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Rick Stein - An Appreciation

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  • 03-11-2018 1:26pm
    #1
    shortcircuitie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 80 ✭✭


    Is there a better presenter of cooking shows on TV? I really think not. The guy is just getting better with age. His most recent series on the BBC (Spain, India, Eastern Med, Long Weekends) are so well made and enjoyable.

    I really enjoy how much he gets involved with the history of an area, its culture and how that is all reflected in the food. You can really tell that his enthusiasm for food and travel is undimmed. And he wears his encyclopediac knowledge of food very lightly.

    I was watching Jamie Oliver's latest show travelling through Italy and he seemed like a child (even though he's forty plus) compared with Rick.

    Any other Rick Stein aficionados here?


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    #2
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 28,428 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    I enjoy his programmes tremendously though in terms of trying out the recipes shown it would be Nigel Slater or James Martin. He does a great job of bringing together the food and the history of the place. Keith Floyd was great craic but it was more about him than showing the places.

    One slightly annoying thing is that if you watch Michael Portillo train travel shows he seems to hit a large number of same places... as if bbc are doubling up production.

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



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    #3
    Arthur Daley
    Registered Users Posts: 4,459 ✭✭✭Arthur Daley


    He is a bit fish mad though. Like his shows when they are having something other than adventurous seafood dishes.


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    #4
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,951 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Long Weekends is one of the best food show formats going. Agree he does too much seafood but that is what he is known for of course


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    #5
    Captain Red Beard
    Registered Users Posts: 871 ✭✭✭Captain Red Beard


    Giving out about Rick Stein for cooking fish is like complaining about Mozart for going on about music.


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    #6
    anewme
    Registered Users Posts: 11,902 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    Love Rick Stein. Love fish. Even my Mum Watches him him (yer man that does be everywhere)

    Always had a bit of a crush on him too.


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    #7
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 15,058 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    I have to say I do enjoy his long weekends,

    It seems the food is just a part of the overall show, which is nice as it’s not just full on food and “watch me cook this local food” type of stuff which most other TV chef’s seem to do.


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    #8
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Always liked Rick Stein, and yes of course he goes on about fish a lot but after all he does own a seafood restaurant so it has to be expected. His series in Mexico was very good too and it wasn't all fish either.


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    #9
    Captain Red Beard
    Registered Users Posts: 871 ✭✭✭Captain Red Beard


    I like how he takes out his note book and starts jotting down the recipe as the dish is being cooked, often in small, rustic, family operated places. Its all about the flavour.


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    #10
    shortcircuitie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 80 ✭✭shortcircuitie


    Great comments all. I must admit I'm a fish nut so it doesn't bother me in the slightest if he does a lot of fish.

    A great point was the notebook and his dedication to authenticity in local dishes. You can see that his food is the antithesis of both the molecular approach and also the "InstaFood" school. Sure it looks lovely, but you can tell the primary concern is always flavour


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    #11
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    His India series is still my favourite cookery TV I've seen. And whatever about the food he always gets across the fact that he loves it.


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    #12
    Colonel Claptrap
    Registered Users Posts: 945 ✭✭✭Colonel Claptrap


    No love for chalky?


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    #13
    heldel00
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭heldel00


    Love Rick and watching his shows is pure relaxation for me.
    But.... i have to look away when he is eating. He just shovels it into his mouth, starts talking with mouth full and something always falls out. Bit gross


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    #14
    anewme
    Registered Users Posts: 11,902 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    Colonel Claptrap wrote: »
    No love for chalky?[/quote

    Always at the end of the program the closing credits were always Rick and Chalky on the top of a cliff in Autumny weather and the camera panned out. Don't know why but I always thought thought that captured them both and their relationship perfectly.

    Remember at the tine Chalky was so famous, his death was mentioned in parliament. Loved where he attacked the microphone, it's my favourite out take.

    I was watching Nigellas new show recently and wanted to tell her to F off with her hair do and make up and silk dressing gown making midnight brownies. It reminded me why I really like Rock Stein so much.


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    #15
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,757 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    Patww79 wrote: »
    His India series is still my favourite cookery TV I've seen. And whatever about the food he always gets across the fact that he loves it.
    It was superb. I also really enjoyed his tour of Germany, but I'm a real fan of sauerkraut, sausages & pork knuckles.


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    #16
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Not that much of a foodie but I like the culture and history party of his shows. Also he talks about his film crew a lot. Very pleasant.


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    #17
    Tom Mann Centuria
    Registered Users Posts: 10,947 ✭✭✭✭Tom Mann Centuria


    beauf wrote: »
    Not that much of a foodie but I like the culture and history party of his shows. Also he talks about his film crew a lot. Very pleasant.

    Yep, that's exactly my view of him too, I enjoy the travelogue aspect and watching local people cook too, he is normally very respectful of local chefs and cooks which I like. Very easy watching anyway.

    Oh well, give me an easy life and a peaceful death.



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    #18
    RasTa
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,116 ✭✭✭✭RasTa


    He is the best in regards cooking and travel shows. Too much fish?!


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    #19
    anewme
    Registered Users Posts: 11,902 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    RasTa wrote: »
    He is the best in regards cooking and travel shows. Too much fish?!

    There can NEVER be too much fish!


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    #20
    corks finest
    Registered Users Posts: 8,655 ✭✭✭corks finest


    shortcircuitie wrote: »
    Is there a better presenter of cooking shows on TV? I really think not. The guy is just getting better with age. His most recent series on the BBC (Spain, India, Eastern Med, Long Weekends) are so well made and enjoyable.

    I really enjoy how much he gets involved with the history of an area, its culture and how that is all reflected in the food. You can really tell that his enthusiasm for food and travel is undimmed. And he wears his encyclopediac knowledge of food very lightly.

    I was watching Jamie Oliver's latest show travelling through Italy and he seemed like a child (even though he's forty plus) compared with Rick.

    Any other Rick Stein aficionados here?
    Enjoy him,kinda Jeremy Clarkson of the foodie gang


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    #21
    The Black Oil
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,323 CMod ✭✭✭✭The Black Oil


    Haven’t watched a food programme in a while. Does he have something in at the moment?

    Moderator: Television, Psychology and Dublin County North.

    CMod: Entertainment



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    #22
    Captain Red Beard
    Registered Users Posts: 871 ✭✭✭Captain Red Beard


    corks finest wrote: »
    Enjoy him,kinda Jeremy Clarkson of the foodie gang

    Ah here, they're polar opposites. Clarkson is a dickhead, Stein completely sound.


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    #23
    Spanish Eyes
    Registered Users Posts: 15,912 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    Yes I like his shows. His voice is very relaxing and he seems to visit lots of great spots for his weekends. I loved his Bologna show, but I had just returned from a trip there so it resonated.

    However, reading the thread title, I though he had passed on to the great restaurant in the sky!


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    #24
    McMurphy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,365 ✭✭✭✭McMurphy


    Watched him during the week where he was in Cambodia, the salads he was preparing looked absolutely unreal, and he cooked a pork curry with pineapple and grated fresh coconut that I know I would love.

    Definitely going to try recreate a few of the dishes in the coming weeks.

    He's a man after my own heart the way he oftimes likes to sit back in an exotic country admiring the view having in his words "a really cold nice beer".

    I like some of Jamie Oliver's dishes, don't get me wrong, but he's not in the same league as Rick.


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    #25
    shortcircuitie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 80 ✭✭shortcircuitie


    anewme wrote: »
    Colonel Claptrap wrote: »
    No love for chalky?[/quote

    Always at the end of the program the closing credits were always Rick and Chalky on the top of a cliff in Autumny weather and the camera panned out. Don't know why but I always thought thought that captured them both and their relationship perfectly.

    Remember at the tine Chalky was so famous, his death was mentioned in parliament. Loved where he attacked the microphone, it's my favourite out take.

    I was watching Nigellas new show recently and wanted to tell her to F off with her hair do and make up and silk dressing gown making midnight brownies. It reminded me why I really like Rock Stein so much.

    That's where Rick shines above all the others- authenticity.

    There is no BS staged dinner party with rent a crowd a la Nigella. On his shows the only people he eats with are those he has just been cooking with, or the crew.

    The bits with the crew are great because they are total anti foodies and all they want is like a steak or a burger. It seems every time they are in a far flung locale all David (the director) can do is extol the virtues of roast lamb and mint sauce!

    I too loved the long weekends show. I had been in Cadiz not long before his show was broadcast and it was so great to see him enjoying with enthusiasm the same food that I had done.


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    #26
    beertons
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,069 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    Rick is very informative on the places he visits.

    Floyd is very funny, he must have knocked back some amount of drink in the day. He was always Balooba's by the time the dishes were ready to eat.


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    #27
    nc6000
    Registered Users Posts: 3,225 ✭✭✭nc6000


    Spanish Eyes wrote: »
    However, reading the thread title, I though he had passed on to the great restaurant in the sky!

    That's what I thought too!


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    #28
    Dial Hard
    Registered Users Posts: 13,473 ✭✭✭✭Dial Hard


    Colonel Claptrap wrote: »
    No love for chalky?

    God no, he was a horrid yoke. And I love dogs!
    Spanish Eyes wrote: »
    However, reading the thread title, I though he had passed on to the great restaurant in the sky!

    Same!


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    #29
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,436 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Dial Hard wrote: »
    God no, he was a horrid yoke. And I love dogs!
    Sacrilege! Chalky was one of the best bits of the program!


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    #30
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,823 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    Alun wrote: »
    Sacrilege! Chalky was one of the best bits of the program!

    Chalkie was highly entertaining on TV and I really like Rick Stein but he is a nightmare pet owner who does nothing while his pet causes havoc attacking people, other pets, pissing and generally being a badly behaved, badly trained dog. Even saw Rick sneak him into a hotel that didn't allow pets.

    Rick wouldn't be welcome in my house with that dog.


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    #31
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,224 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    odyssey06 wrote: »
    I enjoy his programmes tremendously though in terms of trying out the recipes shown it would be Nigel Slater or James Martin. He does a great job of bringing together the food and the history of the place. Keith Floyd was great craic but it was more about him than showing the places.

    One slightly annoying thing is that if you watch Michael Portillo train travel shows he seems to hit a large number of same places... as if bbc are doubling up production.

    Keith Floyd was created as a TV personality by David Pritchard who subsequently “created” Rick Stein as a more consistent/manageable replacement.

    See also Patrick’s a Llewellyn who created Two Fat Ladies (they fidn’t Know each other before the series) and Jamie Oliver whom she saw in the background of the River Cafe series and designed the whole “Naked Chef” mentality including sourcing the apartment and scooter.

    These are effectively the Simon Cowell of cooking lifestyle shows.


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