We went from television shows that could barely fry an egg to Michelin-starred camera shots. But are culinary television shows really teaching us to cook better?
There’s a young student called Reynold Poernomo cooking up a storm on Masterchef Australia. He has cool hair, a ready grin and, on certain days, a spatter of pimples on his face. A normal 20-year-old, you might say. Except that in the kitchen, he isn’t. He cooks like a master and plates like a painter. And he has a passion for food which young men his age usually reserve for cars and burgers.
Yet Poernomo is not unique. Last season, Brent Owens went from being a Bobcat operator to winning the contest. On the spinoff show Junior Masterchef Australia, the contestants are even more impressive, considering their young age. And anyway, Masterchef is a franchise: there are UK, US, New Zealand, Mexican and countless other versions, each with its own superstar cook.
Masterchef is just one ingredient in the great culinary television show larder. Marco Pierre White, who is a guest on Masterchef Australia, chopped and stewed on other shows like Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Wars and The Professionals. Gordon Ramsay sweated and swore on The F Word, Ultimate Cookery Course and Kitchen Nightmares. Then there’s Heston Blumenthal’s In Search of Perfection, Buddy Valastro’s Cake Boss, Anthony Bourdain on CNN, Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef America.
The chances are that if you switch on the telly at any time of the day and night, there’s a culinary show frying fish, braising meat and decorating cakes. And it’s not just culinary shows either. There are food-themed reality shows, food documentaries and travelogues that always include cooking on their itinerary.
And there is no sign of culinary show popularity cooling down. Rather, the chances are that come next season, the portions will be more generous. That’s obvious: if you like the food, then you go for second helpings, and if the ratings are good, then producers and television stations will cook up more culinary shows.
Ratings are definitely good. Jamie Oliver attracts millions, even now that he’s busy with other projects. At its peak in 2013, The Food Network’s US viewership was estimated at 99 million households. In 2012, Gordon Ramsay’s three shows – Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef and Hotel Hell – were all in the top 10 of UK summer programmes in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic. The debut of Ramsay’s current series of Masterchef US was the top-rated programme of the night in the US.
The chances are that come next season, the portions will be more generous
So, yes, we’re watching more culinary shows. But are we learning anything?
To answer that question, let’s go back to more than half a century, when Julia Child started hosting her show The French Chef on American television. After only a few episodes of what would become an iconic show, American homes were getting a taste of boeuf bourguignon, French onion soup and mousse. The French Chef gave viewers the confidence to experiment with new ingredients and cooking methods. Nowadays, the culinary show menu might have changed – however, they still teach us new tricks and treats and inspire us to try out new techniques.
But that’s only the first answer. The second one is that shows are not making us better cooks. It’s just like with any other programme: you’re not going to get physically fit just by watching cycling on television or become a football star if you watch every game that Lionel Messi plays.
And that’s because culinary shows are all about entertainment. Television producers and channels want us there, on the sofa. In fact, most shows present the abridged version of cooking. They tell us that we’re too busy to cook and so suggest quick and easy recipes and tricks to make meals tasty without breaking a sweat. The equation is there: less time for cooking means more time for television.
Even if you watched closely, you would still not learn anything. The shows are too fast: knives flash, pans sizzle in seconds, and cooking times are reduced to minutes. There are no recipes or step-by-step techniques. Chefs on television debone a chicken in the time it takes you to sharpen your knife. And even if you mustered enough courage to try it yourself, you would soon realise that it’s not as easy as seen on television: you don’t have the space, help or firepower. So yes, it’s cooking, but the message is to not try it at home.
What we do learn from culinary shows is new words. In recent years, our personal dictionary has embraced words like caramelisation, acidity, sous-vide and liquid nitrogen. And we learn culinary fashion: what is trendy to eat right now and what is way past its expiry date. But don’t underestimate this – at least, when we go out for dinner, we know what to order.