What’s worth watching on food-related TV this week?
We’re pretty hooked on The Next Iron Chef (Sundays at 9pm on the Food Network. Bourdain likes it too: “I’ve scoured both episodes with increasing frustration, trying to find something bad to say.” He also says “After the humiliating public clusterfuck of Next Food Network Star, it’s nice to see [the Food Network] doing something right.” We agree. Of episode two, in which Chef Davie was eliminated and which focused on high-tech equipment and chemicals (to the dismay of most of the participating chefs), judge Michael Ruhlman said, “The techniques of the avant garde are far more prevalent in the media than they are in the actual kitchens of the best restaurants.”
Also on this week:
No Reservations is on tonight in another repeat (10pm on the Travel Channel); Bourdain goes to Cleveland. Martha Stewart is on Monday through Friday at 1pm (NBC). On Monday, she’s got food visionary Alice Waters; on Wednesday, Chef Filip Verheyden. Saturday, PBS/WLIW has Chef Norman Van Aken featured on Chef’s Story at 7:30pm. And next Sunday is After Hours with Daniel (Boulud) at 9pm on MOJO.
