Marija Ocokoljic

WHAT`S COOKING? X FACTORS, VOICES, IDOLS, PLEASE STEP ASIDE! HERE COME MASTERCHEFS, TOP CHEFS, WORLDS BEST BAKERS. SEEMS LIKE A SPATULA IS THE NEW MICROPHONE. And the new vehicle to the stars. Cooking shows are all over our TV. Chefs are superstars. How did this happen? There are the business reasons. These shows are relatively easy and cheap to produce. It is far easier to put together a kitchen then to have 15 people in the Philippines for weeks. Spin offs are a streak of gold. So much content can come out of a one true star. Just look at Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsey. Several TV shows, franchises, books, sponsorship deals etc. Celebritynetworth.com reports that Jamie Oliver’s net worth is around 400 million $ . The same site reports that estimated net worth of LeBron James is 340 million $, Julia Roberts 170 million $. Talk about superstars. As for sponsors, well they just fly in naturally. The topic is wide enough to include brands from so many categories – retail, food, beverages, appliances. And when you have such a rich list of potential sponsors, where if one backs out you can easily replace him, you know you are in good shape. On the other hand, from the viewers point, food is relatable. Ok we probably can not even pronounce some of the spices they use, but we all have kitchens, all try to cook something now and then, so we can relate to a point. It is emotional, there every day, and today more than ever approachable in the global sense. From China to Latin America, Africa to the North, you can find everything and anything. So the topic of the shows comes easy. Compared to other reality TV and competitions, cooking shows promote a set of different values. They are all about skills and dedication, not just pure talent and the desire to be famous. These people don’t fight for their chance to be celebrities, they fight for their chance to slave around a hot stove for the rest of their lives. The competitive aspect is a big part of the appeal. Bringing tension and drama with all the eliminating rounds, pressure challenges and what not, it makes you come back every week. Rose Prince wrote for the Daily Mail that the audit done for the period of 7 days in 2014 showed that BBS, Sky and Food network aired the unbelievable 434.5 hours — 18 days’ worth of food TV in a week . It seems like we have never been exposed to more ideas, cuisines, styles. And what is happening in our kitchens? Do we cook more? Or better? Are these shows even intended for us to learn how to cook? Washington Post reports that compared to TV as number one leisure activity in the USA, cooking is not even in the top ten. In 2014 less then 60% of suppers served at home were prepared at home. We cook less, not more, in spite of all those shows. The main reason behind it being lack of time due to both sexes working full time. So there is not enough time. But still, there is time to watch these shows. So all the shows, chef superstars and such a profusion of content related to cooking… It does not seem to be helping in the kitchen at all.