Claire Robinson New Host of 'Challenge'; Show Remains Boring

Sorry to all you "Food Network Challenge" lovers out there, but I've never been a fan. I think the challenges in general sound interesting, but I always find myself wanting to tune out after about 5 minutes. And after watching this past weekend's episode with new host Claire Robinson, I'm not planning on setting my TiVo to season pass anytime soon.

Based on the comments and emails I've gotten from fans of the show, many were just fine with Keegan Gerhard-- right?

Most of Claire's "hosting" consisted of standing in front of a greenscreen or backdrop, spouting out a few comments about things that had just happened, and then talking to the contestants while they tried to actually complete the challenge. Amazing!

It's not really her fault, though. Who's going to turn down a paid gig? Still, with her long dark locks and smoky voice, Claire sometimes makes me take a double-take to make sure it's not Rachael Ray who I'm watching. My inner-pessimist assumes this increased airtime for Claire is intentional on the part of executives, who hope millions of semi-regular viewers make the same mistake and watch this Rachael 2.0, unaware. (Like I've said a bunch of times before, Rachael ain't getting any less rich, and Food Net is chump change compared to the bucks bearing Oprah Winfrey's face that she's been getting the last few years.)

Soooooooo... I'm not impressed with the Challenge change. Are you?

Sunny, Anne, & Claire In the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade... sponsored by Food Network?

Thanksgiving is all about food, family, and facilitating lucrative advertising deals!

Sunny Anderson lets us know on her blog that she, Anne Burrell, and Claire Robinson will be riding on the famous Tom the Turkey float in tomorrow's annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade... plastered up with the Food Network logo!


I don't know how I feel about this one. I get that things need to be sponsored and everyone's looking to get their brand out there in new ways (Macy's is obviously the big brand name that people probably just say unconsciously when mentioning the parade by name), but some things are sacred... can't the turkey float just be nice symbol of Thanksgiving and not another billboard?

What's next? The GoDaddy.com Turkey float? The official Butterball brand Turkey float? The Endorse Sandra Lee for First Lady of New York Campaign Turkey float?

Be on the lookout for the Food Network ladies... and the Food Network LOGO tomorrow when you watch the parade!

Kelsey Nixon On TONIGHT'S Premiere of 'Chefs vs. City'

Are you going to watch tonight's premiere of Chefs vs. City? (Well, it's Friday, so you know I'll be TiVoing it. I've hard a hard week and need a drink, yo.)

In tonight's ep, Aarón Sánchez and Chris Cosentino battle Claire Robinson of 5 Ingredient Fix and Food 2’s Kelsey Nixon of Kelsey & Spike Cook. They'll be hitting up Dylan’s Candy Bar, Russ & Daughters, and The Brick Lane Curry House to "devour the hottest dish in the world."

Food Network Addict got an exclusive statement from Kelsey Nixon on the experience:
Taping the show was the best of times and the worst of times. Don't get me wrong...I had an absolute blast! But I did things that I never would have done if it weren't for being put on the spot, on television, on Food Network. (Claire and I were willing to do anything to win!) Being the Amazing Race fan that I am, this was the perfect way for me to channel my inner competitor and take on the food scene in NYC like it was nobody's business. I have no doubt that this show will be a huge primetime hit. It is a privilege to be part of the series kickoff and I can't wait to watch the success of Chefs vs City unfold.

Chefs vs. City premieres TONIGHT at 10pm ET.

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Thanks Kelsey! I'll be watching... eventually. Have a great weekend everyone! I'll be back tomorrow, though, with a review of the first episode of Melissa d'Arabian's new show Ten Dollar Dinners.

Stars Come Out for NYC 'Julie & Julia' Premiere

Giada De Laurentiis looked kind of lonely out there at the L.A. premiere of 'Julie & Julia.' She would have had better company at the New York City premiere last night. Take a look:


Ever-present Katie Lee Joel showed up because she has to be at things like this (probably pitched a few more shows to Food Network while in attendance) and 5 Ingredient Fix host Claire Robinson did her best Rachael Ray impression.

Oh wait... Rachael really was there!


Looks like Rach is trying to one-up Sandra Lee's sideboob pic from Out magazine! (Actually this is starting to be a common look for Ms. Ray).

And then, the couples I'm sure are on a double date tonight: Anthony Bourdain and his wife & Sandra Lee with boyfriend Andrew Cuomo.


You know Aunt Sandy couldn't let Bourdain just walk by without a word from her! In a blog post he entitled "A Drive By Shooting," Bourdain describes his encounter with the mistress of tablescapes:

"Now, I've said some unkind things over the years about Sandra. Far too many and far too terrible things to ever apologize for. Plus, I pretty much meant every word. Once you've seen Sandra making Kwanzaa Cake on YouTube, there's no backing down . My head is reeling with the thought that one phone call from Cuomo and my last twenty years of tax returns are getting audited . I'm paralyzed, wondering what the statute of limitations is on various things I may or may not have done twenty years ago."

Ha! It's always interesting to hear about what happens when people like this run into each other. I'm waiting for the day that Guy Fieri confronts me... not exactly shivering in my boots, though.

Have a good weekend!

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'5 Ingredient Fix' Claire Robinson's Sign Language

Claire Robinson is the host of Food Network's 5 Ingredient Fix, the show that sounds impressive at first (Wow, 5 ingredients in an entire meal?) but actually just features recipes that each contain 5 ingredients or fewer... and some ingredients don't even count as ingredients.

ANYhow, they've been promoting Claire's new season non-stop on these weekend morning blocks, with promos featuring Claire doing quite a lot of signing. Claire gives us 5 ingredients per recipe and no fewer than 5 different hand motions per sentence!










I wasn't that big a fan of Claire's first round of episodes. We'll see what happens in season 2. Excited?

Only 3 Shows In & Claire Robinson Already has $$$ In Her Eyes

"I wear aprons on every show. I could see that being a future product. Also I am really into knives, culinary knives. So I’d love to have my own brand of knives." -- 5 Ingredient Fix host Claire Robinson to The New York Times


Dang, girl. You only been on Food Network for three weeks and you're already talking about apron lines? Let's just see if you get renewed first, mmkay?

After reading the full article about Jon Rosen, the William Morris agent who claims Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, Katie Lee Joel, Daisy Martinez, Al Roker, and many other food people as clients, I'm not that surprised by Claire's financial aspirations.

After all, Rosen comes right out and says it: "I don’t view these people as chefs. I view them as lifestyle personalities who we can build great businesses for."

Which is true, most of them are not chefs. I don't have a problem with that. I don't even have a problem with someone trying to make money. Go on and sell those aprons, Claire! How's that going for crazypants Lisa Garza these days, by the way?

It just seems a bit presumptuous to me to be talking about product lines when you're barely out of the gate. At least pretend that you're on Food Network to, ya know, host a cooking show for a bit and that you don't have some ulterior motives.

You don't hear Sunny Anderson, who's seen far greater success so far on Food Network, yapping about wanting a line of cutting boards & hoodies, do you?

What do you think of Claire's eagerness? Should she have to prove herself first or just move right into the Claire-brand aprons and knives?

Food Network Addict Review: 5 Ingredient Fix with Claire Robinson

No, those aren't the Yorkshire Puddings that Claire Robinson made in yesterday's premiere episode of 5 Ingredient Fix, but with the way FN hawked 'em (Pillsbury "Savorings") during every commercial break, I can see how you might be confused.

Seeing how it's recessionpalooza right now, it must be somewhat discombobulating to see a TV host attempt to persuade us to make doughy, puffy balls of dripping pudding from scratch one minute and then see commercial after commercial for pre-made "savorings" and the like that may or may not cost less than the needed ingredients for the host's own recipes (plus, you get all those yummy preservatives and space food-like substances in the Pillsbury kind). Obviously cooking from scratch is the smarter alternative, but when you only got a dollar to spend, those packages are mighty tempting.

I'm not sure what I'm saying here. I just have been getting a lot of mixed message from Food Network lately... like this:


I don't get... well, never mind. I don't have the energy this Sunday.

Obviously, 5 Ingredient Fix is popping up on the Food Network landscape right now to capitalize upon the vast amount of people who are cooking at home (although if you lost your job, you might be cooking Ramen) and looking to save money. Now, not only are the recipes FAST (think Rachael Ray), but you don't need an entire garbage bowl full of ingredients to make them! In case you didn't catch that, there are only 5 ingredients or fewer in each one of Claire's recipes, a point they reinforce with not-needed graphics:


... and a "ding" sound effect, for added measure. I'm hoping these graphics are just showing up in the early episodes. I think Claire herself might throw a rib roast if she had to hear that damn "ding" the hundredth time she added olive oil to a recipe.

One thing that did work for me was the set design and overall look of the show. While I do love Anne Burrell's and Sunny Anderson's over the top, colorful, rarely attainable in New York City, are we watching a rerun of Friends kitchens, Claire's set design is simple, clean and roomy. And she even has a regular refrigerator!


(I say "regular" here, as many of my friends in NYC have those tiny euro-style fridges and not some Sub Zero, clear front, so big it's almost a walk-in that have been showing up on a lot of Food Network shows lately.)

It's not excessive, which is nice to see on a new show; it's a bit more reflective of the real world.

And speaking of reflections, is someone trying to pull a Rachael?


Maybe, maybe not. But I do know that Rachael isn't getting any less busy. I haven't heard anything about new deals since her 2-year one was announced in late 2007, and I wouldn't be surprised if after the crop of 120 new 30 Minute Meals episodes she's obligated to do get shot, we won't be seeing any more cooking shows hosted by Rachael. Expect more travel shows (with voiceovers and less actual travel) and more producing credits from Ms. Ray. Just my guess.

Anyhow, that leads me to believe Food Network is trying its hardest to find a new Rachael—one that will resonate with housewives and husbands, singles and seniors alike. If that was their goal with Claire, I think the network missed the mark.

While Rachael seemed like the bubbly, friendly, kinda dorky girl next door from upstate New York when she burst onto the scene, Claire seems like the tough girl from the Bronx who could cut you with her serrated knife if you tried to cross her. I don't think she'll get the same kind of "let's be friends!" following that Rachael did.

Still, like I always say, there is hope. This is just experience #1 with Claire Robinson and 5 Ingredient Fix. The food looked good (she is trained, according to her bio) and she's pretty good on camera. But just like the small number of ingredients in each one of her recipes, Claire's got a small number of episodes to make an impact. Let's see what happens.

'30-Minute Calphalon Meals?' 'Paula's Kitchenaid Cooking?' - Will Product Placement Infiltrate Food Network (and would anyone care)?

It takes a lot to get me excited about a new Food Network show before it airs; you gotta prove yourself first, and if you don't, you're dead to me (Chic & Easy who? ).

So that's why I haven't even mentioned the newest raspy voiced host Claire Robinson and her new show 5 Ingredient Fix, which premieres this Saturday at 9:30am ET. Apart from another obvious attempt to create the next Rachael, the only other thing I'm interested in on the show's site is this curious "Set List" which got me thinking...


Everything from the show's dishware and cutlery, to the utensils and compost bin is listed with the corresponding brand name and web site. Is this simply a service for curious viewers or a new money-making venture for Food Network? Wouldn't those brands have to chip in a bit more for the added online presence?

For years, Food Network has covered up its products brand names, usually by just turning the label away from the camera or putting some tape over the identifying brand. Bigger shows like Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals are given the honor of real-looking, faux labels for their products that are created by graphic designers—keeping with television's longstanding tradition of genericizing all name brands to avoid conflicting with paid advertisers. You can't show Aunt Sandy using name brand Cool-Whip and then have a Reddi-Whip commercial right after! All hell would break loose!

Or would it?

In today's DVR/TiVo world where anyone can zip right through commercials, advertisers are looking for new ways to get their message out. Wouldn't Food Network, which already receives a bulk of its endorsements from food & housewares companies, benefit from doing a little food & housewares advertising during its programs?

Would you think less of Paula Deen if she shoved a big spoonfull of butter pudding into her mouth if the spoon was clearly emblazoned with Oxo? What about if Guy Fieri pronounced Ore-Ida tater tots to be the clear winner in the land of frozen potato products?

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I'm not sure what to think about the possibility of product placement in Food Network shows. Big name stars like Ina Garten and Paula Deen, who shoot in their own homes, receive many (if not all) of their high-end appliances for free (Ina's assistant admitted to me this was the case in Ina's new barn).

Viking, Sub Zero, et al know their products will be seen in countless episodes of Barefoot Contessa and Paula's Best Dishes, so they give them gratis or at big discounts. (These deals often have other requirements where the stars' kitchens are featured in magazine spreads, books, etc. to get the brands even more exposure.) So what's stopping brands from competing and paying to be in a Food Network kitchen? Methinks not much.

And now for some official-sounding language: Food Network Addict contacted Food Network for comment, but calls were not immediately returned. Will let you know if they do, though!