6 Meanest Things Said About ABC’s New Food Talk Show “The Chew”

Published on Wednesday, October 5, 2011, by Joyce Slaton / Edit Post

ABC's new food talk show, The Chew, premiered last week to decent ratings—and cranky critical reception, such as the following gems:

"I don't like the fact that the chefs are men and then there are these pretty women. It doesn't bode well. I would like to see one really bright, articulate woman chef there." - Ruth Reichl, when asked about The Chew by LA Weekly

"On opening day, though, 'The Chew' too often felt overstuffed, as if its celebrity crew were engaged in a speed-talking contest. That fast pace, a key part of the game plan, makes it hard to start relating to the panel. We need them to take some breaths." - NY Daily News

"The central problem to emerge from the first three episodes is an overstuffed approach to infotainment, valuing quantity over quality. Recipes are erratically explained and hastily executed, host banter has little time to breathe between branded segments, and every dollop of information cues rapturous applause from the studio audience, establishing a regrettably cheesy infomercial vibe." - Variety

"Really, Clinton, I should cut a steak to serve it as an hors d’oeuvre? You can do better!" - Entertainment Weekly

"Problem is, nothing feels very new about 'The Chew,' which is trying to be 'The View' but with food." - Chicago Sun-Times

"Mario Batali demos a pizza recipe from a golf course in New Jersey. He reveals, after a long pause, that Italian pizza is from Italy." - Huffington Post, on one of the most awkward moments on the premiere

All critical snark aside, most of the reviewers above said that despite some quibbles with the show's frantic pace, they liked some parts of it and think it could shake out to be decent television. But the bottom line is, it doesn't have to be that good: The Chew is so much cheaper to produce than the soap it replaced, All My Children, that it could do totally minimal ratings and ABC would still come out ahead. But what's really interesting to me is that ABC is even trying to apply the multi-talking-heads format of The View to the topic of food. Is food the new celebrity gossip? Or did it already turn that corner awhile ago with the rise of sites like Eater.com and the Top Chef-ification of kitchen work?

Image source: ABC.com

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COMMENT

  • This show is an embarrasement. Having the hosts dressing up according to the theme of the day is ridiculous. The show on Monday, featuring each host as a president was too painful to even look at. Who is their target audience? Children? The show could have been so much better. I was so excited to see Mario on tv again, but its nothing like his old shows on the Food Network! They are dumbing him...+READ

    This show is an embarrasement. Having the hosts dressing up according to the theme of the day is ridiculous. The show on Monday, featuring each host as a president was too painful to even look at. Who is their target audience? Children? The show could have been so much better. I was so excited to see Mario on tv again, but its nothing like his old shows on the Food Network! They are dumbing him down....-COLLAPSE

  • Can Daphne Oz PLEASE slow down when she speaks...or at least breathe? I can't watch the show that often because she talks too fast in one breath!

  • I love the show. Great recipes. Need to slow down or post all recipes to the site.

  • I very much like the show. Love having top quality chefs bantering and talking about food. Often watch the Food network and love it but this show feels more intimate and that's very appealing to me.

  • I really like Carla, and I think Ruth Reichl was mean to insinuate that she is not bright or articulate.

  • Badly do we need yet another food show. More porn, less cooking.

  • It bugged me that Ms. Oz didn't know what a bratwurst was. She had never heard of bratwurst. Just because you're supposed to be the "healthy food" talker, doesn't mean you should be ignorant of mainstream foods.

  • I love food, and I loved The View, so I am trying, hard, to enjoy The Chew. But the show itself is trying too hard. I turn it on almost every day, but it doesn't grab me and I end up walking away, so I've never seen an entire episode start to finish. What I have seen, however, is Mario Battali sadly underused, and a pretty little airhead who is there (it seems) only because she is someone's...+READ

    I love food, and I loved The View, so I am trying, hard, to enjoy The Chew. But the show itself is trying too hard. I turn it on almost every day, but it doesn't grab me and I end up walking away, so I've never seen an entire episode start to finish. What I have seen, however, is Mario Battali sadly underused, and a pretty little airhead who is there (it seems) only because she is someone's daughter. Last week she actually asked "what is a bratwurst?" and confessed she's never had one. Let's see more Carla, less Daphne and please, leave Ruth Reichl out of this (unless she's going to appear as a guest)-COLLAPSE

  • Although I do find Ms. Oz to be slightly annoying, and awkward- she does balance out the porky-goodness of Mike Symon. Maybe Ruth could be a little more useful and suggest a replacement for Daphne, making health cool is a hard sell! Anyone have any ideas?

  • Ruth, pretty women can cook too. Really, it takes a special lady to make such misogynistic comments.

  • Those are compliments compared to what chowhounders, including myself have said about the show.

  • Ruth Reichi - those are chefs - those pretty girls - fool

  • Now Ruth, just because your Precious PBS Show Obituary Of A Foodie
    sucked out loud doesn't mean we should
    go bashing shows that have yet to find their voices

  • I find Oz's daughter there because of her parentage to be super annoying. Get rid of her slow down the pace of the show and it could be decent. And Reichl needs to back off my girl Carla.

  • haven't watched the show, but ruth reichl is making herself look like an out-of-touch megabitch w the slam on carla hall.

  • The Chew jumped the shark...and will probably serve it some day.

    IMO, this might just be the turnaround point when people start saying ... Enuf already about food". More and more shows are making fun of the foodcentric foodies.

    There are some good tips on the show but they are buried in, as mentioned, the frantic, crazed pace. Now I know what hyper-active children are like as adults.

  • Ruth Reichl is the former Editor of Gourmet Magazine. She was obviously misinformed about Carla Hall since she is clearly a chef.

  • "I don't like the fact that the chefs are men and then there are these pretty women. It doesn't bode well. I would like to see one really bright, articulate woman chef there." - Ruth Reichl, when asked about The Chew by LA Weekly

    I have no clue who Ruth Reichl is, or why she is reviewing something she has no clue about, and doesn't seem to want to take the time to find out the facts. I sure do...+READ

    "I don't like the fact that the chefs are men and then there are these pretty women. It doesn't bode well. I would like to see one really bright, articulate woman chef there." - Ruth Reichl, when asked about The Chew by LA Weekly

    I have no clue who Ruth Reichl is, or why she is reviewing something she has no clue about, and doesn't seem to want to take the time to find out the facts. I sure do know who Fan Favorite Top Cheftestant Carla Hall is though.-COLLAPSE

  • They really, really need to slow down. I think and hope it will improve.

  • Sorry Ruth, but Carla is a great chef, articulate and knowledgeable. She is not just a talking head set there to look pretty and babble; I like this show although I must say that even the best talk shows wear thin on me after a while. I will ride with this one until it begins to grate. I love seeing Chef Mario and Chef Michael in a setting apart from the Food Net, but Mario will probably be the...+READ

    Sorry Ruth, but Carla is a great chef, articulate and knowledgeable. She is not just a talking head set there to look pretty and babble; I like this show although I must say that even the best talk shows wear thin on me after a while. I will ride with this one until it begins to grate. I love seeing Chef Mario and Chef Michael in a setting apart from the Food Net, but Mario will probably be the first to get on my nerves...let's just say he's a better chef than comedian.-COLLAPSE

  • I think they'll slow it down, add and subtract, and make the necessary adjustments. I don't think the producers ever felt they had a finished product when the show debuted. I won't watch it simply because I have a hard enough time setting aside time to watch a one hour show once a week.

  • I personally love the show. I have gotten so many good recipes on there. I disagree with the statement that the chefs are men and they threw in some pretty women. Carla Hall is a chef and Daphne Oz always contributes good information on keeping your diet healthy. I watch every day!! Love it!

  • I get the feeling that Daphne Oz was chosen for her looks.

  • Is Ruth saying Clinton isn't pretty? That isn't very nice.

    Tracie

  • Dear Ruth: She's right there on the far right of the photo. Her name is Carla Hall and she's more articulate and a better chef than you'll ever be. Moron.