Food TV is a must have for those of us who love cooking. And we need a variety, from cooking competition shows to feature chefs and on-screen how-tos. Luckily for us, there are a lot of cooking shows on TV around this time, and new ones are cropping up all the time. In this article, we are going to look at the top food TV shows to keep you entertained and educated on new recipes and cooking methods.
Bakers vs. Fakers on the Food Network
This is one of the most popular cooking shows on TV. Professional bakers compete with skillful home cooks for the ultimate culinary challenge. Cake Boss Buddy Valastro and a number of other (rotating) judges get to sort out the real bakers from the fake ones. If you love watching cooking competition shows, you’ll most certainly enjoy this program. The focus on cakes and cookies (as opposed to steaks and pasta) is particularly interesting for people who love baking.
Chopped on the Food Network
Aired by the Food Network and hosted by Ted Allen, Chopped is another must0watch cooking challenge. Four promising chefs are tasked with turning everyday ingredients into outstanding 3-course meals. Four different chefs are competing in each new episode, which consists of three different rounds. In each round, the chefs are given a basket that contains about 4 unrelated ingredients. The food that they make must feature each of these ingredients. The competitors have access to a stocked refrigerator, and pantry. At the end of each round, during which time each chef must have completed making his or her dish, the judges will judge the end results based on creativity, taste, and presentation. The judges will decide which chef is ‘chopped’, and the other three will continue to the next round. By the time it gets to the ‘dessert’ round, only two chefs are remaining. The winner of the competition (at the end of the episode) receives a cash prize, usually amounting to $10,000.
Ching’s Amazing Asia on the Cooking Channel
Ching-He Huang, a top chef of British-Chinese nationality, brings her expertise to the table on the international cooking show Ching’s Amazing Asia. This 10-episode food TV show takes the viewer to Hong Kong, Mainland China, Macau, Japan, and Taiwan, where they can learn about the unique food culture and top dishes in these countries. This is an excellent, vibrant TV show, especially for those who want to do some food tourism right on TV.
My Kitchen Rules on FOX
Previously the hit cooking competition show in Australia, My Kitchen Rules is now rolling out in the US. This show features celebs such as Ray J, Naomi Judd, Lance Bass, and Andrew Dice Clay, who work together with their loved ones to throw dinner parties at home. They compete amongst each other to see who accomplishes the best soiree through a series of challenges. The judges, Cat Cora and Curtis Stone, will then pick a winner from the pack.
Ginormous Food on Food Network
This is one hell of a show about large food items. It features comedian Josh Denny, who travels across the United States and shows off massive pizzas, subs, and bagels. If you’d love to spare some slow time watching bagels that are loaded with a metric ton of salmon and cream cheese, this is just your show for you.
Top Chef
Now airing Season 12, Top Chef celebrates the rise of Boston from a bean town to a fine dining destination. There’s a lot of cultural sites, renowned chefs, and celebrity dinners going on in this Food TV show. There are at least a dozen chefs competing for the top prize, and the show runs on a high tempo. Each of the round-based challenges take advantage of Boston’s rich cultural history and abundance of local ingredients.
Superior Donuts on CBS
This is a scripted sitcom that stars Jermaine Fowler, Judd Hirsch, and Katey Sagal. Superior Donuts is based on a Broadway play going by the same name. It tells the story of ‘Aurthur Przybyszewski’, who runs an old-fashioned doughnut shop. His employees try to bring the shop to the 21st century with new items on the menu, as well as modern cooking techniques and technology.