Classic Food Network Shows We Love
Because nothing said Saturday night quite like 'Emeril Live'
Long before we first heard the phrase "Pack your knives and go" or laid eyes on Chef's Table's gorgeous cinematography, binging on Food Network's finest was the only way to satisfy our cooking-show cravings. And though we'd never turn down a modern-day Chopped marathon, we want to take a moment to celebrate those beloved culinary classics.
① The Original Iron Chef
Hilarious voice-overs aside, watching Iron Chef Sakai's impeccable knife skills and seeing chef Morimoto manhandle live river eels made this OG reality cooking competition supremely entertaining.
② Emeril Live
At one point, tickets to Emeril Live were about as difficult to get as front-row seats at SNL. Oh, how we miss the days when we would sit at home and yell "Bam!" in unison.
③ Food 911
Back before YouTube tutorials and iPad cooking guides, Tyler Florence traveled around the country helping home cooks tackle soufflés and roast chickens in one of the network's most informative shows.
⑤ Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello
While Chiarello provided useful, down-to-earth recipes for every situation, watching Easy Entertaining was our favorite excuse for lusting after Napa Valley real estate.
⑥ Sara's Secrets
Former Gourmet magazine executive chef and Julia Child prodigy Sara Moulton's soothing voice, encyclopedic knowledge and no-fuss cooking hacks made her the gentle fourth-grade teacher we only wish we'd had.
⑦ Unwrapped
Being exposed to how much sugar really went into our favorite snack food never kept us from watching Marc Summers's mesmerizing behind-the-scenes peek into candy bar factories the world over.
Honorable Mention: Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee
Whether or not you enjoyed Mrs. Lee's cuisine, her ridiculous Cocktail Time, flashy tablescapes and infamous meme-spurring Kwanzaa Cake, our eyes remained firmly glued to the screen.
Wondering why Food Network darling Alton Brown didn't make the cut? Well, good news, Good Eats fanatics—his show is indeed being resurrected from the dead.