Ted Allen: Food Detectives

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Wouldn't it be fun if your fifth grade science teacher assigned watching the Food Network's Food Detectives with Ted Allen instead of her usual five pages of Science for Fifth Graders? That is probably not what the Food Network had in mind when they created the show - but fifth graders sure seem like a logical audience. You may know Ted Allen from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy; he was the "Food and Wine Connoisseur". You can also see him as an occasional judge on FN's Iron Chef America or PBS's Uncorked: Wine Made Simple. Food Detectives premiers Tuesday, July 29 at 9PM ET/PT. It is all about answering tough kitchen questions. There is something strange and off about Ted's timing, but it seems to match his flat delivery. His side kicks, the "food techs" and science staff, are much more fun to watch. Super Chef got a sneak peak of the premier episode that addresses tough questions like: What is the best way to cool your mouth after eating spicy food? And: Does Celery really have negative calories? One 'food tech' sporting dreadlocks has to sniff the insides of a smelly refrigerator testing whether activated charcoal or baking soda work to remove odors (the charcoal wins). He makes appropriate facial expressions and steals the segment. Is Ted playing the geek of kitchen science to set him apart of FN's other male stars like Bobby Flay and Tyler Florence? But isn't that roll already filled ably by Alton Brown? If you enjoy Alton explanations behind cooking, you'll probably enjoy the science explanations of this show. What makes Alton's show Good Eats work so well is he concentrates on one ingredient, method, or dish in a narrative that keeps the story moving along. Food Detectives answers a range of unrelated questions that have to do with the kitchen in general, but not necessarily with cooking. Previous articles: [Food Television - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef