Cooking From A Book Is So Last Century

After my sophomore year in college, I found myself living on my own for the first time in my life. Bewildered by the nature of independence, I suffered through the initial weeks on a diet of grilled cheese, cold cereal, and frozen pizza. Any attempts at creating my own works of culinary skill resulted in burnt rice, undercooked chicken, or tragically salted pasta. While I had learned very early how to wield a fork, I had somehow missed the lesson on how to properly handle a knife. I was a gastrological nightmare.

My salvation was delivered not by any cookbook or recipe, but by Alton Brown and the Food Network. Like so many of my generation and beyond, I believed that the art of cooking was best left to others: parents, professionals, and McDonalds. However, when the moment of edible reality hit me, I found myself completely overwhelmed by cups, teaspoons, garlic, and French culinary vocabulaire. It was the confidence of Bobby Flay, the simplicity of Rachel Ray, and the “how-to” approach of Alton Brown that brought me and so many others back from the brink of dietary disaster.

The Food Network was originally launched as the “TV Food Network” in 1993. The network’s original line-up included chefs such as Emerill Lagasse and Bobby Flay. As the years progressed and the viewership increased, TV Food Network became the Food Network and increased its ranks of chefs to include Rachel Ray, Alton Brown, Guy Fieri, and Giada De Laurentiis. The Food Network combined a schedule of instructional cooking shows, such as 30-Minute Meals and Boy Meets Grill with a repertoire of “food-interest” programming like Iron Chef, Unwrapped, and Chopped. In the spirit of Julia Child, millions of Americans, myself included, fell in love with the process of cooking, the pleasure of eating, and the subtleties of food. We cooked; we ate; we loved.

With the invention of the cooking show and the celebrity chef, the process of cooking, baking, and assembling meals has moved from being simply a domestic exercise into an expression of creativity, devotion, and skill. The secrets of souffles, emulsions and sauces no longer escape or confuse us. By following our favorite television chefs, we have been able to discover the ability within ourselves to create great works of delicious art. As a result, we have found ourselves with a new form of celebrity.

Fandom is no longer reserved simply for athletes and movie stars.  The celebrity chef now holds a devoted spot within the American psyche and television channel listing. Their restaurants are packed nightly and their faces are recognizable. Top Chef makes chefs into celebrities. The Next Food Network Star makes the everyman into a chef into a star. Food now fulfills a larger role than simply as sustenance; it is entertainment and it is impressive. As a result, food and the creation thereof is now “cool” and a highly desirable skill amongst the general masses.

Now almost four years later and hundreds of Food Network episodes later, I enjoy cooking for a biweekly dinner involving close friends where we try new recipes, new techniques, and chastise each other for both our failures and successes. Where my meals once consisted of burnt hot dogs and pre-made meals, I now routinely make risottos, homemade pies, and all sorts of other (sometimes) delicious fare. I am eating better, my friends are eating better, and millions of Americans now have the ability to rid themselves of overcooked pasta, undercooked chicken, and burnt brownies.

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