Some of the most popular Food Network shows have were canceled
quite suddenly. What did Paula Deen say to get fired?
What got Mario Batali blacklisted? Keep watching for the shocking answers.
In 1993, Food Network executives noticed Emeril Lagasse's talent and flair and hired him as one of
their original channel personalities. The chef and the network both struck gold with "Emeril Live."
The cooking show wowed audiences with its enthusiastic energy, receiving a CableACE
Award in 1997, its first year. Featuring a live audience and band, the percussionist chef could
often be seen swapping drumsticks for drumsticks during commercial breaks. BAM! Fans were hooked.
But by 2004, ratings had fallen. Food Network president Brooke Johnson was ushering in a new
wave of reality TV-style shows, and Lagasse's old school style wasn't the best fit.
Johnson tried to get Legasse to change his ways, offering him a gig on the new show "Iron
Chef America," but ultimately the two clashed, leading to Legasse's departure from the network:
"Emeril Live" filmed its last Food Network show in 2007.
Chef and restaurateur Mario Batali stepped onto the Food Network stage in 1996
as the dynamic orange Crocs-wearing chef of "Molto Mario". Chef Batali had an applause-worthy knack
for balancing the creation of robust and innovative Italian dishes while regaling
viewers and guest diners with a cultural and culinary tour of Italy. Batali would receive
James Beard awards for best chef of New York City in 2002 and outstanding chef of the year in 2005.
But in the midst of his culinary success,
"Molto Mario" fell apart. In 2004, the show was cancelled,
along with a number of other original Food Network programs. In 2008, Batali told New York Magazine,
"The Food Network [...] was tired of me and couldn't find a way to use my information."
Still, he continued to appear on shows like "Iron Chef America,"
and Food Network even contemplated reviving "Molto Mario." But in 2017, following accusations against
Batali of sexual misconduct by former female employees, that idea was dropped for good.
A classically educated chef, Sara Moulton founded the New York Women's Culinary Alliance in 1982,
worked in various restaurants, trained in France, and ran the dining room at Gourmet magazine.
She'd also solidified her behind-the-scenes TV presence backing Julia Child on PBS
and working as food editor with "Good Morning, America."
In 1996, Chef Moulton reluctantly agreed to host "Cooking Live" on Food Network.
It was a hit, only ending in 2002 when Moulton launched "Sara's Secrets" instead. For four years,
the show educated viewers with busy lifestyles on quick and easy techniques and recipes,
inviting celebrities and experts to join in. In 2004, "Sara's Secrets"
even got a shoutout in the liner notes of the Beastie Boys 2004 album, "To the 5 Boroughs."
But Moulton was also among the casualties when the original Food Network lineup was scrapped
in favor of reality competitions. After "Sara's Secrets" was cancelled in 2006, she told Eater,
"They dumped me. I was part of the old guard."
In 1998, the same year he opened his first restaurant Blue Ginger, chef,
restaurateur, and cookbook author Ming Tsai debuted "East Meets West" on Food Network.
For Ming, the concept of "East Meets West" signified a harmonious balance of the two
culinary approaches. In the show, Chef Tsai loved sharing this balance and teaching his audience
new methods while stimulating their palate with global flavors.
In 1998, he won an Emmy for outstanding service show host.
But, in 2003, as Food Network began rethinking its strategy,
Chef Tsai decided reality-TV wasn't his cup of tea. In an interview with
Good Food on Every Table, Tsai stated that he left the network because, quote,
"Food Network became all about competition." Like Batali and Moulton, Tsai ended up moving to PBS.
One of Food Network's longest-standing stars, restaurateur, author, and chef Bobby
Flay made his way from the French Culinary Institute to celebrity chef status in 1996
as the host of "Grillin' and Chillin'." Since then, he's appeared on a number
of Food NEtwork shows, including his hit series "Beat Bobby Flay."
But they haven't all been winners. In 2013, Flay took home-chefs from cities
across the U.S. on a wild reality ride in "Bobby's Dinner Battle."
With limited budgets and time constraints, three teams in each city were to create the
perfect three-course dinner for Flay, the other competitors, and a special guest.
Alas, the series only lasted five episodes. Chef Flay admitted in a 2013 article with MyRecipes,
quotem "I just don't think it was interesting." He said the show's concept didn't work but also
claims that it wasn't meant to be a multi-season show anyway, so technically it wasn't canceled.
"Ace of Cakes" star Duff Goldman made his debut on Food Network in 2005.
The show highlighted the ins and outs of Goldman's confectionary business
Charm City Cakes. For 11 seasons, viewers got a taste of the bakery's operations,
from the creation of fanciful cakes to Goldman's relationship with vendors and customers.
The show proved to be a sweet success but ended in 2011, much to the chagrin of its millions of
viewers. So why did it end? Goldman essentially just felt like it was time for a change in his
life. He moved to L.A., opened Duff's Cakemix, began filming a new show, "Sugar High," and then
worked alongside Valerie Bertinelli in "Kids Baking Championship" before taking a break.
He finally returned in 2019 with "Duff Takes the Cake," and in 2021 launched a Discovery+ show
called "Duff's Happy Fun Bake Time." But he said "Ace of Cakes" is basically done, as it captured,
quote, "a very special time and place that I'm just not sure we can ever really recreate."
Everyone loves a good romance. Unfortunately, "Down Home with the Neelys" was not one. In 2008,
Gina and Pat Neely, high school sweethearts and married for over 20 years, made up the
alleged happy couple of the Food Network hit. Gina and Pat brought not only their grilling
expertise and favorite dishes but also a relaxing, family-style vibe that viewers could relate to.
But in 2014, behind the smiles and loving façade, Gina packed her bags and exited both
husband Pat Neely and Food Network. It turned out that for the final two years of the show,
they two were separated, and Gina had had enough. She told Oprah,
"I never wanted to do the show. I never wanted to live my life quite out loud like that."
In a People Magazine interview, Gina revealed she had already planned a divorce before the show
began, and would cocoon herself before each episode. He was in the restaurant business;
she was in banking. He loved being on the show; she didn't.
Ultimately, the couple divorced.
In 2000, chef and author Anthony Bourdain launched his best-selling book,
"Kitchen Confidential." Hearing his new travel book idea, NYU film graduate Lydia
Tenaglia made a call, and soon Bourdain was filming "A Cook's Tour" on Food Network.
In 2002 and 2003, "A Cook's Tour" ran for 35 episodes and took viewers on a global
no-holds-barred culinary journey, from the beaches of the Caribbean to a Thailand jungle journey.
But there was a big problem: the Food Network didn't want him to actually travel,
as they felt ratings would improve if he focused on American cooking.
That was counter to the whole concept, so Bourdain refused, and then rebelled.
After the network rejected his idea for an episode with gastronomic forerunner Ferran Adria,
he filmed it anyway, and then pitched it to Travel Channel. They loved it, and in 2005 he
jumped networks to create the award-winning show "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations."
Before becoming a Food Network star, Paula Deen had a catering service,
opened a restaurant with her two sons, aptly named The Lady & Sons, in downtown Savannah,
and self-published two cookbooks. Then in 2002, Deen began her full-time career with Food network
on "Paula's Home Cooking," which led to "Paula's Party" in 2006 and "Paula's Best Dishes" in 2008.
For years, she was a hit. And then… things happened. In 2012,
Deen revealed she had been battling diabetes for three years, which many felt was kind of
important given that her food was renowned for celebrating unhealthy, comfort food ingredients.
But a much bigger problem came in 2013 when Deen admitted to using racial slurs. Along with many
other sponsors, Food Network quickly announced that they were not going to renew her contract,
and her time on the network came to a sudden and inglorious end.
"If you've never committed a sin, please pick up that rock,
pick up that boulder, and hit me as hard as you can."
Before reaching the Food Network shores, chef Robert Irvine began his culinary career in the
British Royal Navy. Not a novice to challenge, in 2007 Irvine accepted his new task on the
network as the host of "Dinner: Impossible." Accompanied by a team of chef assistants,
Irvine's assignment consisted of planning and executing extravagant dinners for large parties,
often in remote locations. The mission included a restricted time limit, tools, and ingredients,
and occasional hiccups, such as altering the number of guests.
However, in 2008, Food Network gave the chef a different mission:
to explain why he had embellished a few notable experiences on his resumé,
like the fact that he hadn't actually cooked for several U.S. presidents.
Technically, "Dinner: Impossible" wasn't canceled, but Irvine was removed as host. He
was replaced with Michael Symon. After apologies and explanations, though, Irvine was eventually
reinstated as host of "Dinner: Impossible" until its eighth season in 2010, after which it went
off the air. He was also offered another show, "Restaurant: Impossible," which lasted until 2016.
After a three-year hiatus, "Restaurant: Impossible" returned in 2019,
and "Dinner: Impossible" later returned as well, in 2021.
Two years after a pilot for Alton Brown's show "Good Eats" aired on Chicago public TV
1997, it was picked up by Food Network. After it ended in 2012, the author, cook,
and food science whiz went on to appear on "Iron Chef America" and the "Next Iron Chef,"
and in 2013 scratched his competitive itch as host of "Cutthroat Kitchen."
Airing for 15 seasons, the wacky, trash-talking battle featured four competing cooks.
Judged by celebrity chefs, their objective was to create the best dish and come out the
winner while fighting elimination during three rounds. Each contestant, initially given $25,000,
also had ample opportunity through an auction process to bid on cunning ways
to sabotage their opponents. The last person standing would keep their remaining bounty.
After almost 200 episodes, "Cutthroat Kitchen" was chopped in 2017.
Alton Brown had had enough of the game-show lifestyle and wanted to do something else,
like take a much deserved break after doing these shows for so long.
The break apparently reinvigorated Brown. Despite telling Larry King in 2014 that his
classic show "Good Eats" would never return to the airwaves, it did indeed reappear in 2019.
Restaurateur and celebrity chef Aarón Sanchez began his Food Network tenure
on the long-forgotten show "Melting Pot." Several years later, chef and restaurateur Chris Cosentino
joined Sanchez as a competitor on "The Next Iron Chef." The network apparently liked their vibe
together, because in 2009, the award-winning pals joined forces in "Chefs vs. City."
Hosted by Ethan Erickson, the reality competition followed Cosentino and Sanchez in a race against
two local chefs in various U.S. cities to complete a series of tasks before reaching the finish line.
Cosentino initially understood it to be a fun opportunity to combine travel,
food, and competition and promote his restaurant while hanging out with
Sanchez. But the experience wasn't what he expected.
During an impassioned MAD Symposium lecture in 2014, Cosentino revealed how terrible the show
was for him. He said he hated the pilot, which he felt made him look like, quote, "a bully."
But he was contractually obligated to finish the show, despite the fact that the eating aspects
of the show caused him such serious stomach issues that doctors thought he had cancer.
"Nobody can take that away. Nobody can take away that f--king moment in my life."
He revealed that he hated who he had become trying to chase
fame on the network, and left as soon as he could despite the show's high ratings.
While Aarón Sanchez remains a force on TV, Cosentino is happiest away from the cameras,
cooking, mentoring new chefs, cycling, and authoring his own Marvel comic book.
So next time you imagine how cool it would be to have your own Food Network show,
remember what Cosentino says: "Be careful what you wish for."
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