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Mike Reynolds
At Food Network's upfront presentation, the emphasis was clearly on fun, not to mention, er, widening the channel's viewership.
While attendees at the Manhattan event May 4 were aided by the channel's on-air personalities in the slicing and dicing of their table-side gazpacho, NBC's Al Roker and Food Network Eric Ober exchanged stomach slams in introducing the web's new programming lineup. That roster includes the rotund Roker's BBQ Nation and Kids Kitchen specials.
The presentation also served as a forum for Food Network to "kick things up a notch" with Emeril Lagasse, who signed a multi-year agreement with the channel, a deal encompassing his series, new specials and various promotional projects.
Indeed, Emeril will be integral in tipping off the network's new push toward series and other programs aimed at taking viewers into kitchens and restaurants around the country. By visiting places where eats are prepared and served in rural, urban and suburban locales, the channel is answering some naysayers who contend that Food Network is too centered on in-studio preparation shows.
On July 5 at 8 p.m., the chef will be front and center in Chicago, where a 90-minute special edition of Emeril Live: Big Bam Blast will run. Meanwhile, the network's new primetime entries will play off a shift in Emeril Live to 8 p.m. weeknights from its current spot at 9 p.m. That will be 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. Meanwhile, Sara Molton will add a primetime hour, Cooking Live, at both 7 and a new 10 p.m. time slot.
Among the new series set to bow: Knockout Kitchens, Extreme Cuisine, Calling All Cooks, Food to the Rescue, and Iron Chef, a culinary competition pitting a rival cook against one of the Japan's revered "Iron Chefs" in a battle to create a four-star meal from one main ingredient (ostrich eggs, anyone?)
In addition to rolling out the new series, 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.
The Roker offerings aside, Food Network's Sunday night specials include Disney's Epcot Food & Wine Festival and Ballpark Cafe, in which the network will sample Fenway Franks and the like at Major League Baseball stadia. The latter is scheduled to premiere during baseball's post-season.
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