6 Cooking Shows From The '90s That Are Still Worth Watching

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Nostalgia for the 1990s is real: Those who lived through the last decade of the 20th century have many reasons to reminisce about the good old days, and those who missed it might wonder if it was really as awesome as everyone says. Every '90s kid fondly remembers their family's go-to pizza chain, and it's no accident that major chains have bet big on nostalgic offerings to lure in customers. If you're looking for a great way to learn a little more about the vibe of the '90s — or go back to those simpler times — checking out some of the decade's best cooking shows is a great way to do exactly that.

And there are a number of them that are still worth the watch. Aside from offering some feel-good television of the time, there's plenty you can learn from these shows. Some of the biggest food stars of the 21st century got their start in the '90s, and there's something pretty neat about seeing them in their early days. Other stars are gone but should definitely not be forgotten.

Before we dive in, a disclaimer: This is absolutely not a complete list of all the great cooking shows of the '90s; it's simply some of the best that you can still watch in their entirety or at least catch episodes from. Not all '90s shows are available online or on a streaming network — unfortunately — but there are hours of great television worth settling in for.

Julia Child is a national treasure, known for everything from her time-tested, tried-and-true cooking tips for home chefs to her admittedly less popular (but no less awesome) work developing shark repellent for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. "Baking with Julia" ran for three seasons — airing in 1996, 1997, and 2001 — and featured Child spotlighting various baking projects with the help of a single guest.

These tasty treats absolutely still hold up today, with episodes featuring everything from versatile things like puff pastry, bagels, croissants, and French bread to the kind of desserts you take the time to make if you really want to impress. Think chocolate ruffle cake, banana and chocolate beignets, and a nectarine upside-down chiffon cake, and you're on the right track.

The guest chef for the chiffon cake was chef Mary Bergin, who later gave some behind-the-scenes insights to PBS. She shared what it was like showing up at Child's home on the day of taping: "She greeted me with a big smile, warm hug, and welcomed me into her home. Wow! She was in full make-up, hair perfect, smelled great, and asked me if I wanted coffee. I felt like I was in my long-lost home." Bergin's dessert was featured on the spine of the accompanying cookbook, "Baking with Julia", and it's made this show infinitely rewatchable. You can find episodes on YouTube, as well as streaming on GBH.

We here at Tasting Table were fortunate enough to sit down with Emeril Lagasse and talk about the roots of his career, and he revealed that it was Julia Child who was largely responsible for inspiring him to get into television. Those early days include "Essence of Emeril," which started back in 1996. He told us, "When I created any shows like 'Essence of Emeril' or 'Emeril Live,' it was always very important [to have] an educational thing. It always had to be something for everybody, whether they were a novice cook or whether they were even a professional cook. You had to have fun."

That's exactly what's made his shows so timeless, and as you might expect from Lagasse, the focus is firmly on Cajun and Creole cooking. You'll find episodes on po'boys, fish and pasta done NOLA-style, crawfish, and bouillabaisse. Other episodes put ingredients like mushrooms, cous cous, potatoes, and pecans front and center, and you'll even learn how to make donuts. It's a little more laid-back than Lagasse's later, high-energy shows, and not only is it an absolute comfort watch, but it's fascinating to see this fan-favorite chef grow as a presenter.

Lagasse has always prided himself on putting people first and encouraging the idea that delicious meals are something that anyone and everyone can aspire to making. Fans are very fortunate indeed: Streaming "Essence of Emeril" is free on The Roku Channel, and as a bonus, all of Lagasse's shows are there.

You'll have to head to the UK (figuratively speaking, of course) for "A Cook on the Wild Side," and it's totally worth it. The series ran for two seasons that aired in 1995 and 1997, and it features BAFTA-winning host, author, and activist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall traveling around the British countryside — in either a Land Rover kitted out into a mobile kitchen or a houseboat — and finding all kinds of straight-from-the-land edibles and turning them into something downright delightful.

Episodes cover all kinds of things, from cooking up squirrels to heading into the Scottish Highlands to brew ale from native heather. You'll learn about plants and mushrooms, and honestly, the breathtaking scenery doesn't hurt a bit, either. Did Fearnley-Whittingstall have the dream job to end all dream jobs? We're not going to say no, and it actually kicked off his career as a campaigner for a grassroots-style cooking.

Fun fact: In 2020, Land Rover did a feature on the recently restored and for-sale Gastrowagon featured in the first series, and described driving it as a wonderfully fun experience. Still complete with a gas cooker, canvas awning, and even an ice cream maker (which yes, there's an ice cream episode), the truck-turned-kitchen is enough reason alone to give this one a rewatch. You can find a few clips on YouTube, and some episodes on the Channel 4 website. You can also still get Fearnley-Whittingstall's cookbook, "A Cook on the Wild Side," usually found second-hand websites.

Julia Child may have refused to use the word "gourmet," but she certainly worked with some top-tier talent. That's on full display in "Cooking with Master Chefs," the 1993 series where Child's cameras visited the home kitchen of some absolute icons of the culinary world. Featured chefs included Jacques Pépin, Alice Waters, Jan Birnbaum, Lidia Bastianich, Emeril Lagasse, and Nancy Silverton, and the resulting program is one that turns some unattainable-sounding dishes into something that you'll walk away thinking is absolutely something you can do.

Silverton's episode, for example, starts with detailed instructions on how to use grapes as an ingredient to make sourdough starter, which then gets turned into focaccia pizza dough. Looking for tips on how to make the best homemade pizza? This might not be one that you expected to hear, but that's precisely why we're saying this is definitely worth a watch for the first time or the 15th.

Child's charming and approachable curiosity is on full display here, and it makes some of the biggest names in the 1990s-era culinary world incredibly, wonderfully accessible. There are a number of places you can find episodes: Some are on YouTube, and you'll also find it on Amazon Prime and streaming on GBH. Fortunately, following along with recipes is easy thanks to Child's "Cooking with Master Chefs" cookbook.

Sure, there are a lot of great food shows that hit our screens in 2025, but as far as an old-school classic that you'd love to participate in, look no further than "Two Fat Ladies." It aired from 1996 to 1999, and featured Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson hopping onto their motorcycle-and-sidecar combo to tool around the UK and cook some regional favorites. There's a stop at Westminster Cathedral, chatting with hunters up in Scotland, and heading out on a fish boat in Cornwall. 

It's just as much fun as it sounds, especially considering that 21st-century sensibilities are perhaps more likely to appreciate the body-positive message that goes along with the show. (That wasn't always the case, and when it aired, it was widely condemned.) Today, it's the stuff of fond memories of an ultra-fun show that won fans among those who don't even like cooking shows, but unfortunately, there's a sad ending.

Paterson became ill filming what would be the final season, was diagnosed with lung cancer, and died in 1999. Dickson Wright died in 2014. But years later, those who remember the show will undoubtedly say that it made a major impact on them. Episodes are streaming on YouTube, and fans can look for two cookbooks: "Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies" and "The Two Fat Ladies Ride Again," both available on Amazon.

Celebrity chefs don't get much bigger than Bobby Flay, but as the old saying goes, everyone had to start somewhere. "Grillin' & Chillin'" aired back in 1996, and not only does it have the most '90s name of any show we're talking about today, but it was Flay's least favorite show to film for Food Network. And in a way, we get it. Starting out and finding your feet is scary, and Flay also had to deal with things like the budget constraints of the then-fledgling network. He also once told Ina Garten that the week they filmed, he also had a 10(ish)-day-old daughter at home.

Because there was no editing going on before episodes went to air, Flay would also add that it taught him — very, very quickly — about live television. It's easy to see how that crash course would help shape Flay's career, which makes it worth the watch right there. The format was fairly simple: Flay and co-host Jack McDavid represented a city mentality and a country one (respectively), and together, they grilled up a storm.

You can still find some episodes on YouTube, although there are admittedly only a few that still seem readily available. At the time of this writing, there are episodes featuring turkey, paella, and our featured image is from an episode where you'll learn how to grill a lobster pizza. There's no way you can go wrong with that, and we hope someone come to the rescue and upload more.