Well Fed Network

Actually, I enjoy Guy Fieri and his “off the hook” personality. I do find that some of the newer shows don’t appeal as much to me, but hey, not all shows are going to appeal to everyone. I do agree that they need to change things every once in awhile to freshen up the programming. I don’t think cancelling Emeril Live was a bad decision, I honestly change the channel every time I see him… he was never one of my favs.

Actually, I haven’t really thought of this too much lately, but after reading this, I understand where my slow retreat from watching the Food Network is coming from. The appeal of the FN for me was always about learning new techniques and gaining insight and knowledge about the foods we eat, cook, and/or don’t but wish we did. But I must agree that it is all becoming so watered down. Gone are the days of Sara Moulton’s Cooking Live (I think that was the name) where you would actually learn something useful and see actual technique. Now the channel is full of fluff, with little bits of solid content shows shoved in, like Good Eats and Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger.

I was never a fan of Emeril, so his show isn’t missed by me, but I do not appreciate most of the new shows in the programming. Instead, I watch America’s Test Kitchen on PBS. That’s good content.

I don’t watch much any more. But I think that’s okay with food network since I am not a young male adult and that does seem to be their desired audience.

It’s kind of a loss, but I am a more serious and knowledgeable cook than many of the shows that used to be on catered to, so FN was always hit or miss with me anyway.

The only shows I really like anymore are Good Eats and…oh. Right. Feasting on Asphalt. I watched Food Network for cooking, not for personalities, although I still miss the Two Fat Ladies, who were, indeed, personalities. However, they /cooked/. Sandra Lee annoys me, Rachel Ray makes me vaguely homicidal, and I don’t care about most of the other shows, as they’re fluff. I do think Food Network needs to remember that they once showed cooking shows, and that was the amazing thing about it.

Emeril was the boss. There was a hierarchy and it worked to establish the old guard, the new guard, and the experimental projects. FSN should reprise an Emeril show and court more Mario Batali-types to really cook and impress us all.

I’ve always thought that “Ham on the Street” was a fun and inventive show. What happened to that? I think perhaps that the biggest problem is that the Food Network has lost its sense of humor. Where is George Duran? As to Fieri…he just comforms to the needs of middle America. As Battali said it, he’s meant for “the Wallmart crowd”. Mario is on to something. It’s time to rise up and form a NEW Food Network, one with substance and real food.

Good Eats has always been the network’s best show, but it too has declined as of late. The problem is they keep trying to make celeb chefs out of people that can’t really demo well. It’s not that Fieri and crew can’t cook - I’m sure they can. It’s just boring as hell to watch them and you learn nothing. Food 911 used to be an amazing show on the network, they should bring that back. Plus, Bobby Flay no longer has a cooking show — Boy Meets Grill was awesome. Now he just does that challenge crap which is a ridiculous waste of time. IMO, Travel Channel has become much cooler than FN in terms of learning about food. Gimme Bourdain anytime.

The Food Network has definitely changed, and I don’t agree with all of the changes, but I do like what I watch.
I LOVE Guy. I probably like everything these writers are against.
I do not however particularly enjoy watching every host go on a vacation and tell me where I should eat.
$40 a day was one thing, but now there are several.
I like watching the cooking. I like learning about new things/techniques/gadgets/recipes/healthy eating ideas. While I don’t get a lot out of the network healthy wise (I admit I don’t actually look for the healthy shows) I enjoy watching for ideas and entertainment.

I have been watching the FN since 1995. For years there was pretty much nothing else turned on at our house. Not so anymore. I turn now to the travel station or PBS. I agree with most everything everyone here has to say. It was time for Emeril to go, Rachel Ray is nauseating, semi-homemade has got to go, simply delicioso gets changed every time it comes on and that new food network star is excruciatingly boring. I could go on but I’m sure there is a limit on space. Something has to change for the better on this network and I am not so sure the changes they are making are the right ones.

I am EXTREMELY DISSAPOINTED with the Food Network! Getting rid of Emeril live is about the equivalent to NBC giving up the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in the 70s or 80s.STUPID STUPID STUPID!!! Can we get something out there to get FN to fire Bob Tuschman and a few of the other execs involved in this decision??
I do like some of the changes- I like Guy Fieri. I like Guy’s Big Bite-to the previous blogger he does cook. But I am ticked about replacing Robert Irvine on Dinner Impossible and won’t watch anymore. I don;t see the need for so many drastic changes at once.

I also noticed they are not paying a bit of attention to fan favorites on The Next Food Network Star(or is that flop given last year?)

Someone really needs to fire the execs at FN NOW!! Before they self destruct the entire channel.

I agree with most of the comments. Food Network is trying to appeal to a generic audience who is less interested in food than entertainment.
I understand that they are trying to appeal for higher advertising dollars, and they’re probably getting them, but it’s a mistake in the long-term. The people who used to watch FN are interested in food (and there is very little to do with food on FN now). Those who watch the network now, however are not interested enough in food to watch regularly.
I regret that FN has not explored the food universe more widely. All of the shows on the network are either competitions (FN Challenge, FN Star, Throwdown, Dinner Impossible, etc) or are designed to appeal to people who don’t like cook (Quick Fix Meals, Semi Homemade, 30 Min Meals, etc). Where are the shows about Thai, Indian, Japanese, and other ‘ethnic’ foods? What about nutrition, ingredients, traditional french techniques, wine, etc?
Bob Tuschman and the other FN executive on FN Star are nauseating. You can tell by their comments that they can’t cook, and aren’t interested in food.
Eventually the audience for FN will decline, as will the ad revenue. Only then will FN go back to it’s roots. But by then, maybe another food network channel will have been started. For people who are interested in food.

Hmmm…let’s see. Reality shows have been done to death and I don’t think that Food Network or HGTV should be airing those types of shows. I miss the old days with quality programming and beautiful filming. For me, my family and friends who watched, it was something different from regular network tv. I’m so sick of all the “how to save money” shows and “let’s make a new star” shows. I also agree with many people…I watch PBS whenever I can to get quality programming. I must say, I was a little angry to see Jim O’Connor slammed by the writer as a “wimpy Ryan Seacrest wannabe”. I miss Jim, he had a great sense of humor, I do not care for George Duran..Guy I can live with or without. Emeril bored me to death. Unlike others I love Rachel Ray! Sandra Lee is awful, she comes across as if she thinks she better than the rest of us and if I have to hear “Now, what I want you to do is…” I’ll be sick to my stomach. Paulla Dean is great, but couldn’t care less if I ever see her sons on TV again. I love Tyler Florence and also miss Food 911. Wouldn’t it be great if the execs at Food Network actually cared about what their viewers were saying? I’m on a panel for the Canadian Food Network, where they send you surveys about their programming..they don’t ever give you a chance to make any comments, mostly just yes or no answers and most of the questions are aimed at their advertising and how to make them more money. I was so frustrated several years ago once Alliance took over FN and HGTV that I wrote a VERY long letter, complaining about their programming. I was polite if not a little long winded as with this comment. Big surprise to get absolutely no response. The sad thing is I think they’ve lost alot of viewers over the years and I think they need to stop targeting teens and late teens. I don’t know of many who would watch this kind of programming anyway! What’s wrong with having an average housewife as you r majority of viewers? We do all the shopping!

Personally, I like the revamped look of the Food Network. I think that part of what is so interesting about it is that the people on the new shows really do push the limits of food. Simply put, this isn’t Cooking with Julia anymore. They introduce new ingredients that have not always been popular or commonly available in America and they explain how to use them. They also present what they do as something that anyone is capable of doing and even offer different examples of how to make the recipes your own. As far as Emeril goes, I never liked his food, never thought he was all that entertaining as a host (he actually always looked petrified to be in front of an audience and a camera to me) and really couldn’t STAND his “Bam” nonsense, which just really came off as a mindless and pointless “hook.” So kudos Food Network. Well done on the new changes.