We all like food and competition, maybe that is why we have so many competitive cooking shows. The shows are generally given slightly violent titles like Cutthroat Kitchen, Cupcake Wars, and Chopped. There is certainly never a shortage of chef's who come to the show who come searching for the money, respect a recognition that comes with winning a contest like this. Perhaps we should look at the culinary field and see what has inspired such shows. Being a chef is a competitive field, with long hours and a low starting salary. Furthermore many chefs are often suppressed creatively since they often must stick to the menu designated by their employer. Is competitive reality TV the new spot to make their voices heard and craft respected?
I think this topic looks really interesting! It would also be interesting to look at how these competitive cooking shows may lead to manifestations of bullying. Not American I know, but the Australian show "My Kitchen Rules" recently came under fire for airing a very heated argument, where women were belittling each other for their appearances. – Indigo7 years ago
I know that Iron Chef has opened up some interesting avenues for creativity as a form of respect in the cooking industry. There is also the very famous French cooking challenge, The Bocuse d'Or, which has begun to film its shows. I think Top Chef has done a lot for the representation of both the real chef experience and an emphasis on true kitchen creativity. So I do agree that this has become an interesting space to watch. – SaraiMW7 years ago