Kitchen Hero

chopsocky

Anyone catch this last night?

I'm slightly off topic here but do we need a cooking programme that is fronted by a fame hungry pretty boy who failed at pop stardom? It was nothing more than a Jamie Oliver circa 1997 rip off right down to the nauseating camera work and grainy 'surfing and rent-a-mate montage'!

Does anyone else share this view?

I'm guessing here but there has got to be people in this country cooking in more exciting ways and able to deliver it in a less "oh God I want to tear his face off way".

Or is it just me?

olaola

I bought his book, and I think it's a decent - all very accessible recipes, well put together. Even if some of them do look very familiar *ahem*!

But the show, Lordy - it was pretty dire. I agree on all counts re: Jamie Oliver and the FUN ZOOM, and CRAPPY SHAKEY SHOTS TO GRUB really irritated me. These are probably the most simple recipes from the book, I'll give the show another week to see if he takes it up a notch.

chopsocky

I can't understand why we as a food nation can't find someone or something different! I flicked through his book in a book shop and all his recipes are pretty harmless and have been done a thousand times before.

This is probably a gripe directed more so at RTE rather than Donal Skehan to be honest.

Minstroni, Fish Pie, Fried beef won't have me sitting front and centre next week in fact the only thing that would make me tune in next week would be if I was gay and fancied little Skehan becuase his food is irrelevant.

S.R.F.C.

Yeah watched it there, very unimpressed, to be fair they do say it is aimed at the novice cook, students, those who don't think they can cook etc. but soup, fajitas, fish pie and apple crumble! Not to mention the already alluded to shots and cheesy surfing-with-mates scenes. Just found it all very annoying really.

jmauel

Totally agree, it was a Naked chef rip off. Also very basic recipes, not very interesting really.

Little Acorn

Just incase anyone missed it, there is a new cookery programme on RTE called Kitchen Hero.
The cook is named Donal Skehan, and he's only 24.
I'm not certain I have ever seen him, but something about him seemed familiar so maybe he was a guest cook on a tv show maybe?
I found his website and he already has books and everything out.http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.donalskehan.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fkitchen-hero-rte-episode-1-promo%2F&ei=tRnTTY-ZBc2x8QO4q7jhCg&usg=AFQjCNGFj_Uq04nsKWVh4hzxkhZu1aOydQ
It seems he started to get known from a cooking blog he started.
I think he's great to be achieving so much for someone so young, and I really enjoyed his show the other day.
The recipes were very simple but looked yummy!

Has anybody tried his books before?
You can watch his show on rte player and on his website.
I say fair play to him anyways.
I'm just happy I have another cookery show to add to my viewing!:)

leahyl

Little Acorn wrote: »

Just incase anyone missed it, there is a new cookery programme on RTE called Kitchen Hero.
The cook is named Donal Skehan, and he's only 24.
I'm not certain I have ever seen him, but something about him seemed familiar so maybe he was a guest cook on a tv show maybe?
I found his website and he already has books and everything out.http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.donalskehan.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fkitchen-hero-rte-episode-1-promo%2F&ei=tRnTTY-ZBc2x8QO4q7jhCg&usg=AFQjCNGFj_Uq04nsKWVh4hzxkhZu1aOydQ
It seems he started to get known from a cooking blog he started.
I think he's great to be achieving so much for someone so young, and I really enjoyed his show the other day.
The recipes were very simple but looked yummy!

Has anybody tried his books before?
You can watch his show on rte player and on his website.
I say fair play to him anyways.
I'm just happy I have another cookery show to add to my viewing!:)

He's great! My friend has his cookbook and said it's brilliant so I ordered my own copy from Book Depository the other day - hasn't come yet though!

He used to be in a group called 'Industry'.....they split up.....! Didn't do too well i don't think.

Anyway he's much better at this it seems! His recipes are so simple but delicious and I don't know about anyone else but this is what I look for when I am cooking - nothing too complicated but still impressive:)

John_Rambo

chopsocky wrote: »

if I was gay and fancied little Skehan becuase his food is irrelevant.

I don't think its aimed at older homophobic people, it's aimed at a younger audience, people who don't and probably should cook, this is obvious, packaged pasta, jars of produce etc... A new face on RTE is a good thing, you would be bitching if it was one of the usual suspects. I got his book (as apposed to flicking through it in a book shop) and cooked some of the recipes, excellent stuff... really good.

He's 24, it's his first show, I suppose this fact will generate a good bit of jealousy.

Sure, post up your clips of TV programs you pitched with, with incredibly complex recipes! :pac:

Little Acorn

chopsocky wrote: »

This thread was already started - for some alternative views to you own have a look:


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056271395

Hi chopsocky,
Sorry I didn't see that a thread had already been started.
I can see why more experienced cooks mightn't be that interested, but I still think that his recipes, though simple ,looked quite tasty.
I'll agree that the surfing shots etc were a bit cheesy, , still though I kinda liked the fact that he was there cooking in a hoody and t-shirt, it just reminded me of watching someone cook in a friend's house, fairly laid back and all.

@ leahyl and John_Rambo:
Thanks for the feedback on the books!
My boyfriend has just started to become a good bit more interested in cooking, so I'm thinking of buying him one of these.
I will probably end up using it too. :-)
He's already and always has been quite a good cook with the recipes he knows, but he's looking for a few more ideas to try out, so I think he would like this.
I don't recall the band Industry, but maybe I saw something on tv about them before, because his face does look familiar to me.

chopsocky

John_Rambo wrote: »

I don't think its aimed at older homophobic people, it's aimed at a younger audience, people who don't and probably should cook, this is obvious, packaged pasta, jars of produce etc... A new face on RTE is a good thing, you would be bitching if it was one of the usual suspects. I got his book (as apposed to flicking through it in a book shop) and cooked some of the recipes, excellent stuff... really good.

He's 24, it's his first show, I suppose this fact will generate a good bit of jealousy.

Sure, post up your clips of TV programs you pitched with, with incredibly complex recipes! :pac:

Yeah, you're whats wrong with RTE John Rambo (great name) - if you were happy with that banality then there will never be any development of note and or excitment as far as Irish cookery is concerned. I chose not to buy his book becasue there wasn't anything in it that hasn't been done a thousand times before and the fact that he is very much into the fame game as I have previously mentioned.

Demand more, demand excitment, demand a bit of danger and a bit more 3 dimension - Kithcen Hero in my opinion was an excercise in how RTE executives can't/won't/aren't allowed to push the boundaries - like I have sadi and one or two other posters here have mentioned it wa s arip off of Jamie Oliver circa 1997.

John_Rambo

chopsocky wrote: »

Demand more, demand excitment, demand a bit of danger and a bit more 3 dimension

HAAHAA give me a break! What did you do to demand more except bitch, snipe and get personal on boards.ie? Have you stepped up? Have sent proposals to RTE, approached a production company with your edgy exciting cookery program? You KNOW you didn't.

Keyboard warrior.

Faith

chopsocky wrote: »

Yeah, you're whats wrong with RTE John Rambo (great name)

Careful now. Attack the post, not the poster.

eternal

Thats weird actually.I watched this and thought Naked Chef wanna be.I mean at the time Jamie Oliver was a very accomplished chef ,having worked in the River Cafe and so on.
The whole idea behind that programme was pared down cooking ,naked as in no fuss.Clean cooking ,he made it look easy because of how good he was and is.Plus making it about bringing people over to eat and that.
This new one is for people who wouldnt have a clue how to cook .Its an obvious want to be Jamie Oliver ,but theres only one Jamie Oliver and that programme was one of my all time fav watches years ago.
I dont believe Skeehan is trained or has worked in a professional kithcen so fair play to him that he got his own show,although he really should have come up with an original format.I also noticed that when he made the fatijas they were very dry in the pan but when he went to the camper van and was cooking he had sauces and guacamole and stuff .He didnt show how to make these.How is someone who cant cook going to make these things and dont say buy gaucamole cos its awful in jars.yes nit picking ,but why not.

camlinhall

It might be good for RTE 2 in the afternoon. That it's on RTE 1 primetime says more about the rudderless management of RTE than anything else.

chopsocky wrote: »

Anyone catch this last night?

I'm slightly off topic here but do we need a cooking programme that is fronted by a fame hungry pretty boy who failed at pop stardom? It was nothing more than a Jamie Oliver circa 1997 rip off right down to the nauseating camera work and grainy 'surfing and rent-a-mate montage'!

Does anyone else share this view?

I'm guessing here but there has got to be people in this country cooking in more exciting ways and able to deliver it in a less "oh God I want to tear his face off way".

Or is it just me?

1966

chopsocky wrote: »

Anyone catch this last night?

It was nothing more than a Jamie Oliver circa 1997 rip off right down to the nauseating camera work and grainy 'surfing and rent-a-mate montage'!

- don't forget the camper van !!

Pretty Polly

I have to say i like the show. I love stir fries and the like and he seems to do similar type dishes to those. He also made a cheese cake a few weeks ago and it looked amazing. It was a fairly basic recipe and it seemed like something i could make myself without too much stress or fuss!

I'm seriously considering getting his cookery book!:D

olaola

Pretty Polly wrote: »

I'm seriously considering getting his cookery book!:D

The book is WAY better than the show. You can get it on Amazon for about a tenner. Liked the stirfry episode, as it's something I don't really do. The husband exclaimed 'they're THAT easy' when he saw him making cupcakes last night, and wanted to make them there & then. So there is defo merit in the simple approach. I think the show is finding its feet more as it progresses, but it's still a victim of crappy RTE programming.

BaZmO*

Tbh, I don't really have a problem with him taking the simple approach as it's the demographic they're aiming at. I just hate the whole "lifestyle" angle they're going for. It's been done to death. I really don't need to see him and his buddies eating some cheescake on the side of a mountain.

It annoyed me to be honest.

I think it's a good idea to have a cookery show for people who feel like the recipes on regular cookery shows aren't a realistic place for them to start learning how to cook, but on a level of personal taste I found the guy really annoying to watch.

It's no crime that they're trying to copy early Jamie Oliver. But the reason Jamie Oliver caught on was because he seemed like a genuine, normal guy. The kind of guy that you wouldn't immediately think had any huge talent, because he was so humble and seemed friendly, and the way he gave instruction as though he was just throwing it out there. Kitchen hero is a bit "okay kids, look how exciting icing can be!!!". Having watched it (only twice), he called everything little (was slightly patronising, as though calling everything little would make it less scary for us), kept using words like a "hit" of this and a "kick" of that (like he was just so down with the kids) and generally just wasn't very watchable IMO.

I know I'm being pretty harsh, I mean, fair play to him for doing it as clearly a lot of people here like it, but personally I think he'd be brilliant on a kids show, not in front of an adult audience.

LGiamani

I'd like to eat Donal he's yummy

Pretty Polly

true-or-false wrote: »

I think it's a good idea to have a cookery show for people who feel like the recipes on regular cookery shows aren't a realistic place for them to start learning how to cook, but on a level of personal taste I found the guy really annoying to watch. .

Thats probably why i like the show so much, he cooks meals that i could see myself cooking and that seem quite healthy. He's not like Kevin Dundon, Derry Clarke and Richard Corrigan (to name a few), who always seem to use heart stopping amounts of butter and/or full fat cream!

kingredness

My sister has his cookbook and it's actually not bad. But for me the T.V programme is absolutely terrible. I can't watch it! I'm sure the recipes are nice but the camera work makes me cringe. I'm sure it would work if they didn't try so hard. A very, very poor imitation of the naked chef.

John_Rambo

BaZmO* wrote: »

I really don't need to see him and his buddies eating some cheescake on the side of a mountain.

This is usually the end result of cooking... Eating the food, happens every time I cook. I guess the idea is to show that people enjoy the food that the fella cooks. It's only shown for a few seconds, if that's all that bothers you it's a very good endorsement for the show.

BaZmO*

John_Rambo wrote: »

This is usually the end result of cooking... Eating the food, happens every time I cook.

So does having a poo, but I don't want to see it!

John_Rambo wrote: »

It's only shown for a few seconds, if that's all that bothers you it's a very good endorsement for the show.

In fairness though, it's not my only problem with the show. It's the been there, seen that nature of the show that bothers me the most.

John_Rambo

BaZmO* wrote: »

but I don't want to see it!

Right, so you have a problem with practically all cookery shows. (as they all show people enjoying the food) Fair enough. Awful problem to have in fairness. I sort of like it, particularly all fresco stuff. DON'T ever watch Hugh F Whitingstall or any River Cottage stuff, lots of enjoying food and drink with a nice lifestyle stuff there.

BaZmO* wrote: »

It's the been there

Where?

BaZmO* wrote: »

seen that

What?

I don't get what you are saying here.

BaZmO*

John_Rambo wrote: »

Right, so you have a problem with practically all cookery shows. (as they all show people enjoying the food) Fair enough. Awful problem to have in fairness. I sort of like it, particularly all fresco stuff. DON'T ever watch Hugh F Whitingstall or any River Cottage stuff, lots of enjoying food and drink with a nice lifestyle stuff there.

Haha. I hardly lose any sleep about tbf. It's just a pet peeve of mine. And as for the people eating, the Kitchen Hero bits at the end are so contrived and cringeworthy, as are the HFW bits but not half as bad as the KH ones.

John_Rambo wrote: »

Where?



What?

I don't get what you are saying here.

Ah keep up JR, it's the blatent Jamie Oliver copy that's been done to death.

John_Rambo

Right. Pet Peeve regarding people eating on cookery shows. Fair enough, I have a pet peeve, all that cycling on the Tour de France coverage on TV3, ruins the show.


:pac:

BaZmO*

John_Rambo wrote: »

Right. Pet Peeve regarding people eating on cookery shows. Fair enough, I have a pet peeve, all that cycling on the Tour de France coverage on TV3, ruins the show.


:pac:

If you think that's the same thing well then fair enough, but you're missing the point.

S.R.F.C.

BaZmO* wrote: »

If you think that's the same thing well then fair enough, but you're missing the point.

Completely!

Don't understand why he's taking up such an issue with your/plenty of others issue! The show is incredibly cringe, at the same time i'm glad to hear people like it and are learning from it.

eternal

I wouldnt find him slightly attractive.Id like to know how he learned to knead like that as its the kind of thing you could only learn with hands on training.But he says he hadnt had any training.You cant learn that from a book or even from watching t.v
Makes me wonder really.

John_Rambo

eternal wrote: »

Makes me wonder really.

I dunno, I learned great knife skills from my butcher, he let me butcher my own cuts, I'm quick too from practice. I can use a steel properly, very impressive when sober.

BaZmO*

John_Rambo wrote: »

I dunno, I learned great knife skills from my butcher.

Did you not learn that in the army?

John_Rambo

BaZmO* wrote: »

Did you not learn that in the army?

I don't talk about that now.

eternal

John_Rambo wrote: »

I dunno, I learned great knife skills from my butcher, he let me butcher my own cuts, I'm quick too from practice. I can use a steel properly, very impressive when sober.

But thats what I mean.Your butcher showed you ,who showed mr hero

dudara

eternal wrote: »

I wouldnt find him slightly attractive.Id like to know how he learned to knead like that as its the kind of thing you could only learn with hands on training.But he says he hadnt had any training.You cant learn that from a book or even from watching t.v
Makes me wonder really.

In fairness, I'd argue differently. I've never had any proper training, yet I know that I use a knife better than people I see on Masterchef. It's a matter of watching people who are good, then trial and error. You quickly learn what works.

BaZmO*

dudara wrote: »

In fairness, I'd argue differently. I've never had any proper training, yet I know that I use a knife better than people I see on Masterchef. It's a matter of watching people who are good, then trial and error. You quickly learn what works.

Yeah, same here. It's not that difficult to do once you put a bit of effort in. Say goes for the bread kneading.

Redhairedguy

So I'm just trying to gauge. Do people like, hate or simply not give two tugs of a dead dog's winky about Donal Skeehan?

I ask, because I've heard so many mixed reactions both in relation to his cooking, and his show. I have friends that swear by his books, and other's that would rather cook their own feet than follow the Kitchen Hero.

the beer revolu

I'm in the couldn't give 2 tugs camp.
Watched one episode on the player to see what all the fuss is about.
I thought it wasn't that bad but I'd have zero interest in watching it.

Sergeant

Redhairedguy wrote: »

I have friends that swear by his books, and other's that would rather cook their own feet than follow the Kitchen Hero.

I received a copy for Christmas because I like to cook. Not terrible, but nothing that that Jamie Oliver didn't cover in his Ministry for Food book a few years earlier. Which is a book I would recommend to anyone wanting to cook tasty food that can be put together with ingredients you can buy in your local supermarket.

backwards:)

I am a huge follower of Donal Skehan. I moved out of home having had no interest in cooking or general domesticity at all (because i had a mammy for doing everything ). It hit me big time that i now had to take a bit of responsibility and look after myself and that take-aways etc wouldn't suffice. So i tried a few cookery books....Rachel Allen, Jamie oliver. NONE of the recipies worked for me as a novice cook and i thought about giving up! For xmas i got a present of Donal Skehan's book and i now read it like a novel! ALL the recipies worked for me, they were simple,healthy home cooking recipies and that is what he is all about...to you foodies who like to go for something adventurous, this programme isn't for you, but don't snipe at it and put it down...i believe it is helping a lot of young people who have been surrounded by processed foods all of their lives, to learn a thing or two. He learned everything from home( his techniques more than likely from his mother) and the best thing about these tchniques is they are handed down. He Hasn't had training. Yes he has great knife skills but for god's sake you can type it into google and get a video to show you 'how to' and if you are passionate enough you will search these things and teach yourself. Also, to say he is a failed performer and is now cooking instead is not fair...people have many different talents, he is tapping into his and exploring them all. Yes, performing might be his favourite, if he had to choose, but hes in a band so hes getting best of both worlds and must be having the time of his life!!!!

rinsedpie

Trying out his duck salad tonite, hopefully nobody choke

T Corolla

I tried out his fish and chip reciepe where he cut the fish into fish finger I was able to fry them in shallow oil and they were far nicer than any fish finger. This inspired to make pancakes and place a tablespoon of seasme seeds and they were quite filling

pada1981

i say fairplay to him, if you dont like it dont watch it, i cant cook and i tried a few dishes from the series and came out well, i think its for people who cant cook really

T Corolla

The guy has hit a niche in the market and is making a good hand of it. He has a down to earth way about him hopefully he will keep this about him throught out this project

Pixie001

I have both of his books, and have yet to make a bad recipe from either of them. His recipes may not be 'cordon bleu', but the recipes are damn tasty!

MrThrifty

Christ - herself is insisting on watching yer man's show. What gets me most is the name of the show - he may as well have called himself Superman! Something more subtle would have been nice...

eternal

Ah ,I don't believe the title is meant to be taken literally.I suppose credit is due to him to have pulled all this off .It's not easy to put yourself out there and be ridiculed .Or loved.Just the chance you gotta take.Man ,I'm deep tonight.

LimeFruitGum

I like watching the show, although I dislike the naff title. I prefer to use the word 'hero' for people who, you know, do actual heroic things.

Anyhoo. I have a copy of his Good Mood cookbook (which in fairness, is excellent), and he mentions several times that he worked in a restaurant kitchen in Sweden.

So he has had some professional cooking experience, even though he completely downplays that in Kitchen Hero, so I am calling bull**** on that one.

Having said that, his Good Mood cookbook is fantastic for people who want eat clean, natural, healthy meals without actually feeling they're on a diet.
I've cooked the sausage & roast veg recipe for people and it went down a total storm .

I think that would have been a far better USP for him to follow, than the Oirish Jamie Oliver route. Lovely as the desserts are in Kitchen Hero, they certainly don't feature in Good Mood.