Hello queers,
This month has been overwhelmingly sad and melancholic. There was the lack of sun exposure, daylight savings and really a month of just nothing. I was also sick. I also felt discerning about things, but maybe I am just too critical of things happening in society. Anyway, let’s have some fun!
I like to consider myself relatively knowledgeable when it comes to cooking and baking. My cuisine speciality now of course is veganism. I have made a few Cambodian dishes vegan, but have yet to source or create the perfect vegan fish sauce. I miss fish sauce so much. I am also really good at making cookies, cakes and Daniel’s favourite Italian s cookies.
My palette is not too fussy and is inviting to new adventures.
My invitation to the world of cooking began with watching both of my parents cook. From there, my dad would always watch Yan Can Cook on TV. Martin Yan is a chef focusing on Chinese cuisine with a personality that’s friendly and approachable. He was so cool, I thought at the time. This segued to my insurmountable addiction to the world of Food Network Canada. There were so many great cooking shows to choose from and each show had the personality to match.
I loved Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals for quick and easy dishes. I don’t know her anymore. Of course there was Emeril Live with his most passionate tagline: BAM! Emeril gives me toxic masculinity. Occasionally I would watch Iron Chef, but it wasn’t my favourite. Chef At Home with Michael Smith is now giving me Aiden from SATC vibes. He’s the friendly neighbour you want to invite over for a BBQ. Alton Brown’s Good Eats provided the technical knowledge of cooking that you would only learn in culinary school. I feel like I am choosing my favourite child when I shouldn’t, but then there’s Unwrapped. It is not so much of a cooking show, but how your favourite foods are mass produced. It’s pretty therapeutic and meditative when they walk you through the process and hundreds of items are just moving smoothly down a conveyor belt.
After the decline of cable television, I started losing access to my favourite cooking shows. I no longer lived with my parents and I had no desire to sign up for cable. Around 2016, I started using YouTube as one of my entertainment options. And over the years, I have curated a new era of cooking shows with new personalities to match.
As much as I try to look for exclusive vegan content, I am not too discriminating. I challenge myself to look at alternative ingredients. The same way that someone with any food intolerance would. What’s important is learning new techniques and recipes from different chefs, bakers, people and cultures.
Here is a list of shows I have enjoyed the last few years. Let’s call it a Culinary Curatorial. Ugh, sounds so pretentious, but it is what it is!
hot for food
My first window into the world of vegan cooking. I love Lauren Toyota. She has a no BS approach to cooking and the pressures of performing on YouTube. Initially based out of Toronto, but became an expat and moved to LA to complete her second book. I bought her first cookbook and I still make a few dishes to this day! I once saw her at Queen Fresh and I decided not to say hi.
NYT Cooking
After the great fall of Bon Appetit, I found that other platforms started to build a really good foundation of cooking shows. NYT Cooking has a lot of amazing chefs with their own approach and technique. I find it accessible, inclusive and overall joyous. I don’t want to pick a favourite, but Eric Kim, Melissa Clark and Sohla and Ham are one of my favourites.
Vice Munchies - The Cooking Show
What comes to mind when you think of Vice? PBR, Proud Boys and Farideh Sadeghin. Farideh Sadeghin! I could care less about what Vice produces outside of their food content, Farideh Sadeghin! She’s real, she’s funny and she’s Italian and Iranian. Sicily! This may be unpopular opinion, but Matty Matheson is overrated and annoying is fuck but panders to the Hypebeast crowd.
Eater - Dining on a Dime
We have another half Asian here! Lauren Toyota is half Japanese. Lucas Peterson, who is half Chinese, brings you on a tour to your favourite cities and restaurants and introduces you to hidden gems and affordable eats. The series is now defunct and Peterson now works for Los Angeles Food Times.
Eater - The Kitchen Gadget Test Show
I feel like I have developed a parasocial relationship with Ester Choi. Choi is someone who is going to give you the advice you don’t want to hear, but need to know to improve your life. The same can be said about kitchen gadgets. Give it to me Esther!
Dessert Person
Claire Saffitz: Stress Person.
Honorable mentions:
Food52 - videos are long and tedious and my last option when I have nothing to watch
Los Angeles Food Times - it has really great content exploring so many diverse pockets of LA. I love Lucas Peterson and Jenn Harris and I think they bring a very personable approach to the show. Their content isn’t consistent and I think they’re still trying find their purpose. But once they have a footing, they’re going to be huge. You heard it here first!
Bon Appetit - while I would say the good years were pre-2020, but were there ever any good years when it was toxic the whole time? The new videos are tainted and I can’t move forward.
Food and Wine - what comes to mind are boomers, but it’s slowly picking up steam and I am loving the videos with Lucas Sin and showcasing Chinese American cuisine and it’s rich history with it.
Alison Roman - I say this every time, but she’s a snooze fest and a touch obnoxious. Her recipes are rudimentary and when you’ve accumulated enough cooking content like I have, I can say that.
Edgy Veg - another Toronto content creator. She’s chill and not pretentious. The videos are consistent, but a touch too trying to work that SEO for my liking.
Sweet Simple Vegan - we’re in couple category and it’s a mix of lifestyle and cooking content. I am not fully invested, but I will occasionally watch.
Goodful - I have picked up a few great recipes, but I find most of the people on this channel over-perform and gives me cringe. Again, the videos feel like they’re chasing trends.
Homosexual Agenda
The list does not exist this week. Last week was a rough work week and honestly, from Friday to Tuesday all I did was watch seasons 1 and 2 of Selling Sunset and I am fucking deep in it. I am invested. I am passionate. And I have thoughts.
Is it weird to say that watching cooking shows doesn’t make me hungry?
See you in December!
Perry
If Sophia Roe had a YT channel I would 100% subscribe!