357991 Mon Jan 08 00:49:48 -0800 2007 161 33 Food Media and News 0 2163396 I have limited knowledge of cooking shows. When I first started paying attention, it was Jacques Pepin (sometimes paired with Julia Child - I guess they were reruns) and The original Iron Chef. Many of the currently available shows seem unwatchable. What are the names, major or minor, that shaped, for better or for worse, the current crop of TV shows before the genre's popularity exploded? Mon Jan 08 00:49:48 -0800 2007 61426 grocerytrekker 1 2163406 I remember my mother watching Chef Tell and the Galloping Gourmet along with Julia. I began watching when Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet, was hitting his stride. In my mind, THAT was when the genre's popularity exploded. Mon Jan 08 00:53:29 -0800 2007 2163396 16933 Carrie 218 2 2163999 Jeff Smith was definitely the one that brought me in. The first cookbook I bought was his Three Ancient Cuisines cookbook. Mon Jan 08 04:19:01 -0800 2007 2163406 22930 rcheng 2 3082661 Chef Tell was the greatest. And I love the Swedish chef Wed Oct 31 08:42:38 -0700 2007 2163406 139083 cheeriaid 3 3674809 Swedish Chef? Yay Muppets! Sat May 10 12:16:36 -0700 2008 3082661 112096 Caroline1 2 3167868 I miss that crazy old pervert. I hated his show at first, but I was looking for a cookbook in a store with a limited supply, so I bought The Frugal Gourmet. I learned so much about food from that cheap little unillustrated paperback. I also saw just how passionate that man was about his food. I liked him a lot better on TV afterthat. Fri Nov 30 08:45:15 -0800 2007 2163406 116495 Avalondaughter 1 2163412 Graham Kerr was a pioneer. I also remember seeing Craig Clairborne (sp?) on talk shows. Of course Julia was the creme de la creme. Mon Jan 08 00:54:54 -0800 2007 2163396 10642 bryan 2 2165738 Julia wasn't exactly known for her cooking talent, was she. You have to give her a huge credit for influencing so many people, of course. I am curious about the truly talented invisible ones that never made it. Mon Jan 08 18:57:25 -0800 2007 2163412 61426 grocerytrekker 3 3674817 Julia Child not known for her cooking talent? You have to be very young (well, to me anyway). Julia Child was the very first cooking show carried nationaly on PBS in the 1960s. All others came AFTER her. And yes, she could cook. It wasn't until her later years when it was probably too fatigueing to do all of the lifting and work required that she did shows in which she was the host and others cooked. Before Julia Child, there were only cookbooks. Sat May 10 12:21:02 -0700 2008 2165738 112096 Caroline1 4 3948283 I recently took out some videos of shows of Julia Child in black & white shown on PBS in the 1960's from my local library. She really was quite a character. And with a lot of energy beating a pound of butter to "soften it". And her comments were delightful. I then took out an anniversary edition of her first cookbook and also the A&E Biography about her. Her later shows were not as good. But we all age don't we. She was the pioneer and I appreciate her for that. Mon Aug 11 15:29:28 -0700 2008 3674817 194774 Smachnoho 1 2163442 Frugal Gourmet, Yan Can Cook, Julia, Jacques, Maria Esposito Mon Jan 08 01:02:58 -0800 2007 2163396 20483 jenniebnyc 1 2163538 We used to watch Justin Wilson on PBS every Saturday morning. "C'mere, onion!" Mon Jan 08 01:35:04 -0800 2007 2163396 32586 revsharkie 2 2163602 Is that the guy who would cook giant vats of gumbo with oneeongs? Mon Jan 08 01:58:49 -0800 2007 2163538 61426 grocerytrekker 3 2163680 That was the best food show ever. Rachel Ray should watch Justin Wilson for pointers. I loved it when he made "Cajun Cheese Toast": melted velveeta on white toast spread with margarine. Mon Jan 08 02:25:30 -0800 2007 2163602 17282 missclaudy 1 2163563 Yes, I GAR-UN-TEE! Frugal, Yan, Graham, Julia were all from way earlier days. Mon Jan 08 01:45:18 -0800 2007 2163396 22241 personalcheffie 2 2163834 Those were great episodes...! It was kinda like watching cooking meets cartoons. Justin Wilson reminded me a bit of Foghorn Leghorn http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004CJGG.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg Mon Jan 08 03:21:35 -0800 2007 2163563 10609 Cheese Boy 3 2164406 Perfect analogy, Foghorn Leghorn with a frying pan and pot of seafood gumbo! God, I miss Justin Wilson! Mon Jan 08 12:10:14 -0800 2007 2163834 17282 missclaudy 2 2165589 Yes, these were all greats but "early days?" My gosh, I feel old now. Let's think back to the days when Graham Kerr and Julia Child didn't necessarily rule, because cooking shows were relegated to odd hours on obscure channels, but set the new tone of cooking. No more boxed mixes! Knives that don't stay sharp forever! And real people making real messes and real food! Mon Jan 08 18:32:07 -0800 2007 2163563 25244 rockycat 3 2194606 The good ol' days were when these chefs used to knock a few back while the show was on! Oh my! Graham was a stitch. Tue Jan 16 18:51:52 -0800 2007 2165589 22241 personalcheffie 1 2163610 I miss Julia Child. How did food TV go from her to a Sandra Lee??? Ugh. Mon Jan 08 02:02:54 -0800 2007 2163396 48370 PastaFace123 2 2163630 It's the new American Mentality, unfortunately. Mon Jan 08 02:10:22 -0800 2007 2163610 22241 personalcheffie 2 2163657 We still have Lidia, Americas Test Kitchen and Daisey Cooks. Let's hope the Food Network doesn't grab them too!!! Thank goodness for PBS !! Mon Jan 08 02:19:23 -0800 2007 2163610 20483 jenniebnyc 3 2163684 Lidia is a goddess!!!! Mon Jan 08 02:26:13 -0800 2007 2163657 17282 missclaudy 4 2166020 Lidia's show has gone way downhill. Focus not on the cooking or the food, but on the "adorable" grandchildren and that smug winesnob son. Mon Jan 08 19:57:11 -0800 2007 2163684 10855 nosh 5 2166173 I don't find him (Joe) to be brash, but he is smug. I agree. I also don't understand the purpose of his "cameo" appearances. Wine pairings by Joe? Come on. Go visit Batali for goodness sake if you're bored. Most of us are interested in your mom's food preparation. We'll decide for ourselves on the wine. Please. Mon Jan 08 20:26:15 -0800 2007 2166020 10609 Cheese Boy 6 2166413 "Smug" is a good word to describe Joseph Batali on the show. But do you think it might be because he's uncomfortable in front of the cameras? Just a thought. I like the emphasis on her family althought I agree that sometimes the grandchildren element is a bit of an overkill. But I love the grandmother and how she does just about anything she wants in the kitche, famous chef-daughter be damned! Mon Jan 08 21:11:45 -0800 2007 2166173 12045 gloriousfood 7 2166504 You mean Joe Bastianich, not Joseph Batali. I think he's very comfortable behind the camera, and maybe a little insecure around mom. His job is to display his knowledge of wine and not upstage his mother. Mon Jan 08 21:28:00 -0800 2007 2166413 10609 Cheese Boy 8 2166708 Oops, you're right about the name. I was thinking of him, Mario, and Lidia and their restaurant collaboration. Mon Jan 08 22:07:43 -0800 2007 2166504 12045 gloriousfood 6 2171965 It got even worse on a recent episode. Lidia and the Hulk recommended his OWN wine blend! And this on a PBS show, not even FoodChannel... Wed Jan 10 04:20:46 -0800 2007 2166173 10855 nosh 7 2175800 Ha, the Hulk. I guess that's better than being refered to as Lurch. Did you see the episode where Joe looks at Lidia after drinking one of *their* wines and says 'That's some righteous juice, huh mama?'. Hilarious. Free plug. One of the many perks for sonny when your mom is Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Thu Jan 11 02:29:52 -0800 2007 2171965 10609 Cheese Boy 6 3685250 The purpose of his cameo appearances are the same as why she had the chef from her kansas city restaurant on: business. he runs all of her restaurants, and is batali's business partner. not knocking her, just stating the facts. lidia is by far one of the best chefs on tv, i've made quite a few of her recipes, and i love the format of the show, showcasing the specific areas in Italy where the meal is from and so forth. Wed May 14 02:35:49 -0700 2008 2166173 115296 joeyz 5 2194618 Yes. Tue Jan 16 18:52:35 -0800 2007 2166020 22241 personalcheffie 1 2163662 In addition to Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and "The Galloping Gourmet," I have fond memories of Madeleine Kamman. I don't know if anybody remembers her. I also loved watching Justin Wilson, sometimes enjoyed Jeff Smith (although I tired of his obsession with ancient cuisines and ingredients) and did enjoy the Amish cook who always showed quilts at the end of her show. There was this show on the Discovery Channel called "Great Chefs of the West" that I used to love on Sunday mornings. The first part of the show might be visiting this little place in the back of a grocery store with two tables, where little old ladies were stirring huge dollops of lard into their refried beans, and next they might showcase the chef at Vincent on Camelback making lobster quesedillas. Mon Jan 08 02:21:05 -0800 2007 2163396 15994 Clarissa 2 2166125 Clarissa, That was a great series! I remember watching a (woman) cook on a cattle ranch make chicken fried steaks, bisquits and gravy for the ranch hands. I still remember how much I wanted to taste that chicken fry when it was done--she really knew how to cook. The "upscale chef" that followed could have learned from her. Mon Jan 08 20:17:24 -0800 2007 2163662 28212 Walters 3 2167598 I recently bought a DVD recorder, and I've been having fun converting a lot of dusty old VHS tapes to DVDs. Among many old treasures I've found is many episodes of "Great Chefs of the West", recorded back in, I believe, 1985. Watching them again, I realize how good they were, and what an influence they had on me. Haven't seen them in 20 years, yet they seem vey familiar to me, as I watched them so fondly. The recipes tended toward simple, hearty Tex-Mex fare that really made you want to try them yourself. The cooks and the great location shoots made the shows fun and interesting to watch. Sure glad I saved them. Tue Jan 09 01:39:00 -0800 2007 2166125 14065 Andrew Gore 4 2682165 OMG, Great Chefs of the West. I got a HUGE crush on one of the chefs in Texas - can't remember his name right now, but he was a serious cutie -- (They'd always show him for a moment in the beginning sequence - he'd flash a shy smile.) Thu Jun 21 14:34:05 -0700 2007 2167598 78611 aurora50 5 3948304 I'm betting it was Robert Del Grande Mon Aug 11 15:37:10 -0700 2008 2682165 10506 DiningDiva 6 5008523 Late reply, DiningDiva, but - YEAH, THAT was the guy!!! : ) YUM Does he still cook? Sat Sep 05 22:19:07 -0700 2009 3948304 78611 aurora50 2 2197328 We bought Madeleine Kamman's house in Vermont. Needless to say, the kitchen has very good kharma ! Wed Jan 17 14:55:42 -0800 2007 2163662 50082 TonyO 3 2197332 Wow! Wed Jan 17 14:59:06 -0800 2007 2197328 16490 Bostonbob3 4 2197345 Yeah it was pretty cool. And there was no celebrity mark up ! We have seen our house on a few tv programs which is interesting. The Kamman's were wonderful people to conduct business with. I usually visit in early summer and bring them some currants from our yard (they are about 40 minutes from our home). Wed Jan 17 15:03:20 -0800 2007 2197332 50082 TonyO 3 4715540 I thought she was from Napa, she used to go to an Episcopalian church in Calistoga, and I'd see her every so often. But this was in the 90s. What was funny, she did not like Lidia, and would say so. Tue May 26 10:19:50 -0700 2009 2197328 50431 chef chicklet 1 2163687 Ohhh, I loved Madeleine Kamman's food. Thanks for reminding us. She was great! I wonder what ever happened to her. Mon Jan 08 02:27:51 -0800 2007 2163396 48366 ChefGirl412 2 2164401 She is one of the most brilliant cooks and authorities on food science we have ever had. I've heard she felt she got short shrift because Julia became SO famous and she wasn't able to equal her. She is French . She had a cooking school called Modern Gourmet and a restaurant in the Boston area in the late 70's. She lives in Vermont I believe and I highly recommend ALL of her cookbooks. Mon Jan 08 12:05:46 -0800 2007 2163687 17282 missclaudy 2 2165147 I too liked Madeleine so much and often use The Making of a Cook. Does anyone remember Pasquale, the Italian singing chef? Mon Jan 08 16:54:02 -0800 2007 2163687 64773 saffron1 3 2168254 Pasquale rocked! He would belt tunes out of nowhere and you couldn't help but pay attention. But it did seem that most of the dishes were remarkably similar. My favourite was Wok With Yan. I loved his aprons with the sayings. Wok and Roll, Wok Around the Clock, etc... Haha. Tue Jan 09 05:13:17 -0800 2007 2165147 60322 spades 1 2164409 When I was a child, which admittedly was a very long time ago, the cooking show that was most famous in the NY area was Dionne Lucas' program. Dionne was a Cordon Bleu graduate, and apparently was quite a name in gourmet cooking circles back in the '50s. The only thing that was hard to take was her strange accent, which resulted in her pronouncing chicken as "chicking". My brother and I used to say that Dionne taught us the technique of "flinging the chicking across the kitching". Mon Jan 08 12:14:19 -0800 2007 2163396 25376 Ted in Central NJ 2 2168809 Thanks, Ted! I think I was thinking of Dionne Lucas when I mentioned Poppy Cannon. I think Dionne was the TV pioneer. Tue Jan 09 14:25:31 -0800 2007 2164409 18067 kathleen purvis 3 2172430 I'm glad that someone besides me remembers Dionne Lucas! Also, someone else's mention of the Bontempis jogged my memory of that show, with the singing husband (he seemed to be essentially of no usefullness to the theme of the show) and the dogs. Wed Jan 10 11:15:34 -0800 2007 2168809 25376 Ted in Central NJ 2 2822169 I happened to think of Dionne Lucas as I was looking for a recipe. I am glad to know that others remember her from the 50's. She was one of my favorites. Now if I could only find her JELLYROLL recipe. It was the best. Tue Aug 07 11:58:59 -0700 2007 2164409 117440 tubby72 3 3942322 I remember Dionne Lucas and she was my favorite. I also loved her jellyroll recipe. I just might have it tucked away in one of my old recipe boxes. I am going to search and will let you know if I find it. Fri Aug 08 18:09:04 -0700 2008 2822169 117440 tubby72 2 2906318 I was looking over vintage postcards I have saved over many years, and there was one from Dionne Lucas to my mother. It brought back fond memories, so I "googled Mrs. Lucas": What a pleasant surprise to find I have not outlived everyone who remembers Dionne Lucas. My mother went to work for her at the Cordon Bleu restaurant on E. 60th St. in Manhattan. She started as a waitress, served as hostess and often assisted Dionne Lucas on her cooking show, "To the Queen's Taste" (I may be corrected on exact name of show). Somewhere, I read that it was the second cooking show on tv. As a boy, I would travel to Manhattan from Brooklyn to walk to museums, historical places, etc. but, first Mrs. Lucas would see that I was seated at a table, where I was served like Little Lord Fauntleroy. I actually watched her make her jelly roll and from the first time I ate her duck with orange sauce, I was hooked for life. You stirred up some great memories. Mon Sep 03 09:02:55 -0700 2007 2164409 124308 Brombones 1 2164781 This isn't going to mean anything to anybody who didn't grow up in Hawai'i a looooong time ago, but for me it was Napua Stevens. She was the face of Island cooking then, and a gracious face it was. Mon Jan 08 15:24:26 -0800 2007 2163396 60923 MobyRichard 2 4031934 Lived in Hawaii for almost 4 years. Loved Napua. Still make her Pao Doce every Easter. At the same time was the wife of a band leader. Both names I have forgotten. She was useless. Sat Sep 13 09:33:00 -0700 2008 2164781 205842 The Old Gal 1 2165250 Jeff Smith, Julia, Yan. There was also some southern guy who was a hoot. Can't remember his name. Bobby Flay used to grill with some guy, too. That show was ok, before Bobby became mr food network. I loved the Two FAt Ladies. Mon Jan 08 17:16:38 -0800 2007 2163396 11057 macca 2 2165619 That "some guy" was Jack McDavid of Philadelphia's Jack's Firehouse and the diner in the Reading Terminal Market. Jack has been a sort of East Coast Alice Waters, sourcing food from local producers and promoting the growth of local farming. I haven't lived in the area for quite a bit, but his restaurants were always outstanding. Having asked Jack for recipes in his restaurant and staged for Bobby Flay in later years I can understand why Bobby moved on in media and Jack didn't. More power to you, Jack! Mon Jan 08 18:35:44 -0800 2007 2165250 25244 rockycat 3 2165709 Thats it- I used to love that show. Bobby on the gas grill, and Jack grilling with wood and/or charcoal. Jack's food always seemed m ore appealing. Mon Jan 08 18:52:40 -0800 2007 2165619 11057 macca 4 2738107 Grillin' and Chillin'. Jack is the real deal. Tue Jul 10 20:20:52 -0700 2007 2165709 88192 holy chow 3 3526528 I met Jack McDavid last summer when I was judging a barbecue competition in Princeton. He was one of the competitors. GREAT Que! Tue Mar 25 12:41:31 -0700 2008 2165619 52499 ChefJune 2 3961734 Macca: Ooh, Two Fat Ladies! I loved them, too. The way they used to arrive at the various locations at which they were going to cook...a motorcycle with a sidecar. One of them blatantly smoked on the program. She died a number of years ago. They were always cooking for the rectors at some out of the way church or a gathering of restored car enthusiasts. What fun they were! Sat Aug 16 00:50:54 -0700 2008 2165250 10245 oakjoan 1 2165434 I was hooked at a very young age to cooking shows. I LOVED the original Galloping Gourmet series, and Julia, of course. I tried to never miss Justin Wilson. I also enjoyed Yan can cook and Natalie Dupree (she was a mess but good) I also remember the quilt lady-- I have a couple of her cookbooks. Mon Jan 08 17:57:51 -0800 2007 2163396 53142 recordkitten 2 2165445 You jogged my memory. It was Justin Wilson I used to love to watch. Didn't he always say " I guarantee it" with his great accent? Mon Jan 08 18:00:43 -0800 2007 2165434 11057 macca 3 2170874 "They're wondermous, I guar-awn-tee!" Tue Jan 09 22:29:38 -0800 2007 2165445 32586 revsharkie 4 2172625 That's it! Loved that show. Wed Jan 10 14:02:28 -0800 2007 2170874 11057 macca 1 2165553 Justin Wilson Jacques Pepin Julia Childs Graham Kerr Maryann Esposito Nathalie Dupree Yan Can Cook Jeff Smith Pierre Franey David Rosengarten Mon Jan 08 18:25:17 -0800 2007 2163396 17481 QueenB 2 2739540 Natalie Dupree!! I was going to mention here until I saw your list. My brother and I would tune it just to poke fun of her. We called her "turtle" because she had this weird neck. That big hairdo and squinty eyes were great, as was her constant use of the word "goodness" to describe everything. *takes cake out of oven* "Look at that goodness!" *scrapes dip from mixing bowl into serving bowl* "And be sure to get all of that goodness into the bowl." Wed Jul 11 09:53:48 -0700 2007 2165553 13915 mamamia 2 3961735 QueenB: Do you remember Pierre Franey's grandson who was about 3 years old and came on his show near the end. He was completely gregarious and Franey had a marvelous rapport with him. He'd stand on the counter and butt in when Pierre was talking. Tres cute. Sat Aug 16 00:53:45 -0700 2008 2165553 10245 oakjoan 1 2165744 There was a great PBS mini-series in the mid-80s called Great Chefs of New Orleans which showed the chefs, in their own kitchens, cooking their best dishes. It was followed up by a Great Chefs of San Francisco and maybe others. That was one of the things that first got me hooked on cooking shows. It was great to see chefs in their own environment rather than a studio. The show really wasn't about learning to cook as much about watching the masters at their craft. Mon Jan 08 18:58:54 -0800 2007 2163396 10132 sku 1 2165768 It wasn't just one chef, but the single most influential TV cooking show (for me at least) was the "Great Chefs" series. I believe it started with "Great Chefs of Chicago," then spread to several different cities, and even a "Great Chefs of the World." I LOVED Julia, and even learned a fair amount from Graham Kerr and Pierre Franey, but nothing compared to the "Great Chefs" show for learning proper technique. Mon Jan 08 19:01:47 -0800 2007 2163396 16490 Bostonbob3 2 2637359 Great Chefs, Great Cities....Great Chefs of the World....Great Chefs of New Orleans....I literally learned to cook watching those shows. A bunch of years back (15 or so) the Discovery Channel would show two episodes of Great Chefs and then one of Graham Kerr's Minimax cooking shows in a row...then later in the day they would do it again with 3 different episodes. Owing to a health condition I spent a fair bit of time in the hospital and would watch 3 hours of those shows every day. I learned about ingredients, preparation and technique. When I would get home, I'd practice what I'd seen. I miss those shows a lot. Wed Jun 06 21:05:28 -0700 2007 2165768 80141 ccbweb 2 3427491 Was that the series narrated by the woman with the Eastern European accent (perhaps German), seemingly filmed in restaurant kitchens, where some of the chefs had to be translated? I found it instructional but a bit austere and esoteric at times. It was good, classic, dinner-out cooking that was instructive but a bit intimidating in a way that Julia Child or Jacques Pepin seemed to get beyond. I just didn't feel that very many people really cooked that way at home. I got a lot of technique from it though. Sat Feb 23 11:34:52 -0800 2008 2165768 11405 Midlife 1 2166072 Well, James Beard was certainly a pioneer. And I think I've read that Poppy Cannon was the first on-air cook. Mon Jan 08 20:08:50 -0800 2007 2163396 18067 kathleen purvis 1 2166185 evryone has forgotten the grandfather of pbs cooking who has had more episodes than anyone: earl peyroux "bonjour mes amis and welcome to gourmet cooking..." Mon Jan 08 20:30:38 -0800 2007 2163396 10730 byrd 2 2174003 Earl Peyroux was, and is, my cooking hero. He was a natural teacher and there are lessons from his episodes, and dishes, that I'll never forget. Wed Jan 10 19:21:08 -0800 2007 2166185 26997 PapaHarley 2 3427700 Had to Google him to see who he was. I'm certainly more than old enough to have watched, but I think he was on in the years that I was doing so much business traveling that PBS cooking shows never came up on the radar. I did watch Jeff Smith a lot though (and Graham Kerr, and Justin Wilson) so I'm a somewhat mystified at how I didn't know Peyroux. 600 episodes (according to Google)..... a LOT of shows to miss. Was he on only in the East perhaps?? I don't see any re-runs of his shows either. Sat Feb 23 12:59:02 -0800 2008 2166185 11405 Midlife 1 2166246 I enjoyed Julia Child very much, although her food at the time seemed to challenging for me since I was learning. I think I learned more about my basics from watching her. I know I owe my ability to make good sauces and a good roast chicken to her. I also used to watch Madeleine Kamman on puclic television here and was so pleased when I met her at a birthday party for the pastor of a small church in Calistoga. In fact in was sort of a potluck lunch in addition to what the alter society ladies prepared for lunch. I had brought your typical Knorrs Spinach dip in a sourdough bread bowl. She complimented me saying she really liked it very much. I guess she had never had it. I was thrilled that she even noticed it of course! Mon Jan 08 20:42:00 -0800 2007 2163396 50431 chef chicklet 1 2166303 I loved to watch Julia in the early days, but more for the sheer entertainment than for the education (or so I thought, at the time). Years later, it was her, Madeleine Kamman's and Pierre Franey's PBS shows (and Franey's 60-Minute Gourmet column in the New York Times) that actually got me interested in cooking. Mon Jan 08 20:52:23 -0800 2007 2163396 10787 Deenso 1 2166509 You got me thinking, grocerytrekker. I recall a loooong time ago there was a show with a couple called The Bontempis. She cooked and he was a big barrel-chested man who sang Italian opera while she cooked. I seem to remember there were Great Danes walking through the kitchen too. Besides these TV pioneers there wasn't much cooking going on in television. The Kraft commercials on nightime television dramas demonstrated disgusting connctions with mayonnaise, cheese, and canned fruit. Then, more recently, when The Food Network began it was mostly amateur videos of home cooks. Mon Jan 08 21:28:56 -0800 2007 2163396 57253 lucyis 2 3427327 Wow! I remember the Bontempi's on WABC TV in New York. "The Sweetheats of the Air Waves" they were called. The husband, Pino, also sang at Tufaro's Restaurant in Corona NY with the band led by singer Alan Gerard. Alan and Pino wrote "We're a Couple of Sweethearts" song for the show. Some old memories! Sat Feb 23 10:32:22 -0800 2008 2166509 168759 savin2retire 3 3666977 Dear savin2retire, You are right. They lived on Northern Blvd. In Flushing, Queens. And they did have a Dog. I think his name was Loris. He was always drulling. Pino used to interupt his wife , Fidora, she would tell him to go sing a song. Yes those were the good old memories Wed May 07 20:10:10 -0700 2008 3427327 190484 dcardi 3 4231753 I was so excited to google my family name and find this post. My dad was Sonny Tufaro of Tufaro's Restaurant owned by my grandfather Anthony. Fidora and Pino were a staple in our family. We even went on their show as kids and modeled clothes. If anyone has any more blogs on Tufaro's please post them. I miss my dad and that restaurant. It has been about 40 years since it closed it's doors. Alan Gerard used to sing songs for me and my sisters. He wrote a song for my sister Paula. Tue Dec 09 05:40:10 -0800 2008 3427327 246931 jojog614 4 4709289 Hi. In case you're Googling "Tufaro" again - this is Alan Gerard's son. Have lots of good memories about Tufaro's, people and FOOD and PASTRIES! My sis is still in NY and I'm in PA. Best wishes to you. Sat May 23 13:12:04 -0700 2009 4231753 168759 savin2retire 2 3526549 There was an Italian couple with a restaurant and a cooking show on Boston pbs. The Romagnoli's Table. Some of these folks were not nationally broadcast the way Julia was, because each public station could choose what they would air. In Chicago we had Francois Pope, from the Antoinette Pope cooking school. Tue Mar 25 12:45:27 -0700 2008 2166509 52499 ChefJune 3 3528705 The Romagnoli's Table was one of the best. KQED San Francisco carried it. The pine nut cookies from the accompanying cookbook (which you had to order through PBS as I recall, way back then) have been on my rotation ever since...1975? 76??? Wed Mar 26 05:59:53 -0700 2008 3526549 13709 buttertart 4 4324472 The Romagnoli's Table was the greatest. Franco Romagnoli died just last month. He and Margaret were funny and real. It was a beautiful show. I sent away for the recipe cards and used them for years, but now don't know what became of them. Franco and his second wife, Gwen, published a lovely book about their food-travels through Italy not too long before he died. Tue Jan 13 23:54:09 -0800 2009 3528705 83777 mbfant 2 3666985 Yes lucyis that was a long time ago. Pino and Fidora Bontempi were the forerunners of cooking on TV back in the 1950's Wed May 07 20:12:17 -0700 2008 2166509 190484 dcardi 1 2166531 How about Carlo Middione, Zarela Martinez, Mon Jan 08 21:33:23 -0800 2007 2163396 11512 FAL 1 2166544 Anyone remember "Kathy Cooks Naturally" -- an early 80s show on PBS, set in Hawaii, where she was sort of ahead of the curve on "natural" and vegetarian foods? I wouldn't say this was my favorite show, but it holds some kind of BIG nostalgia factor. Some of her concoctions seemed a little weird, and she had an interestingly "new age" delivery, but I admit to having learned a few things about tofu and soy products from her way before their explosion on the food scene. Mon Jan 08 21:35:41 -0800 2007 2163396 46024 allegro805 2 2370636 Was this an Asian woman who spoke in a super calm (trance inducing!) voice? If so, I loved her. Hated everything she cooked but her voice was mesmerizing. She was so relaxing it was like therapy for me. Sort of like the exact opposite effect of Rachel Ray. Fri Mar 09 13:49:27 -0800 2007 2166544 81366 joanchow 3 2480440 kylie kwong? Sat Apr 14 08:59:49 -0700 2007 2370636 22930 rcheng 2 2635999 I watched her when I was a kid. She put me to sleep every time! I've never encountered another person whose voice was as soothing. Wed Jun 06 13:26:51 -0700 2007 2166544 103616 clelly 3 2636534 Her name was actually Kathy Hoshijo. Would be interesting to see her recipes 20 years later! I like the fact that she always imparted some pearl of wisdom at the end of each show, voiced over a visual of her walking on the beach. I think that show was ahead of its time. See link here: http://www.oasistv.com/screeningroom/kathy-holiday.asp Wed Jun 06 15:45:13 -0700 2007 2635999 46024 allegro805 1 2167069 Surprised nobody's mentioned Joyce Chen. She's the original chef that got me into Asian cooking. Her show was on PBS in the early 70's, when I was in my teens . Her egg roll recipe was to die for. She was actually responsible for getting my father to cook for the entire family. Does anyone else remember her??? She was a pioneer. Other influences.... Graham Kerr, Julia Child, Jeff Smith, and Justin Wilson. Those shows were all about cooking!!! Mon Jan 08 23:20:38 -0800 2007 2163396 20762 Phoebe 2 2168723 True about those shows "being about food." But I also always found it highly entertaining how Graham Kerr would hit on all the women in his audience. Mind you, I was under ten years old at the time, so the darn bugger probably ruined my relationship skills. :) Tue Jan 09 13:55:55 -0800 2007 2167069 16490 Bostonbob3 2 4324478 I loved Joyce Chen and still have her book. I used to watch her, and emulate her, when I was a graduate student in Ann Arbor, before Ann Arbor had any serious food, just a farmer's market. She was so sensible ("put the salt in first so you don't forget to do it later") and so comforting, Tue Jan 13 23:59:30 -0800 2009 2167069 83777 mbfant 3 4718940 Joyce Chen was indeed wonderful. Her show was very educational - my first exposure to Chinese cooking techniques - and her presentation charming. I have her cookbook, autographed! (got it at her restaurant in Cambridge). Her daughter (Helen Chen) has carried on the tradition with a book called Chinese Home Cooking which has a lot of very useful recipes in it. Chinese language TV in the SF Bay Area in the 80s used to carry Fu Pei-mei's (Taiwan's answer to Julia Child, for Chinese cooking of course) cooking show which was somewhat similar in presentation to Mrs Chen's (very matter-of-fact and practical). I would kill to have DVDs of that show. Wonder if they even exist? Wed May 27 10:30:43 -0700 2009 4324478 13709 buttertart 1 2167660 Remember "Romagnoli's Table"? Man oh man, did she boss him around! Tue Jan 09 01:56:50 -0800 2007 2163396 10926 mnosyne 1 2169166 There was a program called "Amish Cooking from Quilt Country" with a woman named Marsha something. She had everything in pristine order and was totally anal. At the end of the show she would put gloves on a show a quilt. My brother and I would have to call each other and watch together over the phone because it was all so strange. Of course, the opposite of that was Natale DuPree who seemed to be the messiest cook I'd ever seen! Tue Jan 09 16:01:51 -0800 2007 2163396 15296 gossamered 2 2169221 I think that's the show Phil Hartman used as the inspiration for his "Anal Retentive Chef" skit on SNL. Tue Jan 09 16:13:25 -0800 2007 2169166 16490 Bostonbob3 3 2194631 Aw, GEEZE! I forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder. What a great skit. Tue Jan 16 18:57:32 -0800 2007 2169221 22241 personalcheffie 4 2752623 I think SNL should be on the list here.. remember Bass-o-matic? and Cheesebuger-Cheeseburger (that was a chef-driven restaurant for sure!) Sun Jul 15 20:24:41 -0700 2007 2194631 106056 firecooked 1 2170886 I remember seeing a show with Caprial Pence from Portland. Learned a really nice trick for quickly chopping up a green pepper from her. And Mike and I used to watch, fairly regularly, a fellow named Marcel Desaulnieres do "Death By Chocolate!" YOu could almost taste it. But the fun part was listening for him to say that flour, or filling, or something, was going to "spoo" out of the mixer or whatever. Tue Jan 09 22:32:21 -0800 2007 2163396 32586 revsharkie 2 2194633 Caprial's show was great. Used to watch it all the time here, they took it off PBS. Tue Jan 16 18:58:03 -0800 2007 2170886 22241 personalcheffie 1 2177670 Theonie Mark "Greek Island Cooking" circa 1974-5 on PBS - charming personality, good recipes which I use to this day - still have the cookbook which is out-of-print but still available. Thu Jan 11 17:39:43 -0800 2007 2163396 13709 buttertart 1 2178868 Mireille Johnston's "A Cook's Tour of France" from the early 90's; really enjoyed it. Sadly she died about six years ago. Thu Jan 11 21:28:45 -0800 2007 2163396 11124 PaulV 1 2178965 Dionne Lucas Julia Child Madeleine Kammen Jacque Pepin Martin Yan Caprial Pence Graham Kerr Keith Floyd Nathalie Dupree Justin Wilson Burt Wolf Burt Greene Tell Erhardt (Chef Tell) Carlo Middione Thu Jan 11 21:48:01 -0800 2007 2163396 10644 Nancy Berry 1 2179377 For funny, Floyd on fish(I think BBC on PBS) or Any of his shows were ridiculously bad/funny, yet seemingly good food. Loved to see the guy cooking in crazy situations trying to cook regional food and serve it to the locals. Many disasters,always directing his cameraman,and too much alcohol made for entertaining TV. Thu Jan 11 23:27:04 -0800 2007 2163396 60919 Magnapro 2 3961738 How about that guy with a fish restaurant in Padstow or some other southern English resort town....Rick Stein? What a great show. He'd show the guy fishing (usually he was on the boat, too) and then took the fish back and prepared them. He introduced me to winkles and cockles. I loved that show. Sat Aug 16 00:58:26 -0700 2008 2179377 10245 oakjoan 1 2182477 Though I'm too young to remember it, I have seen clips from the Ernie Kovacs' show. Here's a description from the Museum of Broadcast Communications "Following a career in radio, Kovacs' transition to television came in 1950 when he simultaneously hosted several programs on NBC's WPTZ in Philadelphia. His first show, Deadline for Dinner, consisted of cooking tips from guest chefs. When a guest did not show, he did his own recipe for "Eggs Scavok," his name spelled backwards" Fri Jan 12 19:24:13 -0800 2007 2163396 11115 Sloth 1 2188281 Alas, no one has mentioned the Muppets' Swedish Chef -- who else could teach us how to put the chiky in the basky for two points? Sun Jan 14 19:38:20 -0800 2007 2163396 53971 momjamin 2 2371531 Does anyone else remember the Swedish chef lobster cooking episode. Laughed till I cried. Fri Mar 09 18:21:19 -0800 2007 2188281 53134 ishmael 1 2192012 Remember Nathalie Dupree? She had a great southern food show. Not on the air currently, but writing books. Mon Jan 15 23:08:22 -0800 2007 2163396 26627 Stew 1 2194639 Who was Christina Cooks? I remember her healthy, vegan cooking shows. Tue Jan 16 18:58:56 -0800 2007 2163396 22241 personalcheffie 2 2197318 I still see that show in the morning before I go to work. For someone who only eats organic vegetarian, she looks like hell. And that whole segment where the musician plays his guitar and sings to her is just plain strange. Wed Jan 17 14:52:04 -0800 2007 2194639 16490 Bostonbob3 3 2221087 Not too bad though for someone who has been able to beat cancer. http://www.christinacooks.com/mystory.html Interested in watching?: http://www.christinacooks.com/stationfinder.html Here's the guitar player: http://jonmichaelsmusic.com/live/index.php Wed Jan 24 07:03:57 -0800 2007 2197318 10609 Cheese Boy 3 3428727 Christina Cooks was originally macrobiotic (not sure if it still is). I used to take cooking classes with her in Philadelphia and have several of her cookbooks that are macrobiotic. She says that a change to a macrobiotic lifestyle cured her leukemia. Macrobiotic is a difficult to maintain lifestyle (and not the healthiest IMHO). What she looks like is irrelevant. Sat Feb 23 21:02:21 -0800 2008 2197318 12513 Divamac 3 3961741 Ah, I was just thinking of Christine and her healthy cooking. She has the largest teeth! Sat Aug 16 00:59:47 -0700 2008 2197318 10245 oakjoan 1 2197125 From a historical standpoint, not just my fave or who influenced me, we can go all the way back to Betty Crocker in 1924: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Crocker Hard to believe (and I don't believe I ever heard one) but there were cooking shows on radio. On the very first night of television in Houston, Jan 1, 1949, the schedule included, at 7:30pm, 'To a Queen's Taste (CBS) - A French chef takes over to cook a special dish. Mrs. Dione Lucas, employee of the Cordon Bleu, gives out the recipe and shows how it's done. It takes her 30 minutes to demonstrate.' If the show was on CBS that early, it probably had been on locally in NYC for some time. In the early 50s here, a local show, Jane Christopher's TV Kitchen was on M-F from 11am-12N, live, for several years. When Christopher published a book called '800 Favorite Recipes' it was a runaway best seller. There were probably locally produced cooking shows in many cities. It would be interesting to know who was first and what inspired the program. It seems our interest in cooking instruction and demonstrations goes back a long way. Wed Jan 17 13:03:28 -0800 2007 2163396 53614 oltheimmer 1 2197339 Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmet!!!! Wed Jan 17 15:00:43 -0800 2007 2163396 13359 Fredster 1 2220147 Francois Pope was a pioneer in the area--long long before Julia. 1960s as I recall and it may have been limited to the Chicago area. He taught classic technique and had a series of popular cookbooks that are still around. http://www.amazon.com/s/102-1239726-1270550?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link%5Fcode=qs&field-keywords=francois%20pope&sourceid=Mozilla-search Tue Jan 23 20:23:27 -0800 2007 2163396 17896 offalgood 1 2243059 Julia, Jeff Smith, and Graham Kerr were the shows I watched many, many years ago. (I did catch an early episode of Julia on TVLand a few nights ago !?!) In the 80's, I watched a locally produced show on a New Orleans station, a young slightly hyperactive chef from Commander's Palace - yes, it was Emeril with no audience but a big sell for his spice blends and an occasional "Bam!" On the local PBS station I get to see reruns of Justin Wilson, some newer shows with John Besh, and the Barbeque U cook. The "Great Chefs of ......." was great. Many others I can't remember; however, Natalie Dupree was one-of-a-kind. I think she began demonstrating cooking at a department store - maybe Rich's - in Atlanta then married a professor at Ole Miss and moved to Oxford. Her show was hysterical because (I assume) it was in no way scripted. Tue Jan 30 14:47:25 -0800 2007 2163396 69201 Gourmette 1 2371625 Loved watching Ainsley Harriot - an outlandish but entirely likable chef from London. The two chefs from the River Cafe... Jennifer & Clarissa... miss Jennifer enormously Graham Kerr Jeff Smith - before his downfall Joanna Weir - cooked vegetables grown in her garden.. Jamie Oliver - he was seen in a brief shot in one of the River Cafe's shows..as a sou chef! Jacques Torres and his amazing chocolate confections There are many more but nothing can compare with the inimitable Jacques & Julia shows, together and individually. Fri Mar 09 19:07:48 -0800 2007 2163396 75332 Gio 2 3961742 Ooh! Ooh! The River Cafe show was great! I even liked Jamie Oliver's show - he is a bit over the top but his ideas are magnif IMNSHO. But of course I also love Nigella. Joanne Weir is from out here in SF. I'm sure she's a fine cook and has lots of good recipes, but I cannot abide her personality and her voice so I will never find out. Sat Aug 16 01:03:28 -0700 2008 2371625 10245 oakjoan 1 2371638 Jeff Smith, Frugal Gourmet was awesome....now what happened later we'll just leave out of the foodography. The best bar none was Julia. She taught us it was ok to drink while we watching after school. I was an original latch key kid. Fri Mar 09 19:14:30 -0800 2007 2163396 81456 Hobson 2 2371704 Just saw them this week for probably the first time in 10 years,,,Mary Ann Miliken and her biz partner. Used to like their show. Fri Mar 09 19:50:53 -0800 2007 2371638 14766 Drew E 3 2674355 Jeff Smith, definitely! I have many of his shows on tape. Julia Child, and her show with Jacques Pepin. I love her. ("Afraid of butter? Add more cream."-Julia Child) Martin Yan The Urban Peasant...anyone remember him? Nathalie DuPree - a true Southern cook to whom Paula Deen, the can of soup queen, cannot compare! Carlo Middione..Chef Carlo taught me how to make pasta. Caprial Pence...even though, at the end of the show, she was always enjoying the dish in the kitchen with her dorky husband, John. Tue Jun 19 12:03:18 -0700 2007 2371704 93384 cookingschool 3 2738126 Two Hot Tamales or something. Susan Fenigar was her partner. Good show. Tue Jul 10 20:25:51 -0700 2007 2371704 88192 holy chow 1 2674495 Does anyone remember Rick Stein? I had a couple of his seafood cookbooks. He had a show, maybe about 8 years ago (maybe longer)...I was inspired to cook more fish...and life-long desire to go to Brittany! Tue Jun 19 12:39:59 -0700 2007 2163396 68873 sonofoodie 1 2674838 I really miss the Two Fat Ladies, which used to be on Food Network before they were producing their own shows. I'm still waiting for that show to come out on DVD. Now one of the 'ladies' has passed on. Also, Great Chefs, Great Cities and Great Chefs of the World were extremely inspiring to me as a kid--they're a far cry from the chef-lebrity personalities that are on TV now. Tue Jun 19 13:49:57 -0700 2007 2163396 40196 Regan B 1 2708630 I really like Delia Smith and Gary Rhodes original shows - also there was a fellow from Vancouver who would go to SE Asia destinations (mostly street food I think) and then show you how to prepare them...........big guy with a beard and soothing voice (NOT James Barber who drives me crazy) Sat Jun 30 03:55:15 -0700 2007 2163396 12828 ElizabethS 1 2738054 Does anyone remember a show from the 80'sand 90's that featured two guys from Virginia or The Carolinas who used to take recipes from viewers, make them and rate them. I used to watch them on PBS and The Nostalgia Channel and they cracked me up! I remember that they also used to dress up in drag and play their spinster aunts. Most of their recipes had a lot of Miracle Whip and Velveeta cheese and stuff like that. Can anybody help? Tue Jul 10 20:05:18 -0700 2007 2163396 111013 jmann 2 2752605 The show you're thinking of was Cookin' Cheap....see this thread http://www.chowhound.com/topics/344263 Sun Jul 15 20:17:32 -0700 2007 2738054 26997 PapaHarley 1 2765206 There was a cooking show on PBS in the mid-80's that I believe was produced by a Florida PBS station that was hosted by a gentleman who was somewhat effeminate, heavy-set, had very short buzzed hair and a very thick mustache. He started out cooking fairly fattening foods, but after a couple of years, he dropped a lot of weight, and then begin cooking "diet" foods. I used to love watching him and was wondering if anyone else remembered this show and what his (or the show's) name was? Thu Jul 19 12:28:59 -0700 2007 2163396 112988 tonymark2 2 3080208 I don't remember that show but there was a PBS cooking show on in the 70's called What's Cooking with LaDeva Davis. She is an African American, her show was funny and she prepared "regular" food. The opening music was catchy and she kept us in stitches. Does ANYONE remember this. I even wrote to PBS...waiting for an answer. Tue Oct 30 11:48:30 -0700 2007 2765206 138572 sheluvs2eat 2 3491567 Tony I do indeed remember LaDeva... she was the best! I am looking for her Tempura Batter recipe. It was so easy and the lightest, crispiest and even better than Long John Silvers. I lost it long ago and have looked all over for it without luck. If anyone finds any info on her PLEASE let me know. I wish PBS would rerun her show. It was just plain good cookin for everyday folk. No fancy schmancy truffle crap! WHERE ARE YOU MS. DAVIS???????? Fri Mar 14 03:28:01 -0700 2008 2765206 174619 Ala 2 3670932 I think it was a little later than the 80's, but I remember watching that show too. It had Sunshine in the title, Sunshine Cuisine or Sunshine Cooking, something like that. It was hosted by a flamboyant french chef with a name like a french-canadian hockey player. He was definitely a trip to watch. Fri May 09 00:49:56 -0700 2008 2765206 179170 DDR4040 2 5144557 Tonymark2. I remember this guy,He would cook all vegetarian as I recall.I watched him weekly.I cant remember his name either.I cooked his vegetarian chili with chopped up eggplant,canned beans ,4 different kinds of beans. It was great and very low calorie.I hope someone will read this and remember his name.He kind of reminded me of Freddy Mercury of queen. Fri Oct 30 22:00:51 -0700 2009 2765206 1120560 plowking 1 3091621 No one is mentioning Martha, yes, Martha Stewart! I loved her old shows and I believe that she does not get as much credit as she deserves for creating an interest for TV viewers about some of the finer things in life. Sat Nov 03 08:06:09 -0700 2007 2163396 28950 Abbeshay 1 3166500 What a fun thread to read! I grew up watching the Great Chefs series, Graham Kerr, Julia Child, and the Frugal Gourmet. We watched Justin Wilson and Martin Yan for the entertainment value. Does anyone remember the crazy lady on maybe The Learning Channel who used water instead of oil in all her recipes? She had a big pitcher of water next to her stove and would pour it in the pan to saute in, just like you use olive oil. I was mystified even at a young age. Thu Nov 29 17:02:23 -0800 2007 2163396 132249 alysonlaurel 1 3168932 Does anyone remember Rock 'n Roll Chef? As I recall he just did these little shorts between shows. Mostly quick snacks. Sloppily prepared quick snacks that probably should never have aired, owing to the inevitable hazzards of having a druggy crash and bang around in the kitchen. Fri Nov 30 13:32:16 -0800 2007 2163396 146763 Plankwalker 1 3668456 About Madeleine Kamman I used to watch this show, it was over my head because i didn't know much about french cooking but I enjoyed this show. Thu May 08 09:47:08 -0700 2008 2163396 152622 cook52 1 3670983 Well in the UK it would have to be Fanny Cradock. Fri May 09 03:35:43 -0700 2008 2163396 158180 nanette 1 3672850 I don't think this one was mentioned... the person that got me interested in cooking (along with the Frugal Gourmet) was Caprial Pence. I watched Cooking with Caprial religiously. In my mind she was the first person to drill in my head "Don't Touch, Leave it Alone" - when she cooked steaks. If you ever saw her show... you are nodding right now. That was her mantra. 15 years later, I still want to go to Oregon and eat in her restaurant ... Fri May 09 14:08:56 -0700 2008 2163396 46632 tapas gal 2 3685343 Caprial's Kitchen is on the PBS channels that you can only see in HD, along with tons of other stuff--Bittman, Todd English, Sara Moulton. Didn't even realize that you got so many more channels with HD till we got ours! Wed May 14 05:05:20 -0700 2008 3672850 109573 coney with everything 1 3674643 Formulative shows? In no particular order: Delia Smith (taught a generation to cook) Philip Harbin (yes, I'm old enough to remember black & white TV) Keith Floyd (have twice been in the same bar as him - one of them his own pub) Graham Kerr (a character - I'm talking his early shows - not the later "low fat" ones) Antonio Carluccio (a rock god of Italian food cookery) Sat May 10 10:39:08 -0700 2008 2163396 154102 Harters 2 3675331 Frugal Gourmet Julia YanCan Ciao Italia (maryanne esposito) Paul prudhomme(sp?) Sat May 10 16:25:49 -0700 2008 3674643 177237 sugarsnapp 2 3961744 Haha Harters: Since you're in Britain, you might not get this, but Antonion Carluccio reminded me of Elaine Benes' character on Seinfeld who made up a boyfriend when she was trying to impress some people at dinner. She said she was dating a bullfighter. One person asked what his name was and she said (with many small coughs and nervous gestures as only she can do it) "His name? Er, uh, it was Antonnnnio (cough cough) Carrochio." Drawing out Carrochio to about 10 syllables. Sat Aug 16 01:10:40 -0700 2008 3674643 10245 oakjoan 1 3955347 Canadian Food TV has a number of programs that ought to be broadcast down here. I especially enjoyed Laura Calder while I was visiting friends. Wed Aug 13 18:55:13 -0700 2008 2163396 53369 Father Kitchen 2 4031946 The only Canadian show I ever saw was Madame Benoit. She was quite good. Sometimes referred to as the Julia Child of Canada. I have a couple of her books. Sat Sep 13 09:44:13 -0700 2008 3955347 205842 The Old Gal 1 3960053 Another vote for Jeff Smith, Frugal Gourmet! I knew absolutely nothing and learned so much from him. I think he made it all easier to understand for me because he connected things to their culture and gave reasons why things are done a certain way. It was an approach that made things memorable. Plus his show was real, not slick and overly produced. That made cooking feel accessible. I still think of him often when I'm cooking. Fri Aug 15 10:31:51 -0700 2008 2163396 216563 illycat 1 4032235 I watch, and have watched, lots of cooking series--- but no-one ever came close to the profound 'soul-programming' influence that The Frug had on me... I was like a charging battery watching his shows... I mostly like Lidia now... She's great, the recipes are great, and the humanity of the family does nice things for me... Joe's dry--- but he's a good guy... Loosening up more and more on camera... I'm off now to check if there are DVD sets of The Frugal Gourmet available online... It's time I watched them all again... Sat Sep 13 11:58:54 -0700 2008 2163396 10783 Mild Bill 1 4319894 Mary Ann Esposito has America's longest-running cooking show (airs on PBS) and is still going strong with her 11th cookbook due out this year. Amazing that she's stayed so relevant.... Mon Jan 12 15:18:26 -0800 2009 2163396 256554 jenniferelise 1 4375751 Although I'm only now interested in cooking, growing up the folks I remember my Mom watching on tv, depending on where we were, were Julia Child, James Barber, Graham Kerr, Pol Martin, and Martin Yan (only I swear I've always thought his name was Stephen). I know 'The Frugal Gourment' was shown on PBS on the weekend, but my Mom never really took to the show because (if I remember correctly) she disliked the recipes. Also, now that I'm thinking about it, Chef Tell and the Muppet Show's Swedish Chef. Sat Jan 31 12:21:35 -0800 2009 2163396 259475 blackoak 2 4376212 Can I give a little shout out to Toronto, which was where both Graham Kerr (an Aussie), and Martin Yan (from Hong Kong) got their starts? As someone who has watched Toronto's food scene explode over the last 40 years, I think both of these men were responsible for starting it. Sat Jan 31 16:20:15 -0800 2009 4375751 48210 KevinB 2 4378676 There was another tv chef named Stephen Yan. Sun Feb 01 17:26:37 -0800 2009 4375751 10644 Nancy Berry 3 4379648 I loved the "Floyd on..." series, unfortunately it no longer airs on The Travel Channel. Mon Feb 02 07:20:19 -0800 2009 4378676 24648 Sean 3 4494355 Stephen Yan seemed like a caricature of Martin. He hammed it up more than Martin, as well as giving cute nicknames to ingredients (eg, Semase street oil, and wonderful powder was tapioca starch). Although he had some good looking food, as i recall a lot of it was a variation of the same stir fry. Wed Mar 11 09:48:23 -0700 2009 4378676 60603 TroyTempest 4 4715396 I mean "Sesame". Tue May 26 09:45:02 -0700 2009 4494355 60603 TroyTempest 1 4487469 GO TO FOODNETWORK.COM AND GET ALL YOU WANT TO KNOW OR PBS ON SAT/SUN FOR SOME OTHERS Mon Mar 09 10:45:57 -0700 2009 2163396 271735 JSHU 1 4492376 The Hon. Simon and Minty Marchmont. Tue Mar 10 15:50:08 -0700 2009 2163396 10784 Scrapironchef 1 4842472 I know this thread is a little old, but I'm thinking of a '70s cooking show and it's driving me crazy. The guy was heavy-set - - perhaps Greek or Italian - - wore gold chains with his open shirt. Show was filmed on his boat/yacht and had a side-kick named “Giovanni” who helped him in his kitchenette (usually watched, sipping an expensive red wine…) At the end of the show, he always entertained some “swinging blonde” It was called something-like… “Cooking with Elegance” or “A Touch of Elegance” or “A Taste of Elegance” Probably a ½ hour show on PBS or similar. Definitely not fine dining but always funny to watch. Anyone else remember this show?! Thu Jul 09 06:17:51 -0700 2009 2163396 179943 madscientist 2 5144605 Graham Kerr used to do some of his shows in a naval uniform in his early years but I don't think he fits the rest of your description. Was this a local show in a specific part of the country (which country)? Fri Oct 30 23:49:35 -0700 2009 4842472 11405 Midlife