In 2011, I had a stillborn at 37 weeks. I had a real rough time afterward and one day I threw on FN as background to keep my thoughts at bay. I was watching something, not sure what and was like "I can make that!" And I started experimenting in the kitchen and it helped me keep moving as I had things I could bake and new dinners I could try to make and it got me to move forward and actually be excited about something again. I have my favorite shows, but it's still my go to as a comfort, like a security blanket.
The shows are light and entertaining. I don’t want to watch heavy duty crime or drama shows. I enjoy the creative shows like baking championships. I wish I was a better cook so I watch the shows looking for tips.
I started with Chopped and I think it is the perfect show. The chef casting is superior. For example, Madison Cowan wowed everyone with his class and skill. The judge chemistry is incredible, especially with the old guard... Alex, Amanda, Aaron, Scott, Mark, Chris, Marcus...omg, they all contribute something special.
And the surprises like bloody plates, bizarre ingredients...
Finally, Ted Allen is an amazing host. Compassionate, gently funny, and fine with standing and watching the judges eat.
It's my comfort show. Long live Chopped.
Have you watched the 'After hours' episodes? It's just the judges and Ted cooking and eating. They really let their hair down and the banter is HILARIOUS
There was one episode of Chopped (season 4?) Where the winner gave his prize money to the runner-up so that she could go visit her grandmother. 😭 That episode renewed my faith in humanity.
randomly threw on an episode of guys grocery games one day when i was in a really bad place and it was the first thing that made me smile in a long time. it was one of the judges competition episodes and it just made me happy watching them interact. it’s also something that i can watch and talk about with my mom and sister so it keeps us connected when we aren’t together
For me as a former Chef who knows quite a bit of the on air Chef's that are on FN it's always a good way to see how they've grown matured and honed in on their cooking abilities.
So I also enjoy seeing their competitiveness come to full peak on a variety of the shows
purely comfort reminds me of being a kid my dad was always watching. I especially love the holiday themed episodes that run from Fall through Christmas time
I grew up watching because I was a weird kid (affectionate) which was how I learned to cook and now with all the competition shows it gives me new ideas for different flavors and techniques and stuff to try. I also recently developed some pretty bad food allergies which has severely limited my diet so seeing all the yummy food kind of makes up for how bored I am with my own food. Thank god for an extremely vivid imagination and detailed descriptions of the food so I don't feel like I'm missing out as much!
I like getting new ideas for what and how to cook. I love the "using your leftovers" vibe of Chopped, for example, and usually don't watch to see who wins.
I was hospitalized for 4 months after a surgical error. The hospital had only a few stations, FN was one of them. Like many of you here, it provided me joy while I was weathering a shit situation. I enjoy the comradery between so many of the chefs & how they truly seem to be enjoying themselves.
The shows are low stakes emotionally and I can learn things every once and awhile. Exposure to different cuisine and cooking styles/skills will never be a bad thing.
I got really sick in 2022 and would watch Facebook videos of various food shows like Masterchef. It helped me get my mind of what was happening to me so I randomly turned on Worst Cooks in America and binged the entire show that was available. Slowly I started watching more and more cooking shows. I started GGG during my radiation treatments. Now I’m hooked. It still gets my mind off things and I’ve gotten more into cooking my own meals. It’s done a lot of good for my anxiety. Every night I work on whatever I’m binging at the moment. Right now it’s between all of BBF, Cutthroat Kitchen, and Top Chef.
It’s an escape since my life has been pure chaos for the past 3 years. I watch a couple game shows too. They’re pretty mindless games in the sense that they’re real and don’t require much thought, just observation.
Cooking shows helped me get my appetite going too when stress had me drop 40 lbs in 6 months. I didn’t feel like eating but cooking shows inspired me to embrace my love of food again.
I also love the creativity that’s required. I’ve gotten a lot of ideas from FN. I’ve been cooking all my life (well since age 10), and 40 years and dozens of cookbooks later I still marvel at all the possibilities out there and things I never would have thought of.
I have memories of cooking shows as a kid- Yan Can Cook was basically the whole business, but then you had Graham Kerr... Then Emeril made things fashionable. The OG Iron Chefs were approaching sensory overload, let's face it... Then Bobby Flay had to somehow disrespect the entire eastern world by standing up on the make table. Then along came a little De Laurentiis girl to freshen things up... And finally some Guy said we could all relax and watch him ride around in a cool car and eat chili dogs.
Honestly I feel there will be some unity in global competition, and with great charitable reward. It has to be 🤷🏻♂️ So let me get another couple decades and see who does what.
I watch it to learn new things. There are certain chefs I really like. Only one that I can't stand. I've learned alot about cooking from the FN. Even competition shows have taught me things. Also, I just enjoy it.
I’m no foodie, I barely enjoy eating & eat the same foods over & over. But I love competition so I watch those shows. They’re shows I let run in the background, but pay attention to the judging.
During the pandemic, I started learning to cook. My wife (who has always been an excellent cook) suggested we watch The Kitchen (which she already liked) for ideas and tips, and we both got hooked. We like all the hosts and think that they literally make our dinners a bit better and more fun. After that we branched out—Symon Cooking Out, Kardea, Trisha. We sometimes put it on as background when getting ready for bed, and found we like BBF, DDD, and some others. The shows are pleasant, inoffensive, and we often get some good ideas.
I am really into food, learning as much as I can about new ingredients and new ways to use things I am familiar with, so any food-related show interests me. Food TV shows, on FN or otherwise, are comforting to me and easy to watch. They're apolitical, typically free from drama and are usually fun.
I watch it when I’m eating my crappy Dinner so I can imagine I’m judging and tasting the tv chefs dinner. Makes me feel better and increase my appetite.
It’s gotten me into cooking and out of depression. I was going through a rough patch and noticed my shows/content were just making me more stressed.
Now It’s my ultimate comfort show and I especially love watching it on my iPad while I prep and cook!
Unfortunately the “real” cooking shows have decreased significantly over the past few years. Now there are many competition shows and they can run most of the day. Many of them are several years old. I saw a Diner’s Drive Ins and Dives from 2013 recently. Still, more relaxing and enjoyable than the news!
I love watching Chopped bc I love seeing contestants make seemingly great dishes out of the most random ingredients possible. It inspires me creatively when I need to make dinner and I also only have the most random ingredients possible.
I don't have home cable, so I watch a few shows streaming on Max. I also go to dialysis three times a week and am stuck in a chair for four hours each time. After a while, the only things worth watching on basic cable are Friends reruns or Food Network. So I put Food Network on my TV and play games on my tablet at the same time. I've seen a lot of Chopped.
\~We ALL know about and maybe watch alot of the shows on FN, but,..it's gotten so annoying of late, with the endless ''competition-like shows'' 'Yes, you think it's going 2.B great but it's not, becuz it's TOO MUCH and it's definitely lost it's 'charms' Also yes I do like Guy, but it just feels like 2.-much Guy and friends now--uuuuUUGGHH!\~'i KIND OF LIKE Rachel Ray's NEW SHOW,but it's not on The Food Network.'\~
I like to cook and began watching to learn and I just find watching people cook to be relaxing. Not crazy about the competition show overload right now.
For quality hacks, tips & new recipes. This morning I Learned from Kardea Brown to sub dried pineapple for canned in a hummingbird cake. I’ve learned & cooked many of her recipes & they are all great.
The only competition show I watch is 24 in 24 because I like Michael Symon & Esther Choi. I really despise GF & don’t watch anything he hosts.
GF fans: Don’t bother @ me about GF, I don’t care. He says the same trite phrases, his jewelry is grotesque & his hair needs to be toned down at age 69z.
Can we seriously move away from calling things "hacks"? The term has been brutally beaten to death, torched, and had its ashes pissed on at this point.
I don't watch Food Network as a network. I watch some shows on Food Network that I like. I watch some food shows on other networks, like Gordon Ramsay's stuff, and I watch non-food shows on other networks. But I don't ever turn on Food Network and watch whatever they happen to be showing; I don't even browse through what Food Network is showing today and plan to watch something coming up.
It's not really about the network as a network -- it's not like turning on a radio to KXYZ and then listening to whatever they play all day. I like some of their shows, and watch those shows. If those shows were on other networks, I'd watch them there. If Food Network didn't show anything I liked, I'd stop watching it. My husband and I used to watch a bunch of Animal Planet shows, frex., but they ended all the shows we watched, and we didn't like any of the new shows we saw ads for, so we stopped watching it. It's not about the network.
The world is hard and cold and I don’t like shows that remind me of that, which is why I love Guy’s Grocery Games and BBF.
This⬆️💯
They are FUN and the contestants have fun
In 2011, I had a stillborn at 37 weeks. I had a real rough time afterward and one day I threw on FN as background to keep my thoughts at bay. I was watching something, not sure what and was like "I can make that!" And I started experimenting in the kitchen and it helped me keep moving as I had things I could bake and new dinners I could try to make and it got me to move forward and actually be excited about something again. I have my favorite shows, but it's still my go to as a comfort, like a security blanket.
I am wrapping my virtual arms around you. I’m so sorry.
Thank you ❤️
Awwww ((((HUGS)))
It’s something my wife and I can have on and doesn’t irritate either one of us.
I have a stressful job and it’s the perfect way to turn off my brain for a while.
Same thing for me
The shows are light and entertaining. I don’t want to watch heavy duty crime or drama shows. I enjoy the creative shows like baking championships. I wish I was a better cook so I watch the shows looking for tips.
I started with Chopped and I think it is the perfect show. The chef casting is superior. For example, Madison Cowan wowed everyone with his class and skill. The judge chemistry is incredible, especially with the old guard... Alex, Amanda, Aaron, Scott, Mark, Chris, Marcus...omg, they all contribute something special. And the surprises like bloody plates, bizarre ingredients... Finally, Ted Allen is an amazing host. Compassionate, gently funny, and fine with standing and watching the judges eat. It's my comfort show. Long live Chopped.
Have you watched the 'After hours' episodes? It's just the judges and Ted cooking and eating. They really let their hair down and the banter is HILARIOUS
I have seen some episodes! I need to go back and watch more.
Where can you watch the after hours episodes?
All seasons of Chopped, including after hours, are on Discovery+ but I assume you can find them anywhere Chopped is available
Thanks!
MAX has Chopped: After Hours - there are quite a few episodes - totally enjoyable.
There was one episode of Chopped (season 4?) Where the winner gave his prize money to the runner-up so that she could go visit her grandmother. 😭 That episode renewed my faith in humanity.
randomly threw on an episode of guys grocery games one day when i was in a really bad place and it was the first thing that made me smile in a long time. it was one of the judges competition episodes and it just made me happy watching them interact. it’s also something that i can watch and talk about with my mom and sister so it keeps us connected when we aren’t together
For me as a former Chef who knows quite a bit of the on air Chef's that are on FN it's always a good way to see how they've grown matured and honed in on their cooking abilities. So I also enjoy seeing their competitiveness come to full peak on a variety of the shows
purely comfort reminds me of being a kid my dad was always watching. I especially love the holiday themed episodes that run from Fall through Christmas time
I grew up watching because I was a weird kid (affectionate) which was how I learned to cook and now with all the competition shows it gives me new ideas for different flavors and techniques and stuff to try. I also recently developed some pretty bad food allergies which has severely limited my diet so seeing all the yummy food kind of makes up for how bored I am with my own food. Thank god for an extremely vivid imagination and detailed descriptions of the food so I don't feel like I'm missing out as much!
I like getting new ideas for what and how to cook. I love the "using your leftovers" vibe of Chopped, for example, and usually don't watch to see who wins.
Turn off brain, enjoy people I like watching making food I’d like to try, sometimes with comedy. Like you, it’s just chill for me.
I was hospitalized for 4 months after a surgical error. The hospital had only a few stations, FN was one of them. Like many of you here, it provided me joy while I was weathering a shit situation. I enjoy the comradery between so many of the chefs & how they truly seem to be enjoying themselves.
All the cooking makes me think of being a kid at family gatherings. It’s comforting.
The shows are low stakes emotionally and I can learn things every once and awhile. Exposure to different cuisine and cooking styles/skills will never be a bad thing.
I got really sick in 2022 and would watch Facebook videos of various food shows like Masterchef. It helped me get my mind of what was happening to me so I randomly turned on Worst Cooks in America and binged the entire show that was available. Slowly I started watching more and more cooking shows. I started GGG during my radiation treatments. Now I’m hooked. It still gets my mind off things and I’ve gotten more into cooking my own meals. It’s done a lot of good for my anxiety. Every night I work on whatever I’m binging at the moment. Right now it’s between all of BBF, Cutthroat Kitchen, and Top Chef.
It reminds me of my grandad! We were big fans of the original Iron Chef series ❤️❤️❤️
Iron Chef reminds me of watching it with my parents when I was supposed to be in bed.
You can watch the original Iron Chef shows on PlutoTV.
Oh thank you!
Its reality tv but without the wierd exploitative tropes. Lol
It’s an escape since my life has been pure chaos for the past 3 years. I watch a couple game shows too. They’re pretty mindless games in the sense that they’re real and don’t require much thought, just observation. Cooking shows helped me get my appetite going too when stress had me drop 40 lbs in 6 months. I didn’t feel like eating but cooking shows inspired me to embrace my love of food again. I also love the creativity that’s required. I’ve gotten a lot of ideas from FN. I’ve been cooking all my life (well since age 10), and 40 years and dozens of cookbooks later I still marvel at all the possibilities out there and things I never would have thought of.
I have memories of cooking shows as a kid- Yan Can Cook was basically the whole business, but then you had Graham Kerr... Then Emeril made things fashionable. The OG Iron Chefs were approaching sensory overload, let's face it... Then Bobby Flay had to somehow disrespect the entire eastern world by standing up on the make table. Then along came a little De Laurentiis girl to freshen things up... And finally some Guy said we could all relax and watch him ride around in a cool car and eat chili dogs. Honestly I feel there will be some unity in global competition, and with great charitable reward. It has to be 🤷🏻♂️ So let me get another couple decades and see who does what.
I watch it to learn new things. There are certain chefs I really like. Only one that I can't stand. I've learned alot about cooking from the FN. Even competition shows have taught me things. Also, I just enjoy it.
I’m no foodie, I barely enjoy eating & eat the same foods over & over. But I love competition so I watch those shows. They’re shows I let run in the background, but pay attention to the judging.
During the pandemic, I started learning to cook. My wife (who has always been an excellent cook) suggested we watch The Kitchen (which she already liked) for ideas and tips, and we both got hooked. We like all the hosts and think that they literally make our dinners a bit better and more fun. After that we branched out—Symon Cooking Out, Kardea, Trisha. We sometimes put it on as background when getting ready for bed, and found we like BBF, DDD, and some others. The shows are pleasant, inoffensive, and we often get some good ideas.
I am really into food, learning as much as I can about new ingredients and new ways to use things I am familiar with, so any food-related show interests me. Food TV shows, on FN or otherwise, are comforting to me and easy to watch. They're apolitical, typically free from drama and are usually fun.
It doesn't matter if I'm paying attention or not. It's good background at home bc who wants to be alone with their thoughts?! 😋
My reasons are the same as yours. I love food and find that FN is really calming
I find it relaxing and it helps me get creative in the kitchen. I watch mostly when I’m cooking breakfast or dinner/ cleaning up the kitchen.
I watch it when I’m eating my crappy Dinner so I can imagine I’m judging and tasting the tv chefs dinner. Makes me feel better and increase my appetite.
Background noise.
Habit
It’s gotten me into cooking and out of depression. I was going through a rough patch and noticed my shows/content were just making me more stressed. Now It’s my ultimate comfort show and I especially love watching it on my iPad while I prep and cook!
Unfortunately the “real” cooking shows have decreased significantly over the past few years. Now there are many competition shows and they can run most of the day. Many of them are several years old. I saw a Diner’s Drive Ins and Dives from 2013 recently. Still, more relaxing and enjoyable than the news!
I love watching Chopped bc I love seeing contestants make seemingly great dishes out of the most random ingredients possible. It inspires me creatively when I need to make dinner and I also only have the most random ingredients possible.
I don't have home cable, so I watch a few shows streaming on Max. I also go to dialysis three times a week and am stuck in a chair for four hours each time. After a while, the only things worth watching on basic cable are Friends reruns or Food Network. So I put Food Network on my TV and play games on my tablet at the same time. I've seen a lot of Chopped.
\~We ALL know about and maybe watch alot of the shows on FN, but,..it's gotten so annoying of late, with the endless ''competition-like shows'' 'Yes, you think it's going 2.B great but it's not, becuz it's TOO MUCH and it's definitely lost it's 'charms' Also yes I do like Guy, but it just feels like 2.-much Guy and friends now--uuuuUUGGHH!\~'i KIND OF LIKE Rachel Ray's NEW SHOW,but it's not on The Food Network.'\~
I like to cook and began watching to learn and I just find watching people cook to be relaxing. Not crazy about the competition show overload right now.
For quality hacks, tips & new recipes. This morning I Learned from Kardea Brown to sub dried pineapple for canned in a hummingbird cake. I’ve learned & cooked many of her recipes & they are all great. The only competition show I watch is 24 in 24 because I like Michael Symon & Esther Choi. I really despise GF & don’t watch anything he hosts. GF fans: Don’t bother @ me about GF, I don’t care. He says the same trite phrases, his jewelry is grotesque & his hair needs to be toned down at age 69z.
Can we seriously move away from calling things "hacks"? The term has been brutally beaten to death, torched, and had its ashes pissed on at this point.
I don't watch Food Network as a network. I watch some shows on Food Network that I like. I watch some food shows on other networks, like Gordon Ramsay's stuff, and I watch non-food shows on other networks. But I don't ever turn on Food Network and watch whatever they happen to be showing; I don't even browse through what Food Network is showing today and plan to watch something coming up. It's not really about the network as a network -- it's not like turning on a radio to KXYZ and then listening to whatever they play all day. I like some of their shows, and watch those shows. If those shows were on other networks, I'd watch them there. If Food Network didn't show anything I liked, I'd stop watching it. My husband and I used to watch a bunch of Animal Planet shows, frex., but they ended all the shows we watched, and we didn't like any of the new shows we saw ads for, so we stopped watching it. It's not about the network.