Melissa D'Arabian... any thoughts?

[foodie18]

She was the winner of the Next Food Network Star. I'm guessing she received good ratings on the 6 or so pilot episodes the winner gets after being crowned because I think I saw an ad for new episodes. Just curious on people's thoughts about her show?

[golden1225]

Love her, her show, and her recipes! If you do a search you'll find lots of comments from her shows last year. I love, love the pastry recipe she was given by her mother-in-law.

[memartha]

I can't say I love her, but I think her way of cooking, the recipes she selects for the show and the premise (cooking from scratch for very little money) are all very appealing.

Her Chicken a l'Orange (or something like that) was delicious, though much more expensive than advertised because of the brand of chicken I buy.

That reminds me, I blogged about that episode here.

[foodie18]

I'm in agreement with you Martha. I liked her better on the Next FN Star better than I do in her own show. As it happens, the episode with the orange chicken is the only one I have seen and the dish did look good. Maybe I'll give it a go.

[vabelle35]

Yes her show was picked up for another season.

She is also pregnant because she has a commercial for something and she is clearly very pregnant in it.

I watched all 6 episodes and I don't care for her or anything she made. But those shows were produced on the fly and a while ago, so I will tune in to the new season and watch 2-3 episodes to see if anything she makes appeals to me.

[blazedog]

My TIVO picked up the shows and I thought they were ghastly - the food seemed boring and her tips were laughable -- buy foods in season and on sale -- and if she told me one more time to keep the bacon frozen I would literally scream.

I also would not make any of the recipes she prepared as they were all completely unappealing -- where was the Cordon Bleu chef who had made all those fantastic dishes on the show.

I also found her kitchen skills to be quite awkward -- I can't STAND when someone chops food and holds the food with their fingernails extended -- to me that is about the most basic food skill one can have.

And those teeth.

And I thought I would gag when she dumped the horrible looking can of salmon into the bowl.

Perhaps the production values and recipes will improve since they have had more time to work on her.

I can't say that a show with the hook of $10.00 meals for four is particularly intriguing especially since the meals generally couldn't be done for that anyway. While I appreciate that people can use budgeting tips -- and FN is probably hoping to catch the wave of people cooking at home because of the recession, it just seems limiting since almost any home cooked meal is going to be relatively inexpensive compared to alternatives and certain food groups like fish would be out of the program entirely since decent fish is always going to cost more than that per serving for four adult appetites (She did a shrimp dish which was pretty mingey on the shrimp portions).

[foodie18]

My TIVO picked up the shows and I thought they were ghastly - the food seemed boring and her tips were laughable -- buy foods in season and on sale -- and if she told me one more time to keep the bacon frozen I would literally scream.

I also would not make any of the recipes she prepared as they were all completely unappealing -- where was the Cordon Bleu chef who had made all those fantastic dishes on the show.

I also found her kitchen skills to be quite awkward -- I can't STAND when someone chops food and holds the food with their fingernails extended -- to me that is about the most basic food skill one can have.

And those teeth.

And I thought I would gag when she dumped the horrible looking can of salmon into the bowl.

Perhaps the production values and recipes will improve since they have had more time to work on her.

I can't say that a show with the hook of $10.00 meals for four is particularly intriguing especially since the meals generally couldn't be done for that anyway. While I appreciate that people can use budgeting tips -- and FN is probably hoping to catch the wave of people cooking at home because of the recession, it just seems limiting since almost any home cooked meal is going to be relatively inexpensive compared to alternatives and certain food groups like fish would be out of the program entirely since decent fish is always going to cost more than that per serving for four adult appetites (She did a shrimp dish which was pretty mingey on the shrimp portions).

This made me laugh. Tell us how you really feel?

And, guilty as charge - fingertips extended on the onions and tomatoes while chopping. I'm amazed I've never cut myself (probably just jinxed myself!) but I cannot hold the food steady enough the slice it if I hold it the "proper" way. CIA boot camp is on my wish list and I know they teach knife skills. Some day...

She definitely seems awkward in the kitchen. I would hope she would improve since they picked her up. If I think about Guy before he got his mojo going, he was a little sloppy too. I think in her case, she just doesn't appeal to me and I am definitely not the target audience for that show.

There are now a few FN shows I find less than desirable. Alex's Day Off is another one. I liked the recipes she made on the one episode I saw, but she does nothing for me. Cannot connect to her whatsoever. Don't even like her on Chopped.

[memartha]

Ha ha about Alex. I think she's interesting on Chopped, but a whole show? No way. At first when I watched Alex's Day Off, I thought, someone's going to tell her to tone it down. It's something about her voice and her tone... She seemed like she was trying to be sensual (?) and not succeeding. Or trying to let me in on some sort of secret (?) which I actually didn't want to hear. She just has a VERY odd way of communicating, don't you think? And I'm not tempted to try any of her recipes.

Is Melissa D. really pregnant? As I recall, she had 4 daughters under the age of 4 or something when she was a contestant on TNFS. Wow.

[vabelle35]

I was just reading the FN thread on TWoP and wow are they heartless over there. LOL

Brian Boitano's show has been picked up for another season, too.

I can't tell if Aaron's show (Big Daddy) was picked up again. There's another show I don't get. I can't even understand half of what he says.

I miss the hey day of Sara Moulton, Gail Gand and real cooking shows.

[Aninha]

I miss the hey day of Sara Moulton, Gail Gand and real cooking shows.

Ditto!
Can't stand Melissa... and the others you mentioned. I watched one of Melissa's show and that was enough for me.
I did enjoy Alex's Cooking Loft, but her new show is terrible.
My favorite from the channel right now is Ina Garten, she is great!
I like Giada too but her show style changed a bit... she seems to be making lighter recipes lately though, and that I like!
Ana

[Randi R]

I was just reading the FN thread on TWoP and wow are they heartless over there. LOL

Brian Boitano's show has been picked up for another season, too.

I can't tell if Aaron's show (Big Daddy) was picked up again. There's another show I don't get. I can't even understand half of what he says.

I miss the hey day of Sara Moulton, Gail Gand and real cooking shows.

Couldn't have said it better. What happened to real cooking shows? There are a few here on the local PBS station on Saturdays and Sundays (Jacques Pepin, Julia, Hubert Keller...) but the Food Network just doesn't seem to get it anymore.

[foodie18]

I was just reading the FN thread on TWoP and wow are they heartless over there. LOL

Brian Boitano's show has been picked up for another season, too.

I can't tell if Aaron's show (Big Daddy) was picked up again. There's another show I don't get. I can't even understand half of what he says.

I miss the hey day of Sara Moulton, Gail Gand and real cooking shows.

Enlighten me... what is TWoP?

I forgot about Sara Moulton... I liked her! Ditto for Michael Chiarello. Didn't love his presence but loved his recipes. Still like the BC and Giada. Am also warming to Guy once I saw his Chefography.

[tbb113]

Enlighten me... what is TWoP?

TWoP - Television without Pity If you have never checked it out...do so. But keep in mind, they don't hold back on their reviews

[vabelle35]

TWoP is not for the faint of heart. And if you have any strong political leanings, stay out of the news/non-fiction area. LOL

I now get PBS Create on my Digital Cable Box and they have a lot of cooking shows on there. I love Lidia, Nick Stellino, and all the Julia shows. I had to change my TiVo programming for "cooking" because I was getting slammed with a million shows.

Here's the show list. They have some fun and innovative stuff and then the same FN-type programs as well:

http://www.createtv.com/CreateTV.nsf...&Genre=Cooking

I could watch Ina Garten 24 hours a day.

Giada's new show is more about California and cooking than it is Italian, although she still uses Italian staples in many of her foods.

[CindySoCal]

I agree with all of you on the shows on the FN I used to want to and sit and watch it ALL day, not anymore.
Melissa drives me crazy, and what about the Neelys?? When they are on I have to change the channel !!!

[vabelle35]

The Neelys are more annoying to listen to than The Hearty Boys were.

[mikesmom]

The Neelys are more annoying to listen to than The Hearty Boys were.

I can't change the channel fast enough when the Neely's come on. Does anybody like the Neely's?

[Aninha]

I can't change the channel fast enough when the Neely's come on. Does anybody like the Neely's?

Hate them... they should get a bed and get out of my tv.

[foodie18]

OK, can't say I "hate" them per se, but definitely not a big fan and do find it hard to watch. I would say 98.9% of the time I do change the channel.

[vabelle35]

OMG! Any time FN posts anything about The Neelys and it comes up in the newsfeed there are at least 1500 posts and 99% of them are unfavorable. When FN was promoting their new book a few months ago, I had to unfriend them until the furor died down. LOL

[Litehouse9]

The worst show on FN-- IMHO-- is Anne Burrell (spell?). She grunts and groans and makes horrible noises while she cooks, cannot stand her.

I am another who loved Melissa on the Who Will Be the Next Star competition-- but not on her show. I think it is a shame she got stuck in the "$10 meal" theme, which does not showcase her talents properly.

Big Daddy is someone I cannot stand. When he won I almost lost it! He slurs his words, has no common sense, just is very unappealing.

I like the Neeleys at times, but think they need to tone down the sexual innuendos.

[Scorpio]

Even though TV appearances do not fully express a persons abilities, I have not been impressed with Melissa's cooking. Lists of what to purchase and at what cost varies so I am opened minded to that. Melissa does not have the natural ability. It seems too forced.