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Food Network is an American
basic cable Cable television first became available in the United States in 1948. By 1989, 53 million American households received cable television subscriptions, with 60 percent of all U.S. households doing so in 1992. A 2021 Pew Research Center survey found ...
channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of
Warner Bros. Discovery Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media and Outline of entertainment, entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It was formed from WarnerMedi ...
, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both
special Special or specials may refer to: Policing * Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force * Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer * Special police forces ...
and regular episodic programs about food and cooking.
Cooking Channel Cooking Channel is an American basic cable channel owned by and spin-off of Food Network. Both are owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (69%) and Nexstar Media ...
, a network launched in 2002, is a spin-off of Food Network. In addition to its headquarters in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, Food Network has offices in
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
Jersey City Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
,
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, and
Knoxville Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...
. Food Network was established on November 23, 1993, 6:00 am as TV Food Network and on April 1, 1996, it adopted its current name. It was acquired by
Scripps Networks Interactive Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) was an American mass media company, which was formed on July 1, 2008, and acquired by and merged into Discovery Communications on March 6, 2018. It was formed in 2008, through the spin-off of the E. ...
who later merged with
Discovery, Inc. Discovery, Inc. was an American multinational mass media factual television conglomerate based in New York City. Established in 1982, the company operated a group of factual and lifestyle television brands, such as the namesake Discovery Chan ...
in 2018, and
WarnerMedia Warner Media, LLC (Trade name, doing business as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational corporation, multinational mass media and show business, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate owned by AT&T. It was headquartered at the 30 ...
was merged with Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery. , Food Network is available to approximately 70,000,000 pay television households in the United States-down from its 2011 peak of 100,000,000 households.


History

In 1990, ''
Providence Journal ''The Providence Journal'', colloquially known as the ''ProJo'', is a daily newspaper serving the metropolitan area of Providence, the largest newspaper in Rhode Island, US. The newspaper was first published in 1829. The newspaper had won four ...
'' company president Trygve Myhren was attempting to grow the company and decided that basic cable programming at the time was a high growth area with cable companies beginning to expand their overall channel capacities. With many basic cable channels at the time, Myhren was looking for something different. With food selected as the channel's genre, the working title for the channel was The Cooking Channel up until the channel's launch, although the
Cooking Channel Cooking Channel is an American basic cable channel owned by and spin-off of Food Network. Both are owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (69%) and Nexstar Media ...
name would later be used for a spin off channel that launched in May 2010. Myhren hired Stephen Cunningham and
Reese Schonfeld Maurice Wolfe "Reese" Schonfeld (November 5, 1931July 28, 2020) was an American television journalist and executive. Trained as a lawyer, he co-founded CNN with Ted Turner in 1980, and went on to establish Food Network in 1993. Early life and ...
, co-founder of
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
, to help Joe Langhan and Jack Clifford to found the channel. Both The Cooking Channel and the Food Network
trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...
s were taken by other entities, with the Food Network being a newsletter. Myrhen originally wanted the network to be operated from
Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...
as he argued that a cable network's costs were much more scalable from a lower-profile location, while Schonfeld preferred it be originated from
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
, considered the American nucleus of
culinary arts Culinary arts are the cuisine arts of food preparation, cooking, and presentation of food, usually in the form of meals. People working in this field – especially in establishments such as restaurants – are commonly called chefs or ...
; Schonfeld's preference eventually won out, though at the peril of the network's launch budget, which was lower than it would have been from Providence. Cunningham also separated from the venture at that time and went on to launch other networks from his Denver base. Food Network was formed on April 19, 1993, as "TV Food Network"; its legal name remains Television Food Network, G. P. After acquiring the Food Network trademark after several years, it shortened the name to that. The network initially launched on November 22, 1993, with two initial shows featuring
David Rosengarten David Rosengarten (born January 25, 1950) is an American chef, author and television personality, who hosted or co-hosted more than 2500 television shows on the Food Network from 1994 to 2001. Personal life Rosengarten was born in New York City ...
,
Donna Hanover Donna Hanover (born Donna Ann Kofnovec; February 15, 1950) is an American journalist, radio and television personality, television producer, and actress, who appears on CUNY TV in New York City. From 1994 through 2001, she was First Lady of New ...
, and
Robin Leach Robin Douglas Leach (29 August 1941 – 24 August 2018) was a British-American entertainment reporter and writer from London. After beginning his career as a print journalist, first in Britain and then in the United States, he became best known ...
. On November 23, 1993, Food Network began live broadcasting. Its original partners included the Journal itself, Adelphia,
Scripps-Howard The E. W. Scripps Company, also known as Scripps, is an American broadcasting company founded in 1878 as a chain of daily newspapers by E. W. Scripps, Edward Willis "E. W." Scripps and his sister, Ellen Browning Scripps. It was also formerly a ...
,
Continental Cablevision Comcast MO Group, Inc. (formerly MediaOne Group, Inc.) is a telecommunications company created by US West Inc. in 1998 following US West's acquisition of Boston-based Continental Cable. The company combined Continental with Wometco/GTC, which U ...
,
Cablevision Cablevision Systems Corporation was an American cable television company with systems serving areas surrounding New York City. It was the fifth-largest cable provider and ninth-largest television provider in the United States. Throughout its ex ...
, and most importantly, the
Tribune Company Tribune Media Company, also known as Tribune Company, was an American multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Through Tribune Broadcasting, Tribune Media was one of the largest television broadcasting companies, owning 39 ...
, which provided the network's technical output. Given that the channel could only afford to run programming that was produced themselves, the channel started taping 5 shows with a potential host to see if they worked. This was later turned into ''Chef Du Jour'' series. Schonfeld was appointed as managing director of TV Food Network and maintained a spot on its management board along with two Providence Journal employees. The original lineup for the network included
Emeril Lagasse Emeril John Lagasse III ( ; born October 15, 1959) is an American chef, restaurateur, television personality, cookbook author, and National Best Recipe award winner for his "Turkey and Hot Sausage Chili" recipe in 2003. He is a regional James ...
(''
Essence of Emeril Essence () has various meanings and uses for different thinkers and in different contexts. It is used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties or attributes that make an entity the entity it is or, expre ...
''),
Debbi Fields Debbi Fields (; born September 18, 1956) is the founder and spokesperson of Mrs. Fields Bakeries. Initially one of the original ball girls in major league baseball, she used her pay to refine her cookie recipes. She has written several cookbooks ...
,
Donna Hanover Donna Hanover (born Donna Ann Kofnovec; February 15, 1950) is an American journalist, radio and television personality, television producer, and actress, who appears on CUNY TV in New York City. From 1994 through 2001, she was First Lady of New ...
,
David Rosengarten David Rosengarten (born January 25, 1950) is an American chef, author and television personality, who hosted or co-hosted more than 2500 television shows on the Food Network from 1994 to 2001. Personal life Rosengarten was born in New York City ...
, Curtis Aikens, Dr.
Louis Aronne Louis J. Aronne is an American physician and author who is an obesity medicine specialist. He is quoted in the news media as an expert in the field of weight research. He is perhaps best known for diagnosing David Letterman's heart condition ...
,
Jacques Pépin Jacques Pépin (; born December 18, 1935) is a French chef, author, culinary educator, television personality, and artist. After having been the personal chef of French President Charles de Gaulle, he moved to the US in 1959 and after working i ...
, and
Robin Leach Robin Douglas Leach (29 August 1941 – 24 August 2018) was a British-American entertainment reporter and writer from London. After beginning his career as a print journalist, first in Britain and then in the United States, he became best known ...
. The following year, the network acquired the rights to the
Julia Child Julia Carolyn Child (Birth name#Maiden and married names, née McWilliams; August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004) was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for having brought French cuisine to the American pu ...
library from WGBH. In 1995, Schonfeld resigned as managing director of the network, but remained on its board until 1998, when he and Cunningham sold their interest in the company to Scripps. In 1996, Erica Gruen was hired as the president and CEO of TV Food Network, becoming the second woman in history to be the CEO of a U.S. television network. That same year, the "TV" portion of the name was dropped, thus making it simply Food Network. Gruen led the network into an explosive growth until 1998, by launching the largest website for food, FoodNetwork.com, more than doubling the subscriber base, tripling the viewership and multiplying the network's yearly revenue. In 1997, it was the second fastest growing cable network. Gruen changed the brand positioning from Schonfeld's "TV for people who cook" to "TV for everyone who loves to eat," thereby greatly improving the appeal to viewers and advertisers, and saving the network from bankruptcy. Greg Willis and Cathy Rasenberger were two of the original members of the start-up team who led the affiliate sales and marketing of the company from 1995 to 1998. Greg Willis served as senior vice president of worldwide distribution until he left to join
Liberty Media Liberty Media Corporation (commonly referred to as Liberty Media or just Liberty) is an American mass media company founded by John C. Malone in 1991. The company has three divisions, reflecting its ownership stakes in the Formula One Group, S ...
in 1998. The
A. H. Belo Corporation Belo may refer to: Organizations * Belo Corporation, known as A. H. Belo Corporation from 1926-2000, a United States media company now part of Tegna Inc. * DallasNews Corporation, known as A. H. Belo Corporation from 2008-2021, a newspaper pub ...
acquired Food Network when it purchased The Providence Journal Company in February 1997. Belo sold its 56% stake in the channel to the
E. W. Scripps Company The E. W. Scripps Company, also known as Scripps, is an American broadcasting company founded in 1878 as a chain of daily newspapers by Edward Willis "E. W." Scripps and his sister, Ellen Browning Scripps. It was also formerly a media conglom ...
in October 1997, in a trade deal that resulted in Belo acquiring the television-radio station combination of KENS-AM/ TV in
San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...
. The
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simulcast Simulcast (a portmanteau of "simultaneous broadcast") is the broadcasting of programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simultaneously) ...
feed of Food Network launched on March 31, 2008. Food Network was first launched outside of North America in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
on November 9, 2009, and in
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
on July 5, 2010 (on
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channel 433 and in HD on channel 468). Since the UK launch on November 9, 2009, on
Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...
, the channel has been added to the
Freesat Freesat is a British free-to-air satellite television service, first formed as a joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc and now owned by Everyone TV (itself owned by all of the four UK Public broadcasting, public service broadcasters, BBC, ...
,
Freeview Freeview may refer to: *Freeview (Australia), the marketing name for the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia *Freeview (New Zealand), a digital satellite and digital terrestrial television platform in New Zealand *Freeview (UK), a ...
and
Virgin Media Virgin Media Limited is a British telecommunications company which provides telephone, television and internet services in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are at Green Park in Reading, England. It is owned by Virgin Media O2, a 50:50 ...
platforms. In January 2015, the Food Network collaborated with
Snapchat Snapchat is an American multimedia social media and instant messaging app and service developed by Snap Inc., originally Snapchat Inc. One of the principal features of the app are that pictures and messages, known as "snaps", are usually availa ...
and launched its own Food Network channel, "Discover Food Network", where social media users can watch the channel through the app. The channel features recipes, food hacks, and tips to entertain and appeal to the social media savvy millennials of today while watching from the palm of their hands.


Food Network programming

Food Network programming is divided into a
daytime Daytime or day as observed on Earth is the period of the day during which a given location experiences Daylight, natural illumination from direct sunlight. Daytime occurs when the Sun appears above the local horizon, that is, anywhere on the ...
block known as "Food Network in the Kitchen" and a
primetime Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to b ...
lineup branded as "Food Network Nighttime". Generally, "In the Kitchen" is dedicated to instructional cooking programs, while "Nighttime" features food-related entertainment programs, such as cooking competitions, food-related travel shows, and reality shows. Promos identify "Food Network Nighttime" programming but not "In the Kitchen" daytime programming. Many of the channel's personalities routinely pull double-duty (or more) – hosting both daytime and nighttime programming – and the channel regularly offers specials which typically either follow its personalities on working vacations, or bring together a number of personalities for a themed cooking event. Food Network broadcasts on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. and weekends from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. ET, with the rest of the day being taken by
infomercials An infomercial is a form of television commercial that resembles regular TV programming yet is intended to promote or sell a product, service or idea. It generally includes a toll-free telephone number or website. Most often used as a form of di ...
. The UK channel broadcasts from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. (UK time GMT/ BST as applicable) daily.
Mario Batali Mario Francesco Batali (born September 19, 1960) is an American chef, writer, and former restaurateur. Batali co-owned restaurants in New York City; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Newport Beach, California; Boston; Singapore; Westport, Connecticut; and ...
and
Bobby Flay Robert William "Bobby" Flay (born December 10, 1964) is an American celebrity chef, food writer, restaurateur, and Television presenter, television personality. Flay is the owner and Chef de cuisine, executive chef of several restaurants and fr ...
joined the network in 1995. In 1996, Erica Gruen, the network's CEO created '' Emeril Live!'', which became the channel's signature series. Although Batali has moved on to other endeavors, Flay still appears regularly on many programs, including ''
Iron Chef America ''Iron Chef America'' is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's ''Iron Chef'', and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed ''Iron Chef USA'' that aired in 2001. The show is produced by Food Network, wh ...
'', the channel's well-received remake of the original Japanese series. ''Iron Chef America's'' host,
Alton Brown Alton Crawford Brown Jr. (born July 30, 1962) is an American television personality, food show presenter, food scientist, author, voice actor, and cinematographer. He is the creator and host of the Food Network television show '' Good Eats'' th ...
, gained a cult following for his ''
Good Eats ''Good Eats'' is an American television cooking show, created and hosted by Alton Brown, which aired in North America on Food Network and later Cooking Channel. Likened to television science educators Mr. Wizard and Bill Nye, Brown explores the ...
'', which mixed science, cooking and off-beat humor. Later the network had a series entitled, "Ruggerio to Go" hosted by
David Ruggerio David Ruggerio (born Sabatino Antonino Gambino; June 26, 1962, in Brooklyn, USA) is an American chef, author, and television personality. Son of Saverio Erasmo Gambino and Constance Lazzarino, he became famous in the food world during the 1990s. ...
. In 2002, Food Network made an appeal to the home cook by adding ''
Paula's Home Cooking ''Paula's Home Cooking'' is a Food Network show hosted by Paula Deen. Deen's primary culinary focus was Southern cuisine and familiar comfort food popular with Americans. Over 135 episodes of the series aired between 2002 and 2012. Food Network an ...
'', hosted by
Paula Deen Paula Ann Hiers Deen (born January 19, 1947) is an American chef, cookbook author, and TV personality. Deen resides in Savannah, Georgia, where she owns and operates The Lady & Sons restaurant with her sons, Jamie and Bobby Deen. She has pu ...
. Home Cooking focused mostly on
Southern cuisine The cuisine of the Southern United States encompasses diverse food traditions of several subregions, including cuisine of Southeastern Native American tribes, Tidewater, Appalachian, Ozarks, Lowcountry, Cajun, Creole, African American cuisi ...
and comfort food. The show took overly complicated recipes and classic dishes and broke them down for the home cook. The show did increasingly well, and Deen revamped the show in a series called ''Paula's Best Dishes''. In this series, friends and family members would join her in the kitchen and put a twist on classics and introduce new recipes. In June 2013, Food Network announced that they were not renewing Deen's contract due to publicity about her racial remarks revealed in a lawsuit brought on by a former worker. Also in 2002, Ina Garten's show ''Barefoot Contessa'' aired. Garten is well known for
cookbook A cookbook or cookery book is a kitchen reference containing recipes. Cookbooks may be general, or may specialize in a particular cuisine or category of food. Recipes in cookbooks are organized in various ways: by course (food), course (appetize ...
s, including ''The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'', ''Barefoot Contessa Family Style'', and ''Barefoot Contessa in Paris''. Garten was also mentored by
Martha Stewart Martha Helen Stewart (, ; born August 3, 1941) is an American retail business woman, writer, and television personality. As the founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, focusing on home and hospitality, she gained success through a variety ...
. Garten's show features her cooking for her husband or hosting friends at their home in the Hamptons, New York. ''Barefoot Contessa'' typically has about one million viewers per episode, and has received some of the highest ratings for Food Network. Currently, the channel's biggest cross-over stars are
Rachael Ray Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968) is an American cook, television personality, businesswoman, and author. She hosted the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program '' Rachael Ray''. Other programs to her credit include ''30 Minut ...
and
Paula Deen Paula Ann Hiers Deen (born January 19, 1947) is an American chef, cookbook author, and TV personality. Deen resides in Savannah, Georgia, where she owns and operates The Lady & Sons restaurant with her sons, Jamie and Bobby Deen. She has pu ...
, who have both taken their cable following (primarily through the series ''
30 Minute Meals ''30 Minute Meals'' is a Food Network television series hosted by Rachael Ray. Her first of four shows on Food Network, its original run aired from November 17, 2001, until May 5, 2012. The show specializes in convenience cooking for those wi ...
'', ''
$40 a Day ''$40 a Day'' was a Food Network show hosted by Rachael Ray. In each episode, Ray takes a one-day trip to an American, Canadian, or European city with only $40 US, to spend on food. While touring the city, she finds restaurants to go to (often ...
'', and ''Paula's Best Dishes'') into a syndicated talk show and Positively Paula. Both
Paula Deen Paula Ann Hiers Deen (born January 19, 1947) is an American chef, cookbook author, and TV personality. Deen resides in Savannah, Georgia, where she owns and operates The Lady & Sons restaurant with her sons, Jamie and Bobby Deen. She has pu ...
and
Rachael Ray Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968) is an American cook, television personality, businesswoman, and author. She hosted the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program '' Rachael Ray''. Other programs to her credit include ''30 Minut ...
also have merchandise lines of cookware, food products and pet lines. Beginning in 2005, an annual reality contest, ''
The Next Food Network Star ''Food Network Star'' is a reality television series that aired from June 5, 2005, to August 5, 2018. It was produced by CBS EYEtoo Productions for seasons 1–8 and by Triage Entertainment for seasons 9-14. It aired on the Food Network in the ...
'', brought viewers to New York City to compete for their own show on the channel. Previous winners include Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh ('' Party Line with The Hearty Boys''),
Guy Fieri Guy Ramsay Fieri (, ; Ferry; born January 22, 1968) is an American restaurateur, author, and an Emmy Award winning television presenter. He co-owned three now-defunct restaurants in California. He licenses his name to restaurants in cities a ...
(''
Guy's Big Bite ''Guy's Big Bite'' is a Food Network show starring Guy Fieri Guy Ramsay Fieri (, ; Ferry; born January 22, 1968) is an American restaurateur, author, and an Emmy Award winning television presenter. He co-owned three now-defunct restauran ...
'', ''
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives ''Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'' (often nicknamed ''Triple D'' and stylized as ''Diners, Drive-Ins, Dives'') is an American food reality television series that has aired on the Food Network since April 23, 2007. It is hosted by Guy Fieri, and in ...
'', ''Guy Off the Hook,'' ''Ultimate Recipe Showdown,'' ''Guy's Big Night,'' ''Guy's Family Feast'', ''Guy's Grocery Games''),
Amy Finley Amy Finley (born 1973 in San Diego, California) is an American cook and writer, who was the winner of the third season of '' The Next Food Network Star'' awarded a commitment to host a cooking show on the Food Network. Her program ''The Gourmet Ne ...
('' The Gourmet Next Door''), Aaron McCargo, Jr. (''
Big Daddy's House ''Big Daddy's House'' is a cooking show on the specialty channel Food Network. The show stars Aaron McCargo, Jr., the winner of the fourth season of the network's reality television series, '' The Next Food Network Star''. The six-episode firs ...
''), Melissa d'Arabian ('' Ten Dollar Dinners''), and
Aarti Sequeira Aarti Lucica Sequeira (born 19 August 1978) is an Indian American cook and television personality, best known as the winner of the sixth season of Food Network's reality television show, '' The Next Food Network Star''. In 2010, after her victo ...
(''Aarti Party''). For the 2010 season, production of ''The Next Food Network Star'' was relocated to Los Angeles. It has become the network's flagship show. For most of its 13-year run, season finales of the show have been followed by lead-out shows the network deems has great potential and will draw even more viewers. These consist of either premieres of new shows, season premieres of continuing shows, or episodes of continuing shows that are significant to the schedule. For instance, the most recent season finale of ''Star'' was followed by the season premiere of ''
Beat Bobby Flay ''Beat Bobby Flay'' is an American cooking competition show on the Food Network. It features various chefs competing against Bobby Flay. The show is taped in front of a live audience. Format In the first round, two guests, often a celebrity ...
''. In December 2007, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' business section published an article on the end of Emeril Lagasse's show ''Emeril Live'', and quoted Brooke Johnson, the president, as saying that Lagasse "remains a valued member of the Food Network family". Derek Baine, senior analyst at the media research firm SNL Kagan, is reported to have commented, "It's not surprising that people move on... They pay almost nothing for the people as they are building their careers... That's been their strategy all along". The article also commented on the declining popularity of the Food Network whose daily ratings were reported had fallen "to an average of 544,000 people from 580,000 a year arlier. It noted, "More significant, its signature weekend block of instructional programs, known collectively as 'In the Kitchen,' has lost 15 percent of its audience in the last year, to 830,000 viewers on average. This had left the network owing refunds, known as 'make goods,' to advertisers." Erica Gruen, president and CEO of the Food Network from 1996 to 1998 who created ''Emeril Live'' during her tenure, was reported to have blamed the decline on increased competition, "There's all sorts of instructional cooking video on the Web". But it reported that, "Bob Tuschman, Food Network's senior vice president for programming and production, said the weekend ratings drop was 'nothing we haven't anticipated'. He said the network's ratings in that time period grew by double digits in each of the last four years, growth that could not be sustained." It also wrote, "About a year ago, the Food Network began aggressively trying to change that with new deals that were 'way more onerous' from the stars' point of view, said a person who has been affected by the changing strategy, by insisting on a stake in book deals and licensing ventures, and control over outside activities.Changing Courses at the Food Network
''New York Times'', December 17, 2007


Carriage


Past American carriage disputes

On January 1, 2010,
HGTV HGTV (an initialism for Home & Garden Television) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The network primarily broadcasts reality programming related to home improvement and real estate. HGTV Dream Home is an ...
and Food Network were removed from cable provider
Cablevision Cablevision Systems Corporation was an American cable television company with systems serving areas surrounding New York City. It was the fifth-largest cable provider and ninth-largest television provider in the United States. Throughout its ex ...
, which operates systems serving areas surrounding
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Scripps removed HGTV and Food Network from Cablevision following the expiration of the company's carriage contract on December 31, 2009; Cablevision and Scripps had been in negotiations for several months to agree on a new contract, but no progress had been made. The discontinuance of Food Network from Cablevision led the channel to make arrangements with Tribune-owned CW affiliates
WPIX WPIX (channel 11) is a television station in New York City, serving as the ''de facto'' flagship of The CW Television Network. Owned by Mission Broadcasting, the station is operated by CW majority owner Nexstar Media Group under a local market ...
in New York City and WTXX in
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
, to broadcast a special episode of ''
Iron Chef America ''Iron Chef America'' is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's ''Iron Chef'', and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed ''Iron Chef USA'' that aired in 2001. The show is produced by Food Network, wh ...
'' with First Lady
Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama ( Robinson; born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United Stat ...
on January 10, 2010, after that episode enjoyed high ratings on its January 3 cable premiere. On January 21, 2010, Cablevision and Scripps reached an agreement that resulted in Food Network and HGTV being restored on Cablevision's systems that day. A similar carriage dispute with
AT&T U-verse U-verse TV is an internet protocol television (IPTV) service operated by DirecTV. Launched on June 26, 2006, U-verse was originally a triple play package that included broadband Internet (now AT&T Internet or AT&T Fiber), IP telephone (now AT& ...
resulted in Food Network,
Cooking Channel Cooking Channel is an American basic cable channel owned by and spin-off of Food Network. Both are owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (69%) and Nexstar Media ...
,
HGTV HGTV (an initialism for Home & Garden Television) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The network primarily broadcasts reality programming related to home improvement and real estate. HGTV Dream Home is an ...
,
DIY Network Magnolia Network is an American basic cable network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery in partnership with Chip and Joanna Gaines, the founders of lifestyle company Magnolia. It broadcasts personality-based lifestyle programs related to topics ...
, and
Great American Country Great American Family is an American cable television network owned by Great American Media. The channel broadcasts family-oriented general entertainment programming such as television series and Television film, made-for-TV movies—some of whi ...
being dropped by the provider on November 5, 2010; the dispute was resolved two days later, on November 7, 2010, after the two parties reached a new carriage agreement.


Food Network properties in video games

Red Fly Studio developed a video game for the
Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America, and in December 2006 for most other regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major home game console, f ...
console in partnership with Food Network called '' Cook or Be Cooked''. The game, which was published by
Namco Bandai Games is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game video game publisher, publisher, and the video game branch of the wider Bandai Namco Holdings group. Founded in 2006 as it is the successor to Namco's home and arcade video game ...
and was released on November 3rd, 2009, simulates real cooking experiences. Players can also try out the recipes featured on the game. Other games include '' Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine'', based on ''
Iron Chef America ''Iron Chef America'' is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's ''Iron Chef'', and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed ''Iron Chef USA'' that aired in 2001. The show is produced by Food Network, wh ...
'' and PC game '' Cooking Simulator'', developed by Big Cheese studio and released on October 24th, 2019, which has extended
downloadable content content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...
branded with Food Network branding, including a kitchen which resembles a Food Network competitive cooking show's studio, complete with a studio audience section.


International variants and languages


UK and Ireland

In accordance with an agreement between Scripps and
Chellomedia AMC Networks International is the division of AMC Networks that operates outside the United States. AMC Networks commissions and distributes TV channels, content and video services. The division's operating companies and business units currentl ...
, Food Network programs started to air internationally in the fourth quarter of 2009 in the United Kingdom and then in other markets in early 2010. Food Network UK initially launched on the Sky platform as a free-to-air channel, joined by a +1 hour timeshift, taking the channel slots vacated by the closure of
Real Estate TV Real Estate TV, also known as RETV, was an award-winning UK-based television channel and multi-media company that formed part of News Corporation's Fox International Channels' network. As a simulcast company, RETV was the UK's only dedicated pr ...
. (Following Scripps' acquisition of Travel Channel International, the four channel positions on Sky were reordered to move Food Network up the grid.) Food Network and +1 were subsequently also made available on the Freesat satellite platform. On terrestrial service Freeview, initially a four-hour primetime evening block was acquired, sharing capacity with channels including Create and Craft; subsequently Food Network relocated to its own full-day service, with the four-hour berth used to bring Travel Channel to DTT. (Travel has since itself moved to all-day operation, with the evening hours now absorbed into Create & Craft.) Scripps subsequently signed a carriage deal with
Virgin Media Virgin Media Limited is a British telecommunications company which provides telephone, television and internet services in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are at Green Park in Reading, England. It is owned by Virgin Media O2, a 50:50 ...
to bring Food Network and Travel Channel to the cable platform (in Travel's case this was a re-addition following its earlier removal from the cable platform.) In September 2019, it was announced that
UKTV UKTV Media Limited, trading as UKTV, is a British multi-channel broadcaster, which, since 2019, has been wholly owned by BBC Studios (formerly BBC Worldwide), a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. It was formed on 1 November 1992 through a join ...
channel
Good Food Good Food (formerly UK Food and UKTV Food) was a British pay television channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom and Ireland, latterly as part of the Discovery, Inc. network of channels. The channel originally launched on 5November 2001 and ...
, which Discovery had acquired full control of earlier in the year, would be closed from September 12, 2019; its content merged into Food Network UK.


Elsewhere

Some countries have their own Food Network. Examples include:
Flavour Network Flavour Network (formerly known as Food Network) is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. It broadcasts programming related to food, cooking, cuisine, and the food industry, including competi ...
,
Food Network Asia Food Network is a pay television channel that airs both one-time and recurring (episodic) programs about food and cooking from the Food Network's library as well as commissioned programming developed regionally. It was launched on 5 July 2010. ...
, Food Network Italy and Food Network Europe. In the second half of 2014, Food Network Brazil began broadcasting with programs fully dubbed in Portuguese and optional subtitles. On February 1, 2015, Food Network Asia launched on Australian IPTV service
Fetch TV Fetch TV is an Australian IPTV provider that offers a subscription television service over a user's regular internet connection. It is majority owned by Telstra, who acquired a 51.4% stake in the company on the 2nd of August 2022. Fetch TV was ...
. The channel launched in Latin America in March 2015 with full Spanish dubbed programs. A localized
free-to-air Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscri ...
Australian version was launched on November 17, 2015 by SBS, which had a licensing and programming output arrangement with Scripps. Another reiteration, the
Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...
's
7food network 7food network was a short-lived Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Seven Network which launched on 1 December 2018. The channel marked the start of Seven's new deal with Discovery, Inc., immediately after the end of Special Br ...
began broadcasting in December 2018 after SBS's deal ended in November 2018. After lower than expected ratings, 7food network closed on December 28, 2019, although select Food Network shows continued to air on sister network
7flix 7flix is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel, which was launched by the Seven Network on 28 February 2016. 7flix targets a variety of viewers and offers drama, comedy, reality, docusoap, and movies. History On 18 Decembe ...
until December 1, 2020. In Australia, Food Network currently screens on
IPTV Internet Protocol television (IPTV), also called TV over broadband, is the service delivery of television over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Usually sold and run by a Telephone company, telecom provider, it consists of broadcast live telev ...
service Fetch on channel 136. On December 1, 2018, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific rebranded its Food TV channel in New Zealand to a New Zealand version of Food Network. On February 3, 2021, Sky announced that Food Network would close in New Zealand and a selection of Food Network shows would be moved to its sister channel,
Living Living or The Living may refer to: Common meanings *Life, a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms ** Living species, one that is not extinct *Personal life, the course of an individual human's life * ...
. On March 1, 2021 the channel was replaced by
Investigation Discovery Investigation Discovery (stylized and branded on-air as ID since 2008) is an American multinational pay television network dedicated to true crime documentaries, similar to corporate sibling HLN. It is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery's netw ...
. The Food Network airs in Spanish on the Hogar de HGTV channel. They share this network with
Discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discovery ...
and
HGTV HGTV (an initialism for Home & Garden Television) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The network primarily broadcasts reality programming related to home improvement and real estate. HGTV Dream Home is an ...
. Food Network was available in the Netherlands and Flanders between April 22, 2010 and January 31, 2019. Content from former Scripps television channels
Travel Channel Travel Channel (stylized as Trvl Channel since 2018) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, who previously owned the channel from 1997 to 2007. The channel is headquartered in Manhattan, with ...
, Fine Living and Food Network has been integrated into the programming of
Discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discovery ...
,
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
and
Investigation Discovery Investigation Discovery (stylized and branded on-air as ID since 2008) is an American multinational pay television network dedicated to true crime documentaries, similar to corporate sibling HLN. It is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery's netw ...
in the Benelux.


Television Food Network, G.P.

Founded in 1993, the company's business includes visual and textual television programs on a subscription or fee basis. In 2011, Scripps requested to add its
Cooking Channel Cooking Channel is an American basic cable channel owned by and spin-off of Food Network. Both are owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (69%) and Nexstar Media ...
(formerly Fine Living Network) to the partnership, and Tribune agreed for $350 million, Tribune would need to add additional capital.


Criticism


Consumerism and programming

While Food Network programming generally does not explicitly advertise products, author Cheri Ketchum argues that Food Network advertises a lifestyle that is consistent with the norms of consumer culture. Ketchum argues that Food Network deliberately chooses non-controversial programming, rather than programming which challenges aspects of consumer culture such as food classism, food deserts,
food waste The causes of food going uneaten are numerous and occur throughout the food system, during food production, production, food processing, processing, Food distribution, distribution, Grocery store, retail and food service sales, and Social clas ...
, and environmental impacts of food production. Critics of Food Network such as Michael Z. Newman argue that the use of lighting and close-ups, along with the use of conventionally attractive hosts, create a fetishization of desirable foods and a consumerist lifestyle.


Racial representation

Critics complain of disproportionate racial representation in Food Network programming. Tasha Oren argues that the overrepresentation of Asian-Americans in competition shows on the network, along with the lack of representation of Asian-Americans as hosts of programs, contributes to the "model minority" stereotype of Asian-Americans. However, Oren also offers the perspective that competition shows are viewed by network management as a low-risk entry point for hosts, especially those for whom a program may not be well received by audiences.


See also

* Flavour Network (Canada) *
7food network 7food network was a short-lived Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Seven Network which launched on 1 December 2018. The channel marked the start of Seven's new deal with Discovery, Inc., immediately after the end of Special Br ...
* Food Network (New Zealand) *
List of programs broadcast by Food Network This is a list of shows that have been broadcast (or are planned to be broadcast) on Food Network. # (Numbers and other symbols) *''3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay'' – hosted by Bobby Flay *''5 Ingredient Fix'' – hosted by Claire Robinson ...
* The Food Network Awards


References


External links

* * {{Television in Romania 1993 establishments in New York City Television channels and stations established in 1993 Television channels and networks about food and drink English-language television stations in the United States Entertainment companies based in New York City Television networks in the United States Television channels in North Macedonia Defunct television channels in the Netherlands Defunct television channels in Belgium Warner Bros. Discovery networks Nexstar Media Group Former E. W. Scripps Company subsidiaries Joint ventures