With ever-increasing popularity, more and more new cooking shows are popping up at an alarming rate. I remember when the Food Network channel consisted of basically 12 hours of Emeril with a few other shows thrown in for good measure (Old school Iron Chef, most notably), but now there are so many shows and spin-offs and hosts its enough to make your head spin. Fear not, here’s my breakdown on what I consider the top 5 best, and worst, food shows on TV. (Some are shown on other networks besides the Food Network, but all food-related shows are included)

Best:

5. Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives
While technically more of an eating show than a cooking show, it’s a great concept hosted by Guy Fieri, whose larger than life personality and appetite really makes the show entertaining. Focusing on local gems and hometown favorites the show helps spotlight the top casual food spots across the US and helps spread the word about family-run or independent food hot-spots rather than large chains. This show is a guilty pleasure for me and I always find myself watching it.

4. Jamie’s Great Italian Escape
I know this was filmed awhile ago, but it’s still aired regularly on food network due to it’s popularity. The producers for this show did a brilliant job making the show not only about cooking, and food, but the characters and culture behind it. Everyone from monks, to farmers, fishermen, and elderly ladies making pasta in the streets was involved. This is also the series where Oliver got heaps and heaps of hate mail for killing a live lamb on film, something previously unheard of on any food network show.

3. Top Chef
Woo hoo! A cooking reality show that actually focuses on the contestants and their food instead of provoking drama and stroking egos! With talented contestants, brilliant guest chefs and judges (Anthony Bourdain, my personal favorite) and great challenges, this is the best cooking reality show on TV.

2. Alton Brown – Good Eats!
How can you not love Alton? Focusing on the science behind cooking in his own unique and entertaining way, I learn something each and every time I watch the show. Sure, some of his scenes are a little over the top, but that’s part of the appeal. At the end of the day his recipes are delicious no matter how many costume changes are required to get there. There’s only one Alton.

1. Iron Chef America
The American Idol of Food Network TV, it’s the clear number one. Brilliant iron chefs, big name competitors, and a more exciting format than its older version, it’s a good watch each and every time. The only thing starting to get to me is the judges they are lining up for the show. Really? Mo Rocca and Criss Angel are judging Mario Batali’s food?

Worst Shows:

5. Hell’s Kitchen
This is the polar opposite of Top Chef, as this show is about one man and one man only, Gordon Ramsay. A brilliant chef, he’s essentially been reduced to a character, far from the restaurateur that held 3 Michelin stars at one time. How many times can we watch someone overcook Wellington or risotto, or be called a donkey? Apparently tons. This show is like watching Big Brother with the occasional cooking session there’s so much drama provoked.

4. Anna Olson – Sugar
I like Anna Olson, I really do. She seems nice and someone who’d be great to have as a neighbour. But each and every single time her show comes on I change the channel. Why? I’m not sure. I think because it’s all baking so it’s just repetitive. Measure this, mix this, bake at 350. She’s never tackling a live swordfish or going spear hunting (like all chefs do, trust me) or doing anything to keep my interest long enough. Plus the white kitchen she cooks in gives me a headache. She does have a new show however which focuses on general cooking and it’s better, but a little spear hunting would put it over the top.

3. Ted Allen – Food Detectives

It was about time Ted Allen got his own show. But really, food detectives? I get it, Ted’s a smart guy, so let’s put him in a white lab coat and get him to talk science no one cares about. Ted’s my favorite regular judge on Iron Chef, but this show is unwatchable. The man can cook, get him in a kitchen instead of talking about dying your shirt with beets.

2. Giada DeLaurentis – Everyday Italian

She’s a beautiful woman, no doubt, but even that can’t get me watching this show long enough. I have decided what actually drives me crazy about this show is her sporadic over-the-top Italian pronunciations of certain ingredients. For anyone who’s watched that show, she doesn’t have the slightest hint of an Italian accent, except when one of her choice ingredients comes up in a sentence. “Now I’m going to add 1/2 cup of grated MOOT-ZARELLLLLLLA cheese and stir to combine.” Bam, suddenly she sounds like Super Mario and then snaps right back out of it. Is that enough to make me write off this show? Apparently it is.

1. Road Tasted – The Deen Brothers

I actually think this may have been replaced with “Road Tasted with the Neeleys” (also terrible), but this without a doubt is the worst show I’ve seen on the Food Network. Riding on momma Paula Deen’s coat tails has never paid off better for 2 boys who basically drive around high fiving for half an hour. Asking ridiculous questions, creeping out most of their guests, I wonder if they ever get tired of people asking if they can meet their mom? Unwatchable.

Honorable Mentions:

Nigella Feasts
She’s not re-inventing the wheel with her food, but can anyone in the food business work a camera like a Nigella can? She is mesmerizing to watch, peppering everything up with colourful adjectives and mild innuendo. She’s found her niche and works it well.

Throwdown with Bobby Flay
I like this show. I like how average cooks from small towns can smoke a professional chef at their specialty they’ve perfected throughout the years. People like to root for the underdog, me included.

Be honest, how many of you thought “gross, I hate turnips” or something similar when reading that title?

Since we were young, turnips are just one of those vegetables that’s gotten a bad rap. It seems almost everyone comes around to enjoy the usual “gross” vegetables from their childhood like broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans, but the lowly turnips, brussel sprouts and beets seem to be the bottom dwellers of the vegetable popularity chart.

Well, why should you even bother with them? For starters, in this low-carb, eating healthy day and age, turnips are one of the tastiest and best low carb potato substitutes out there. Forget mashed cauliflower, hot mashed turnips have the texture and a similar flavour to everyone’s favorite side dish. They are cheap, available all year round, and as you’ll see, can be much more than a potato stand-in.

Tip for Picking Turnips:

Look for turnips that are very firm. Turnips are a root vegetable and can have a very slight horseradish/mustard tone to them which some people dislike. However the flavour is not as strong in the very firm turnips as opposed to the softer ones.

Turnip Recipes You’ll Love:

In my opinion, these are can’t miss recipes even for self-proclaimed turnip haters. 2 ways to prepare them you may not have thought of, including my favorite recipe for the classic mashed turnips.

Bacon Wrapped Turnip Hors D’oeuvres

Ingredients: (Makes 32 hors d’oeuvres)

- 16 thin pieces of smoked bacon, cut in half
- 3-4 large turnips, cut into 1″ wedges
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko (regular breadcrumbs work fine)
- Vegetable oil, salt and pepper

In a medium sauce pan, boil turnips in salted water for 6-7 minutes, until slightly softened but not yet fork tender. Remove from water and let cool slightly. Wrap each wedge with a half-slice of bacon. Whisk eggs in a bowl and place panko breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Meanwhile, heat a heavy-bottomed saute pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil on medium/high and pre-heat the oven to 350F

Dip the bacon wrapped turnips in the egg first, then in the bread crumbs, and place in saute pan. Once bacon is browned, transfer each to a lined baking sheet, and transfer to the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until turnips are tender.

Drain on a paper towel and wait for people to ask you what’s in them!

Best Mashed Turnips

Ingredients: (serves 4)

- 4 large turnips, roughly chopped
- 1 head garlic, roasted
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp parmiggiano reggiano cheese
- 1 tsp horseradish
- 2 tbsp fresh snipped chives
- salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preparation:

To roast the garlic: Cut the top off the head of garlic, drizzle it with olive oil and place in a 300F oven for 45-50 minutes until soft.

Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and place in the chopped turnips. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until very tender. Drain turnips and immediately mash in the butter and milk, being careful not to add too much milk. (Turnips will not absorb the milk and butter like potatoes will and you’ll end up with turnip soup)

Stir in the horseradish and the roasted garlic, blending well. Just before serving, mix in the chives, parmiggiano reggiano and salt and pepper to taste. The horseradish plays off the turnips natural root flavour, and the cheese and chives balance the flavour with the richness of mashed potatoes, without the carbs. Enjoy and surprise your next guests!