In essence, all cooking shows are “reality tv”. What we are talking about in this poll are cooking shows that are competition-based and end with a single winner.
While it is a true cooking competition, I decided to leave out Iron Chef and Iron Chef America, due to the one-off competitions on each show.
Here are the candidates (with wikipedia or tv.com descriptions):
Top Chef – Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in weekly challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants eliminated each week.
Hell’s Kitchen – Aspiring young chefs are put to the ultimate challenge in Hell’s Kitchen, a reality television competition starring world renowned chef Gordon Ramsay. Each of these chefs dreams of fame and fortune, but many soon find their dreams becoming nightmares.
The Next Food Network Star – Have you ever thought you could host your own show? Food Network tests that belief in this contest that focuses on both cooking and camera skills.
Which one is your favorite? While you are at it, leave a comment and tell us why, or why not, you enjoy it.
And for you fellow top chef fans…
Alright, since I started the poll, I’ll put the first vote and comment in. I admit to not watching much of Hell’s Kitchen, so my experience is limited to the other two.
The Next Food Network Star just seems cheesey to me. I know the first season produced Guy Fiere, who’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” show is gastro-pornography at it’s finest, but that doesn’t make up for the lack of talent of most of the contestants.
Top Chef is by far my favorite current reality tv show. I try not to watch to much reality tv, but couldn’t wait for 10pm on wednesdays during the season. I love that they don’t focus much on the house they share and the drama that probably unfolds there because there is enough to go around when they work in teams and against each other.
I actually like the show with the broad that was chastized for wearing the scarf…..not for that…simply cause I like &^%$%^ women and %$#@&^ just to be clear. I also like the way she dresses in the show. As for my food… …a few dozen raw clams…a steak….rare….. and a few coronas…and Im in pig heaven.
But its all good…a little competition never hurt anyone.
Go Dagger !
Where is our beloved Rachel Ray?
Right here…
http://www.daggerpress.com/2008/06/04/you-dont-spell-tattoo-e-v-o-o/
Thats right…Racheal…my favorite….shhhh dont tell Dian I sad that…
Go Dagger !
I love watching the Food Network, but I guess I would have to rate Rachel Ray at the top of my picks along with Paula Deen. They are both so down to earth, and always a enjoyment to watch and funny. All of their dishes come from the heart and home cooking. All of their recipes are so easy, and the type of meals you can mix and serve everyday to your family. Oh and I also like Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee, most of her recipes are so easy and the kids like to watch her, she does a lot of her shows with kids in mind.
Actually I like rays sweaters and knitt shirts
She cooks too?
oh yea…that too.
Go Dagger !
I was a little skeptical about Top Chef at first, but, a couple of weeks in, I was hooked. This past season, Mrs Dell and I pegged Stephanie as the winner in week three.
The must see episodes are always the “restaurant wars,” and this season’s “block party” was a pretty good twist.
That Dale is sooo smug!
Dell, The trick we learned is that they would always feature the one to be kicked off during the show than usual. Then, if you watched the interviews, you could sometimes tell if they had been crying, as they edit the show and piecemeal the segments together.
I was worried that Lisa was going to beat out Stephanie on the last show. I was pulling for Antonia towards the end, but Stephanie was a deserved winner.
Good call, I never picked up on that. We were afraid the fix was in for Lisa when she made the finals (how could somebody in the tail end of the field every week limp all the way to the finale?).
Stephanie was solid every week, and even pulled a few out of the ‘nethers when she had to.