Good News, Kids!
Sunday, June 15, 2008 | posted by Mike
Apparently, eating paste in elementary school has no long-term effect on cognitive ability.At least none that prevent you from going on to become a Senior Vice President, Programming and Production.
We kid Mr. Tuschman because we like him. But seriously, Bob...we're glad you stayed away from the lead paint.
Labels: Bob Tuschman
Food Network and the Internet Part Three: Blogs
Thursday, December 27, 2007 | posted by Mike
Welcome to part three of a four part series: Food Network and the Internet...a short and (hopefully) not too wonky look at how the Food Network's current and possible future online strategies. This part will focus on blogs. Scroll down for parts one and two.On to a topic close to my own heart…blogging. One question that has vexed countless PR and Advertising professionals is how does one approach, work with and respond to content generated by bloggers (and message board posters, though they’ve been around for a while now). I can speak from personal experience that the Food Network (and a number of other shows/outlets) has done a very good job of interacting with blogs like TV Food Fan. They’re proactive in that I get all of the press releases and notices and they’re reactive when I have questions or requests. Despite the fact that I could run this site for 10,000 years before it’s seen by as many visitors as one issue of People, I’m not given the bum’s rush. I’m not sure how much they interact with other sites, but my strong guess would be that they’re equally helpful to any site that offers fair commentary on the Network.
So dealing with external blogs is one thing. But what all companies really want – and the topic of countless (mostly mind-numbing) conference sessions to which I’ve given entirely too much of my life – is an “official” blog that allows you to get your point of view out and respond (if necessary) to any conversations in the blogosphere. Car manufacturers and tech companies are often cited as the most successful sources of these blogs, which often feature high- or mid-to-high-level executives speaking directly to the reader in a personal, familiar voice. And they work because the people the companies choose to put out there are suitably wonky and knowledgeable, and so the reader gets good, insightful perspective. What these sites are not: PR flaks trying to pretend to be a blogger.
Food Network has taken only measured steps toward official blogs, and their efforts have not been strongly advertised. We spoke a while back about a blog run by the members of the Food Network kitchen, which fits nicely into the “behind the scenes” category and could conceivably have been quite entertaining. Actually, it is pretty good when it’s active and has something interesting to talk about, which isn’t very often, unfortunately.
The most logical choice for bloggers would be any of the on-air talent that possesses a familiarity with the Web and a conversational tone (and, frankly, enough time on his or her hands). In the time since I’ve been running this site, there have been a handful of good candidates. Alton Brown could do it, but does most of his talking over at his own site. George Duran actually had a blog on FN.com for a while. Chris Cognac had the Internet experience and writing chops. One of the supporting cast-members (GEOF MANTHORNE!!) of Ace of Cakes would be a perfect candidate, especially if it took the form of the semi-bitchy workplace blogs you see from some unfortunate office drone.
The problem is, as I have learned the hard way, blogging requires tremendous discipline and often languishes if it’s not mandated. The most consistent official blogs in food TV have been the Top Chef crew, whose posts come out like clockwork.
In the end, blogs by the talent are going to generate very good traffic and increased appreciation of the show. They’re a no-brainer. But we all know that the development of the Food Network brand is just as important as any of the individual show brands.
Another option – one that the Food Network has tried – can be a bit more delicate. There is always the possibility of bringing an outside blogger in-house or hiring a full-time blogger. FN went with the first option when they ran Adam Roberts of The Amateur Gourmet during the past season of Next Iron Chef. The results were good, but mostly because there likely is not a better, smarter or funnier full-time food blogger out there.
It looks like he was given quite a bit of leeway in what he wrote. That’s a good thing and a necessary thing for someone who would go back to their own blog with their independence. Because, that’s the thing…a blog run by a company – even if it claims “independence” – is a blog run by a flak. And, as such, it’s another PR/publicity organ – no more and no less.
Lest it sound like I’m saying this in a pejorative sense, I’d like to clarify that my day job is to be a flak. And I’m friendly with a former co-worker who runs a large company’s blog. He’s a flak, too, but he’s up-front about it and does a good job of writing from the perspective of a company employee and public relations representative while still preserving his individual voice and not lapsing too much into corporate-speak.
All of this illustrates the challenge for Food Network (and any other such entity) when they try to set up a blog. You can’t just take an existing blog like TV Food Fan, plop it down on FN.com and call it a Food Network blog. It would likely not work, and it would result in an awkward “I’m independent…but be sure to watch Food Network!” vibe. Likewise, you can’t just tell an intern in your publicity department to start blogging away.
For this to be a truly useful and truly credible blog, it would need to come from someone interesting, authoritative, able to communicate with the public and with an obvious bias. Why this last point? Because it doesn’t make sense to pretend objectivity. So, if I were looking for someone recognizable to be the official Food Network Blogger, who would it be? Easy: Bob Tuschman.
Yes, he’s probably too important to be fooling around with a blog. But the truth of the matter is that the most compelling “official” blogs are all run (and actually written…no cheating by handing it off to work the PR department!) but high-level officials who are able to use the venue as a way to communicate the big picture to outside readers.
If you’re going to do something like this (and I think it’s a good idea but not something you must do), don’t delegate it to someone without enough “juice,” don’t bring someone in from the outside who lacks the credibility and don’t rely on your talent, who are rightfully more interested in their own development than the Network’s. Put it into the hands of the person who can actually give something of value to the readers.
Labels: Bob Tuschman, Food Network
More on That NYT Article
Monday, December 17, 2007 | posted by Mike
Well, the Internets are still abuzz with reaction to that NYT article. OK, not really...but Chow and Ruhlman weigh in and the general feeling with them and here at TVFF is: Well, yeah, we kinda knew that.I say that not as any kind of indictment of the piece, which featured some genuine scoops and good analysis. It's just that those of us who have been paying close attention have been following the trend for some time, and so it's not a surprise. And the juiciest stuff...the ongoing Mario info...has been covered here and elsewhere at length.
But there were two things that left me scratching my head a bit, and I'm not sure what was behind either of them. The first, however, reminds me one of my pet peeves of political journalism.
First off, there's the rather odd back-and-forth about whether or not Mario's upcoming Spain show was up for inclusion on Food Network before heading for PBS. Here's the relevant part:
Now, that just flat out doesn't make sense. Unless there is some sort of misunderstanding involved (e.g. FN was offered the show before Mario's involvement or something like that) they can't both be correct. And yet, this is what the reader is given. I'm not sure why...it may be that the reporter hit a dead end in following up on whose account was accurate.Mr. Tuschman of the Food Network said it had passed on that series. “It was not the right fit for us.”
Mr. Batali, who still participates in the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” competition, said the show had not been offered to the Food Network
But this also illustrates one of the failings of objective media coverage. In the pursuit of being "fair and balanced" (ugh), there is a willingness to let each side of an issue have his or her say and then simply present it to the reader. This is all well and good when both sides are being truthful, but it also opens up a false equivalence between someone on one side who is telling the truth and someone on the other who is not.
I'm not saying that's the case here. And, as I said, it may be the result of some misunderstanding. But the way it is presented in the article certainly leaves the reader with an impression that there is a conflict there and that one side is being less than truthful -- without any greater insight or explanation. Just leaving it out there as a Bob-said-Mario-said isn't helpful.
The second thing that really caught my eye was this quote from Food Network President Brooke Johnson:
Ms. Johnson called “Top Chef” a copy of “The Next Food Network Star,” but “without the care about the food content, which we bring to everything we do.”OK. My first issue with this quote is that comparing the relative originality of reality competition shows is kind of pointless at this juncture. It's been almost eight years since the debut of Survivor, the modern originator of reality competition, and nearly six since the first American Idol, whose "win the competition and win a record deal" model both shows most closely resemble. And with shows looking for the next great model, designer and whatever else populating each night of the week, claiming "originality" isn't the most compelling argument.
The second issue here is her characterization that Top Chef doesn't "care about the food content." If anything, Top Chef is painfully obsessed with the food content, sometimes to the detriment of the show, which can feel elitist to those of us who don't dine in three star restaurants every week. The Next Food Network Star can do a lot of things Iron Chef can't... it's fun, populist, engaging, human and it features people with whom FN's audience can relate. But it's just not going to win a foodie-cred pissing match with Iron Chef.
For some reason, I can't get out of my head the idea that this assertion is somehow related to or reflected in the Anthony Bourdain announcement from last week. Unfortunately, I'm not usually invited to the Food Network Publicity Department Brainstorming Retreat (sounds like fun...do you think they go bowling?), so I'm still having trouble seeing the big picture. Guess I'll just have to keep groping around that elephant.
Labels: Bob Tuschman, Food Network, Mario Batali
The Iron Eight
Tuesday, July 24, 2007 | posted by Mike
I made a couple of short mentions recently about the upcoming The Next Iron Chef, but I've been a bit negligent in giving you the goods on any of the details. Sorry about that.
A press release from the Network has the lowdown (That dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty lowdown. Sorry, I love that song and couldn't resist.):
The title of Iron Chef is synonymous with the world's foremost culinary masters; and with the announcement of eight finalists, Food Network has begun production for The Next Iron Chef, the newest reality competition created to identify the next master to join the existing exclusive club of superstar chefs Mario Batali, Cat Cora, Bobby Flay and Masaharu Morimoto. Representing some of the nation's best culinary talent, the finalists will battle for the chance to be crowned the next Iron Chef America. Hosted by Alton Brown (Good Eats, Iron Chef America), The Next Iron Chef will premiere Sunday, October 7th at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network.
Hit me with the good stuff, TVFF's Favorite FN Exec® Bob Tuschman!
"We have chosen a group of chefs who we believe to be at the forefront of the culinary landscape, each of whom could stand proudly beside Bobby, Mario, Morimoto and Cat as a new Iron Chef," says Tuschman. "In our quest, we are looking for an individual to complement the current group and bring a unique blend of innovation, creativity and passion to the show, which is currently the highest-rated program on the network."
So, who are the contestants?
- John Besh (New Orleans, LA) Executive Chef, Restaurant August, Besh
Steak, Luke and La Provence. - Chris Cosentino (San Francisco, CA) Executive Chef, Incanto
- Jill Davie (Santa Monica, CA) Executive Chef, JOSIE
- Traci Des Jardins (San Francisco, CA) Executive Chef & Co-Owner,
Jardiniere, Mijita and Acme Chophouse - Gavin Kaysen (San Diego, CA) Chef de Cuisine, El Bizcocho at the Rancho
Bernardo Inn - Morou Ouattara (Washington, DC) Executive Chef & Owner, Farrah Olivia
- Aaron Sanchez (New York, NY) Executive Chef & Owner, Centrico and
Paladar - Michael Symon (Cleveland, OH) Executive Chef & Owner, Lola and Lolita
Wait a second...that wouldn't happen to be the same Jill Davie that's currently appearing on Fine Living's Shopping with Chefs, would it? Why, yes it is!
You already know that we're fans of SwC, but maybe you don't get Fine Living in your neighborhood. Or maybe you're just too good to watch shows on your full screen television (well la-di-da!, Mr./Ms. Fancy Pants). If that's the case, you can actually get a couple of clips of the series as a podcast on iTunes (don't bother clicking unless you have iTunes installed). Hey, you have to justify the $599 you spent on that iPhone somehow, right?
Also, you can check out Jill and her cohost David Myers on the video below.
Labels: Bob Tuschman, Shopping with Chefs, The Next Iron Chef
Bourdain Clears His Throat...and the Internet Reacts
Friday, July 13, 2007 | posted by Mike
There are a couple of sure things in life. There's the old stand-by, "Death & Taxes." There's day following night. And there's the fact that, when Anthony Bourdain has something to say about anything food related, it will cause a stir within the blogging community.
Recently, it was his guest post at ruhlman.com wherein he revealed that, he is beginning to find The Next Food Network Star pretty compelling. This post comes after bashing the show and much of Food Network for quite sometime. He even had some love for TVFF's Favorite FN Exec® Bob Tuschman and thoughts on JAG (or, as he calls him, "Rambo Junior"):
I find Tuschman's comments refreshingly honest, acknowledging the gruesome reality of network realpolitik over cooking ability with unflinching candor--yet erring on the side of mercy for the devastated JAG. Which, by the way, paints the judges into a real corner:
JAG can't be allowed win. His alleged problems remembering whether or not he's a war hero--or whether he graduated from culinary school could be...controversial. In a bad way. He comes off as an unstable fantasist--already referring to himself in the third person (which is NEVER a good sign). And his overloading of the grill with chicken parts--causing (surprise!) smoke and flame--was something any backyard griller knows to avoid.
Personally, I'm really glad he has arrived at this viewpoint, because I have much the same outlook on what TNFNS is and what it's not. Check out the rest of the post...unless you're not a big fan of some salty language. Obviously, this was a big surprise and it was reflected and recounted in posts here, here and here, as well as many, many other places.
Why is that? Why does he have this ability to send food bloggers (present company included) into a frenzy? The simple answer (and, I believe, the correct one) is that Bourdain is the preeminent food writer around. It's true. His knowledge is unsurpassed, his experiences many and varied and his bona fides fully documented, thanks to his own writings. And all of this is true whether he's talking about food in general, the way restaurants are run or the state of food writing and entertainment. So there is every reason in the world to pay attention to what he says.
But there is another thing about Tony Bourdain that makes not reacting impossible. He is a master at manipulating your expectations. This is only natural. This is what chefs do. They manipulate.
Banish the pejorative nature of that word for a moment. What chefs do...what any artist does...is take the raw materials and manipulate them until they become something else -- something bigger, better or more meaningful than they were before. Rodin manipulated bronze. Picasso manipulated paint.
Bourdain has the dual gifts of being able to manipulate both food and words. And, in both cases, the way the impact is felt is similar. It's all about how that food and those words make you, the observer, feel when you encounter them. In the case of his writing, he revels in confronting the reader with the truth (or the truth as he sees it, I suppose), disquieting and discomforting the way we think about food. And so what better way to up the ante than to recognize and present a point of view on this that the reader never sees coming? Again, none of this is to say that he's waffling or being disingenuous in his beliefs. A true intellectual always challenges his or her own beliefs. There is real value in being a contrarian, even if you are the person you're contradicting.
It's no big surprise to see him in his Ramones t-shirt or hear him talking about the Clash. Punk rock was a backlash, an explicitly and emphatic contradiction of the prevalent music scene. At its best, it was a thoughtful indictment of the status quo and the "go along to get along" crowd. Punk rock is the very essence of Bourdain's writing.
So, when we're hanging on his every word and he offers up a post that plays the rhetorical equivalent of "crack the whip" with our expectations, we're all left off-balance and scrambling to recapture the Anthony Bourdain we thought we knew.
On second thought, maybe he's less like the Clash or the Ramones and more like Bob Dylan, the folk rock poster-boy who confounded both his fans and his critics by embracing electric rock on Bringing It All Back Home, country music with John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline and deeply personal and emotional songwriting with Blood on the Tracks...all within a period of ten years (with a motorcycle accident, possibly the greatest rock song of all time and seven other albums thrown in for good measure).
Regardless of who he most resembles, if you can make comparisons to the Ramones, Clash and Dylan, then there's probably one really good way to characterize someone:
Rock Star
Labels: Anthony Bourdain, Bob Tuschman
Gluttony: Every Foodie's Favorite Deadly Sin
Friday, June 29, 2007 | posted by Mike
The Surreal Gourmet was running at a time when I wasn't quite the food TV junkie I am today, so my memory is a bit fuzzy. I think I remember that my dad liked it, thought. It jogged my memory a bit when I saw the video here. Sorry, I'd embed it here and make it easy for everyone, but the jackass who posted it to YouTube disable embedding. Thanks a lot.
Why am talking about this now? Because The Surreal Gourmet himself, Bob Blumer, is returning to the Food Network with a new show, Glutton For Punishment, which will debut on Tuesday, July 10th at 9:30 pm (ET/PT). What's the word?
Fun, fast-paced and full of practical information, viewers will watch as Blumer proves there is no distance too far and no challenge too intimidating for a genuine glutton for punishment. By relying on his knowledge of food and spirits, his physical stamina and his competitive spirit, Blumer attempts to triumph in new culinary arenas: whether he’s oyster shucking at the world shuck-off competition, wielding razor-sharp knives during a Benihana chef crash course or juggling bottles in a national Flair bartending contest, Bob undergoes intensive training as he attempts to face a daunting food or spirits-related challenge.
Upcoming episodes include Bob mastering the skills of a professional waiter in only five days to take part in the annual New York Waiter’s Race, flipping (and dropping) his way through numerous bottles to bartend against the world’s best in the NATIONS International Flair Challenge, getting a crash course in the cutthroat world of professional oyster shucking to hold his own in the Annual Urbanna Oyster Festival and trying to beat the heat that New Mexico has to offer during their world famous chili pepper eating contest.
OK, OK...that's all well and good Mr./Ms. Press Release Writer. But what does TVFF's Favorite FN Exec® Bob Tuschman have to say about it?
“We are thrilled to welcome Bob Blumer back onto Food Network,” said Bob Tuschman, Senior Vice President, Programming and Production for Food Network. “He takes on ridiculously entertaining culinary challenges in his new show and our viewers are going to enjoy going along for the ride.”
Lest you think that press releases don't contain interesting facts, I did come across a neat little piece of info in Blumer's bio. It says that his cookbook, The Surreal Gourmet: Real Food for Pretend Chefs
That's pretty cool stuff. Anthony Bourdain also talks about listening to music while prepping his mise en place. Despite my love of music, I have to admit I don't listen to anything while I'm cooking (unless you count Jeopardy! coming from the living room television).
Do you have a "kitchen soundtrack?" Or do you have a great "pairing" of food and music? Maybe Sticky Fingers
Let's hear about it in the comments below! The most creative album/song and dish pairing will receive the usual TVFF prize (i.e. a brief mention in next week's Crumbs.)
Labels: Bob Blumer, Bob Tuschman
Food Reality Shows: They'll Be the Judge of That
Friday, June 15, 2007 | posted by Mike
This was the first week that we've had the big three (The Next Food Network Star, Hell's Kitchen and Top Chef) food reality shows airing during the same week, so I think this is a good opportunity to do a little compare and contrast when it comes to one of the more intriguing aspects of these shows. That would be the method by which contestants are eliminated and what that process means to us as the home viewer with a rooting interest in one or more of the contestants.
What got me thinking of this was this past week's TNFNS, which eliminated Nikki despite the fact that Colombe was staggeringly terrible when she got her chance to perform in front of the judges. I would think that many who watched the show figured that Colombe would be on the chopping block, particularly considering the fact that she was close last week. Now, the cynical among you might say that Colombe is skating on her looks.
But the issue here is that we really aren't in a good position to be able to judge who should be eliminated, and this goes for all of the shows. We're not there 24/7 and we're not able to see what goes on in a way that allows us to form a full opinion. This is especially true because, as I mentioned in my gripe about Top Chef last week, it's very hard for us to be able to form a sound judgement about food. On American Idol, you can hear whether the person is a hack or not. We don't have that luxury with food. Licking your television screen will not get you any closer to the answer. (Although you will have a cleaner screen.)
We're at the mercy of the show's editor, who pulls together all of the footage, figures out what the important stuff is and then puts it together in a way that is designed to heighten the dramatic tension. Of course, dramatic tension = not knowing who's about to get booted. So there are probably going to be a few red herrings in there. Hell's Kitchen really has a habit of doing this, especially after they get done eliminating the no-brainers at the beginning. Of course, that's FOX, and I suppose I just assume blatant manipulation from them.
That's why the judges are so important on these programs. Yes, they have to be interesting characters in their own right. But the most important thing for them to be is trustworthy and clearly possessing the necessary expertise that allows them to act as the viewer's proxy. If we can't clearly see and believe in Tom Colicchio's palate, Gordon Ramsay's ability to run a kitchen or TVFF's Favorite FN Exec® Bob Tuschman's eye for on-air talent, we're never going to be able to fully buy in to the drama of the show. And if that's the case, why watch?
Got a thought on this? Always suspicious of that disclaimer that reads: "The judges' decision were made in collaboration with the show's producers?" Feel free to weigh in with a comment below.
Labels: Bob Tuschman, Hell's Kitchen, The Next Food Network Star, Top Chef
"Dinner: Impossible" – A New Food Network Show
Thursday, November 16, 2006 | posted by Mike
Hey...you know what we haven’t had in a while? Word of a new show on the Food Network. FN seems to roll them out in groups. We went through a short span which saw the debuts of Nigella Feasts, Ace of Cakes, Throwdown, and The Hungry Detective, but nothing new of late.So, when TVFF.com’s favorite exec Bob Tuschman starts handing out quotes, we know it’s time to look forward to some new product coming down the line.
Broadcast Newsroom has the skinny on Dinner: Impossible, which will star Robert Irvine, former chef to royalty and presidents. And what, exactly, is so impossible about dinner? Apparently, Irvine must "overcome culinary obstacles and deliver a delicious meal before his time runs out."
So, what makes Robert Irvine a perfect fit for the show?
"Robert's steely focus and culinary chops may be all that save him from disaster in each episode," Food senior vice president of programming Bob Tuschman said in a prepared statement. "We've thrown impossible challenges at him that no chef should ever have to experience. But luckily for us, Robert can never say no."Dinner: Impossible won't debut until January 24th, 2007, so you’ll have to hang in there for a little while.
Labels: Bob Tuschman, Robert Irvine
Bill Buford's Food Network Article in The New Yorker
Tuesday, October 03, 2006 | posted by Mike
Since we’re taking care of stuff I was too lazy to address sooner, dB of FoodCandy and Madeline of Everything Rachael Ray pointed out that I hadn’t addressed the recently posted article by writer Bill Buford (author of Heat) in The New Yorker all about the history and state of the Food Network.Buford claims to have spent seventy-two hours watching the Food Network (minus sleep time) in preparation of the article, which is more than one month’s safe allotment. The article gives the back story on how the Network was founded, how it started out and discovered a number of chefs who are still going strong on television and how they made the move away from “dump-and-stir” shows toward “food entertainment.” It also features a comment from the ubiquitous Bob Tuschman, which means the article clearly contains more actual “research” and “journalism” than we here at TVFF.com are able to muster.
Perhaps the most charming part of the article is the story of the discovery of Patron Saint of Food TV® Julia Child. It’s a great story and one that I had never heard, so the article is worth a read just for that. Later, Buford returns to the “A Star is Born” story line when he recounts Rachael Ray’s discovery. It’s a sign of the times, I guess, that Julia’s story leads to a legendary career on PBS and Rachael’s leads to a media empire.
Labels: Bob Tuschman
Paula Deen is Making the Rounds
Tuesday, September 26, 2006 | posted by Mike
The marketing folks at the Food Network really do a fantastic job. Actually, I think they could save themselves a couple of bucks by cutting down on the number of times they run promos during commercial breaks for new shows that are about to debut.Why is that? Because they manage to get more than enough free coverage for these sorts of programs by getting stories, interviews and appearances featuring the stars of the show on a wide array of web sites, print articles and TV show interviews.
These sorts of promos are even better than those spots that appear sprinkled in amongst the commercials on FN. First, and most obviously, the only cost for these free promos is for the operations of the undeniably talented and extremely hardworking marketing and public relations departments. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, these sorts of unpaid placements have at least a modicum of impartiality since they are often in relatively independent outlets (although corporate synergy being what it is, you do have to look out for blatant cross-promotion). And an independent voice telling you to check out a new show has more appeal than a commercial promo. So, it behooves these folks to get the word out to their audience through venues like – ahem – this very website. (And now you understand the reason for the blatant kiss-up to the FN marketing folks.)
We mentioned before that Food Network is looking for a younger audience with the soon-to-premier Paula’s Party. It’s no wonder, then, that they’re pounding the digital pavement and getting Ms. Deen some exposure on the Internet.
In TVFF.com’s neck of the woods, Teresa Masterson (the Philadelphia NBC affiliate’s blogger, shown above) snagged an in-person interview with Paula, and the required topic of butter was covered at length.
Now, the USAToday blog “Pop Candy” is soliciting questions for an interview later this week. If you’re just dying to know what Paula will slather with butter next (See -- I told you it was required), you can submit a question through the site’s comment form.
Pop Candy is a fun blog and one of the many that I include in my feedreader. Blogger Whitney covers a variety of pop culture topics, mostly centered on TV, movies and music. She’s also got the power of a major newspaper behind her, so she’s able to pick up the phone and put in a call to TVFF.com’s favorite Food Network executive, Bob Tuschman (or at least one of his handsome/pretty and knowledgeable assistants), when she gets a question about whether FN chefs tape their shows in their own kitchen. (Thanks to Madeline of Everything Rachael Ray for bringing this last item to my attention.)
Labels: Bob Tuschman, Paula Deen
