azbaelus

Sometimes I take a break from art blogging and go on a rant or an attempt to provoke thought. Today I’m thinking about the chefs I love and hate on TV.

Now, disclaimer. I don’t actually hate anyone. Also, these are opinions. I don’t know these people. They may be swell and kind and nice, or they may be King Shit of Turd Mountain. I have no idea. I’m only conveying the perception of them I have (and trust me, I know so much of reality shows is scripted and edited).

Alex Guarnaschelli. Love her, enough said. She’s genuine, doubts herself, has a sense of humor I can relate to.

Tiffani Faison. Nope. I don’t know what it is but she ain’t my cup of tea. I know a lot of people don’t like her for how she behaved on her season of Top Chef, but that’s not where I first saw her. As a judge, she seems particularly harsh.

Michael Voltaggio. I like him, altho I do like his brother Bryan better. Dude is amazing in his creativity, but he’s always dressed like he just crawled off the street.

Brook Williamson. Originally I didn’t care for her, now I’m more ambivalent. I feel like she comes across as more arrogant than she is. I prefer her as a judge rather than a cook.

Marcus Samuelson. I just love this guy. I love his clothes even more.

Marc Murphy. Another one who seems super down-to-earth.

Brian Malarkey. Maybe I can’t handle his energy but he annoys me. I’ve also noticed in competitions he tends to use too many ingredients or tries to do too much, and it usually costs him.

Bobby Flay. I know a lot of people think he’s a jerk and arrogant, and that may be true, but I like him. I do wonder if a lot of what he says is written for him, be sure he doesn’t always seem comfortable with the words. But hey, he’s a cat person.

Anyone on MasterChef. Once upon a time, I enjoyed this show. Now, it’s increasingly clear how Fox like to keep it divisive. They also like to stereotype their contestants: the gay Asian, the stay at home housewife cook, the mom on a budget, the frat boy or sorority girl cooking for their peers. And that’s bad enough, but the way the judges speak to these people has gotten to where it sickens me. Yeah, I’m sure these people signed contracts. I’m also sure that being humiliated/berated/shouted at on national TV is not the sort of entertainment we should be embracing. And whether Ramsay or any other judge is a swell person in life or not, I feel if they were truly decent folks, with their say in production, it wouldn’t be this way.

On the heels of that, I do believe Joe Bastianich is just a dick.

Food Network overall. My dislike for some of these folks could be Food Network burnout. I do still enjoy Chopped, but so many new shows (and themes on existing shows) are complete stretches. The hotel one? The one where they played cards to cook? I don’t want stupid gimmicks. I want cooking. Outchef’d? I love Eddie Jackson, but honestly in its third season, do these contestants seriously think they’re getting an audition (which I’ll add is a cruel trick)? They’re big Food Network fans, yet they haven’t seen this show or know the premise?

Not buying it.

Til next time, when I’m prepping for Albany Comic Con!