People tune into the Food Network for all kinds of reasons. Whether you want to learn how to make the perfect apple pie, or you’re in it to see four chefs battle it out against the clock on Chopped, there’s something on that channel for every kind of foodie.
You would think that a network about food wouldn’t be that dramatic, but of course, that isn’t the case. Read on to learn some of the dirty secrets behind the scenes of the Food Network—they’re far darker than any dark brew or squid ink pasta recipe.
A Racist Incident On The Pioneer Woman
The show The Pioneer Woman takes place in Ree Drummond’s kitchen in her home in the American South. Sorry Southerners, but you guys are known for being a little, well, racist. Not all of you and you’re getting better, but it’s still kind of an issue. In one episode of The Pioneer Woman, Drummond made Asian hot wings for her family and friends. When she told her guests what they were called, they all looked at her rather quizzically.
Drummond then said “I’m just kidding guys, I wouldn’t do that to you,” and exchanged the wings with American Buffalo wings.
Michael Symon Took Some Questionable Pictures
Michael Symon was very much married when a photo of Chrissy Teigen sitting on his lap went viral in 2014. The picture was taken during a beach volleyball tournament held to benefit the Armed Forces Foundation. Symon liked the photo so much that he decided to post it on social media all on his own.
Symon brushed off negative comments he recieved on the photo, writing, “wow some ppl have 2 chill a bit… liz [his wife] is WITH me… & chrissy is a friend…”
Jamie Oliver Whitewashed A Classic African Dish
Jamie Oliver is a very successful chef, and he’s made his living cooking delicious classically British dishes. He has branched outside of his wheelhouse on a few occasions. In 2014, Oliver created a new version of jollof rice, one of West Africa’s most culturally significant dishes. African food bloggers were quick to attack Oliver for his unrecognizable take on the meal.
Vera Kwakofi, a writer working for BBC Africa said, “the danger is that in five years, his version will become the official one.”
Guy Fieri Isn’t That Enthusiastic
Guy Fieri is certainly… something. This man has given us some choice memes over the years, as well as some signature phrases. Going to Flavortown, anyone? With his frosted tips and overly-enthusiastic-about-food personality, you have to wonder if Guy Fieri ever turns it off.
Vera Kwakofi, a writer working for BBC Africa said, “the danger is that in five years, his version will become the official one.”
Griffin Bufkin owns Southern Soul Barbeque, which was once featured on Diner’s, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Bufkin later revealed that when Guy arrived at his restaurant for the first time, he was in a plain tee shirt and cargo shorts — his hair wasn’t even frosted!
Paula Deen Admitted To Using The “N” Word
Paula Deen made the news in 2013 when she admitted to have used the “N” word at one point. She openly admitted that she had said the word in the past although acknowledged that she hadn’t said it in some time. She then released an apology video on the Internet.
While the public was ready to let the issue go, her company tried to defend her. They said “She was born 60 years ago when America’s South had schools that were segregated, different bathrooms, different restaurants and Americans rode in different parts of the bus. This is not today.” That didn’t go over as well.
That’s not all… read on for some more Paula Deen drama
She Also Hid Her Diabetes
It’s no secret that Paula Deen’s food is more about taste than it is about being healthy. So when she announced that she had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, the public wasn’t exactly shocked. What was shocking, however, was that she announced her condition three years after she had been diagnosed.
Apparently, she was waiting for a deal with the pharmaceutical company Norvo Nordisk, who wanted her and her sons to be the new faces of a Type 2 diabetes drug campaign. People condemned her for continuing to encourage people to cook unhealthy food with chef Anthony Bourdain even tweeting, “Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later.”
Mario Batali’s Sexual Misconduct Case
Chef Mario Batali made a name for himself on the Food network show Molto Mario between 1996 and 2004. But in 2017, things went south for Batali when he was accused of assault and harassment by four different women.
He didn’t deny the allegations and instead apologized, saying, “I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends, and family.” Batali was fired from his hosting gig on The Chew, plans to reboot Molto Mario were canceled, and Target stopped selling all of his products.
Bobby Flay Left Iron Chef
Bobby Flay was an Iron Chef staple back in the day. Audiences couldn’t imagine the show without him. He shocked viewers everywhere when he announced that he would be leaving the show back in 2017. Judges, audiences, and the Food Network were left speechless when he revealed a shirt saying “This is my last Iron Chef battle ever.” He didn’t tell anyone what he was going to do and it was impossible to edit out, which Flay explained by saying, “I know. That’s the point.”
Flay claimed it was all a big prank, but by 2018, he had left the show.
Ina Garten Doesn’t Support The Sick Kids
Ina Garten, AKA The Barefoot Contessa is known for her calming personality, classic french cooking techniques, and, of course, her husband, Jeffrey. She seems to be a rather warm and caring person, but it might surprise you to learn that she actually refused to meet with a Make-A-
In 2011 when Enzo Pereda, a six-year-old with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, asked to meet her, Garten denied meeting because she was too busy working on her new book. Pereda asked again a year later, but Ina declined a second time.
He Also Ripped Off His Employees
On top of the harassment allegations against Batali, he was also sued by his former employees in 2010 for issues regarding tipping. A total of 117 people from his different restaurants were involved in the lawsuit, which claimed that Batali would steal four to five percent of tips in order to pay the restaurants’ sommeliers when they should have gone to the servers.
The lawsuit went on for years until a settlement was reached in 2012. Batali paid $5.25 million to those named on the lawsuit as well as any employee who had been a victim of his scheme.
Geoffrey Zakarian Filed For Bankruptcy
You may primarily know Geoffrey Zakarian as a judge on Chopped, but he’s actually on four Food Network shows and is an acclaimed restaurateur. It seems that being famous didn’t help him with his finances, as he filed for bankruptcy in 2011 after his former employees at his now-closed
Apparently, Zakarian had shorted his staff on overtime pay, faked pay records, and docked paychecks. The employees demanded $1 million in damages and an extra $250,000 in penalties. Although he denied the allegations, fighting the lawsuit drove him to the point of bankruptcy.
After having a fallout with Guy Fieri, Diners Drive-Ins and Dives co-creator David Page claimed that Fieri wasn’t the greatest guy off camera. Apparently, he is known to make a lot of inappropriate comments and has a wandering eye when it comes to women. He also expressed his dislike of the LGBT community when he decided that two male restaurant owners “were life partners.”
Page also claimed that Fieri said, “You can’t send me to talk to gay people without warning! Those people weird me out!” From then on, the show’s researchers were instructed to look out for “indications of homosexuality” during the interview process.
Robert Irvine’s Fake Resume
Chef Robert Irvine came onto the scene as the host of Food Network’s Dinner Impossible. His resume for the show was incredibly impressive and convincing. His accomplishments included having been knighted, cooking for four U.S. presidents, and being good friends with Prince Charles, among other things.
However, in 2008, it was exposed that his resume had been significantly puffed out. He was swiftly let go from Dinner Impossible and was replaced by Michael Symon. After some time, though, Irvine was invited back to host the show once again.
Graham Elliot May Have Stolen Tips
Graham Elliot is a former Iron Chef contestant who ran into some trouble with his former employees who accused him of interfering with their tips. Former waiter Gregory Curtis filed a lawsuit in 2012 and was backed by 13 other other former employees from Elliot’s self-named restaurant Graham Elliot in Chicago.
Curtis claimed that the wait staff was forced to pool their tips. The money was then split up between elements of the restaurant that don’t usually receive tips, such as food runners and cooks. Elliot was sued for the wages that were lost during the tip pooling. He didn’t deny the claims and he settled with the former waiters outside of court.
Cat Cora Was Caught Driving Under The Influence
Cat Cora is known for being a rough and tumble sort of chef, but we never expected her to do anything illegal. In 2012, Cat Cora got into a minor car accident while she was under the influence of alcohol. The police arrived on the scene and administered a breathalyzer test. After the test showed that she was too drunk to drive, she was taken to the Santa Barbara Sobering Center.
She received three years probation, a fine, a suspended jail sentence, and nine months of DUI school.
The Contestant Who Lied About Being A Military Man
In the third season of Next Food Network Star, contestant Joshua Adam Garcia, who went by “JAG,” was forced to withdraw from the contest. Apparently, he had lied about his background. Not only did he not graduate from the New York Restaurant School, he also lied about his service in the United States Military.
He wasn’t a standing corporal, had never been in a combat zone, and was discharged for unknown reasons. The founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Paul Rieckhoff, released a statement saying “Pretending to be a combat veteran for any reason should not be taken lightly. That’s absolutely unacceptable. It’s an insult to the 1.6 million Americans who have been to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Nigella Lawson May Have Had A Drug Problem
Nigella Lawson is not only a famed chef but an author as well, having written eight books and selling millions of copies. In 2013, she and her ex-husband Charles Saatchi claimed that sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, her former assistants, had stolen thousands of dollars from them. The sisters defended themselves, saying that they had been given the money from Lawson to keep her supposed drug addiction from Saatchi.
The sisters said that Lawson used cocaine and prescription pills frequently. At trial, Lawson admitted to using cocaine but only in a party setting and never frequently. The Grillo sisters were later acquitted of the charges.
Giada De Laurentiis May Have Cheated On Her Husband
Giada always seemed like the perfect family woman on Food Network, but In 2014, she revealed that she and her husband were getting a divorce. They had been married for 11 years and people were shocked to hear that they were splitting up. Because of the timing of the divorce, some people began to speculate that Giada was having an affair with Bobby Flay. Flay was also going through a divorce at the time.
Laurentiis denied the accusations, saying, “Well, we’re very good friends… but I don’t think that’s ever going to happen because I’m smarter than that.”
Bobby Flay’s Divorce
Bobby Flay may not have had an affair with Giada, but his third ex-wife Stephanie March would say that he was involved with plenty of other women. Flay’s divorce from March was contentious, to put it lightly. March claimed that Flay had multiple affairs, including one with actress January Jones.
In 2010, Jones crashed her car into other parked cars in Los Angeles. The first person she called was Flay, although no one seems to know why — not even Flay himself. Regardless, he went out to help her, but that only fueled the rumors. Strangely, the father of Jones’ son remains a mystery, and some fingers point to Flay.
Giada De Laurentiis Spits Out Her Own Food
Giada De Laurentiis looks pretty slim for a woman who spends so much time in the kitchen. It turns out, there might be a weird reason why she stays so skinny. Apparently, the chef refuses to eat her food. She takes a bite of the food for the cameras and then spits it out after the cameras stop rolling.
Nobody knows for sure if this is true, but if it is, Giada could be suffering from an undiagnosed eating disorder.
Wolfgang Puck Exposed The Better Business Bureau
There’s no denying that Wolfgang Puck is one of the best chefs in the business and one of the world’s greatest restauranteurs. However, when David Lazarus, a Los Angeles Times reporter, saw that the Better Business Bureau gave his restaurant Spago a B- rating despite no complaints, he started asking some questions.
Doing some more digging, Lazarus asked Puck about how he had received such a low review although nothing bad was said about the restaurant. Puck explained that he received the B- because he didn’t pay for a higher rating. In the end, it was revealed that The Better Business Bureau had indeed been accepting payments to give restaurants higher reviews.
John Besh Got Left On The Cutting Room Floor Of Iron Chef
Although filmed in 2017, John Besh was edited out of Iron Chef before its release in January 2018. He was taken out of the episode after he was accused of harassment by 25 different employees at his various restaurants. The employees claimed that the harassment was a regular thing at the Besh Restaraunt Group.
Another employee came forward claiming that she had an affair with Besh, who cheated on his wife and urged their relationship forward. All of this new information led him to not only be edited out of Iron Chef but Bravo’s Top Chef as well.
Anne Burrell Wasn’t Fair To Her Female Employees
Besides being on Iron Chef America, Anne Burrell has had several of her own shows on the Food Network and is a frequent guest on numerous others. However, in 2009, she ran into some issues after she was sued for supposedly discriminating against females at Centro Vinoteca, the restaurant where she was a chef.
presents onstage during Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented by Capital One Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite featuring Culinary Demonstrations presented by Capital One at Pier 94 on October 13, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for NYCWFF)
She was cited for calling the employees derogatory names, making comments about their bodies, and openly discussing their private lives. When the women originally complained, Burell had them fired. While they settled outside of court, further details are still unknown.
Sandra Lee’s Insensitive Kwanzaa Cake
Back in 2009, Sandra Lee tried her hand at making a Kwanzaa cake, which was insulting to many people. The cake seemed completely thrown together with store-bought frosting, corn nuts, pumpkin seeds, and apple pie filling. While the look (and most likely taste) of the cake was horrendous, what really caused an uproar was that she declared the cake a celebration of Kwanzaa.
African diaspora expert and cookbook author Jessica Harris commented: “The thing that’s potentially offensive to me is characterizing/determining a holiday about which neither the cake preparer nor the recipe designer has the first clue.”
Anthony Bourdain Put The Food Network On Blast
Anthony Bourdain was never known for being modest when it came to speaking his mind. On more than one occasion, he personally attacked chefs that work with the Food Network, specifically Guy Fieri.
He expressed his feelings saying “I sort of feel in a heartfelt way for Guy [Fieri] […] I wonder about him. He’s 52 years old and still rolling around in the flame outfit . . . What does he do?” He also took jabs at Rachel Ray and Sandra Dee in the past yet had some nice things to say about Ina Garten for some reason.
Bourdain Called Paula Deen A Danger To America
One of the most vocal critics of Paula Deen is chef Anthony Bourdain, who told TV Guide that Deen is “the worst, most dangerous person to America.” Bourdain cited Deen’s unabashed promotion of her fat-laden recipes saying, “I would think twice before telling an already obese nation that it is OK to eat food that is killing us.”
Deen defended herself saying that her recipes were family and budget friendly. Bourdain has a reputation for dragging many Food Network personalities, and thanks to his sharp tongue, has found himself at one end of a few celebrity chef feuds.
Mario Batali’s Inappropriate Apology
Batali, at least, didn’t deny the accusations. He quickly issued a statement saying, “I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt… much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses.”
Despite his public apology, Batali tried and failed to make things better when he addressed the scandal with his loyal email subscribers. After admitting his wrongdoing, Batali still felt the need to plug his recipe for Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls at the end of his email. The move left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
Pat And Gina Neely Hated Each Other
Pat and Gina Neely were the lovable couple that hosted Down Home with the Neelys which premiered on Food Network in 2008. Despite what you may have seen on camera, there are reports that Pat and Gina hated each other during the entire show.
In 2014, Gina filed for divorce from Pat after 23 years of marriage. Gina told People, “I never wanted to be a TV chef. I was a branch manager at a bank. I was going to divorce Pat prior to the show.” Set to star in a new Bravo show, To Rome for Love, Gina hasn’t spoken to Pat since she left him.
Michael Chiarello Got A DUI
Michael Chiarello hosts Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello on the Food Network. In 2016, Chiarello made headlines when he was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol officer in Napa, California. The celebrity chef was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance.
Chiarello was booked into the Napa County Jail and released after posting bail. After the incident, Chiarello’s representatives stated his plans to refute the charges. Chiarello’s legal troubles didn’t end there. He was also involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by two of his former employees.
Andrew Zimmern Doesn’t Respect Tyler Florence
In 2009, the Bizzare Foods host had a thing or two to say about Food Network chef Tyler Florence. At the time, Florence guest-starred on the short-lived reality show, Momma’s Boys.
Zimmern clearly wasn’t entertained and felt the need to say so on his blog: “Monday’s episode featured the world’s least talented TV chef, Tyler Florence, once again churning out the questionable cooking advice and the leading the ladies through a menu of the Mom’s fave recipes. Watching Florence wolf down the food, stare and ogle every [expletive] that strolled by his cutting board and play the role of local TV stud was high-comedy of the highest order.”
Tyler Florence Wasn’t Going To Take That Insult
Naturally, Florence wasn’t going to take that insult lying down. He clapped back on his Facebook profile: “Normally I have pretty thick skin when it comes to blogs and what people think. It is a free country after all, but this guy Andrew Zimmern, the guy who eats dried camel [expletive] for a living, has decided to dis my life’s work…
“I guess it’s hard to have a sense of humor when you’re on your 10th take of eating Yak [expletive], smiling to the camera, wondering where your life went wrong.” Then Florence called for an end to chef feuding — just after he dissed another chef.
Juan-Carlos Cruz Attempted To Murder His WIfe
In 2010, the host of Calorie Commando and Weighing In was arrested for allegedly hired two homeless men to kill his wife. Amazingly, Juan-Carlos Cruz didn’t deny the attempted murder. He pleaded no contest and is currently serving time at the California Correctional Institute in Tehachapi.
By pleading no contest to the charge of soliciting murder, Cruz avoided being charged with attempted murder. His bail was set at $2 million and after the conviction began his nine-year prison sentence.
Martha Stewart Called Rachel Ray A Hack
Returning to the public eye after her prison sentence, Martha Stewart immediately went on the offensive, calling Rachel Ray and hack. Specifically, Stewart said that Ray was not a baker or chef. She then doubled down, claiming that Ray’s new cookbook was just a re-issue of her last book with a few updated recipes.
Not one to get into a fight, Rachel Ray accepted the harsh criticism. When asked about Stewarts not so nice words, Ray said, “Why would it make me mad? Her skill set is far beyond mine. That’s simply the reality of it.”
Jamie Oliver’s Paella Death Threats
When Jamie Oliver added chorizo to paella, Spain reacted with hate rarely seen from an entire country. On the Graham Norton Show, Oliver said they went, “medieval on me.”
At the time Oliver made the food mistake, he was in Canada discussing childhood obesity strategies with the Prime Minister. Try as he might refocus the discussion on what mattered, Oliver trended for weeks because of sausage. At the end of the day he stuck by his guns, letting all of Spain know, “by the way, just FYI, it tastes better with chorizo.”
Donald Trump Sued Zakarian
During Donald Trump’s Presidential campaign he had a deal in place with Jeffrey Zakarian to open a restaurant in one of his properties. After making poor remarks about Mexicans, Zakarian pulled out and is now being sued by Trump for breaching his contract.
About his decision to cut ties with Trump, Zakarian said Trump’s views, “do not in any way align with my personal core values. The case is yet to be settled and Zakarian, along with chef Jose Andres, have countersued.
Rachael Ray Almost Set Emeril’s Kitchen On Fire
It takes time to have things done right. That is especially true when you’re dealing with many crew people on set. So when Rachael Ray filmed the pilot to 30 Minute Meals, Emeril’s kitchen almost went up in flames.
Ray shot the pilot on the set of Emeril Live. She went to put some oil on the skillet but didn’t realize they already preheated it for her. Once the oil hit the pot, flames burst into the air like a scene from a movie. Emeril’s kitchen ended up safe, but it was a close call.
Masaharu Morimoto Questioned Bobby Flay’s Talent
When chefs take cooking serious, things can get personal. One big-time chef had some choice words for another chef during their time of competing against each other on Iron Chef America. Masaharu Morimoto didn’t like what Boby Flay did at the time.
When the competition came to a close, Flay did something to trigger Morimoto. He stood on his cutting board, “raised the roof,” and said he was going to win. Morimoto responded to this in an interview by saying Flay, “wasn’t a chef” and that “cutting boards and knives are sacred to [chefs].”
Bourdain Always Spoke His Mind
Anthony Bourdain was an outspoken man. Bourdain didn’t hold his tongue for much and was great at what he did. That’s a few of the reasons he became so popular. And at one point, he and the Food Network didn’t see eye to eye.
“Their brand is really, I think it’s clear, not chef-driven,” Bourdain said in an interview. “For a period of time, the last thing they wanted, it seemed, was anyone who actually worked in a restaurant or cooked professionally or was authoritative on the subject of food.”
Sometimes The Drama Is Staged
Not all the drama on Food Network’s reality shows can be natural. Sometimes the producers have to create a little trouble to give an episode a little spice. Such is the case for a show like Restaurant Stakeout.
In one episode, a restaurant owner revealed that the producers of the show hired someone to be a waiter. The guy was instructed to drop food and drink on the job, just so he could purposefully get fired. Not all restaurants featured on that show are total disasters, apparently. But don’t you forget, it is reality television.
A Cupcake Lawsuit
Food Network found itself in a heap of trouble after it was sued for copying someone else’s recipe for edible snow globes and claiming it as their own. SugarHero is looking for $150,000 in damages after seeing what they call a “short for shot remake” of their own instructional video.
Fortunately for the network, food recipes can’t be copyrighted, although stealing the video might be the bigger problem. With so much money behind them, there’s a good chance this scandal gets settled out of court!
TACO RELISH / Balkantimes.press
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