July 17th
2005
Despite all good intentions to watch as little TV as possible, I always fall for (new) cooking shows on TV. Just can't help it. German TV seems to know my Saturday schedule, because they run various shows when I usually return from doing groceries, starting with two hours of Jamie Oliver - OK, I'm definitely over that one. Not that I don't like him (despite the horrible dubbing...), maybe I had an overdose, he has been on now for about two years without interruption.
What a relief when I finally discovered a change in program: Now it is just one hour of Jamie - which I skip anyways - followed by "Bill's Food"! With quite a few foodblogs referring to his books, I was as curious as I could be. "Bill Granger is the god of Australasian cooking and his two restaurants are Sydney institutions." (Time Out, London) - So he's a well established chef, I have to give him that. Similar to Jamie's German voice, the dubbing is rather annoying (why don't they use subtitles?) and underlines his enthusiastic presentation almost to a comical extend. His kitchen is neatly designed and kept in pastels, including his shirts. The only thing that's even brighter, is his million watt smile that oh so frequently beams at you, that you tell yourself to put shades on next time you watch him. On the first show, we clocked him - 21, 22, 23, 24,... SMILE 21, 22,...; an average of 10 seconds to recover in between. Hm, maybe I'm exaggerating a tiny little bit here, but I'm absolutely positive, that there is a guy standing right next to the camera man, holding up a big sign "SMILE INTO THE CAMERA, NOW!!!" The other thing that stands out is the sheer inexhaustible level of enthusiasm with which he explains some of the cooking steps - you could easily be led to think he invented them ;) One thing is for sure, he's an excellent marketer...
Nevertheless it's a fun show, the recipes are straight forward and simple. I'll certainly watch it again, although RTL II doesn't broadcast any episodes at the moment. (Perhaps - meanwhile - I should have a closer look at his cookbooks...)
My latest discovery is "Leas KochLUST" with Lea Linster. She runs a restaurant in Frisange (Luxembourg) and is a highly awarded chef de cuisine (among many other honors she received the "Bocuse d'Or" back in 1989). Owning and treasuring two of her books, I was eager to finally watch her show on TV. The concept is quite simple: She cooks with the help of a cooking apprentice, each show a different one. In the first show I watched, the audience was made acquainted with "Korbinian", a rather tall and skinny guy.
Hmmm, how shall I put it? She is a dedicated woman and I have no doubts about her leading a restaurant's kitchen. But one can easily recognize, that she isn't very used to preparing a dish in front of a TV cam while talking about it. The prepared "pasta packets" looked anything but neat and even, in fact they were torn up and I couldn’t believe they were actually showing this. The way she chopped onions with a parer left me rather clueless... And the conversation between her and Korbinian..., well, better skip that part completely. Was he reading his questions from the autocue? Questions, a cooking apprentice would probably not ask in front of a camera. Such as "Why do you run the pasta dough through the machine more than once? " Or statements like "Panna cotta is an easy dessert, because you don't have to whip cream.” Pardon me? Maybe both had a bad day, I don't know. Best moment: She asked him to remove the pasta from the oven and he stated, they would need a few more minutes. She snapped right back at him, in a don't-you-dare-to-smartass-me tone, to take them out. She wasn't amused, as one could easily tell... ;)
If I had to choose between her books and her show, I would without hesitation go for the books. On the other hand, I might give her show another try, if only for her cute French accent!
I guess it all comes down to what you are looking for in a cooking show? Well, for me it's got to be a healthy mix of the following ingredients: Technique, congeniality paired with a good sense of humor and interesting recipes. Still looking…because, good chefs don't necessarily have to be good actors ;)
Here you can find a broad overview about cooking shows on German TV.
Bill Granger's website
Lea Linster's website
What a happy coincidence--I am cooking something from Bill's Open Kitchen cookbook tonight, a Zucchini soup. It's the first thing I have chosen after repeatedly picking up the book to slobber over the pictures...I have yet to see him on TV but his book is wonderful.
Hi Nicky and Oliver ! I would be interested if you have ever seen
Martina Meuth and her husband Bernd Neuner-Dutternhofer on WDR ("Servicezeit Essen und Trinken"). I do adore their books (will write more about those and my experiences soon in my own blog - which will be starting off soon, of course will send you a note !) but have never watched their TV programme so far. Watching TV is getting less and less important to me - in contrast to the internet, of course especially reading food blogs.... - so I think war are the only Austrians left who can only watch the two ORF programmes ;) At least, I believe the Meuth-Duttenhofer couple brings in a lot of information about the products and with them the professional - cooking - aspect is much more in the limelight than the acting. Well, they are food journalists ! And also love to cook for their friends in their own generous household. Mainly in order to get to know the Meuth-Duttenhofer couple personally I thing one day I will have to attend one of their cooking classes at their apple farm in Schwarzwald. If you are interested: http://www.apfelgut.de - where you will also find a link to the WDR programmes.
Have a nice summer and all the best from Vienna to Munich
angelika
This was a fun read! I like Bill Granger's books (I own "Sydney Food")and shows and you are so right about him smiling all the time! As you consider buying one of his book, I can recommend Sydney Food, but probably all of his books are worth a closer look.
I think Bill's books seem really good, but I agree: he is almost too "happy" in TV appearances, it just doesn't seem like the real thing to me and you almost get annoyed by the automatic smiling after a while. Regarding Jamie Oliver, he might be over-hyped and all that but I still think he feels truly genuine and in contrast to Bill manage to be charming without overdoing it. A natural so to say.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that what impresses me the most about this site is not actually the design, nor the photography (cause it is possible to be a good photographer or web designer without working with food). But what amazes me absolutely the most is how you get your food so good looking! Whenever I cook it might be tasty as but always end up an ugly mess. Do you work as food stylists or is it just a natural talent?
I'm Australian, but I just can't get myself excited about Bill Granger. I know it feels un-Australian of me, but I find him a little too cariacatured. I think it's also the Sydney thing too. Sydney food/design/culture is so different to what happens around the rest of Australia, particularly Melbourne where I am, which is a more elegant, European city. To put it in perspective, Bills show would never have been made in Melbourne, but a show featuring chefs in all black clothing, funky glasses and the latest kitchen appliances would. :-)
(It's also a personal Sydney thing. There aren't so many people in Australia who would openly say they admire Sydney. Too brash and smug for many of us, like that blond girl at school who had everything, and liked to show it ;-) )
Hi Angelika,
What a question, of course I know Martina Meuth and her husband :) Just some weeks ago N. stumbled on a documentary about their cooking lessons (held on their estate). The funniest part was the moderator continuously (throughout the weekend) asking her husband how many bottles of wine they had emptied already. After #48, he got the numbers and amounts all wrong and was corrected by his wife a few times :)) Very hearty and down to earth people. Looking forward to your blog, when is it going to be online?
Hello Amy,
How did it turn out? Did it live up to the auspicious images in his books?
Hi Sabin,
Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll have to sample his books (at least the ones that are readily available) at our local bookstore. I’m sure, no I’m positive, I’ll find something ;)
Hi me,
I agree with you on Jamie, unfortunately his inapt German voice takes so much away. And thanks for your positive words. I would think we’re still miles away from being food-stylists, but it’s fun to try to combine taste & looks. Sometimes we succeed, a lot of times we don’t. Perhaps we should include a new category called Outtakes & Mistakes… :)
Hi Niki,
thanks for an Australian’s point of view and the perspectives on Sydney – I didn’t have the slightest clue :) Especially the comparison with the blond school-girl, made me laugh out loud!
I am from Sydney and I find Bill Granger a complete tosser. His constant smiling and love of all things pastel grates on me like when the neighbour starts mowing their lawn on Sunday morning after a big night out. He has hijacked the 'Good Living' section of the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper in Sydney with his saccharine expressions, and dolphin smiles. I half expect the sounds of Flipper to be heard when he talks. Get him out of here...
Hi Robin, I hear you, the bad news is, we don't want him either ;))
I enjoyed reading this post and, as a matter of fact I very seldom watch cooking shows. Here in Canada I probably have several to choose from but was never interested. I saw Martha Stewart once or twice but I was more interested in her interior decoration portion than in the cooking. For recipes, I would rather have a book with beautiful pictures.