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Speaking With Renaissance Man Danny Boome

partysugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:01:31 -0800

Earlier this week I got a call from Food Network's latest star, the British charmer and self-proclaimed renaissance man, Danny Boome. Danny's new show, The Rescue Chef, debuts tomorrow at noon and I'll be watching. The show pairs Danny with home cooks who are desperate to overcome culinary obstacles. And according to Danny, there is no problem he can't solve, no dish he can't make. To see what he had to say when we spoke over the phone, read more.

Danny became interested in cooking while working as a manny - a male nanny - in Switzerland. Before leaping across the pond, he had a successful television career in the UK. He points out that cooking is not rocket science and enjoys providing home cooks with the basic techniques needed to build culinary confidence. Here's what he had to say:

PartySugar: What's it like dealing with people who aren't used to the camera?
Danny Boome: Surprisingly the people become very comfortable. They forget the cameras are there and are really more interested in the recipes. They want to learn how to deal with their culinary faux pas so I help them look at the language of cooking and break it down.

PS: With your show, what do you hope to teach the American people?
DB: I want to change the way people look at cookery. It's about practice, confidence, and fun. Don't get caught up in the ingredient in the recipes, if you only have chicken on hand, use that.
PS: Do you cook at home like you do on the show?
DB: Of course. I'm a bachelor, but I like to cook with the ingredients that I have on hand. It's a basic and quick way to do things. I'm always experimenting. With cookery you can really make it as basic and fun as you like.

PS: What's your advice to the everyday home cook?
DB: I've got loads of tips! Look at the show, look in cookbooks, experiment in your kitchen. Own it. It's about confidence, don't ever think "I can't do that." Push yourself!

PS: What did you have for lunch today?
DB: Well I haven't eaten lunch yet. I always eat on the go because I am very busy. Usually I have one big meal a day. Because I cook so much, I am so used to cooking all time, that I don't sit down to three meals.

I'm really curious to see what he does as he "sweeps the nation in a culinary revolution." Check out his show and let me know what you guys think of The Rescue Chef.

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Get Ready to Get Rescued

YumSugar — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:27:31 -0800

It seems like Food Network is rolling out several new shows this season. We're already looking forward to the Neelys, but now we can add Rescue Chef to the list of things to check out. Rescue Chef is actually British-born Danny Boome - veteran of both Canadian and English TV shows - and in the show he will be rescuing everyday cooks from their culinary catastrophes. It sounds a bit like Tyler Florence's old show Food 911, but I think it could be interesting. I always enjoyed those old episodes; it was always fun to see home cooks turn mush into culinary gold. And besides, I'm a sucker for a British accent and he looks easy on the eyes, no?

If any of this has piqued your interest, then set your TiVos; Rescue Chef starts March 1.

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Food Network Stirs the Pot With New Lineup

YumSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:00:06 -0700

Belong to the camp that loves watching the Food Network? You'll be happy to know that it's not only bringing back some of its popular shows for more seasons, but it'll also be adding some surprising new developments into the mix.

The Next Food Network Star is back for a fifth season in June - and a sixth is already planned for 2010. Once Top Chef Masters is over, you can tune into season two of The Next Iron Chef, which returns in October. Wondering what happened to season one contestants Chris Cosentino and Aaron Sanchez? Well, they'll be featured in a new program called Chef vs. City.

In the show, which debuts this July, the duo will be "pitted against two local foodies in a winner-takes-all race through a different city each week."

Intrigue is only one word we have for a new cooking show airing in August, starring none other than - you'll never guess - Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano. In the daytime show - tentatively and humorously titled What Would Brian Boitano Make?, the ice skater will demonstrate how he entertains for friends.

Also coming this year is Sandra Lee's budget-friendly cooking show Sandra's Money Saving Meals and Extreme Cuisine With Jeff Corwin, which sounds like Food Network's answer to Bizarre Foods. In 2010's lineup, Rescue Chef Danny Boome will host a new series that shows diners how to prepare healthier, cheaper versions of their favorite take-out dishes; Alton Brown will host a miniseries on foods that have changed the world; and Anne Burrell tackles a team of hopeless home cooks in Worst Cooks in America.

I can't wait to check out Boitano's show, for the shock factor. I'll also tune into watch Chris Cosentino and Aaron Sanchez, some of my favorites from Next Iron Chef. What shows are you looking forward to watching?

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Hey Good Looking, What's Cooking? Chatting With Rocco

partysugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:15:36 -0700

After serving the crowd his gloriously spicy lamb chop at the Bertolli booth at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, celebrity chef Rocco Dispirito took some time to speak with me. The chef - whose even more insanely handsome in person! - was charismatic, friendly, and funny. He talked about his upcoming show, Rocco to the Rescue, explained what it's like to be a Top Chef judge, and revealed his guilty pleasure foods. To see what he had to say, watch the video below!

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Is the Food Television Industry Too Cheesy?

partysugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:43:33 -0700

In what is becoming a disturbing trend, more and more celebrity chefs are hamming it up on screen and being made to look like cartoon characters. Take the beginning of Hell's Kitchen, for example. The cheftestants frolic around stupidly: one throws a giant animated tomato, another catches the tomato, and yet another slices the tomato in half with a larger-than-life animated knife. Clearly these scenes were filmed on a green screen.

Rotoscoping - the film technique in which live action is mixed with animation - can also be scene in the opening credits of Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals. In it, Ray spins and sits on a colossal clock. The Rescue Chef - another Food Network show starting Danny Boome - is oozing with cheese. Even Bravo has jumped on the bandwagon with the super-cheesy portrait photos of the Season 4 Top Chef contestants.

Am I the only one whose noticed and is bothered by this trend? What do you think? Has food television becoming too cheesy?

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Invite Rocco Into Your House!

YumSugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:01:18 -0800

Any Rocco DiSpirito fans in the house? If you answered yes to that question then you'll be excited to hear that Rocco is returning to television, and this time he might just cook for you. In his new show on A&E - no date set yet - called Rocco to the Rescue!, he will come to your house and teach you how to cook a special meal for a special occasion. The premise sounds a bit like Food Network's Rescue Chef - or like Ted Allen's role in Queer Eye - only with DiSpirito at the helm.

Now for the part that fans will really be excited about. If you live in the New York City area, you can try and get Rocco to come to your house. The casting call says:

A&E is looking for people in and around the New York City area who need Rocco’s help. To apply for the show, email CookWithRocco@gmail.com with your name, age, phone number, a recent photo, and the reason you need to cook with Rocco. You can also call our casting hotline: 818-752-5559. Everyone loves to share the important moments in life over food, and Rocco knows exactly how to make those moments memorable!

So are you going to invite Rocco into your kitchen?

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