Luxor4u

More a TV travel program about food than the other way around.

Beautiful photography of out of the way places, self-deprecating humor, lots of history, lamb, pasta, offal and BBQ. And fish and taking the p**s out of pretensions chefs and cooking shows.

What is it about Ric Stein? When I mention him people say he is angry and gruff and just a fish 'cook'.

I find his enthusiasm for simple food, unstuffy approach and obvious pleasure in ordinary things infectious. Maybe that's what people have against him. He's also not big on presentation and novelty which are the big themes of the moment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0667qf6

Wonder how Elizabeth David would fare in the current TV cooking market against the angry narcissists and kitchen goddesses. Poor, promiscuous, difficult old drunk but she could meticulously research and write and, for a select few, cook. Probably would be unemployed in the current market and wouldn't have become a world-wide game changer. Wonder whether the kitchen goddess will change the cooking world?

I'm a bit biased against TV chefs. Years ago spent 4 hours in a restaurant with a loud mouthed, stupid, pimply, drunk with wandering hands and a wife at home. If he ate his own food then he looked like he had made himself very sick. Dreadful person now promoting himself as a school food reformer. For a chef (was he ever a chef?) he wasn't careful with personal hygiene. But the punters like him. Another TV chef kicked us out of his restaurant after we all (6) sent back our identical entrees. Screaming match in the middle of a crowded restaurant - he did all the screaming. Similar personality. Drunk, loud mouthed and angry. Maybe all TV chefs are like this in the flesh. But not my Ric.

I've dipped in and out of various Rick Stein's travel and food series. I'm never quite sure if I'm more interested in the food or locations - but that's not a bad thing as the two do go hand in hand. I've been to one of his places in Padstow, and also his shop there. The food was good, as it should be but left me bit a disappointed in as much as it was nothing so good to warrant the inflated price. A couple of years ago he opened up a restaurant in my town. I'd like to eat there but I've yet to be able to find an occasion that I can justify the expense. The premises that the Rick Stein restaurant occupies was formerly, and very briefly, occupied by a Jamie Oliver enterprise which I never managed to visit either.

I like Rick Stein and loved his little dog 'Chalky' even more, a grand liitle chap, shame he has gone to the big doggy walk in the sky.

I watched these programs, last year I think? Extremely enjoyable, particularly learning where the medieval drink "Malmsey" came from. I have a couple of his cookery books and gave always had good results with his recipes, although they're not for beginners.