America's Test Kitchen

This is my first watch. I am not a reality show of any type person, but I stumbled onto this late one night and watched. It wasn't bad. I hate to be critical ,but some of the judges seem to have an over inflated ego. A little power goes to the head. I was appalled that some of the women cooking didn't pull their hair up. I felt sorry for some of the contestants because they seem to try so hard to appease the cooking judge gods ,but it is the way these shows go.

I did enjoy seeing the variety of dishes. I find these types of shows judgmental since taste depends on the person. What I would find delicious, someone else may not.

The kitchen is nice and I like the fact that it is a.working test kitchen. The show does try to keep a sense of humor which keeps the atmosphere light.

I'm one of those people who enjoys food... Maybe a little too much. I'm not a picky eater, and I'm a huge fan of all meals, especially breakfast. Throughout the years, I've had a hard time finding someone else who feels the same way I do. I think it's so weird how a lot of people dislike breakfast. I don't even have a preference for waffles or pancakes - I love both. Now to be honest, cooking doesn't excite me, but I found myself enthralled with this show. Super informational and humorous, thanks to the cooks' wittiness, America's Test Kitchen walks the audience step by step through recipes for every dish imaginable. They also test out (hence the name in the title) various cooking and food products, like spatulas, mixers, bottled cold brew, potato chips, etc. For me it's educational and enjoyable, because I learn a great deal, plus I get to look at all kinds of delicious food. It'll grab my attention at the most random of times. Not too long ago I was using my laptop a little after 12:30am, and I became hypnotized by watching them make fudge. Cooking might seem daunting to you, but you'll be surprised by how much you learn, and it might inspire you to experiment in your own kitchen. It's a cool show, and a lovely oasis from all of the garbage on network TV (I am so thankful for PBS!).

ATK used to be for serious cooks. I don't know - are ratings down? Is it an improvement to have everyone congratulating themselves all the time. To me the bits that they seem to think are an improvement (literally everything they are including in the ads) is the very worst of the changes and serve fror me as annoying filler.

While Chris Kimball irritated me when I first started watching ATK, I've really come to enjoy him on the show. At first he seemed like a hovering, critical presence - until I realized his outlook towards food and life are so similar to my own Yankee soul. And he's not just a host, he's a bona fide cooking expert. Without him now starting with the 17th season, it's lacking some seasoning. A steak without salt, you might say.

This is my opinion. I have always liked this show. It is fun, informative, and enjoyable. However, I never liked Mr. Kimball. He always seemed pompous, he always wanted to be right. The other cast members are fun and they have a sense of humor.