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I'm not sure what exactly entitles one to be called a "chef" but Alton Brown did graduate from a cooking school. Wikipedia thinks its anyone who cooks professionally in which case everyone on Food Network is a chef.

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Oh the lament. The descent of the Food Network into mediocrity.Here's what I don't understand. People that are serious about food want to learn new styles, new techniques, new regional cuisines, not how to make tuna casserole. You can find that stuff "on the back of the box".It seems real "foodies" would be the ones to take the time to watch a show about cooking. Yet, FN's direction is the opposite.I have a feeling they're listening to their marketing surveys and not thinking at all. Oh where are the real cooking shows? I thinks its time to start a real cooking network. Bring back all the old PBS shows like Julia's plus throw in some real chefs.

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Here's what I have to say about a few of Bourdain's comments on the hosts:1)Alton - Good Eats is really good. I can't really argue with him, and he really does do a good job of explaining various techniques, much like Julia Childs did, except with adding an MTV humor type addition.2)Sandra Lee - He's absolutely right. The worst thing to happen to the food network since...they hired Sandra Lee. Her food is awful, and her obsession with liquor every episode is borderline alcoholic. I mean seriously, in an episode that is supposedly themed around a child's birthday party, or going to a little league game, do cherry martinis or margaritas really belong in the picture?3)Rachel - I have mixed feelings about her. I definitely think she's been pushed far more than she really should have been. Is she attractive? I think so. But I think that she was far more attractive early on in her show when she was just the normal woman kinda showing how to do quick meals rather than the media beheamoth with the blonde highlights and over sexed image. For all the criticism she gets, Martha Stewart actually knows how to cook and do home decoration type stuff. That, Rachel Ray is not.4)Duff of Ace of Cakes - He's definitely a good character, and his show is actually really good as a reality show. However, I'd honestly love to see him to a stand up recipe type show where he actually tells you how to make the cake (a recipe that is) or decorating tips. 5)Emeril - Again, a mixed view. If you watch his big show, which is the live one that airs at night all the time, he's obviously trying to cook as more as an entertainer rather a chef, and his personality and schtick I'll admit can get annoying. But if you watch the normal taped pre-written show he puts on in the afternoons (Essence of Emeril) its a really solid show. He gives some really good tips, really shows you how to make things well, and the recipes are actually very good. 6)Paula Deen - When I first started watching her show, I liked her. It was nice to see some good authentic southern style dishes, but just like Rachel Ray, once she blew up she got freaking annoying. That cackling laugh (which she never used to do) and her parading out her family all the time has really gotten annoying. And she's been really playing up the whole "add butter and/or mayonaise until you have a heart attack" schtick which is really annoying, because after a point, her addiction to those things is freaking annoying.7)Bobby Flay - I really like Bobby. He's probably my favorite chef on the network food wise, and yes...Throwdown is a pretty terrible show. Honestly, I think the worst part of food network right now is the sheer amount of reality shows. Sure, a travelling road show is good once in a while, but its gotten to the point now where 3/4 of the lineup is devoted to the random person travelling around and sampling food. The two exceptions I'll say are Unwrapped (which is a cool "behind the scenes at food company factories show) and Alton's road show (Asphalt) purely because a)there was an actual idea/concept/sense of emotion and purpose behind the show, and b)it was a mini-series that almost had a narrative and doesn't get syndicated to death. They really need to get back to just pure "this is how to cook something shows" like Mario's show. I watch the food network to learn how to cook things, not to see someone eat a meal in some restaurant in some town I will more than likely never visit.

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I love it! Especially the rant on Sandra Lee - she sucks. But Anthony Bourdain said it best.

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Rachel Ray is hot can't wait for her to go on playboy....

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No Reservations rules! I think Anthony Bourdain is a cool dude. I enjoy his show because he gets out there and high =lights the food that ordinary people eat everyday. He doesn't stay in a studio and discuss (or prepare) the usual foods that are eaten in the more expensive restaurants. The guy is real.

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I love Food Network AND Anthony Bourdain (No Reservations is awesome!). I'm probably in the minority in this, but Alton Brown annoys the crap out of me. There, I said it. No matter how interesting the topic, I can't last through a single episode of Good Eats. And I just WISH someone else would narrate ICA. Alton is annoying but not evil...Sandra is definately evil.My favorite shows are Barefoot Contessa and the new show Nigella Feasts.

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Love Bourdain, LOVE No Reservations (mmm gooey duck)- At least Bourdain has an undeniable passion for good food and an opinion!! Who wants a blanket of pleasantness?Alton Brown is genius, he really helps people understand the reasoning behind why good cooking is good cookingAnd I agree that Sandra Lee is "Pure Evil" haha. I think that she and Rachael Ray encourage people to rely on overly expensive and unhealthy prepared foods. People are starting to forget what good food actually tastes like, and how much better a few, fresh ingredients (no, not from your local supermarket, support your farmer's markets) can be.

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