Cooking Channel

In late 2009, the news broke that Scripps Networks Interactive would replace lifestyle channel Fine Living with a new programing station dedicated to food. The Cooking Channel, which focuses on educational programs rather than culinary competitions like older sister Food Network, appeared six months later on May 31.

To ensure that the channel debuted with plenty of viewers, some of the Food Network's top talent — Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Michael Symon — launched new cooking shows that would only be aired on the Cooking Channel. The rest of the programming was filled out with well-known television personalities from Canada, England, and Australia.

The only problem with the Cooking Channel is that it's not included in all cable packages, and many Food Network subscribers don't have access to it. Hopefully in 2011, the channel will not only launch more informative and interesting cooking programs, but it will also be available to a larger audience.

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Did you know that September is All-American Breakfast Month? I thought that title was awarded to every month out of the year, but that's probably because I'm breakfast and brunch's biggest fan. The beauty of breakfast's most popular dishes is that many of them, like french toast, only require the most basic of ingredients.

Got bread and eggs? Then you can make a sweet, syrup-baked breakfast on Saturday morning . . . and use the day-old bread to prepare a savory, peppery toast on Sunday. Enhance the flavor of Sunday's version with a topping of tomato jam, olive tapenade, or — my suggestion — caramelized onion and bacon jam. Get your weekend off to the right start when you read more.

If you're a fan of the Food Network but haven't been watching The Cooking Channel this Summer, there's a good chance that you'll change your mind come September. Its star-studded Fall lineup includes new original programs from Food Network vets Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Kelsey Nixon, among others.

Rachael Ray's Week in a Day, which premieres Sept. 25, will be the media mogul's first food-focused show in nine years. It'll feature cooking a week's meals, from scratch, all in one day. Bobby Flay's Saturday show now has a tech-savvy name, Brunch @ Bobby's, and a focus on sweet and savory recipes, including some of his family favorites. The program, which is filmed in his Hamptons kitchen, will premiere Oct. 16.

The Cooking Channel is also giving former Next Food Network Star cheftestants Kelsey Nixon and Jeffrey Saad another shot at the small screen. Nixon's new show, Kelsey's Essentials, is all about basic kitchen techniques, while Saad is set to host the tentatively titled United Tastes of America. His show will explore the history, science, and cultural impact of iconic foods like burgers and pizza.

Also in the pipeline? The Minimalist, based on the food column of New York Times writer Mark Bittman; My Life in Food, a portrait of lives transformed by food, produced by Al Roker; and Bitchin' Kitchen, a cooking show based on one comedienne's witty web series. Which shows do you think you'll catch?

Food Network's gearing up for Summer with more than just a grilling special. On Memorial Day, it will premiere The Cooking Channel. Earlier this year, the new network and successor to Fine Living revealed its lineup would include new titles from Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Emeril, along with little-known talent from abroad. Today, it announced the rest of the shows that'll debut May 31.

The primetime space will include Drink Up!, a cocktail class with Darryl "Dr. Mixologist" Robinson; Foodcrafters, a behind-the-scenes show with Food Network's Aida Mollenkamp; and Foodography, a cultural look back at famous foods with Mo Rocca of CBS Sunday Morning. There'll also be the likes of Cupcake Wars, a (you guessed it!) cupcake challenge, and the tentatively titled Food Trucks, a street food faceoff hosted by Tyler Florence.

During the day, the Cooking Channel will air Indian Food Made Easy and Caribbean Food Made Easy; reruns of Julia Child's Galloping Gourmet; and Cook Like an Iron Chef with Michael Symon. Also coming later this year to Food Network: another Next Food Network Star and The Next Iron Chef 3. While some of the shows don't seem original — Foodcrafters sounds a lot like Road Tasted, and Foodography sure reminds me of The Secret Life Of... — I'm excited about the new cooking programs featuring Indian and Caribbean cuisine. What will you watch?

These days, Food Network simply isn't enough to quell viewers' hunger for culinary programming. Last year, Scripps Networks Interactive announced its plans to replace lifestyle channel Fine Living with a new network, The Cooking Channel, debuting in the Fall of 2010. But today, the company revealed that The Cooking Channel will premiere earlier than expected, on Memorial Day, May 31. It has also altered its plans for programming. A release originally stated that the channel would hone in on instructional cooking shows, along with food information and history. But today, Scripps has adapted its programming to include more entertainment TV. Along with some overlap with the Food Network, it's also considering concepts such as a postgame show for The Next Food Network Star.

Programs for 2010 will include new titles such as Rachael Ray's Week in a Day, which focuses on cooking a week's meals all at once; Bobby Flay's Brunch; and Emeril's Fresh Food Fast. It's also bringing on lots of little-known talent from outside the US, like the UK's Ching-He Huang and Canada's Chuck Hughes.

Honestly, it sounds like more of the same — yet I love cooking shows so much that I'm sure I'll tune. What about you?