Food Network Unveils New In-Restaurant Series

Mike Reynolds

Food Network is seeking to broaden its audience base by taking them out to eat.

As an integral part of its third-quarter programming slate, Food Network will unveil seven new series that will take viewers into kitchens and restaurants around the country. By visiting places where food is prepared and served in rural, urban and suburban locales, the channel is answering charges from critics about its programming being, well, of the cookie-cutter variety.

"Our affiliates and advertisers have said there are perceived opportunities-not problems-by taking our programming outside the studio because we have been defined too narrowly as a food preparation network," said Eric Ober, who joined the Food Network as its president last fall. Ober also believes that "the different geographies will bring a different group of viewers. This will give us an opportunity to get new viewers, whom we believe will be younger, and keep the existing ones accustomed to our traditional preparation shows."

Among the new series that will take viewers out in the field are Knockout Kitchens, Extreme Cuisine, Calling All Cooks, and Food to the Rescue.

The new prime time entries will trigger off a shift in Emeril Live to 8 p.m. weeknights from its current spot at 9 p.m., followed by a checkerboard slate mixing in new shows like Good Eats, starring filmmaker and food expert Alton Brown, with existing fare like Two Fat Ladies.

"Emeril is our Seinfeld," Ober averred. "We want to build from there and get people to stay for our checkerboard. Emeril attracts a good number of male viewers and we want to keep them through the evening. We also think Emeril will bring us more young and even kids viewership."

In addition to rolling out the new series, which bows on June 28, Food Network is revamping and revising a number of its returning series. All told, the Scripps Networks-owned channel will offer up some 1,000 episodes of new programming. In turn, Ober said the net's budget has more than doubled from last year, but declined to divulge the outlay.