Hot Ones: Remember when reality tv used to be about celebrities humiliating themselves for our amusement? Well Hot Ones is like that, but more delicious. On Hot Ones you get to watch as a celebrity is being interviewed, while eating increasingly hotter wings. It sounds silly, maybe even boring at first, but the reactions are totally worth it. The reactions range anywhere from Billie Eilish trying to physically outrun the pain, to Coolio going catatonic. If that wasn’t enough for you, check it out just to enjoy Sean Evans (the host) amazing interview skills. This is not your run of the mill interview, he really does his research, and it makes for great entertainment.
Huang’s World: I guess the best way to describe Huang’s World would be a quirky travel documentary with amazing food hosted by a human panda. You may know the show’s host, Eddie Huang, from his memoir turned hit television sitcom, Fresh Off the Boat. Like most travel food shows, it focuses on the food of a location and how that relates back to the culture of the surrounding area. Pretty formulaic. But with Eddie’s laid back attitude to drive the food journey, you cannot stop yourself from cracking a smile and enjoying the adventure along with him.
Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations: Anthony Bourdain was by far the punk rock superstar of the culinary game while he was alive. He was unflinching about what he liked and what he didn’t. Bourdain was always happy to spill the tea with the most intimate details about cultures, cuisine, and how to have a proper dining experience. He was an original. From addict to adventurer, his singular view of the world still resonates today.
Good Eats: I love food! I love love love science! So what could possibly satisfy both of those desires? Alton Brown and his quirky take on presenting food, of course. When he presents a recipe, he breaks it down into parts, then breaks down the best way to approach those parts, THEN he explains why that is the best way. Whether it is the proper number of minutes to fry potatoes for the perfect crispy fries, or why stirring the water is helpful when poaching an egg, he has the science to back it up.
The Great British Bake Off: What is not to love about an abundance of overly polite bakers being pushed to their limits in a hot tent? The answer is of course, nothing. It is not just one thing that makes the Great British Bake Off so fun to watch, it may actually be the lack of one thing… COMPETITOR DRAMA. It is such a strange concept as an American to watch a cooking competition of any kind that does not include an array of clips highlighting the disdain each competitor has for one another. No, the drama in this competition is all about collapsing souffles and melting icing. Now, Ready-Set-Binge!
Tacos Con Todo: Coming from the same YouTube channel that brought us Hot Ones, comes this spicy entree of a show, Tacos Con Todo. If you love tacos, and who doesn’t love tacos, then you should be watching this show. Jesus Trejo, a comedian in his own right, welcomes different comedians and personalities onto this short program, and takes them around to the most delicious taco joints around California’s exciting and booming Taco Culture! That’s a culture I want to not only explore, but become a citizen of.
Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern: There is always that one food show that makes you go WTF is that! And Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern is that show. In fact that is pretty much the whole point of the show. Zimmern makes it his goal to travel the world and introduce viewers to some of the strangest ingredients you could imagine. After the introductions and explanations though, he does something even crazier… he eats them! Yes, this is a man who puts his money where his mouth is. From bugs to brains, he takes you on the type of culinary journey that stays in your mind, and sometimes on your palette.
Ugly Delicious: David Chang is obsessed with getting rid of the cultural barriers that are out there to keep us from enjoying delicious flavors, so he is out to change our minds one food hot spot at a time. Ugly Delicious is all about getting rid of the stigma that follows food, whether it is how it looks, or what you have heard, he makes it easy to break down and want to give something a try. Come for the guests, stay for the food.
The F Word: We hear a lot about Farm to Table around the current culinary movements in America, but Gordon Ramsey has been interested in the concept long before us. I know what you are thinking, Gordon Ramsey---The F Word? No, not that F word. This show is all about FOOD. Each episode of a season he breaks down how to prepare and serve amazing dishes with the help of celebrity guests, but as an extra treat, he also picks an animal each season to shelter and nurture until it is time to bring them to the table. The surprising heart that lives in this show is a vast contrast to the pan-slinging, swear word shouting cook we thought we knew.
Iron Chef: Iron Chef is the ultimate classic for me. So simple of a concept, compete with each other for a chance to compete against one of the Iron Chefs. What do you win? Glory of course! For the record, I am not talking about American Iron Chef here, I am talking about the original Iron Chef, with original subtitles. You gotta go hard on the original to really appreciate the game. This was when the secret ingredients were more insane and obscure, and the chefs that competed had been working their entire careers just for the chance to make it to the stage, they put in their sweat, their heart, and often their own blood.
If that just isn’t enough, check out these honorable mentions.
A Cook’s Tour-Anthony Bourdain’s first show.
Man V Food Adam Edition-Watch as Adam Richmond eats and competes in the hottest, biggest, and craziest food challenges out there.
Coneheads-The perfect YouTube treat for lovers of ice cream and other frozen delights.
Gochi Gang-Immerse yourself in Asian cuisine with the assistance of this fun loving panel of food nuts.
At Home With Amy Sedaris-Okay, not necessarily a cooking show, but a great answer to sketch comedy, recipes and crafts.
Kristie Hill, Library Associate
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