14 Cancelled Cooking Shows We Wish Would Return

It would be hard to imagine a world without around-the-clock, culinary-themed programming. Between the internet, public television, streaming networks, podcasts, and standards like the Food Network, the opportunity to learn about cooking is endless. And yet, this is a relatively recent phenomenon in entertainment history. 

The earliest cooking program appeared on radio with "Betty Crocker" premiering in the U.S. in 1924. The "Cookery" premiered on BBC television on June 12, 1946, with a tutorial on how to make lobster vol-au-vents. The first cooking show to air in the U.S. starred the inimitable James Beard, which debuted the same year as the BBC's cooking show, but lasted less than nine months. While several others followed, it was not until 1963, when Julia Child premiered on the legendary "The French Chef" that the cooking program as we know it was born.

These early programs laid the foundation for the continuously morphing terrain, moving away from educational cooking programs to reality competitions and more celebrity-driven shows. Some canceled cooking shows have left indelible marks on our psyches. Let us look at a few of our favorites throughout the years.

 "The Taste," which ran for three seasons between 2013-2015, was somewhat unique in the annals of reality competition shows. The premise included 16 competitors who would compete in weekly blind tastings to determine which dish was the best and the worst, ultimately eliminating until a winner is reached. What was unique, besides the fact that home cooks competed against professional chefs, none of the competitors knew who was cooking what, thereby leveling the playing field. Each competitor got assigned to a team that was selected by the four chefs and co-hosts: Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre, and a rotating chef.

Egos aside, of which there were plenty, this show taught its viewers how integral every element of the composition of a bite of food was in the overall execution of a dish. The careful conceptualization of the taste, texture, color, and balance of every sample presented to the judges was necessary for competitors to succeed. 

Despite the concept, the star power of the cocky-yet-charming Anthony Bourdain, the naughty-yet-polite Nigella Lawson, and the colorful competitors, ratings never really took off. Granted, it did take home three Primetime Emmy nominations for Bourdain in the Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program category. Perhaps its fatal flaw was timing as reality competition shows saturated the market giving viewers too many options. Inevitably the show got canceled after its third season, much to our chagrin.

Running for three seasons between 2005-2008 was a somewhat quirky show starring the Australian chef Curtis Stone. The premise of "Take Home Chef" was that Stone would approach an unsuspecting woman at the grocery store and offer his culinary services to her. If she agreed, he would go home and assist her in creating the meal of a lifetime to share with friends and family. In the process, the viewer would presumably learn a few tips and tricks about cooking, although there was a lot of voyeurism in this show. 

Frankly, it was almost impossible to ignore the chemistry between Stone and many of the women, and we had doubts about the legitimacy of the "surprise" aspect of the show. That said, there was always some interest in what would happen when the family, or more often husband, would return home to find cameras in their faces. We admit, sometimes we watched for the drama, often we watched for chef Stone's cooking tips, but we always watched for the not-bad-on-the-eyes chef Stone.

The show got canceled due to waning viewership. Stone has gone on to have a stellar career appearing in other cooking shows, including "Top Chef Masters," "The Today Show," "America's Next Great Restaurant," "The Biggest Loser," "Around the World in 80 Plates," and "Masterchef."

In 2010, the winner of the sixth season of "The Next Food Network Star," Aarti Sequeira, premiered her show on the network titled "Aarti Party." The show, true to form for the bubbly chef born in India, raised in Dubai, and educated in Britain, sought to fuse her Indian culinary roots with American classics. The show ran for three seasons between 2010–2011 but was canceled despite her ongoing popularity.

In an interview conducted by Entertainment Weekly, Sequeira discusses how she seemed to appear on the scene at the right time for Indian food to take hold in the U.S.: Movies like "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Slumdog Millionaire" brought Indian culture to the American psyche, expanding the availability of and curiosity about Indian spices and foods. For Sequeira, her show acted as the perfect vessel to expand on this curiosity and, perhaps, normalize it, which is what we appreciated most about the chef and the show. It was a departure from the status quo, allowing us to learn about another culture.

After her show got canceled, Sequeira continued to be a regular on the Food Network appearing on "Chopped All-Stars," "Cutthroat Kitchen All-Stars," and "Guy's Grocery Games." 

No discussion about cooking shows would be complete without honoring Julia Child. Without her, we would not be where we are today in terms of culinary entertainment and education. "The French Chef" ran for 10 seasons from 1963–1973 on WGBH public television in Boston. It boasted 206 episodes, won a Primetime Emmy in 1966, and won Child a Peabody Award in 1965.

Critical acclaim aside, what made Child so special was her uncanny ability to connect with the audience. Her wit, slightly exasperated breathless tone of voice, unflappability, unabashed commitment to using copious quantities of butter and wine, and awkward gait made her an instant hit. What we appreciated most was that despite how entertaining Child could be, she was an effective and engaging teacher. If you watched the show, you would certainly learn something about French culinary technique and execution that would inevitably make you a better cook.

Thankfully reruns of "The French Chef" are still available in syndication for modern-day food enthusiasts to discover. If you only have time to watch one episode, we recommend episode 17, season 8, titled "Coq Au Vin Alias Chicken Fricassee." Here she simultaneously executes both dishes, illustrating how these chicken dishes are similar and pronouncing at the end of the episode in classic Child fashion that if you serve them both, you "get to drink two wines!"

There is something inherently bizarre about the fact that chefs have become such celebrities that we want, nay, need to know about them outside of their shows, restaurants, and cookbooks. The Food Network built its popularity on creating personalities who are catapulted into celebrity status. 

Enter "Chefography," which ran for six seasons from 2006–2012. The show features a different chef weekly for a one-hour documentary-style program. While most of the chefs featured are from the Food Network, others eventually started their own shows as the boundaries of celebrity chef-dom expanded beyond the network walls.

While not a cooking show that taught us anything about how to cook, it did illuminate the different pathways in which people entered the culinary field, sparking the imagination of anyone who ever fancied the idea of becoming the next star of the culinary world. Our favorites included the episode about Sandra Lee, whose "Semi-Homemade" concept grew out of a wildly successful home-decorating idea inspired by her challenging upbringing. This business caught the attention of QVC, turning her into a multi-millionaire within a year. Her episode completely changed our views on the show, putting the premise into context and giving us a newfound respect for her ingenuity.

Slap the word "healthy" in the title of a show, and you are bound to run into two kinds of viewers: those who run for the hills and those whose curiosity is piqued enough to tune in. For five seasons between 2007–2011, registered dietitian and nutritionist Ellie Krieger invited viewers to tune into her program, "Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger, " on the Food Network to learn how to create simple, healthy, and delicious food. Kreiger provided tips and trips to incorporate strategies for eating healthy under any circumstance from work to the restaurant to vacation.

Aside from a kind smile and bright eyes making you feel like you can trust her, Krieger brought legitimacy to her program. She holds an undergraduate degree in clinical nutrition from Cornell University and a graduate degree in nutrition education from Teachers College Columbia University. Krieger is also a New York Times bestselling, IACP award-winning, and James Beard award-winning author of seven cookbooks. 

We enjoyed her easy delivery and the simplicity of her recipes. Her knowledge certainly shined through the television screen, inspiring even those who view the idea of healthy food through skeptical eyes. She continues to appear on Public Television in "Ellie's Real Good Food."

While it only lasted for one brilliant season in 1999, "Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home" was one of the most enjoyable cooking shows ever to grace the television airways. It brought together an 87-year-old Julia Child with her dear friend, colleague, and celebrity chef in his own right, the Frenchman Jacques Pépin. The show's success is reflected in its accolades, winning a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Service Show Host in 2001.

While the show featured both French and American recipes, what made the show was not how it educated viewers, but rather the repartée between the two stars. The banter between them and sometimes heated disagreements about how to cook an item or dish was both hilarious and thought-provoking. Pépin would entertain Child's disagreements, gently teasing her with quips and offering slightly sarcastic commentary in his charming French accent.

Perhaps our favorite aspect of the show was how willing they were to engage in silly gimmicks, like bringing a live chicken to produce an egg, pretending to use a chop saw to cut into an ostrich egg, or wearing a welding mask while wielding an industrial blowtorch to broil the top of a crème brulée. They enjoyed the playfulness and revelry, reminding all of us that cooking should be fun.

Chef Ming Tsai is no stranger to cooking shows, with one of his best known "East Meets West" (1998–2003) having a successful five-year run on the Food Network. It even garnered a Daytime Emmy in 1999 for Outstanding Service Show Host. His focus on bringing Eastern and Western culinary traditions together grew from his varied culinary education, which involved stages in Paris, under renowned pastry chef Pierre Herme, and in Osaka, with sushi master Kobayashi.

In 2005, Tsai decided to take his curiosity and skills on the road with his part travel show, part cooking show "Ming's Quest." The show ran for three seasons with episodes featuring unique themes like learning how to extract honey from beehives in Northern California to clam digging in Alaska. Each episode began with an educational tour into the world of a particular place and food, followed by recipes prepared by Tsai. His likeability and knowledge of food were the perfect blends of information and entertainment.

Since leaving the Food Network, Tsai has made history with his program "Simply Ming," which is the longest-running cooking show in PBS history. He has also won numerous awards and accolades for his restaurants, including a James Beard Award for "2002 Best Chef Northeast." 

If you were to ask us to spend a day watching just one person cooking and eating, it would be Nigella Lawson. That may sound hyperbolic, but it is not. Nigella is not a professional chef. Her background is in journalism, where her affinity for food emerged as a restaurant critic. She published her first cookbook in 1998, "How to Eat," which became an instant hit in the U.K. Her second opus "How to be a Domestic Goddess," released in 2000, made her a household name, garnering her a British Book Award for Author of the Year.

The success of her cookbooks led to television and her first show, "Nigella Bites," which premiered in 1999. This self-proclaimed domestic goddess oozes sensuality when she cooks and eats. It doesn't matter what she is making — you want to make and eat it. While there were only 18 episodes, each one is a glimpse into the world of Nigella. The show was filmed in her kitchen and offered a glimpse into her world. For Nigella, food is clearly about passion, connection, and indulgence, but never about being fussy.

The Nigella Lawson empire continues to thrive with numerous cookbooks, a blog, endorsements, guest appearances, partnerships, online videos, and even tours across North America, where she answers questions, talks about her books, and inspires with her continued love of food and cooking. While the word "foodie" did not get coined by Nigella, she should be the face of it.

Padma Lakshmi is another cooking show host from a somewhat untraditional background. While she obtained degrees in Theater and American Literature from Clark University, Lakshmi's career took off as the first Indian supermodel. This platform enabled her to work her way into the culinary world as the host of shows like "Planet Food," which lasted for six seasons, airing on the Food Network and the Discovery Channel.

This one-hour docuseries was a travelogue highlighting the food and culture of countries across the globe. The show benefited from Lakshmi's good looks, but more importantly, her knowledge of and affinity for exotic foods and spices. It was wildly entertaining, aesthetically pleasing, and educational — a win-win-win.

While Lakshmi has made history as the creator, host, and executive producer of the award-winning television show "Top Chef," she has also enjoyed success with several bestselling cookbooks and her New York Times bestselling memoir "Love, Loss, and What We Ate." 

When craving a virtual sweet treat, look no further than the award-winning pastry chef Gale Gand. Host of the Food Network sensation "Sweet Dreams" for eight years, Gand made history by hosting the first nationally televised dessert-only cooking show, which is one of the reasons we include her in this list. The other reason — it was a great show. 

Gand knows her stuff. She's got the education, experience, and longevity, giving her authority. But, more importantly, her down-to-earth personality, calm demeanor, and easygoing educational style made her a delight to watch. For anyone who might have felt intimidated by making a complicated pastry crust or a classic French dessert, Gand would set your mind at ease and make you feel like you could also be a pastry chef.

Since wrapping her show, the multiple James Beard Award-winning and critically acclaimed pastry chef and founder of the legendary Chicago restaurant Tru hasn't stopped. Having experienced her talents on numerous occasions at various events, we can attest to her professionalism and enthusiasm as a chef and educator.

Sara Moulton is virtual culinary royalty. Her 30-plus-year career spans the globe and across the television airwaves. An early protegée of Julia Child, Moulton co-founded the New York Women's Culinary Alliance, was executive chef of "Gourmet" magazine, and was the Food Editor for "Good Morning America." Her success on the Food Network with her first show, "Cooking Live," helped to cement the legitimacy of and staying power for the network.

Her second show, "Sara's Secrets," began immediately after wrapping her first show in 2002 and lasted for three years. This show, a vehicle for Sara to exhibit her culinary prowess and teach basic culinary techniques, was also a huge success. She would often welcome other chefs, cookbook authors, and food industry professionals to the show to talk about niche subjects, making the show a well-rounded program for anyone interested in food and cooking — and we sure miss it.

When we think of Food Network's show "Too Hot Tamales," we think of the term "girl power." From 1995–1999, the dynamic duo of Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger brought viewers 396 beguiling episodes featuring the rich diversity of the Mexican culinary landscape. The women first met while working at a French restaurant in Chicago in 1978. While they initially went their separate ways to pursue further education and gain experience, the women reconvened in 1981 when they opened City Cafe on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. An instant hit, the cafe got converted into the duo's most well-known establishment, Border Grill.

Their focus on Latino cuisine of all ilks made them distinct, particularly in the early days of the Food Network, but what set them aside more than anything was the natural fondness the duo shared. There was no doubt that these ladies loved each other's company. While they laughed and chatted, they educated and inspired audiences, making this one of the most memorable shows in Food Network history.

The host of 14 seasons (and winner of the 2007 Peabody Award) for the brilliant show "Good Eats" on the Food Network brought quirky humor and culinary chops to our television from 1999–2012. One of our favorite shows, Alton Brown could tell you more about the history, science, and technique of why to cook food the way you should in one hour than most cookbooks could convey in 100 pages. Even if you didn't enjoy every recipe, he was captivating and intriguing.

While the end of Brown's show didn't end his relationship with the Food Network, it certainly was the end of an era where educational programming was integral to the network. Since then, he has hosted numerous reality competition shows, including "Iron Chef America" and "Cutthroat Kitchen." He has also authored eight books and performed two live culinary variety show events at sold-out theaters nationwide and on Broadway. Not bad for a guy who got his start as a cameraman. New episodes of his revamped "Good Eats: Reloaded" can now be seen on the Food Network.