Those Wacky TV Chefs
Published March 23, 2006
Giada De Laurentiis
Giada De Laurentiis has two things against her in terms of being a respected female chef. And neither of them has to do with cooking.
Yes, that last name should ring bells as Giada is a granddaughter from deep within the bosom of the famous De Laurentiis family of film production fame. So she's rich. Or at the least her upbringing was anything but middle class. Add to this handicap, the woman is absolutely gorgeous and regularly cooks with tops so low-cut that I often stare in amazement that anyone would ever cook in such a getup. Indeed, half of Giada's chest is displayed during her cooking demonstrations and, besides the perils of splattering bacon in such attire, it must be difficult for any male viewers to pay any attention to Giada's cooking skills.
Giada is featured on Food Network's Everyday Italian and also stars in such Food Network specials such as Behind the Bash. This beautiful chef received fine training in France and worked in several upscale restaurants before opening her own cooking business.
Everyday Italian does attempt to teach us mere mortals how to prepare Italian-inspired dishes allegedly enjoyed by the common man. Giada handles her subject well but I can't get beyond her beauty and how wasted it is behind a sweaty stove.
Beyond the Bash is more in keeping with Giada's persona and background. The show features her gowned and made up in tandem with the glamorous event that is featured for the program. This might include the preparation for the Oscar ceremonies or the behind-the-scenes catering efforts for a major charity fundraiser.
Giada, with her knowledge of cooking and her insider status to glamour, is perfect for this show; although, why any budding cook would watch this show for naught but entertainment value is beyond me. Very few of us middle-age cooks struggling with the timing of a most ordinary meal would ever be involved with the preparation of small quiches for thousands of Hollywood celebrities.
The above are but a few of the famous chefs who try to woo us with promises of instant cooking knowledge accompanied by a few chuckles.
I rate Alton Brown the best of the lot.
Pat Fish is a pop culture and political pundit. When she’s not working on her own blog she contributes regularly right here on Blogcritics.Pat lives in Delaware with her husband. They are owned by four cats, two dogs and one adorable granddaughter. Pat Fish is a published author and her books have drawn attention from her fellow reviewers on Blogcritics. Reviews of Memoirs of Josephine Fish and Mystery and Mirth have been conveniently provided for your reading pleasure.
- Those Wacky TV Chefs
- Published: March 23, 2006
- Type: Review
- Section: Tastes
- Filed Under: Tastes: Food and Drink, Video: Film and TV Business, Video: Reality TV, Video: Television
- Writer: Patfish
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you missed the best chef on the Food Network....TYLER FLORENCE!
On Rachael Ray: I saw an episode of her "$40 a day" in which she ate in France for under $40. So she's been there.
Also, she's got a legion of young thirty-something male fans, too, some of whom don't even cook. SHe's been in Maxim magazine, if you can believe that!
That said, despite the fact that Rachael Ray warms my heart whenever I see her, Alton Brown is the best of the bunch.
I like Emeril, but he is getting a bit over-exposed. And Alton is the best thing going on the network right now. Even my four-year-old loves to watch his show.
And I didn't even know Giada cooked on her show ...
Everyday Italian is food porn. In addition to the low cut tops, have you noticed that each episode features at least one close up shot of Gaida gently washing her hands under running soapy water?
Now that you mention it, Sean, you are correct.
She leans over the sink in that low-cut top and washes her hands in, yeah, a somewhat erotic fashion.
Who'da thunk washing hands could be a sexy thing?
You know Warren, she really does cook but if you held a gun to my head I wouldn't be able to name a single thing she's cooked.
the oddest-looking oven I've ever seen
i agree. i want one...bad. love that pop-up broiler.
maybe it's one of those retro-fit things where they take an old "shell" of a stove and install new plumbing & the like.
p.s. this person here thinks the stove is a "Chambers".
Emerils other (and longest-running) show is "The ESSENCE of Emeril".
Giada's show is produced by her own people in Hollywood, not NYC, and also features excellent camera work worthy of the film industry. She performs each show TWICE in a day, and the footage is stitched together in editing to create the finished show. The editing folks also enhance the audio (chopping, pouring, crushing ingredients, etc.) while cutting in great closeups of knifework, etc.
I love, love, love George Duran! Ham on the Street is very entertaining and not at all condescending to the people that are interviewed. His recipes are fun and off the wall. Of course the "Free Food" episode made me squirm a little as it is always slightly uncomfortable to watch people's reactions to others acting inappropriately in public.
The fact that George is very cute in that Teddy Bear way does not hurt at all. The show has just been picked up for a second season and I also hope they will use George in a few of the network's numerous specials.
And yes, Giada is selling a little something more than Italian cooking, but who can blame her? Rachel is adorable and I swear all those people on the other sites are just jealous as I have yet to see any of them have their own shows.
I agree with the comment above about Tyler Florence. He is one of the most popular chefs on the network and my fave. Whats with that? He is getting a new show come May 6th. This must be about the 6th show he has on the network.
Ilike to see one them do a show on the connection between a chef and gardening think that would great
How about Mario Batali? I like his cooking show because there's an absense of a wild always clapping mob. or a band making sound effects as he grates or sautes something. Also he gives a short talk on what region and the ingredients they use in the recipe. All in all, I enjoy his show.
Raytard is a sad commentary on the state of the nation today. Anyone who would watch this manic, arm flailing, joker-mouthed, no-necked, chunky loud irritating voiced freak is just contributing to the dumbing-down of America. Quit calling her a chef, she is NOT a chef!
Giada is kinda scary too, with her oversized bobble head and her fake velociraptor smile. It hurts my face just to look at it.
Yes, her stove is a Chambers. They were big in the 1930's. They are wonderful and there are many clubs out there dedicated to restoring them. They were the original "crock pot". You fire it up in the morning and put food in the oven, turn it off, and the residual heat would continue to cook the food for several hours. They are VERY heavy. The saying is that your best friend will help you move a Chambers...once. I had one but I left it in a house that I sold. Too heavy to move. I wish I had kept it.
How do you have an afternoon brunch? I thought whole point was that it's between breakfast and lunch.
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You must be anti-Scientology - Chef's missing:)