With the invention of satellite TV, the number of channels on offer for television watchers has absolutely exploded, ballooning from a few basic networks into hundreds upon hundreds of movie networks, cable spin-off channels, and niche-interest stations. One of the most popular kinds of specialty channels that has emerged in this new era of television watching is the cooking channel, and along with it, the cooking show. You know what this is - it is when a celebrity chef of some sort spends an hour showing Americans how to cook a French-style ratatouille, pick the perfect avocado, or dice garlic with ultimate speed and precision, all in high definition. Often, the show and/or chef who hosts it will have some kind of theme - French or Italian cooking, for example, or family meals, or vegetarian fare. The chefs, if they are not already famous, become known around the country - they open restaurants, publish cooking books, and take stands on public health and diet issues.
From these satellite TV cooking shows a whole new genre of reality show has emerged: the competitive chef competition. There are too many of these programs to name, including Iron Chef, The Next Food Network Star, Top Chef, Chopped, and Dinner Impossible. Viewers stay glued to their satellite TVs as contestants compete to create the best soufflés, or to find an inventive way to use an odd ingredient jicama, or to cook a meal for 100 people with only two hours notice.
But why do people watch these shows, exactly? It makes sense that someone might want to watch a competition based on strength, or intelligence, or will power, because people have been competing with each other based on those qualities and characteristics for their entire lives, from school to their jobs to the playing field. There is inherent human drama in those types of reality shows, only heightened to extreme degrees to make it more engaging. But cooking, in a certain sense, does not have that same inherent competitive nature. Cooking is usually associated with maternal nourishing, sensual enjoyment, health and wellbeing, and family celebrations. The entertainment value of watching other people cook is a little bit more mysterious.
Perhaps people turn to these shows so that they can learn tips on how to craft the best meals, or to learn new recipes. First of all, many people have not learned how to cook from older generations of women as they used to, and need to turn to outside influences to learn the proper techniques. Second of all, in our increasingly multicultural society, most people would be bored by eating the same couple of dishes over and over again, week after week. So they look to the television to learn new tricks.
Other people just like watching the delicious food in high definition, which is available now on all brand new televisions. They can see very molecule of food, and their mouths water as they see the savory sauces drip around the plate. And some others simply like competition of any kind, and all the human drama that it produces.
From these satellite TV cooking shows a whole new genre of reality show has emerged: the competitive chef competition. There are too many of these programs to name, including Iron Chef, The Next Food Network Star, Top Chef, Chopped, and Dinner Impossible. Viewers stay glued to their satellite TVs as contestants compete to create the best soufflés, or to find an inventive way to use an odd ingredient jicama, or to cook a meal for 100 people with only two hours notice.
But why do people watch these shows, exactly? It makes sense that someone might want to watch a competition based on strength, or intelligence, or will power, because people have been competing with each other based on those qualities and characteristics for their entire lives, from school to their jobs to the playing field. There is inherent human drama in those types of reality shows, only heightened to extreme degrees to make it more engaging. But cooking, in a certain sense, does not have that same inherent competitive nature. Cooking is usually associated with maternal nourishing, sensual enjoyment, health and wellbeing, and family celebrations. The entertainment value of watching other people cook is a little bit more mysterious.
Perhaps people turn to these shows so that they can learn tips on how to craft the best meals, or to learn new recipes. First of all, many people have not learned how to cook from older generations of women as they used to, and need to turn to outside influences to learn the proper techniques. Second of all, in our increasingly multicultural society, most people would be bored by eating the same couple of dishes over and over again, week after week. So they look to the television to learn new tricks.
Other people just like watching the delicious food in high definition, which is available now on all brand new televisions. They can see very molecule of food, and their mouths water as they see the savory sauces drip around the plate. And some others simply like competition of any kind, and all the human drama that it produces.
