Race to the Food Network, Imus

Well, while Don Imus is having the worst week ever after his idiotic "nappy headed hos" comment (yes, he should be fired), an interesting story came across via Latino Prospective Magazine called "Brown Got the Cable Food Thing Down."

The writer is happy to see the high number of "brown people" on the Food Network's... Unwrapped???

Straight up -- I have never seen so many Brown folk on an English-language channel in my life! Granted, the host is not Latino -- but everybody else sho' is! In the show, the host uncovers the secrets to manufacturing favorite American processed foods for the masses. He leads an insider's tour of factories where Lupita, Lorenzo, and Leonardo are working the assembly line and adding Red 9 to Twizzler candy tumblers. It's a trip! Brown people on TV! Everywhere!

Seeing how this is in the form of a casual letter, I gather that the writer is being a bit tongue-in-cheek. Still, it made me wonder.

As far as hosts go, the Food Network is still skewing majorly "blanco" as they say in español. Shows like The Next Food Network Star have featured Latino and African-American contestants, but so far none have won.

The Chicago Sun-Times recently featured an article, "Where are all the black chefs?" that sheds some light on the touchy subject.

Seeing how cooking, as an art form, is so universal and yet so varied, it surprises me that there aren't more "minority" celebrity chefs.

What do you think? Send me a comment or email me at foodnetworkaddict@gmail.com.

PS- Ingrid Hoffman's show is a good start.