The New York Times‘ Alessandra Stanley explains why the newest network cooking show, “The Chopping Block,”  had such a short lifespan, and makes interesting points about the differences between cable and network cooking shows.  Stanley also writes, “As anyone who has watched ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ ‘Top Chef’ or ‘Iron Chef America‘ knows, cooking shows are no more about food than talk shows are about conversation.” I would like to point out, as I am wont to do, that this was not always the case (see Watching What We Eat, chapters 1-5). It’s telling that the concept of “cooking shows” is thought to be synonymous with these bloodsport programs, but there are still a few shows on PBS and the Food Network that do mean to teach us how to cook in addition to entertaining us. Just as today’s born-digital kids don’t know from a typewriter eraser, anyone who began watching cooking shows in the 21st century might have a hard time imagining competition-free cooking.

Marco Pierre White, late of "The Chopping Block"

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