I have been asked (very politely) to apply for three cooking shows now.
Each time I stop and think….. should I? Would I dare?
First of all I have the problem of course of managing to get some time off work. But if I did arrange such an impressive feat, would I dare cook in front of the television?
I think not.
First of all, cooking shows tend to resolve around making fools of people and I do quite a sufficient enough job of looking like a fool all on my own.
Then I think of my cooking and the way it helps me feel relaxed and peaceful and I realise that my style of cooking would not really involve enough conflict or drama. Nor would it involve the kind of Insta-worthy dramatic flair that people tend to be looking for these days as I have a penchant for cooking healthy, whole food meals that can feed a family.
One of the shows that contacted me revolved around cooking with your family and I was really most tempted on this occasion. Food should tell the story of community and connection and so cooking with my family would really work for me. I imagined myself making and baking, there with my sister (she is an excellent cake maker), sharing our stories about food and family and laughing while we cook. But then I remembered all the “villains” that I have know on my own TV screen and I decided I would rather just  stick with being a viewer.
Because I do love a good cooking show. Don’t you?
MasterChef (in the early years) was compulsive viewing and I still regularly watch a very broad range of cooking shows.
The Cook and the Chef, Good Chef, Bad Chef, Gabriel Gate, Cooking with Huey, Nigella, Jamie, The Barefoot Contessa are all some of my favourites. My most recent find was “Lords and Ladles” on Netflix which involves a little history, a lot of offal and many interesting Irish folk Although basically I will watch almost anyone.
So who is your favourite TV chef and would you dare to try cooking in front of the TV cameras?
If so, what would be your “go to” recipe?
I think mine would be this traditional Dutch “Filled Speculaas Cake” recipe because it is so delicious and so simple and so different and I am a little in love with it.
Let me know your most impressive recipe idea!
Happy Eating.
Dani