TV Cooks

[brawburd]

Delia, Jamie, Nigella, Fanny, Nick, Anthony etc. Who's best? Do you like watching one but would rather cook from another one's book? Or do the two go together? Do you watch them but never cook? If so, what's the interest? For me, its Nigella all the way. Real woman, real food!

[treaclefight]

well said einstein, delia will teach you everything you need to know, as for all the others, me and my mother have loads of their books, we use about two recipes at most from each in the end and we only follow the recipes when we cant remember them. this means alot of the recipes are subjected to a sort of chinese whispers thing where we dont cook their recipes any more, we do our own thing based on what they wrote.....oh and i dont weigh anything and i cook things til they look right rather than timing them. so to answer your question, the recipe books are more for ideas than real life, bit like nigella :-)

[Cetti]

I must be one of the few people who is not a Delia fan - simply because her recipes fail repeatedly in my hands (and oven), whereas the Nigella approach is much more laid back eg. pick a bit of this and that - work a treat. Like treaclefight I don't stick blindly to any one recipe though - after a dummy run I see what works for me then adjust the ingredients accordingly. Apart from the brilliant Keith Floyd the rest of the TV chefs - Jamie et al, irritate me no end.

[Toglet]

Madhur Jaffrey - great cook, great recipes!

[jessie]

I like to watch Nigella but I prefer to eat Fanny.

[chijiki]

Ken Hom - Chinese
Rick Stein - Seafood

[gilf]

She's never had her own series on terestrial TV (but on Ready Steady Cook alot) but Lesley Waters is really good. I have all her books and one of them "Cooler than Chillies" is bible pretty much everything I cook comes from that one book.

[darth vader]

Jamie is a top watch as he is interesting and god knows we need someone interesting since Floyd stopped broadcasting. Anthony W.T. goes on like a paedophilic uncle in front of the camera and needs taking round the back and putting out of his misery. Delia needs a good rogering to put a smile back on her miserable face. I know she's not a food expert but Jilly Goolden (Mrs Booze Guru) gets Darth's vote as he would happily stretch her out over a desk and give her a good seeing to with his light sabre. Don't see the attraction in Nigella. Recommend Jamies books for recipes as they're different, interesting and mainly easy-peasy to make, otherwise save your money and take your pick from one of the squillion recipe websites online (i usually use http://www.allrecipes.com/) as they're written by ordinary people like you and me who were successful in completing the recipe, so we would have a reasonable chance also, of making the recipe.

[darth vader]

ps top answer jessie! :-)

[RCP]

I once had lunch at Floyd's house in Kinsale but that was just because a friend was looking after it for him. When I commented on how new (i.e. spotless) the kitchen looked, my friend informed me that this was because Floyd actually can't stand cooking himself any more. I must say I like to watch Rick Stein (although I have his book and haven't attempted anything yet - does he not know the cost of some fish?), Jamie's a bit too wannabe working class, Ainsley should be shot but AWT is bearable. Delia looks miserable & I agree with Darth's solution as long as it's him that carries it out.

[blackfive]

Every time I see Nigella in a kitchen, I wonder to myself, "what is she doing, being so far from a mirror". Delias' book "Complete Cookery Course" is our cooking bible. Try her 'beef in beer' - heaven!!

[Janetex]

Have Delia's book, but I NEVER follow a recipe. Jamie is my kind of cook. Give me Two Fat Ladies any day. Oh, and what about Nick Steine (sp?).

[coggles]

Tony Tobin........ mmmmmmmmmm, tasty!!

[andy hughes]

I have no interest in cookery what ever, or food for that matter, but I watch Nigella - no interest in what she's cooking, I just love the sound of her voice, and I think she's really sexy!

[darth vader]

Oh god yeah i forget about the two fat ladies! - you'll never be able to follow any recipes they did as they were always so bizarre and needed cooking utensils/equipment that can only be found in an antique shop in Hunstanton, but they were absolutely fantastic to watch! Poor Jennifer (you should've quit the ciggies my dear!).

Darth has decided that if it's for the cause he will stretch Delia out too and "show her the force".....

[darth vader]

Oh wow they even have their own little bit of website (at the beeb) http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/twofatladies/

[answerbankin]

Ainsley Harriet