Over the years, the Food Network has managed to establish itself as the official channel for all things food. Whether you want to learn how to prepare a gourmet meal or want to know the best restaurants in your area, Food Network has got you covered.
Aside from this, the network boasts of shows that openly promote competition among some of the most seasoned chefs today. Indeed, Food Network has programs that are both entertaining and informative. It’s no wonder that it continues to have a strong following of viewers around the world.
However, as much as Food Network has gotten some things right, it has also had some mishaps in the past. Check out these things that you’re probably not supposed to know:
15 “Restaurant Stakeout” Holds Casting Calls For Servers
In a casting call posted by the show, it said that it was “seeking male or female to play waiter at BBQ restaurant.” The description also stated, “Seeking actor or actress to play a waiter or waitress at a restaurant in Somerville, NJ. Commitment will be one to three days of shooting. $120/day.”
14 “Restaurant Stakeout” Staged Drama At The Mount Ivy Café
According to Reality Blurred, Mount Ivy Café owner Lucia Ivezaj explained, “They wanted a lot of drama, and unfortunately we don’t have drama here. So therefore they made some of their own drama.” She also stated that they “had fun doing it,” adding, “Supposedly they make us look good six weeks later.”
13 An Episode Of Chopped May Only Be An Hour Long, But It Takes Up To 14 Hours To Film
For viewers like us, a show on Food Network can go by so fast. Behind the scenes though, things get done a lot more slowly. In fact, the cast and crew often work 12 to 14 hours days to shoot an episode. Former “Chopped” contestant Kathy Fang told Delish that contestants are required to come in by 5:45 am. And then, they go on filming until 8 to 9 pm.
12 Researchers From Texas Tech University Noted At Least 460 “Poor Food Handling Incidents” From Food Network Shows
According to the findings, “The results weren’t exactly savory with 118 positive food safety measures and 460 poor food-handling incidents. Among the most noticeable culprits were not washing fruits, vegetables and herbs properly and a lack of hand washing in general.” Several “negative behaviors” were also noted, including “failure to use a thermometer, use of food from the floor, failure to refrigerate perishables…” The list goes on.
11 On “Chopped,” You Have To Wait For 15 Minutes Before Opening The Basket
As Fang recalled during her interview, “They really draw out the anticipation. We were standing in front of the basket for about 15 minutes before we could open it. I was like, 'Are there any holes in the basket I can peek through?'” Because of this, she ended up running different scenarios in her head. She recalled, “If I have to braise something, will the oven be hot enough? What if I can't find the ingredients I need?”
10 On “The Kitchen,” Dishes Are Often Swapped For Their Cooked Counterparts
Ever wondered why it doesn’t take so long to braise something on “The Kitchen”? Well, that’s because the dish that the stars started working on would get swapped out for a finished version. This is prepared in the show’s shadow kitchen. As the senior vice president of culinary production, Susan Stockton, told Pittsburgh Trib, “We don't want the TV crew to have to stand around and wait for three hours for the osso bucco to cook.”
9 The Crew Can Reject Dishes From The Stars
There are times when the film crew thinks that a dish is just too complicated for the show. In cases like this, they would choose to reject the recipe. As culinary producer, Ashley Archer, for “Alex’s Day Off” told Pittsburgh Trib, “I had to tell Chef Alex Guarnaschelli (‘Alex’s Day Off’) that she couldn’t make the chocolate crostata — sort of Italian chocolate pie — that she wanted to prepare. It just had too many components for a 30-minute show.”
8 Ina Garten Doesn’t Watch Cooking Shows, Not Even Her Own
Garten once told People, “I never watch cooking shows, certainly not mine. Not a chance. I would never do another show. I think I’m terrible!” Meanwhile, she later added, “I’m glad other people like it, that’s all I can say.” Garten is one of the mainstays on Food Network and we’re willing to be that she’ll be around for several more years.
7 Giada Allegedly Has A “Dump Bucket” For Spitting Out Food Between Takes
There are claims that Giada De Laurentiis doesn’t really eat what she prepares. A source told Page Six that De Laurentiis spits it out into a “dump bucket that is brought out the second they cut.” The star’s rep, Stephen Huvane, disputed these claims saying “She doesn’t always eat and swallow every time, since they can do sometimes six to 10 takes with three episodes a day, and that would be like eating six to eight meals a day”
6 In “Iron Chef America,” Contestants Can Easily Figure Out The Secret Ingredient Before The Reveal
During a Q&A with Today, Reality Blurred’s Andy Dehnart revealed, “The chefs aren't completely surprised by the secret ingredient because they have been given a few possible options beforehand. And on the day of the challenge, they can probably figure out which ingredient it is based upon which shopping list has been purchased for them.”
5 Emeril Initially Started Saying “Bam” To Keep The Crew Awake
As journalist Allen Salkin revealed in his book “From Scratch: Inside the Food Network", “Inspired first by the need to keep the cameramen awake, Emeril started yelling as he added ingredients to dishes — 'Bam!'” Lagasse also explained to Eater, “Because of my restaurant schedule we were shooting eight shows a day” and “after we had had lunch, people began to start falling asleep a little.”
4 There’s Always Someone Speaking Into A Food Network Star’s Ear
“Cooking for Real” star Sunny Anderson once told Pittsburgh Trib, “What’s great about the Food Network studio environment is having a team where, if I miss an ingredient in the rush or forget how much time I have left, a gentle voice chimes in my ear to keep me on track.”
3 “Cupcake Wars” Contestants Find Out The Ingredients Months Before Filming
According to a post by u/Sallymoustacheride on Reddit, “I worked for a bakery that was on, and won, CupCake Wars. The premise of the show is to surprise the bakers with a few, more often than not, odd ingredients and see what they're really made of. In reality, we found out the ingredients a few months before the show. Had we not known, there's no doubt we'd have lost.”
2 “Iron Chef America” Challengers Choose Their Opponents Earlier Than You Might Think
Dehnart also told Today, “The matchups are also planned in advance, with challengers choosing their opponents weeks earlier. All of that makes it possible for producers to order the right ingredients that the chefs will use to prepare their dishes with the secret ingredient, but it also makes the show somewhat less challenging than it comes off on TV.”
1 Giada And Bobby Flay Had A Falling Out After They Lost On “Iron Chef America”
While speaking on the podcast “Beyond the Plate,” De Laurentiis revealed, “We lost and he thought it was funny. He didn't think it was any big deal that we lost. I did not talk to him for eight months‚ eight months! I did not. Nothing. Silence.” She later added, “He didn't say, ‘Hey I'm sorry that we lost,' or ‘Hey, you know we'll do it again.' Nothing.” Fortunately, they became friends again.