Ming Tsai TV

By Juliette Rossant Just when you thought it was safe to come out of the kitchen and sit down to a little television... you find Ming Tsai coming at you from two new directions. Having left the Food Network after three successful shows there (East Meets West, Cooking with Ming Tsai, and Ming's Quest), he came back on TV last year, this time on PBS with Simply Ming. Over the past few weeks, however, he gone for a triple. Recently, you may have heard about a second show he'll co-starring in, announced thus: From: Ming Tsai ...You could be the next great American Chef! Premiering Wednesday, April 27th on PBS, Cooking Under Fire is a national cooking competition to discover the next great American chef, someone who has the SOUL, TALENT and STAMINA to cook "under fire." Bringing together culinary school grads, everyday gourmands, short-order cooks, and seasoned restaurant talent. "COOKING UNDER FIRE" is a documentary-style look at a national cooking competition. Celebrity chefs Ming Tsai and Todd English plus acclaimed author Michael Ruhlman (The Making of a Chef, Soul of a Chef) will serve as judges, searching America for its next culinary superstar. The person that exhibits the best mix of talent, drive, and personality will win a position as chef in one of Todd English's Manhattan restaurants... Following this comes the nearly customary offering of pots and pans and knives endorsed by the TV mass-marketed chef... What is the connection between Ming and Todd? Sure, they've "shared time" together -- in the metaphysical sense, like Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze in Point Break (ah, but which is Keanu and which Patrick?), because Todd appeared on Simply Ming's seventh episode (November 17). Still, I dont see the fit. For one thing, WGBH's sponsorship packages, SGPTV, reports the same lifestyle-oriented demographic audience for Ming and Todd: Woman and Adults (two groups) 35-64. But mix these two ingredients into the stew, add a little Hollywood magic and, hey presto!, SGPTV feels it can report new demographics for Cooking Under Fire: prime time audience, not just lifestyle, and Women and Adults 25-54, not just 35-64. Still, I just can't do the math on this one... Here's some easier math, though. Ming has just duked it out with Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America -- and won. (Episode first aired January 30, 2005.) That makes Ming's score on Iron Chef America 1-0. Nothing like guesting on your own network and whipping the pants off your old friend! In truth, Ming's Media mastery merits meditation. Previous articles: Todd English Winner Gets "English is Italian"? Todd English Cooks for the Governors Ball? Todd English Slums With Jeffrey Chodorow Iron Chef America: Running on Empty Todd English: Trip Over Table? Gordon Ramsay Joins Richard Branson in Fox's Reality TV Hell Super Chef vs. Governator: Todd English Fights For Foie Gras Rights Iron Chef: America vs. USA Todd English: American Chef Gone Wild