Yes, I am here to tell you that Food Network WILL, in fact, be premiering an entire series with Brian Boitano this August.
Yes, Brian Boitano the figure skater.
Yes, THIS Brian Boitano:
Image Credit: www.skateworld.co.uk
The series is tentatively titled, What Would Brian Boitano Make? You may be thinking to yourself, “that sounds vaguely familiar…” And, I’m here to confirm that YES, the inspiration came from the famous South Park song, “What Would Brian Bointano Do?” (There is no official confirmation yet, but I’m pretty sure there will be less cursing from the Food Network version.) Here’s the description from our programming department:
WHAT WOULD BRIAN BOITANO MAKE?
Everyone knows Brian Boitano won an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. What they don’t know: Brian is an accomplished cook who loves to entertain! In this new series, Brian takes viewers on a reality cooking adventure as he creates amazing food for a new event in each episode. Funny, knowledgeable and irresistible, Brian brings himself and so much more to What Would Brian Boitano Make?
And now that I have your full attention (and in some cases, full confusion), check out the rest of the 2009-2010 Food Network line-up that was announced just this afternoon:
CHEFS VS CITY (WT)
Premieres: July 2009
Acclaimed chefs Chris Cosentino and Aaron Sanchez are pitted against two local foodies in a winner-takes-all race through a different city each week, through the most fascinating, unusual food locations. Each team begins with a clue leading them to their first food challenge. Challenges could include everything from wine stomping to the eating the spiciest chili west of the Mississippi to diving for sea urchins! The five challenges take the chefs and foodies on an adrenaline-charged, food-lovers tour of each city, and once complete, it’s a sprint to the finish line to see if the locals can protect their home turf or if the Food Network chefs can conquer a new city.
EXTREME CUISINE WITH JEFF CORWIN
Premieres: September 2009
Renowned for his expertise in wildlife and conservation, Jeff Corwin sets his sights on exploring human culture through regional cuisine in his first Food Network endeavor: Extreme Cuisine with Jeff Corwin. With an open mind (and mouth), this thrilling primetime series follows the passionate foodie and anthropologist as he tears through countries like Thailand, Mexico, Greece, and Peru on radical culinary adventures. Learning from the natives, he samples the exotic foods and local customs that mold each community. Jeff enjoys countless surprises and unforgettable flavors during this fun-filled culinary quest – all in a day’s work!
THE NEXT IRON CHEF: SEASON TWO
Premieres: October 2009
Kitchen Stadium once again opens its doors to find a new culinary warrior in the sizzling primetime series The Next Iron Chef. Ten top chefs from around the country will compete to join the ranks of Mario Batali, Cat Cora, Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto and Michael Symon and be launched into instant fame. Hosted by Alton Brown (Good Eats, Iron Chef America), the reality show will force the contestants into a series of challenging situations that test their culinary skills and mental toughness. As they travel near and far, the chefs must demonstrate their speed, artistry, innovation and leadership as they strive to attain greatness and become America’s Next Iron Chef.
WORST COOKS IN AMERICA
Premieres: January 2010
Premiere chefs Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan each take on a team of six hopeless home cooks and try to transform them from kitchen zeros into kitchen heroes in only 10 days. Viewers will follow 12 “recruits” as they face a series of high-pressure culinary challenges to help triumph over their inability to cook. The two who make it to the end will face the final challenge: prepare a three-course, restaurant-quality meal for a panel of food critics who think they are tasting dishes prepared by chefs Anne and Beau. On the line are the chefs’ professional reputations, $25,000 for the recruits, and the chance to say they are no longer one of the Worst Cooks in America!
ULTIMATE RECIPE SHOWDOWN: SEASON 3
Premieres: 2nd Quarter 2010
The cooks with the best recipes in America battle head-to-head for national glory in Ultimate Recipe Showdown. Hosted by Guy Fieri (Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives; Guy’s Big Bite), the series features everyday folks competing in a Kitchen Stadium-like arena to pit their best dishes against one another. Whether it’s the recipe that always gets requested from family and friends or the delicious dish that was passed down from grandma, viewers will see who truly possesses the “ultimate” recipe.
THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR: SEASON 6
Premieres: June 2010
Television’s most challenging food fight, The Next Food Network Star, provides 10 hopeful TV chefs with the chance to compete for the biggest prize on television: his or her own Food Network show. Each season, the finalists endure a series of complex challenges that determine their culinary competence and on-screen star potential. Iron Chef Bobby Flay leads the selection committee, who ultimately decides the winner’s fate and launches one lucky man or woman into a food and television celebrity.
FOODS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (WT)
Premieres: 3rd Quarter 2010
Food guru Alton Brown hosts this mini series that explores foods that have shaped the course of human history and influenced the way our species evolved. Alton will also investigate foods of the future and how technology will transform food worldwide in centuries to come.
DAYTIME
SANDRA’S MONEY SAVING MEALS
Premieres: May 10th, 2009 at 12pm ET/PT
Well-known for her trademark Semi-Homemade cooking style, Sandra Lee now has her sights set on saving money! Her new daytime cooking series, Sandra’s Money Saving Meals, features incredible budget-friendly recipes for every day of the week. To maximize cost-saving success, Sandra shares unique ideas for savvy supermarket shopping, proper pantry stocking, and menu price points. She continues to stretch the dollar by creating a clever leftover dish from each episode with “Round 2 Recipes” exclusively on FoodNetwork.com. Sandra makes saving money simple, achievable and delicious for everyone!
VIVA DAISY!
Season Two Premieres: July 2009
In season two of Viva Daisy!, popular TV personality Daisy Martinez takes viewers home as she shares her tips and tricks for creating quick, simple, mouth-watering meals inspired by her love of Latin cuisines. Daisy dishes for friends and family with recipes like savory Breaded Pork Chops with Spicy Pineapple Vinegar; spicy and sweet Chocolate-Chile Cake; and favorites like Tortilla with Artichokes, Piquillo Peppers and Tetilla Cheese; and Jicama, Black Bean, and Mango Salad.
WHAT WOULD BRIAN BOITANO MAKE? (WT)
Premieres: August 2009
Everyone knows Brian Boitano won an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. What they don’t know: Brian is an accomplished cook who loves to entertain! In this new series, Brian takes viewers on a reality cooking adventure as he creates amazing food for a new event in each episode. Funny, knowledgeable and irresistible, Brian brings himself and so much more to What Would Brian Boitano Make?
5 INGREDIENT FIX
Airs: Saturdays at 9:30am ET/PT
In her new daytime cooking series, 5 Ingredient Fix, host Claire Robinson proves delicious dishes only need five ingredients or fewer making cooking easier, faster and down right irresistible. She shows viewers how to enhance the natural flavors of carefully-selected, fresh ingredients to illustrate her belief that each ingredient should truly stand out in a recipe. Taking on popular but complicated recipes and re-inventing them with just five ingredients, Claire reveals how great food can be made simply and quickly!
TAKE ON THE TAKEOUT (WT)
Premieres: 2010
In Take on the Takeout, Danny Boome visits delivery devotees with one goal in mind: to prepare a healthier, tastier, and less-expensive version of their favorite take-out dish faster than the restaurant can cook and deliver it. In addition to assessing cost and speed, the loyal customers taste and score the dueling dishes while blindfolded to determine the ultimate winner. With his practical ideas and British charm, Danny attempts to send the delivery boy packing to prove home-cooked meals beat take out any day!
- Rachael
Associate Producer, The FN Dish
Wow! It seems that the lineup of upcoming FN shows is chock full of foodie fun, adventure, and excitement. I am beyond excited about the Brian Boitano series. Although, Take on the Takeout and Worst Cooks in America are hot on the heels! Chef vs. City sounds like the perfect way for viewers to explore the cuisine and hot spots the selected cities have to offer…Its all very exciting…FN you’ve got me on the edge of my couch!
WWBBM !! Oh, that’s going to be a popular show; you *know* it will be. I can just see the fish recipes: Sequin Crusted Mahi Mahi, Figure Skate (the fish), Tano Fish Tacos, Salchow Clam Chowder, Triple Lutz Halibuts ?? Ok, just having a little fun. heehee. Seriously, I think people will watch. Looks like a fun show.
Chefs vs. City is a great idea - anytime FN travels out into the country to visit local places is a good thing for local places. People are proud of their home communities and will tune in to cheer on their neighborhoods and resident foodies.
Worst Cooks: a shot at $25,000? Now I’m wishing I didn’t know how to cook!
Everything Lana and Robin said. Wow–Brian Boitano in the kitchen! If he’s as graceful with his pots and pans as he is on ice, look out!
And I think Alton Brown’s upcoming food history show will be really interesting. You’ve all got me hooked for another season.
Brian Boitano is already a gold medal winner at figure skating, can’t wait to see his gold medal cooking show, the line up for Foodnetwork this season looks very exciting, anxiously awaiting it start.
I have a show idea. A challenge show where the network chefs must take a particular recipe and modify it for health-restricted diets and budget-friendly where all ingredients are readily available in the average super-market.
I personally like to see shows where some of the other network hosts are guests. (Like Emeril & Mario) I would love to see more of Morimoto and once in awhile see some of the old “Iron Chef” shows. I have many friends who feel the same. I don’t get sattelite tv and can’t get those shows.
Also, I have been disappointed in the past to watch with great fervor the “Next Network Star,” only to have the new “star” go by the wayside after the first few shows. I realize the popularity is is important to the network, but perhaps the new star could be given the opportunity to try a new format. Thanks, GM Jabbora, Spokane, WA
Brilliant move getting Boitano on the network - he’s going to be a delight to watch. What would Brian cook? Can’t wait to find out!
I am so excited about Brian Boitano!He is going to be awsome! I love the food network-except these days I think there are too many shows about cakes. Big Daddy’s House and Paula Dean are great, as well as the rest of the Saturday and Sunday lineup. Coninue the good work!
Mary
If it’s new show ideas you want, I have a great one. It even includes a contest of sorts.
I’d like to see a “Follow Your Food Network Star” show where we could enter to win a day with your favorite food network star. We could follow them for a day of filming one of their shows, maybe even help with the cooking ;-))
I’ll be the first to sign on.
Can’t wait for the new shows especially Mr. Boitano’s. Boitano, Italiano…:o)
Great to see some new and inspiring cooking shows coming.It’s long overdue Am anxiously awaiting them. Thanks
Lill May 1st. 2009 at 9:57 am
Enough of Ace of Cakes Iron Chef and other competions between chefs.We need every day cooking.Ideas for laymen.Enjoy watching Food network.
those of us that are baby boomers need a show on ‘cooking for 2′ now that the nest is empty!
Can’t wait for Brian! I’d also like to see more of Robin Miller. Her ideas for preparing ahead and morphing are a great time saver for busy cooks, and I didn’t see her ideas in the new Food Network Magazine.
glad to see Robert, back,do not care Jeff Corwin will cook for food and Tim I wish I would see more of Mario,Bobby,Anne,Barefoot,and Giada,I love the show but some things are always daytime and I work,wish they could be moved arround more.Still the best overall show.Thanks Nancy
Fav’s: Bobby Flay,Paula, Giada,
the Contessa, Robt. Irvine,
Iron Chefs.
Would like a new show about low carb
cooking as there are many new products
on the market that make LC cooking wonderful and fun. Don’t have to use
that nasty soy flour anymore and we have
Dreamfield’s Pasta.
Love Giada, love her to just do Italian,More of Everyday Italian, new recipies
The Neeley’s need to go…or put them on at 6:00 A.M. Too phony and plastic
Amen! to Walter’s comment about the Neely’s. I do no enjoy them one bit and turn the station as soon as I realize it is the show they are doing. They Need To Go!!!!!
Just turned Food Network off to Public Channel TV to find a sewing show. Guess what? No funnies, etc., just people who are actually teaching something and seem to have a nice PERSONALITY. I am a cook, seamstress, figure skater, softball player, golfer and hope more than figure skater’s tune in for Brian. He should stay skating. You must be pretty desperate to go this route. If you did your episodes as a “cooking” “teaching”show, you would never run out of ideas.Also less cleavage would be nice.
When the Neeleys come on I feed the cat, pour my wine and start cooking my supper!He’s OK, she’s too much! Much too much.
Kat
I am so addicted to Food Network that my TIVO is full of shows I’ve recorded ’cause I simply don’t have the time to watch them all. The new season sounds like a real winner. Brian Boitano? Who’d of thunk.
I just saw Brian Boitano's new show and I loved it. Apart from the recipes looking good, Brian Boitano was like a breath of fresh air. He is hilarious! I also love the way this show is done in such a casual and lighthearted way. His personality is perfect for this. I think this is going to be a keeper…:-)
Am watching WWBBM and I LOVE it!!!! He is "perfect"!!! Can't wait to see more!!!!
Watched Melissa earlier and I don't want to hurt her feelings, but after watching 3 shows, I'm done. I do like her and her recipes, it's her "presentation"? . . .
Waiting patiently for Jeffrey!!
Sincerely,
Carolyn
Watched the Brian show - liked the cooking part alot - but the babe's - come on!. totally unnecessary - it's FOODTV for heavens sake.
I hope Mellissa will get more comfortable. Love her message, she's just hard to watch because she "just loves everything!" Needs to talk about kids and husband more. But I'll keep watching to see her grow!
Kat, I'm with you on this one. I tried watching them again now that their new season has started. I couldn't make it through the show. Had to turn the channel. She just grates on my nerves and I'm sick of hearing him call her his brown sugar. They need to get a room already! Too bad that Food Network thinks everything has to be about sex these days.
Does anyone know who to contact if you have show ideas?
WAITING WAITING FOR JEFFREY SAAD. A FEW WEB SHOWSARE NOT ENOUGH. I HOPE THERE ARE BIGGER PLANS FOR HIM. HE IS TALENTED, PLEASANT AND THE SHOWS ARE INTERESTING.text right here!
I know who NOT to contact! Do not contact whomever is responsible for this blog! It's a mess! Food Network got taken by hiring Intense Debate to oversee these blogs.
Adam Gertler is great, and I would like to see more of his show, Will Work for Food, or a new show starring him! He has so much energy and is really fun to watch.
The Iron chefs are the BEST!! however, I have learned something__from each chef! Take it easy on the Neeley's..it is refreshing to__see a committed couple + their recipes are great…
Thanks to Sandra, I can now make great meatloaf..Big Daddy is hint-
ful…..each chef has his/her own method and approach. For all the
naysayers, please GO COOK on the FoodNetwork….
I would LOVE to cook on the FN..I'v been a faithful viewer of the FN for years and the Neeley's drive me crazy…I understand PERSONALITY sells viewership…but I think that's more appropriate in a sitcom not a cooking network…they are so contrived…nobody REALLY acts that way…and that's the key word ACT..I want a REAL cook to share his/her joy and passion for cooking and entertaining, not a personality…Gordon Elliott you need to rethink your casting…call me if you want a REAL person to cook where food is the star not the person. Caroline Nappo. Atlanta Georgia
Happy Holidays! Hoping Santa brings me a letter from FN saying “come to NYC!”
The road shows with Guy are very enjoyable. Nice to watch and advertise the small business owners succeed with their creativity.