- Series Title: The Chew
- Genre: Cooking/Talk
- Director: John D'Incecco
- Screenplay: Unscripted (mostly)
- Network: ABC
- Release Dates: September 26, 2011 - (currently airing)
- Episodes: 300+ (plus reruns)
As it turns out, the recipe for a fun, entertaining, and informative show is surprisingly simple. Take two Iron Chefs, a nutritionist daughter of Dr. Oz, a caterer turned 'Top Chef' contestant, a tall man with a passion for fashion, crafts, and home entertaining, and the Aussie drawl of announcer/producer Gordon Elliot. Mix with delicious recipes, sprinkle with celebrity guests, and simmer in a party-like atmosphere. That's the recipe for 'The Chew,' ABC's replacement for 'All My Children,' airing 5 days a week at noon on Channel 5 KSTP.
I know, some of you may be thinking, "Another cooking show? Really?" Well trust this reviewer when he says that this cooking show is worth making time for. Instead of being over-the-top serious like 'Iron Chef' or a talk show with some cooking thrown in, 'The Chew' is all about 3 things; food, fun, and keeping both in reach for everyday folks.
The fun factor is what really sets this show apart from the rest of the crowd. The five hosts have the extremely enviable job of having an absolute blast on camera. They laugh. They flirt. They get in each other's business. They actively bust each other's chops, prank each other, and laugh some more. I didn't have this much fun when I was in kindergarten. To keep it refreshing, all this joviality is steeped in an atmosphere of genuineness and transparent honesty. A favorite example is when the Chew Crew tried bacon mints, a rather questionable treat so vile, Clinton Kelly immediately spit it back out into his hand. It's the kind of good-natured, roll-with-the-punches TV one might expect from the bygone years of live television, and the result is an hour of raucous joy.
If that isn't enough to hook you, the food is. Whether the theme is one-pot wonders, the secret life of bacon, or five-dollar Friday, every episode is stacked, absolutely stacked with mouth-watering recipes that just about any home cook could pull off. The Chew Crew shares special tips and tricks along the way, explaining them step by step. This affords the secret foodie in each of us the opportunity to elevate our prowess in the kitchen. When was the last time 'Man vs. Food' did that?
With the fun, the food, the sparkling personalities of the hosts, and how everything is aimed at regular folks, 'The Chew' earns every one of its five stars.
If you can't tune it in over lunch hour, watch online:
ABC - only 5 episodes available at a time, thousands of clips
Hulu - only 5 episodes available at a time, thousands of clips
YouTube - clips only.
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