Best In Food (Food Channel)

Best In Food (Food Channel) – Premieres 28th January

A show that follows the finalists competing in a national cooking competition. The programme starts off by revealing what competition it will be following, then giving a brief summary of the history of it and the subdivision of the event the people are competing in.

After showing what the judges will be looking for in a winning entry, the programme then goes through each entrant one at time. Where it follows each person from entering the stage, making their dish and then presenting what they’ve cooked to the judges. During this time the entrant talks about how they’ve come up with what they’re cooking, how and why they came to enter the event, and what they’ll be spending the prize money on if they win.

Then when the programme has gone through all the competitors, it shows some brief shots of the judges deliberating before revealing who won. For what it is, the show is like a brief recap of a tournament where you don’t end up invested in anyone shown, making it a bit of a slow watch.

1.7/10

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Ridiculous Cakes! (Food Network)

Ridiculous Cakes! (Food Network) – Premieres 1st January 

Extravagant baking shenanigans where in each episode three different bakers are followed as they each take on a difficult cake request from their clients.

After getting the brief on what needs to be made the programme goes between each of the bakers as they plan out, and then execute the making of the cakes. All the while the bakers explain the processes they need to go through and highlight the trickier aspects and detailing how they achieve the results.

Then when the cake is finished the programme follows the bakers as they transport and then present the finished product to the client, who end up in awe of what’s been made.

The way the programme is set up, it’s similar to other baking shows like Vegas Cakes, Texas Cake House & Freaky Sweets, but instead of padding out the time showing them do a couple of smaller orders, it keeps going with the extravagant stuff. For a show about ridiculous cakes, it does exactly what you’d expect.

2.9/10

Baked In Vermont (Food Network)

Baked In Vermont (Food Network) – Premieres 2nd December – Renewed

Using the classic cooking show format, host and self taught professional baker Gesine Prado shows how to make a few baked items within a certain theme.

In keeping with older cookery programmes, Gesine has people arriving at an evening do, so goes about making five different things for the guest to eat. For each of the baked goods Prado mixes up the venue of her cookery between her kitchen, cookery school and what looks like her hallway.

Throw in some cutaways with her preparing other things for the evening and the big end reveal where everyone tucks into what’s been made, and the show is complete.

It basically a no nonsense baking programme that does what you’d expect.

2.8/10

Eat Sleep BBQ (Food Network)

Eat Sleep BBQ (Food Network) – Premieres 12th December

The second of the Guys’ Big Project winning shows. This focuses on all things barbecue as the host Rashad Jones heads off to various eateries to sample their wares.

In the show Rashad visits three barbecue places. While along with getting the customers saying why they love to attend the place, heads off to the kitchen to meet the cooks and to see how they make the stuff.

The show is like a more barbecue focused version Man, Fire, Food or Burgers, Brews & ‘Ques. And if you like seeing folks work a pit, this does the job.

2.7/10

The Grill Dads (Food Network)

The Grill Dads (Food Network) – Premieres 12th December

One of the winning shows from Guys’ Big Project, hosts, dads Mark and Ryan, head off around the US to find places producing unique food all linked together by the cooking art of grilling.

The pair visit three different places, and do the usual food show standards of chatting to the owner, talking about how they got started up and then seeing how two of their signature dishes are produced. Then after the food is made there’s the usual tasting and describing what it’s like. 

The show is an easy watch which seems to be more focused on the making of the food than the similar programmes of Southern And Hungary, Big Bargain Eats and the like. And with the duo cracking bad puns and dad jokes it’s a lot more lighthearted as well.

3.2/10

Cajun Aces (Food Network)

Cajun Aces (Food Network) – Premieres 2nd December 

Following the husband and wife culinary team of Sam and Cody Carroll who run two restaurants in Louisiana. In the show the couple devise two new dishes for each of their restaurants from a seasonal ingredient.

After coming up with the dishes they head off to show their chefs how to make them, and to add some last minute changes so they can be created easily and consistently during service. The show then follows the couple as the work at the high end restaurant while getting some of the customers giving their verdict on the dishes.

It’s some easy watching food based background viewing.

2.7/10

Iron Chef Showdown (Food Network)

Iron Chef Showdown (Food Network) – Premieres 8th November – Renewed

Yet another version of Iron Chef, where in this iteration two professional chefs enter the Kitchen Stadium where they face off against each other in the bid to see if they can beat an Iron Chef.

In the first round the two pros have 30 minutes where they have to incorporate the given secret ingredient the best they can into a dish of their choosing. At the end of the round the host Alton Brown then picks the best dish, where the winner then gets to go head to head against an Iron Chef.

In the second round the two are given an hour to create a three course meal using secret ingredients revealed by the Chairman. After 20 minutes into the challenge the two have to serve the starter to the judges where they give a score to the two while they cook. At the end of the hour the remaining to dishes are served and judged, and a winner is decided.

It’s a show where if you like Iron Chef, this is more of exactly the same stuff you’ve seen before.

3.1/10