Top 10 Food Network Shows of All Time

Iron Chef Bobby Flay is a Food Network mainstay, and as of 2013, chefs from around the country have gotten the chance to compete against him and show off their stuff. In the first round, two aspiring chefs must cook off for the chance to battle Bobby, and their dishes are judged by two celebrity guests. In the second round, the visiting chefs name their signature dish and Bobby has try to outdo them. This time around, the winner is picked by culinary expert judges using a blind taste test. As of midway through season 15, Bobby has 112 wins compared to 61 losses.
Win or lose, he always delivers an entertaining episode!

Now based in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, Ree Drummond is a big city girl who fell in love with a cowboy and moved out to live life on a ranch. Her show is filmed in her own kitchen, and usually involves her cooking down home meals for her family, friends and the ranch hands. Her specialties are comfort foods and tex mex dishes, and she’s definitely not afraid of a little cheese and butter. Even if you’re on a strict diet, watching her cook carb and fat laden meals is totally mesmerizing. And if you’re not watching your figure, well, prepare to get seriously inspired.

Many of the shows on Food Network focus on fine cuisine, but this isn’t one of them. In “Cutthroat Kitchen”, contestants have to make their assigned dishes while sabotaging each other with extra challenges designed to make the process more difficult. Players have to bid on sabotages and all the money they spend is taken out of their winnings. Whether it’s something straightforward like having to wear a potato masher strapped to your hand while cooking or something completely insane like cooking a meal in a ball pit, this show never stops being entertaining. It’s a competition first and a cooking show second… and that’s what makes it stand out.

The format of this competition show has been altered significantly since its inception in 2005, but through every iteration it has been a blast to watch. The series has alternated between having home viewers as the ones who voted on which contestants should stay in the game, but they have since put more importance on the judges’ opinions. Originally known as “The Next Food Network Star”, the title has been shortened to simply “Food Network Star”. Though not every winner has gone on to become a true star, Guy Fieri actually won the show’s second season, and kickstarted his hugely successful career.

Ina Garten is one of the Food Network’s most beloved celebrity chefs, and has carved herself out a niche of fans who can’t get enough of her high end yet laid back style. On “Barefoot Contessa”, everything looks easy, whether it’s harvesting herbs from the garden of your East Hamptons home, or throwing a casual dinner party for your friends and family without ever breaking a sweat. Honestly, this show may be more aspirational than anything else. While Garten has released several successful cookbooks, we watch her series more for the soothing quality of the show rather than actual cooking tips.

Rachael Ray is perhaps the world’s most well-known celebrity chef, and she made a name for herself with this TV show which ran for just over a decade from 2001 to 2012. What makes “30 Minute Meals” different is that Rachel Ray has no formal training as a chef, she’s just an enthusiastic home cook who shares her tips and tricks for creating easy yet delicious meals for your family- in almost no time at all. The show has been criticized for occasionally teaching viewers improper techniques, but the imperfections are what it’s all about.

Guy Fieri may be a divisive figure, but no matter how you feel about him, you can’t deny that this show has an appealing, failsafe formula. Fieri and his crew drive around the United States and pick out the greasiest, most creative and awesome dishes from around the country - taking you behind the scenes to see how they’re made. If you’re a fan of the show and you have a road trip in your future, people have made maps that pinpoint all the diners, drive-ins and dives that Fieri has visited over the years. So whether you’re doing research or just in the mood for some food porn, Guy’s got you covered.

Based on the original Japanese show “Iron Chef”, “Iron Chef America” is actually the second attempt to rework the popular concept for U.S. viewers. Unlike its predecessor “Iron Chef USA” however which was not well received, this iteration was a success for many years. In Kitchen Stadium, competitors come to throw down with designated “Iron Chefs” who are typically Food Network stars. They are given either an ingredient or theme to work with while trying to unseat the resident chef. The skill level on this program is high, and so is the showmanship. We love it because it’s so over the top and makes us want to get into some serious kitchen experimentation.

One of the most revolutionary and essential Food Network shows was also one of the longest running. Beloved host Alton Brown debuted “Good Eats” in 1999 when he was dissatisfied with the cooking shows available on TV. In every episode, he would tackle a particular food or concept and go in-depth about the history of it and how to best prepare it. For any budding chef, this is probably one of the most informative things you can watch, even many years later. Good news for fans of the show, Brown announced in 2017 that he would be reviving the concept under the title “Return of the Eats”.



Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.



“Food Network Challenge” (2005; 2007-11)

“Cupcake Wars” (2009-)

The concept of this competition show is a simple one, and that’s what makes it so addictive. On “Chopped”, there are four contestants and three rounds. In each round, the chefs are given a basket of ingredients that they have to use prominently in their dish, being as creative as possible. The judges are a rotating cast of Food Network stars, and the formula is one that works because viewers have come to know exactly what to expect. True fans know that you definitely don’t have time to make risotto in the appetizer round and that if you want to use the ice cream machine you’d better get there quickly. It never gets old!