A comment about TV chefs.

You know, I'm a huge fan of the Food Network. My FAVORITE show is "Healthy Appetite", because Ellie has the best perspective on food, in my opinion. My guilty indulgence is Paula Deen, though...I love her personality and her southern cooking is *to die for*.

Anyway.

I keep wondering how the majority of them stay thin! Paula Deen and Ina Garten aren't exactly thin, but what about Giada De Laurentis and Rachael Ray? Or Sandra Lee?! Rachael Ray has her travel shows, and I always see her taking a huuuuuge bite out of some bargain-sammich, and the only logical conclusion I've come to is that she must not eat all of it. She takes a bite for the camera, and then done.

That's how I'd do it.

Liz :D

Could be that Rachael Ray is also walking a CRAPLOAD.  You rarely see her sittin on her butt.  And yes, she may only eat half of it or so...

Personally, I don't like that healthy appetite.  some good ideas, but she grates on my nerves.  I like the other diet show they have...the 1 hour program where they have two people who theyre helping lose weight.  I think his name is Juan Carlos Cruz...he has some good recipes!

And my boy Alton Brown has the best ;)

That's true about Rachael Ray. Giada kind of looks like a tyrannosaurus rex, in my opinion. Tiny arms and whatnot. Hahahaha.

I don't know if I've seen the 1-hour show you're talking about! When's it on?? Ellie's nice, I think. But she likes salmon, ew. I've tried salmon every which way 'til Sunday, and I just. don't. like it.

Alton Brown is hilarious. I love his approach to food and how he incorporates it into his show. Whenever I watch it, I always think, Wow, he would be a weird person to go on a date with. But I'm weird, too, so maybe it would work out.

Liz :D

P.S. I can imitate Paula Deen's voice almost exactly (I'm a goofball), and everyone who knows anything about her thinks it's hilarious...otherwise you just don't get the "stick of butter and jar of mayonnaise" jokes. :P I think I watch her too much, but she's such a doll!!!! Paaaaawla!

I only watch the Food Network too! Funny how that is, since I love to eat and that's why I'm here....

Anyway, I love Rachel Ray but she isn't all that skinny (like Giada). I think she looks healthy and has a healthy attitude about food. I think that Sandra Lee and Giada must not be very good cooks because you can never trust a skinny cook! Alton is my favorite, too. I really like Iron Chef and the Barefoot Contessa, as well. The food Ina makes always looks delish. I think it would be hard to do a show on the food network and always have people thinking about how much you weigh because you're always tasting and eating and making food.

I love Alton Brown.  I have to laugh when I see Rachel Ray.  I used to cook like that - glug glug with the olive oil in the pan. What's funny is when she says "about 2 tablespoons of EVOO" and you can see it's about a half cup she's using.  I never realized until I began measuring the oil just how little 1 tablespoon is.  I also cook like Ina Gartin - I love her, but now it's all low fat and no sugar for me.  As for Paula Deen, what can you say when somebody makes bread pudding out of Krispy Kreme Donuts. 

Giada does have a lotta teeth!  And Sandra Lee is kind of scary - looks so artificial.  The other one I can't stand is Emeril.  I've heard he is a wonderful person, very generous and kind, but god he gets on my nerves.

Good Eats is the best show!

Alton Brown = Science Nerd
Lily = Science Nerd

I can totally relate!  He speaks my language :-)

I actually just read an article on Rachel Ray...

She eats what she wants, when she wants. And she doesn't consider herself to be skinny (model skinny, actress skinny). She also said life's too short to live on a diet, and the food's too good.

With her hectic schedule, she doesn't have time to excerise.

As finewine said...she probably just walks alot.

Hmm. Oh, Rachael Ray. I dunno. She's not ripped or anything, but if I didn't at least keep an eye on what I ate, I would gain weight.

And Emeril is kind of a tool. Hahaha. BAM!

I like Michael Chiarello, but he sort of reminds me of my ex-boyfriend who loved to throw wine parties. Bahaha. I think Alton Brown wins this thread. Oh, Paula, you and your Krispy Kreme bread pudding. It works for her, though! :P

hahahha I was thinkin the same thing last night! Especially Sandra Lee! She Cooks these SUPER fatty meals that she probably does not eat. And Rachel Ray too, with her 40 $ a day show, she eats out CONSTANTLY. She's no twig but I mean she's still a healthy weight for her height.


Alton definitely has the best show! He has a new one too, something where he goes on the road. Paul kills me, with that thick southern accent and "sugah".

Hey lizzlebizzle...do you have that bread pudding recipe? It sounds like something my stepdad would like, but I can't find it.

I believe Alton's new show is called Feasting on Asphalt but I"m not
sure if it's premiered yet.  Paula's two sons have a new show,
Road Tasted.  I've caught two episodes and I have to say I like it
so far.  They're got great personalities just like their mama :-)

Oooh! I was wondering who they were. They keep airing that commercial about whats new on the food network. Deep southern accents? That kills me, makes me wish Martin had one haha

Feasting! That's right, I bet that will be hilarious. The bf loves Alton, as do I, but it combines a couple of his favorite things : Great camera angles, Science, and Food haha.

There used to be a show with a French Chef who prepared nothing but chocolate! I dont remember his name, does anyone know if that show is still on?

Yeah, I love that southern boy thing :-)

oooooo french chef cooking only with chocolate.  Bring him back, bring him back!!

I don't think I"ve ever seen that one and I don't think he's on.  But I could be wrong.  Might want to check out the food network webpage.

It was awesome! But it just made me want chocolate haha -downside.

Ill check out that ol' food network. Oh speaking of the food network last year I saw Mark Summers (unwrapped) in the Starbucks on Mass Ave - I wanted to go up to him and say "I'll take the physical challenge"

LOL  That's awsome!  You know, it's funny how many famous people my friends have randomly run into up in Boston ( :-( I never did while I was up there) and yet the whole time I was in LA I didn't see all that many (only one in fact) same for my buddies out there.

And even without the show's influence, I still want chocolate everyday :-)

Oh I know how that is....I know hahaha

No wonder I was chubby. I used to collect M&M dispensers. I would get them for Christmas or my Birthday ... the chocolate would be gone in 0-60 seconds. It was like this rainbow of chubbyness just pouring down my throat. Oh well, I was happy and oblivious at the time haha

I love Alton Brown!  Ditto Iron Chef--the original host guy was kinda scary in those outfits, though, no?

I saw an interview with Rachael Ray, and she said she tries the food on film--just a bite--and then gives the rest to her staff because 1) sometimes it takes like 4 times to get the take right; and 2) she does gain weight easily.  Giada, on the other hand, was interviewed in some culinary magazine I saw at a friend's house, and sometimes--yes, I know we don't do this or think it healthy--she skips meals so that she can eat what she makes on the show.  Other times, she only eats a very small portion of food.  Certain foods, she won't eat at all . . .

I think both Emeril (kinda cheesy) and my other Food Network fave, Mario Batali, probably don't watch what they eat at all.  ;)

Paula Dean kinda creeps me out.  If you've ever lived in South Carolina, she's just a little too close for comfort (food) if you know what I mean. . . . When I was there, two women--clones of Dean's--were always trying to feed me these incredibly sinful "Southern" dishes . . . it was like their mission to introduce me to all the Southern dishes I'd never had before.  They even took healthy things like collard greens and put like a cup each of bacon fat and sugar in them . . . yikes!!  No wonder I have to watch my cholesterol now!  LOL! :D

Jim O'Conner from "The Secret Life Of..." is another fav of mine. 
Total goofball.  He seems like he'd be fun to hang with.  And
of course Jamie Oliver, I wouldn't mind spending some time with him :-)
(damn those british accents!)


(EDIT:  OMG there's a behind the scenes Good Eats episode and it's on RIGHT NOW!)

I think that the chocolate guy was Jacques something. I want to say last name Torres (Torrez?) but that sounds Spanish? I agree with the Naked Chef Jamie Oliver. Bring him back!

The only show I can't stand is the Michael Chirarello (sp?) one. He acts like everyone should only use olive oil grown on their own Napa Valley property and we all have vineyards in our backyards. Other Food network chefs have obviously expensive houses (ina garten) but none of them flaunt it the way that Michael Chirarello does.

I love Ina Gartin's house.  It's so homey and comfortable.  I'd forgotten about Jaques Torres (sp) and his amazing chocolate creations. 

I don't watch the food network as often as I did.  It tends to make me hungry.

I was a big fan of Julia Child.  Watching her actually taught me how to cook.  There are several good TV chefs who are not on very often - Jaques Pepin and Biba come to mind.  I think they might be on PBS sometimes.