network than how the Cooking Channel will be different.

[buttersister]

"What's worse," he [Bourdain] asked, "another network about food, or another network filled with steroid-jacked reality freakazoids?"

Put that way, I suppose...but I'm still not sure why there can't be a "good" network about food.

Like, hell yeah to seeing the Two Fat Ladies again. Now if it were only possible to do a 2010 version. That doesn't "star" Claire Robinson and Gina Neely.

Edited by buttersister, May 19, 2010 @ 12:57 PM.

[Biosynth]

Oh God I can see it now, "Two Fat Ladies 2010 Starring Claire Robinson and Giada Delaurentis."

[osomarie]

But where is the fat?

Maybe we could have Pauler driving, with Ina in the sidecar?

[pbnj toast]

You know what show I miss and would fit on the Cooking Channel is the ones by Kylie Kwong (from the old Discovery Health Channel)...she is a chinese-australian whose show had a great production value ala Nigella and Ina (much better) but was asian food. I don't even cook asian food but wow it was a sensual experience from the camera angles to the lighting to her narrative.

I just tried looking up Kylie Kwong but could only find current info on her restaurant in Sydney.

Does anyone know who I am talking about?

[ava24]

I remember Kylie! That'd be great if she returned. I make her recipe for fried rice - delectable! Her show always made me hungry - it definitely had that Nigella vibe (to me). Made me want to rush to the kitchen and cook with candles and subtle overhead lighting.

[addicted_aardvark]

Yes, I loved Kylie's shows too. They usually made me hungry. And the shows that had her little gatherings at the end felt pretty natural, not like an Ina "event". (I remember the seaside picnic with, wasn't it friend and kids? And one with her mom.)

OK - the important things:
- The Weekly Schedule
- The Daily Schedule for Monday
- Two Fat Ladies will air Saturdays at 10 p.m.

We start Monday morning off early with Indian, Chinese and French. Primetime includes a mix of typical OTT crap and actual cooking shows (Wednesday has Tyler and Jamie. Iron Chef Japan is on every night at 11 p.m.!

Also, the daytime lineup includes some Nigella and Jamie At Home, we get Sara's Secrets, Melting Pot, Molto Mario, Ellie, and Dave Lieberman back. But unfortunately also get Ask Aida, George Duran and Rachael's Travels. And here's info on Julia; I can't tell what series they're picking from.

Edited by addicted_aardvark, May 29, 2010 @ 11:06 AM.

[Baysu]

I am lost on this one. Which channel is this on? I have dish Tv. Somewhere I heard this is replacing the fine living channel ?? Or something like that? All I want to know is what channel on dish??
anybody knows ??

[Mr Basset]

Yes, it's taking over for the FLN, so whatever channel FLN is on Dish right now should be the channel of the Cooking Channel.