Food Network Cancels 'The Kitchen' After 40 Seasons On-Air

By Bobby Lewis
Cast of Food Network's The Kitchen in the kitchen with show logo Food Network / Instagram

Cooking shows are a major part of the modern culinary landscape. Such programs introduce viewers to new dishes and foods. Often, these shows are richly populated with engaging personalities who love food and love to talk about it. Food Network has long been a hub for this type of programming, but it's about to lose one long-running show for good.

Variety recently reported that Food Network is ending production of "The Kitchen," a daytime culinary talk show that's run for more than 10 years. With over 500 episodes spanning 40 seasons, "The Kitchen" had ample opportunity to pick up fans, who at least have some time to mourn the show. Its final episode will air Saturday, December 13.

Since debuting in January 2014, "The Kitchen" has been a place for viewers to catch cooking demonstrations and engaging conversations from their favorite Food Network stars, including hosts Sunny Anderson, Katie Lee Biegel, Jeff Mauro and Geoffrey Zakarian, frequent guest host Alex Guarnaschelli, and dozens of other network personalities and celebrities. 

'The Kitchen's' past and future

Original cast of The Kitchen (left to right): Katie Lee, Jeff Mauro, Sunny Anderson, Marcela Valladolid, and Geoffrey Zakarian Brad Barket/Getty Images

Fans of "The Kitchen" will certainly miss the show, but its decade-long run wasn't all radish rosettes and sunshine. One of the worst Food Network scandals you probably forgot about involved John Besh, a former Food Network star who appeared on "The Kitchen" and other shows until 2017, when more than two dozen misconduct reports at his restaurants ended his appearances. Thankfully, this was an outlier for the show.

Although "The Kitchen" is ending, it's not necessarily the end for its hosts at Food Network. For instance, Sunny Anderson still hosts "Cooking for Real," and Geoffrey Zakarian will continue on "Chopped." Nevertheless, there are also plenty of Food Network stars who quietly faded from the spotlight, including giants like Emeril Lagasse and Ming Tsai. So far, none of "The Kitchen's" soon-to-be former hosts have publicly discussed their next moves.

Whatever the case, "The Kitchen's" significant run was a major era in Food Network history and in culinary programming more broadly. It will soon be joining "Emeril Live," "East Meets West," and "Semi-Homemade Cooking" as one of the top Food Network shows we miss the most.