Food Network

What Will We Take Away from the Age of the Foodie?

It could be said that the Age of the Foodie has arrived. Food is the topic of interest across more conversations than simply what the current fad diet is or what restaurant you ate at for your anniversary. Food is everything these days. Hell, it's even being blamed for killing rock and roll. Food ... More >>

Houston Food Trucks Featured on Eat St.: We Compile Our Own Houston-Centric Episode

Although the Cooking Channel was ostensibly created to air the kind of cooking-oriented shows that the Food Network used to air -- remember those shows where chefs actually showed you how to make food? -- it can't help itself from presenting more Food Network-y shows like Eat St., which describes it ... More >>

Celebrity Pitmaster Neil "Bigmista" Strawder Heading Back Home for One-Day Barbecue Extravaganza

Good things always come in threes: First, it was the smashingly successful Houston Barbecue Festival. Then it was the annual Foodways Texas symposium, which spotlighted barbecue. Now it's news that California-based celebrity pitmaster Neil "Bigmista" Strawder is headed back to his hometown of Galves ... More >>

Yet Another Cooking Show: The American Baking Competition Heads to CBS This Summer

Over the last several years, cooking shows have popped up on a variety of networks, rather than the mother ship of all food and cooking shows, the Food Network. If Cupcake Wars and re-runs of Top Chef Just Desserts doesn't do it for you, this summer CBS will air a summer baking competition on May 29 ... More >>

5 Houston Chefs We Want to See on Chopped

Chopped has to be one of the best culinary competition shows on TV, today. It's filled with excitement as contestants from all over the country open up a basket full of mystery ingredients that you (and probably the competitors) would never put together in a dish. The four selected chefs for each e ... More >>

Take-Out Fake-Outs: 5 More Favorites Lightened-Up

We love Friday-night pizza or lazy-Sunday Thai delivery as much as the next guys -- but we can't say the same for our waistlines. Luckily, we have a few tricks up our sleeves. By remaking your favorite take-out foods at home, you can get all the pleasure...with none of the guilt. All it takes is a f ... More >>

5 Food Network Shows That Need To Go

If you give me the remote and tell me to choose a show to watch, nine times out 10 I will turn to the Food Network. I'm addicted to the Food Network...which is probably why I'm so hungry all the time. I love watching chefs battle it out on Chopped. I love watching Bobby Flay surprise regular cooks ... More >>

Top 5 Cooking Shows to Watch in 2013

The New Year brings new series and the return of some of the best cooking shows on television. With today being the first day of 2013, we ranked our top five cooking shows for this year. Some are new and some are veterans, but all of them are enjoyable (or at least predicted to be) to watch. Here a ... More >>

Dinner Party Meal: Short Ribs Tagliatelle

The first time my mom made this dish, it was an experiment. At this time, we were realizing that you can mix odd ingredients together and come out with something spectacular. After religiously watching Food Network, we decided to take a whack at Giada De Laurentiis's short ribs tagliatelle dish. Bu ... More >>

Spice Things Up With Fruitcake French Toast

Fruitcake is one of those things that you either love or hate. I just so happen to really enjoy a slice of fruitcake (although it must be a small slice or my teeth will rot). As a child I never understood why my grandma would force me to eat a slice each year -- I only ate desserts if they were mad ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 3: Brandi Key of Coppa and Her Modern Take on Italian Classics

Brandi Key Coppa Ristorante Italiano 5555 Washington Tel: 713-426-4260 This is Part 3 of a three-part Chef Chat series. In case you missed it, you can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. This week, we got to know Brandi Key, the executive chef at Coppa, a little better. We learned a bit about her t ... More >>

Big Savings at Little Bitty Burger Barn, Half-Off Sushi, and More

This week's Houston Press Voice Daily Deal is good for 53 percent off ($7 for $15) burgers and more at Little Bitty Burger Barn. All-fresh -- never frozen! -- beef and homemade fries are just the beginning; check out LBBB's wings, sandwiches, salads, and daily home-style specials. But if you are a ... More >>

The Winner of Wingtoberfest 2012 Was...

The dark horse of last night's Wingtoberfest 2012 competition was certainly Taps House of Beer. Up against three of the best wing spots in the city -- The Breakfast Klub, Little Bitty Burger Barn and Soma Sushi -- Taps brought its A game with dry-rubbed chicken wings grilled until just perfectly don ... More >>

What Was That Dish on That Show I Saw? There's an App for That

You're in Las Vegas, and it's dinner time. Sure, there are hundreds of hotel restaurants you could try -- some of them even worth it -- but you are remembering a restaurant you saw on the Food Network. It was on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and it was about a Chinese place with a very spicy dish that ... More >>

It's a Twofer: National Banana Split Day and National S'mores Day

Today we can all celebrate two of the most delicious classic desserts ever made: banana splits and S'mores. Rather than making separate desserts, I decided to combine the two together. Ree Drummond, also known as Pioneer Woman, made banana boats during a campfire cooking episode of her Food Network ... More >>

Justin Warner: The New Face of Food Network

Food Network welcomes a new star to their family. America selected Justin Warner as the winner of season eight of Food Network Star. Unlike other seasons, when the judges from the network selected the winner, this season, it was up to America. Four contestants were given the chance to create a pilo ... More >>

The 5 Sexiest Celebrity Chefs: Ladies Edition

We've taken a look at the Sexiest Men in the Kitchen (meatballs, anyone?). Now, it's the ladies time to turn up the heat. Check out the Top 5 Hottest Female Chefs: 5. Nadia Giosia As in, "Nadia G." As in, the wild and slightly psychotic Italian but Canadian-born chef, singer, and host of Nadia G' ... More >>

Rainy Day Comfort Food: Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese

On rainy days, I always crave something warm and comforting, even in summertime. As the temperature falls to a bearable heat, my mind plays tricks on me and makes me think it's cold and muggy outside, which cues the craving for something that warms my belly and my heart. Hearty casseroles or potpie ... More >>

13 Celebrity Chef Doppelgangers

I didn't know Rocco DiSpirito was a Jonas Brother! And was that really Gordon Ramsay starring opposite Will Ferrell in Step Brothers? Who knew! Check out these and more Celebrity Chef Doppelgangers: 13. Rocco DiSpirito vs. Nick Jonas Renowned chef, cookbook author and the fifth Jonas Brother.

Food Network Star Turns Former Judges into Competitors

At my house, the DVR is always set to record Food Network Star (nee The Next Food Network Star). The only Food Network mega-star to emerge from the show was Season Two winner Guy Fieri, although other contestants have developed lasting concepts that continue to air on Food Network. I think one of th ... More >>

A Taste of Reality: Top 5 Food Documentaries

Tommy Lee Jones once didn't do a film because there was a scene in which he was supposed to eat on camera. Tommy Lee Jones doesn't eat on camera. Ever. That film was Man of the House, and it's a good thing that the producers caved to his demands, for the world would be a far, far worse place if ... More >>

I Don't Like Sandra Lee, Except For When I Do, PLUS! Three Semi-Homemade Things I Made Up

Not to get all Sam Brown-on-Guy Fieri on you guys, but Sandra Lee bugs me a little. In the past, she did not bug me -- in fact, my first attempts in the kitchen were prompted at least in part by her recipes. (I didn't start cooking until I was 30. Seriously.) I found her "semi-homemade" concept of ... More >>

Blue Hate Special: Loving to Loathe Guy Fieri

We've all seen this spiked, peroxide-dyed Food Network star eating his way across America's heartland. We've all heard him choking out limp catchphrases around mouthfuls of food, wheezing out airy, hyena-like whinnies of laughter while wiping grease and mustard off of his perfectly manicured, bleac ... More >>

Romanesque Roots with an American Family: Giada De Laurentiis

Her lineage destined her for culinary aspirations, but education and hard work put her on your television screen, on the covers of books and magazines and, most deliciously, on your dinner plate. Giada De Laurentiis was in Houston April 3 to publicize her new cookbook, Weeknights with Giada and drew ... More >>

Turn The Radio On: Top 10 Musicians Who Should Be DJs

A few years ago, Van Halen front man David Lee Roth filled in for Howard Stern on his nationally syndicated radio show. Roth also served a stint as a deejay for New York's 92.3 Free FM. This is nothing new, because many artists have at some point served as DJs, such as Greg Kihn of the Greg Kihn ba ... More >>

Ingredient of the Week: Dark Chocolate

First, a quick and dirty lesson on the varieties of chocolate: Unsweetened chocolate is all cacao and no sugar, making it incredibly bitter. It is also known as baking chocolate and is usually found in the baking aisle of grocery stores in the forms of blocks or bars. The sugar is added separat ... More >>

The Much-Feared Restaurant Wars Hit Top Chef: Texas

​Now that Work of Art is over, I've had to find another reality show to haphazardly catch before tuning into Bravo on Wednesday nights. That show is Restaurant Impossible, and it's weirdly addictive. I've even found myself seeking it out on purpose, which is something I never do with Food Network ... More >>

Older Is Better: The Five Best Antique Malls in Houston

And the Lord said: Let Me be embroidered.​What better way to honor your living relatives than with gifts from someone else's dead relatives? Wait, no, we want you to like antique malls! Let me try again: Shopping for an older relative, who remembers the days before iPads? And Wii? And even ce ... More >>

Respect The Bird: 10 Steps to Perfect Turkey

It may not be cold in Houston, but I know most Houstonians have got turkey on the brain. It also means the grocery stores are jammed packed and the Butterball 800 tip-line is getting more calls than most phone sex operators. But you won't have to waste your minutes calling Butterball, if you follow ... More >>

Robin Miller: Robin Takes 5

The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Fried Bites

Inspired by the Food Network, I'm looking into the "best things I ever ate" around the grand city of Houston. Recently, I shared the best vegetables I ever ate. Now it's time to move on to the big guns - fried foods. In Texas, there is definitely no shortage of deep-fried delights to choose from. Th ... More >>

The Best and Worst Celebrity Endorsements

What is she... Is she literally pouring herself a glass of wine?​A few weeks back, I saw a Tweet from my friend Melissa, who found herself alternately captivated and horrified by what she'd come across in her local Kroger. It was a sign advertising a line of Pinot Grigio from Ramona Singer (ab ... More >>

The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Vegetables

Ruggles's impressive array of vegetables​I'm sure you've all seen the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network. You know, that one that airs late at night, when you're sitting on your couch, hungry but willing yourself not to eat? The one where Food Network stars talk about their fav ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: Arline Fisch: Creatures from the Deep, Hardbodies, "Liz Hickok: Jiggling Geography", Lynda Benglis: Glass Masks, Marc Swanson: The Second Story, "Mitch Dobrowner: New Work", "Musicians Who Make Art"

Chef Chat, Part 2: Domenica Catelli of Catelli's

Photo by Matthew DresdenDomenica Catelli, outside her family restaurant in Geyserville, CA.​Yesterday on part one of our chat with Domenica Catelli, we discussed how she left Houston to reopen her family restaurant in Geyserville, California. Today, we discuss her work as a Food Network person ... More >>

Reef's Smoked Pork Chop

Photo by Stacy ZanePork chops taste goooood.​Recently, I ordered the smoked pork chop at Reef, an upscale seafood restaurant headed by famed Houston chef Bryan Caswell. Back in May, this pork chop was featured on The Food Network's program "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and was recommended by c ... More >>

Racing Rachael: Tool Shop

Carrie Applegate Jaeger​According to the Food Network website, Rachael Ray created this meal using her favorite kitchen tools. Looking through the recipes, I assume that she is referring to the food processor and box grater used to make these two dishes. Really? Of all the gadgets out there ... More >>

A Page Outta: Cupcake Lasagna

Cupcake Lasagna: you asked for this, people​It's my fault, clearly. I didn't lay out any ground rules. I set myself up, and (one of) you took the bait. Still, I was a bit shocked when I wound up preparing cupcake lasagna for this week's A Page Outta. I knew it was at least mostly intended as ... More >>

Guess Those Hands: The Real Food Network Challenge

These look more like real chefs' hands, but that's a topic of discussion for another day.​It's Memorial Day. You've eaten too much today and gotten too much sun, so you've retreated back indoors to the cold comfort of your computer screen. We understand. Believe me, we understand. And to that ... More >>

Top 5 Houston Restaurants Featured on the Food Network

Photo by Robb WalshThelma's previous incarnation.​Houston may feel a little like Rodney Dangerfield when it comes to being recognized as a top culinary city -- we get no respect. But the Food Network has always shown Houston a little love. As early as 2003, shows on the Food Network were featu ... More >>

Bryan Caswell Comes to the Food Network Along with Several New Shows

Caswell during competition on the Next Iron Chef.​By now, the news that Houston's own Bryan Caswell will have his own four-episode show on the Food Network has worked its buzzy way through Twitter, Facebook and the rest of the Internet. Starting in May, the busy chef will be hosting a run of ... More >>

Ingredient of the Week: Fava Beans

luvjnx​What are they? Immortalized by Dr. Hannibal Lector in the Oscar-winning film Silence of the Lambs, these fat, light green legumes are one of the oldest cultivated plants in civilization, and they're currently in season. Coming in a pod that's around six inches long, they require a lit ... More >>

Zelko Bistro, Little Bitty Burger Barn and Beaver's Take the Food Network

Photo by Katharine ShilcuttChef Jamie Zelko filmed while whipping up some potatoes. See more photos of the on-set action in our slideshow.​Local favorites Zelko Bistro, Little Bitty Burger Barn and Beaver's will be the first of three restaurants to represent Houston on the Food Network, as mor ... More >>

Ingredient of the Week: Spaghetti Squash

Pikaluk​What is it? Spaghetti squash is a big, giant squash - not like those puny zucchinis or calabacitas or yellow squash. The spaghetti squash means business - similar in size, color and shape of the butternut squash, it ranges from four to eight pounds, and is in season in the early fall t ... More >>

Idol Beat: Idol Worship

Fox​The Daily Beast had a story up yesterday about how this season of American Idol might be the best ever: This year, the contenders have already proven energetic, and the audience is responding, with half a dozen developing breakout followings across the Internet, even before the finals hav ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 1: Candace Nelson of Sprinkles Cupcakes

​Candace Nelson, creator of boutique cupcake emporium Sprinkles, has gone from financier to cupcake-craze initiator to Food Network judge. With Sprinkles locations all over the world, including our own little Highland Village outpost, we tracked down the in-demand young industrialist and got ... More >>

Austin's Hilah Cooking!

Isn't it funny what you can discover when you're dicking around on YouTube? For example, we came across a clip of a blond-haired, Lisa Kudrow-looking woman ranting about how her roommate has been stealing her ketchup from their refrigerator. This is particularly hilarious not only because it appe ... More >>

Ingredient of the Week: Red Cabbage

​What is it? Red cabbage is exactly what it sounds like. While it isn't as exotic as a lychee or Chinese broccoli, it wasn't something I ever ate growing up in Southeast Texas, so it is exotic to me. Until later in life when I experienced some tart, sweet and savory red kraut at a German rest ... More >>

Fruitcake and 4 Other Foods with a Bad Reputation

jeleneDiscouraged by its bad reputation: the fruitcake. ​How does a food item get a bad reputation? Does it cut class to smoke with trans-fats in the parking lot? Sleep around with carbohydrates? Often it's an association with a particular era in history or social class that gets a food placed ... More >>

Chef Monica Pope Goes to Jail (Okay, Not Really)

Photo by Tam VoI don't think they serve beets in prison.​But that's the status update that more or less freaked out half of the Houston food community when they saw it posted on her Facebook wall earlier today: Thought I'd send the lunch menu from jail (long story, blame the health dept) but ... More >>