BlatherMunch8: radio of food, food of radio

We love radio, and we love food -- so whither food radio?

Food is not music. Food is not news. Food is neither right-wing politics nor the Christian religion. So in the radio business, food ain't shit.

But for those who love food, there is food radio worth listening to.

The food show of record on Seattle radio is, of course, Seattle restaurateur, Tom Douglas' In the Kitchen with Tom & Thierry. (KIRO Saturdays, 4-7p). Find it here, with an archive full of well-described podcasts, because KIRO doesn't give him a web page.

Thierry is "The Chef in the Hat" Thierry Rautureau, the whimsical Gallic chef/owner of the venerable Madison Park frog pond, Rover's. The two are old friends and that they like each other, is plain to hear.

Tom Douglas is the Victor Rosellini of this century (he actually has more restaurants and enterprises than Victor every had). No hashhouse operator, Douglas has stayed on top for years with well-run, upscale eateries whose quality never seems to slip -- much to the envy of other Seattle restaurateurs. (Cooks are a jealous lot).

The sort of confidence that comes of his success and the fact that it really wouldn't make much difference to him if he were on the radio or not, gives his show a relaxed, comfortable feel with Thierry as the comic foil. (He said recently: "Trying to sell [beef] brains in Seattle was like selling coffins for two.")

The chefs are nationally known and know lots of the People Who Matter in the Foodie World-at-Small. (although the rest of you may be asking, "who????"). And they all come to call when in town.

I'd say every restaurateur in Seattle who's not too busy prepping for Saturday night is listening to this show, (though many would never admit it). It's a procession of touring cookbook authors, wine types, locals hawking charitable events, farmers, cheesers, and other producers.

There are dinner and book giveaways for listeners which doesn't hurt the ol' cume. Neither does the easy,  off-beat humor.

The local fooderati like local critics, authors, industry flacks, food writers, and editors come on to bat around the bon mots with those bad boyz and give tips on what's hot and what's only room temp.

Douglas collegially gives air to many of his chefly competitors and lets them talk about what's going on their restaurants. The Godfather of Crabcakes can afford to be generous, I guess.
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We wrote recently about the liberating of Nancy Leson from the anonymous and lonely dessert island of restaurant reviewing at the Seattle Times to the freedom of general food writing and blogging.

But because of the visual anonymity of radio, she's been rocking out for years on KPLU, the public radio jazz station, with short, funny, and pithy food Q & A, recipes, stories, and dining tips with Midday Jazz host, Dick Stein. Hear her on Wednesdays at 5:30 and 7:30a during Morning Edition; at 4:40p during All Things Considered and again the following Saturday at 8:30a. Nancy is a natural conversationalist and broadcaster. She can be equally loquacious about snacking larvae, fish cookery, and bad behavior in restaurants. Hear podcasts here.

Dan Thiessen owns Bellevue's popular 0/8 Seafood Grill & Twisted Cork Wine Bar, in the Hyatt Regency. His show, What's Cooking with Chef Dan recently moved from KVI to KTTH (Saturdays 1-2p) .He also presides over "Chef Dan's Northwest Epicurean Hour" (KKOL  Saturdays, 11-12p) al though you'd be hard put to know this from his website which hasn't been updated for a while.

Dan, who is an old friend, and chef about town for years, is an experienced pro and his programs are showcases of that and informercials for his restaurant and wine bar operations. Side kicking is beverage director, Michael Anderson, (a title that kind of takes the romance out of sommelier, no?).

It 's a kitchen-based, restaurant-wonk show that makes up for what it lacks in soul in solid kitchen-based information and la technique. It's probably very helpful for medium level culinary/wine professionals and advanced homecooks. The former call in to get professional advice and the latter with basic cooking questions. Anderson is a wine guy, which if he weren't so affable and maybe if I were more interested in wine, I'd not call him a wine-bore with an open mic.

Forgive me, Dan and Michael, but the show spends too much talk on brix and bruts and bungs; storage temps and glassware, and all the the blessed minutia of the making and keeping and drinking of the blessed juice fascinating to those who share your professional interests. Someone has said, " ... when the wine is in, the wit is out."

It's a sturdy, helpful, knowledgeable show in a culinary school kind of way. It does the job, but lacks the joie and humor to draw a wider and more general audience.
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NPR's syndicated, Splendid Table (KUOW Sundays 2-3p) with Lynne Rossetto Kasper, cookbook author, good cook, and great broadcaster is worth the esteem and national audience she demands and receives.
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A Chef's Table (KXOT Saturdays 2-3p) Every week, Chef Jim Coleman invites you into his kitchen for great conversations with nationally-known chefs and food experts.

Cooking with Sam n' Ella: Radio with a Funny Flavor. Sam's a chef, Ella went to cooking school and also 2nd City, the Chicago improv university. They've been married for 24 years and do a very funny, great-natured, cooking show from Taos on the internets.

Comments

[howie in seattle]

If every blogger were as well-prepared, informed and thorough as you are here, this country might actually have a shot at a level of national intelligence commonly found in Europe. Until then, we must content ourselves to the current spotty coverage of the world we live in delivered by our media, small and large.

[sparky]

Tom was on Iron Chef a couple of years ago and he won.

I will check out those other pod-casts...thanks Bla'M!

[joanie hussein for obama]

My actual menu at home is limited: salmon several times a week with a side of avocado, mucho raspberries, and salads purchased from the local deli. Oh, can't forget the occasional well-marbled steak from time to time. I'm currently into lip-on rib eyes.

And the daily nutritionally-necessary anti-oxidant 88% organic sustainable-grown slave-labor -ree chocolate bar.

But, I love food. I love cooking shows. I love nutrition programs on public radio. I've sent more money to KCTS for cookbooks than anything else. I can spend a day procrastinating on the computer looking for recipes...

And the only cable show that I really, really wish I could get at home is Iron Chef!

Some of us are just so sensual.

I'll end with my favorite - boysenberry pie. (Or is it chocolate mousse?)

BTW, I don't much care for brains, tripe, or other innards. Nor do I like overwrought recipes. I am a real food afficionado.

Keep it simple, pretty and definitely delicious.

Umm, one more thing: I wish restaurants would serve smaller portions. I can't leave a bite behind so I don't out as much as I used to. Wish I could say no but- well - I'm not a "no" kind of woman.