Best food shows

[lpresq]

It seems there is a lot of backlash toward Bourdain. However, as someone previously noted Bourdain never considered himself a top-flight chef. Seriously, can anyone name an legit chef that has a show on Food Network these days? Food Network has cancelled all of their serious shows (Iron Chef Japan, Mario, Ming Tsai, M. Simon's occasional E.. European-type show, and Flay as far as actual cooking). Unfortunately, FTV is no longer watchable imo.

 

[Reggs]

Originally Posted by limester816

I'm going to disagree with everyone and say that at times, Bourdain is an astute, thoughtful writer. His episode in the Philippines was well done, and showed more the effects of colonial rule and American influence than the food itself-- it was also a great look at the Filipino-American experience. Other episodes had the same impact for me (after myself living in certain cultures), like the episode in China, San Francisco, Chile, and the Southwest. From what I've read, he actually had a rock and roll-style kind of life in his earlier years, doing every sort of drug while still trying to make new dishes.
Bourdain just wouldn't give that American of Filipino decent a break by pointing out how unfamiliar, and culturally different he was from natives. I hope it gave that guy some perspective, especially since he was criticizing other Americans of Filipino decent for being culturally deficient.

 

[crazyquik]

Sry I haz lowbrow tastes

 

[limester816]

Originally Posted by Reggs

Bourdain just wouldn't give that American of Filipino decent a break by pointing out how unfamiliar, and culturally different he was from natives. I hope it gave that guy some perspective, especially since he was criticizing other Americans of Filipino decent for being culturally deficient.

I don't recall Augusto criticizing his fellow Filipino-Americans, but acknowledging how tough it was growing up in a state of identity confusion-- and with this I thought Bourdain empathized with, and sought to somehow bring the Americanized-Augusto closer to his Filipino relatives. But that was just my take.

 

[Reggs]

Originally Posted by limester816

I don't recall Augusto criticizing his fellow Filipino-Americans, but acknowledging how tough it was growing up in a state of identity confusion-- and with this I thought Bourdain empathized with, and sought to somehow bring the Americanized-Augusto closer to his Filipino relatives. But that was just my take.
Hmm, you make me interested in watching it again. I got a completely different take on it. There was some comment he made about either asian decedents or specifically filipino descendants putting "Another culture ahead of their own" or something like that. I thought Bourdain was just being an ass to him up until the closing comments, but he was really just pointing out how ridiculous that he named the Philippines as his "home country" when at most he only ever spent 2 weeks there and was every bit as clueless about the country, culture, and Filipino identity as Bourdain was. I think Bourdain's angle was that his sense of identity was pretty artificial, or that he made some kind of fictional crisis for himself. That guy was about as Filipino as Jersey Shore's Snooki is Italian. It was definitely the most interesting episode he's made.

 

[limester816]

Originally Posted by Reggs

Hmm, you make me interested in watching it again. I got a completely different take on it. There was some comment he made about either asian decedents or specifically filipino descendants putting "Another culture ahead of their own" or something like that.

I thought Bourdain was just being an ass to him up until the closing comments, but he was really just pointing out how ridiculous that he named the Philippines as his "home country" when at most he only ever spent 2 weeks there and was every bit as clueless about the country, culture, and Filipino identity as Bourdain was. I think Bourdain's angle was that his sense of identity was pretty artificial, or that he made some kind of fictional crisis for himself. That guy was about as Filipino as Jersey Shore's Snooki is Italian.

It was definitely the most interesting episode he's made.

I mean I think you're absolutely right in that Bourdain fails to help Augusto's situation. But at least he understood some of the conflict he was going through. Half of his annoyance with Augusto had to do with the fact that he needed a better show-performance from him, but I detected some genuine distraught in him on behalf of Augusto that I hadn't seen in other episodes.

Also, I have to add that the Montana episode is probably my favorite.

 

[ektaylor]

t seems there is a lot of backlash toward Bourdain

Yep, seems to be in vogue at the moment.... just like adoring him was a year ago.

 

[Jpreme87]

Sam the Cooking Guy!

 

[Tokyo Slim]

I don't want to hang out with anyone who doesn't like Bourdain.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by lpresq

It seems there is a lot of backlash toward Bourdain. However, as someone previously noted Bourdain never considered himself a top-flight chef. Seriously, can anyone name an legit chef that has a show on Food Network these days? Food Network has cancelled all of their serious shows (Iron Chef Japan, Mario, Ming Tsai, M. Simon's occasional E.. European-type show, and Flay as far as actual cooking). Unfortunately, FTV is no longer watchable imo.
So true... it's just like MTV ... once upon a time, they showed music videos... then they just forgot about it and started showing "Real world vs. Road Rules" all the time. Food TV used to show cooking shows, now it's all over the map.. reality, travel, etc. Nobody can keep a good thing good, can they.

 

[Mblova]

I used to love the cooking shows on PBS.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Why stop loving them? Ming, Hubert k, bayless all still make good PBS shows

 

[sonick]

Jamie Oliver speaks at TED: http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html#top

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

Why stop loving them? Ming, Hubert k, bayless all still make good PBS shows

Haha...I just caught some of these shows recently. It's refreshing to see real cooking again.

 

[Mblova]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

Why stop loving them? Ming, Hubert k, bayless all still make good PBS shows

I went to college. Now that i'm back home I watch them on the reg. Used to watch them with my grandma when i was younger having to write down all the recipies. Went to college. Now back to the same grind. IMO much better cooking is done than on the food channel, et al. Yan, Ming, JAcques, Julia, bayless, lidia, like you can't get better than that(imo).