Best Chef on TV

[Badger]

Heston, he made a GIANT packet of Rolos, no other chef can match that.

 

[Guinness Boy]

My favourite chef who's been on telly a lot as opposed to having a regular show is Tom Kerridge who also runs a 2 star PUB called the Hand and Flowers. He's often on stuff like Great British Menu and Masterchef. He looks and talks like an enormous West Country chav but the food he produces is amazing if you like lots of meat which I do. Does posh steak and chips, whole pig roasts that sort of thing. In a duck dish he did on Masterchef the other day even his peas were cooked with duck meat. Not one for the veggies.

Of people who have had shows it's another vote for Keith Floyd and I like Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations though I'm biased because I like his writing.

Nigella is so bad she's good. We play guess the catchphrase with her. She has a pantry the size of my house and shows you how to make an "emergency" lunch for Alan Yentob when you're down to your last 5 bottles of rapseed oil. I don't believe all this butter and midnight snacking is real either given how she looks. As soon as the cameras are off I bet she's on the cabbage water or meal skipping.

 

[T soprano]

The Swedish chef from the Muppets he was good especially cooking with live chickens and a meat cleaver

 

[Philzo-93]

Michel Kuipers

 

[MattBackHome]

My favourite chef who's been on telly a lot as opposed to having a regular show is Tom Kerridge who also runs a 2 star PUB called the Hand and Flowers.

I went there in August and it was JUST AMAZING.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Delia is the girl. Food to eat.

 

[terryberry1]

 

[HantsSeagull]

I like Rachel Khoo - altho I have just discovered she was born in croydon, so........

Best of the current crop is Slater but you cant beat Keith Floyd

 

[Return of the Rev]

with so many cooking programs on tv who is the best or favourite chef. Wife has recorded and watched lets do christmas with gino and mel and gino d'acampo is my current favourite.

Interesting that i read he or his company is the 2nd biggest importer of italian food in the uk.

very partial to fanny in the kitchen

 

[Sussex on Leith]

Bourdain and Hugh F-W currently, Floyd and Two Fat Ladies fantastic in the past.

Not sure any of those are great chefs, or would class themselves as such, but they make the subject interesting and funny. Hugh and Bourdain both even better on the page than the screen - Hugh for his in-depth but readable approach, explaining the why as well as the what/how. Bourdain for being irreverent, rude and hilarious.

Best food books I own, incidentally, are the Nose to Tail Eating books by Fergus Henderson. Minimalist, inspired, down-to-earth genius. I've eaten incredible food at his restaurants too. Bourdain is a fan too - wrote a brilliant foreword for the reprint of the first book.

 

[Ringmer Seagull]

I posted Nigel Slater earlier but agree with those who mentioned Mr Floyd.....a genius. I am surprised that no one has mentioned Raymond Blanc......a lovely guy and a quite brilliant chef.

 

[SeagullSongs]

Judge on master chef gets my vote comes across as a realy nice guy and boy he can cook

Masterchef Synesthesia - Swede Mason - YouTube

 

[Beach Hut]

Delia is the Mother and Floyd was the Daddy.

Personally think Michel Roux is superb as a presenter and clearly a very good chef

 

[pishhead]

As already mentioned, Tom Kerridge for a two starred venue to be housed in a pub is remarkable, also the prices are pretty reasonable.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

I posted Nigel Slater earlier but agree with those who mentioned Mr Floyd.....a genius. I am surprised that no one has mentioned Raymond Blanc......a lovely guy and a quite brilliant chef.

I was going to say Raymond Bl,and, brilliant chef, and from Burgundy, which in my opinion is the finest cuisine and wine in the world. My ambition is to stay and eat at Le Manoir de Quat Saisons

 

[The Birdman]

Hairy bikers they lost a lot of weight recently must of been something they eat.

 

[chucky1973]

Mr Oliver for me,

 

[BensGrandad]

Question on The Chase just now - before becoming a TV personality Ainsley Harriott was Head Chef at which sporting venue- they listed Lords Wembley and Twickenham I knew the answer was Lords because my ex boss was Catering Manager and sacked him as he said he was useless. He made brilliant dishes with the prime cuts of meat but couldn't utilize the cheaper cuts so consequently never made a profit or at least very rarely did.

 

[TheJasperCo]

Since I started getting into cooking, I've enjoyed most TV food programmes. Probably my favourite though is Nigel Slater. Jamie Oliver is also equally passionate in what he does, but some of his better recipes are too complicated for me to follow. Hugh-Fearnley Whittingstall is also quite good.

 

[MJsGhost]

My favourite chef who's been on telly a lot as opposed to having a regular show is Tom Kerridge who also runs a 2 star PUB called the Hand and Flowers. He's often on stuff like Great British Menu and Masterchef. He looks and talks like an enormous West Country chav but the food he produces is amazing if you like lots of meat which I do. Does posh steak and chips, whole pig roasts that sort of thing. In a duck dish he did on Masterchef the other day even his peas were cooked with duck meat. Not one for the veggies.

Of people who have had shows it's another vote for Keith Floyd and I like Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations though I'm biased because I like his writing.

I like Tom Kerridge too - always seems like a top bloke. Paul Ainsworth gets a similar vote from - not so much a TV chef in the presenter mould, but a great chef who comes across well on TV - I've had a few excellent meals at no 6 in Padstow.

Just because I know you're all wondering, here's my take on some of the chefs/cooks mentioned and some who haven't:

Nigel Slater - I like his books/recipes, but I cannot stand the way he comes across on TV - I find him completely unwatchable.
Rachel Khoo - gets my vote as hottest TV chef/cook, (Florence Knight & Ching He Huang not far behind)
Michela Chiappa - fit, but a bit annoying
Michel Roux Jnr - comes across as a genuinely nice guy and with 2 stars, clearly a hugely talented chef.
Michel Roux - I would LOVE to have this guy as my granddad. (RIP both of my actual granddads!) Seems a total gent & always amusing when he's on.
Ainsley Harriot - unwatchable, irritating ****
Anthony Worrel-Thompson - smug little gnome
Heston - great cookery stunts and I'd love to go to the fat duck, but I don't find his shows particularly useful for picking up actual tips / recipes. Good TV though
Rick Stein - very watchable & useful for recipes you'd actually follow
Delia - let herself down big time with that series of cheating recipes. Old hat.
Nigella - has become a caricature of herself. Spends too much time on her knowing looks & inuendo to be taken in the slightest bit seriously - too obvious is now a tired 'joke'
Jamie Oliver - my opinion has mellowed somewhat. He's still irritating at times, but I think he's done a lot of good with his campaigns and he also does easy to follow & tasty recipes, so scores well for giving useful tips/recipes
Gino D'Campo - I also find him irritating (I fear my tolerance lessens as the years creep by)
Gordon Ramsay - another very talented chef, but I find him odious and struggle to watch if he's on. His shows are more (bad) light-entertainment than any use for learning about cooking.
James Martin - does a decent job of presenting. Lets himself down by writing for the Daily Hail
Lorraine Pascal - strikes me as a 'manufactured' tv chef rather than someone with any talent - her recipes are very basic and I also find her annoying
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - I like Hugh and his presenting style and a lot of his recipes
Valentine Warner - posh, but endearingly so. Seems to genuinely love food, but I can see how people might find him irritating.
The Fabulous Baker Brothers - anyone remember them form 1 or 2 years ago? UTTER TOSH

Of all the TV chefs though, my all-time favourite has got to be Keith Floyd in terms of combining decent food along with presenting / entertainment.

What the above tells me is that I am:
a) turning into a grumpy, opinionated old man
b) I watch too many cookery shows on TV