Is an award-winning ice skater capable of teaching, inspiring and entertaining me, when it comes to food? I had a hard time believing from the promos that Brian Boitano could pull it off, but he does. Brilliantly. Here are the top five reasons why I LOVE the show, What Would Brian Boitano Make?
1. It's all about the food.
Brian Boitano's recipes not only look terrific, but are creative and inventive. Take for example his Chicken Paella Burger made with ground chicken, chorizo and scallops or his Garlicky White Bean Dip. They are dishes I would cook in my own kitchen with ingredients I know, using straight forward techniques.
I know food tastes great when you use tons of butter and cream, but that's not how I cook. Most of Boitano's food is reasonably healthy and I like that. He gets flavor without always relying on tons of added fat, unlike some other Food Network personalities who will remain nameless. His food is home cooked, not chef food, not restaurant food, and yet it's exciting and appealing. He's also not afraid to make things a little bit spicy.
Finally the proof is in the pudding, right? Take a look at the user review of his recipes and you'll see, this isn't just my opinion. His recipes get mostly 5 stars across the board. His recipes clearly deliver.
2. It's funny.
I mean, REALLY funny. If you watch much food television, there is a formula and cliche style often with catch phrases, that gets old. Brian breaks out of that mold and actually pokes fun at the way those other shows come across. You'll just have to watch to see what I mean. He's cheeky and charming and makes me smile.
3. It's real.
Ok, it feels real. I know it's still a TV show but the menus seem plausible and workable. The food is cooked in Brian Boitano's actual home kitchen, not a fake looking set or fantasy kitchen with ultra pro appliances and cookware.
4. It's set in San Francisco.
I love the backdrop of my own town, my neighborhood and even my own local grocery stores. I guess that adds to the "realness" factor for me. How cool is it he's actually my neighbor? I am not sure I will ever get over that fact.
5. It's Brian Boitano!
Let me explain. I grew up around the corner from an ice skating rink. I took lessons and skated weekly for a while. I love ice skating. As someone who generally hates pretty much all sports, this is really saying something. To me, ice skaters are not just amazing athletes but like dancers, they are artists. And now, it turns out at least one of them can also cook!
The new season of What Would Brian Boitano Make? premieres: Sunday, March 7th at 1pm on the Food Network.