I'm 46 years old married man.  I watched Julie Childs and Justin Wilson as much as I do the Food Network and PBS and cartoons.  I learn alot watching them perform as much as watching the History Channel.  Don't rag on someone like Giada, Rachel or Bobby.  It could get a lazy spouce off the couch and in kitchen.  I cook alot. Our dogs don't complain.   My wife is still a better cook.  I enjoy cooking and I also clean up the kitchen after I'm done.  How many husbands can say that.  It is work.  Before you start thinking too hard.  I have always worked outside the home doing manual labor, allied trades type work.  I expect my moneys worth out of cable tv when I come home.        

Alton Brown. The beginning, the middle, and the end of everything you need to know about how to cook. I almost don't understand why other chefs are mentioned. Some people are of the opinion that he gets a litle nerdy about his subjects, but if you like to eat good food, and in the long run save time and wasted energy, he is the man. Who would watch a half hour show devoted to toast ? The kind of cook who gets constantly asked when if I am making brunch again for a holiday! My favorite Alton Brown book is FOOD+HEAT= COOKING! This cookbook made executing recipes from everyone else actually succesful!

Personally, for me, cooking is a hobby.  And that is not always understood by people...Much less at the age of 25.  I watch cooking shows ALL the time...And own at LEAST 10 cookbooks and am a self proclaimed foodie.

What it comes down to is this.  Homemade cooking has been down graded over the years... And moms/dad's don't teach their kids how to cook....I knew of a girl that didn't know how to make a simple mac and cheese...FROM THE BOX!  

Parents need to teach their kids how to cook...And not just semi homemade stuff or boxed items, or things that are already prepared.  Parents teach their kids life skills...Anyways I'm going off in a tangent.

Homecooking is just down graded...And full time working parents barely have time to cook much less time for themselves...And the people who do cook (a majority of the time) are those that learned from their elders and/or have a passion for cooking.

As for Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray...I could care less for those two....But that's just me.  Because I watch the food network.

The only one will cook is if they WANT to cook.

but that's up to them....Please excuse the tangents.

-AC

Cooking is an art.  If you can read and follow directions, you can cook.  It is a pure pleasure from beginning to end.  I can't think of one cook on FOODTV who I have NOT learned something from.  When we want to entertain lavishly, we invite people for dinner.  We do not take them out.

My friends laugh at me for watching Food Network, yet, I have never had a cancellation when inviting them over for dinner (I wonder why?).  Each Food Network chef and or cook has their own flavor and it's refreshing. Some people prefer one over the other and that's fine but I love them all and have learned so much from each one of them.  My mother considers herself a good cook, but I happen to notice that when I make something and she likes it, she tries to compete with me by making it better (no way...she doesn't watch the cooking shows).  

I just wanted to say thank you and much appreciation for everything you do and keep up the good work.

I have always enjoyed cooking, in fact, I consider it my therapy.  A Sunday afternoon in the kitchen with some good music on the BOSE and a new receipe to try is a great day!  I have to say that I love the FoodNetwork, and most especially, Giada!  I have learned soooooooo  much from her and her cooking shows and I always get raves at my dinner parties!!!!  Thanks GIADA and Footnetwork!

CAK.

I love the Food Network and TiVo it every day.  I like Ina Garten but she has a tendency to go over the top some times.  Pauls Dean uses entirely too much butter and fat to her foods, I don't think she is a healthful cook.  Giada on the other hand is the best.  She uses more fresh and convenient foods; telling her viewers what to stock up for and using it.  She also explains a lot more about why and how she cooks what she does.  I'm 61 and still learning how to cook.  :-)

Cooking and Food is one of the great pleasures of being alive.  I even like to food shop and in the kitchen, the sounds and smells are a gift.  I too watched Julia Child at a young age and she thrills me to this day (I still watch her on DVD's).

The Food Network has been a revelation.  I really enjoy Giada D, Ina Garten, and some others but Lidia Bastianich and Jacques Pepin on public tv are the one's that take food to a level of pure unbridled and unpretentious joy.

Cooking keeps me off the shrink's couch, believe me.

I love the food network Rachael Ray is the best she makes home cooking easy and teaches how to make healthy meals.  Home cooking is the way to go.  If you keep a few staples on hand like potatoes and onions and eggs you can make some great meals in a flash.  I also agree with the fact that paretns don't teach their children to cook.  My son and I have great fun baking and cooking its great time to converse with out the tv on.