Cooking Show: A Feast For The Stomach, Heart And Eyes

Watching other people cook, getting inspiration and having a great time - cooking shows have been one of the most popular entertainment formats on German TV since the 1990s. Find out why this is the case, which cooking shows there are and how you can best apply to be a TV candidate here.

Definition and overview: What is a cooking show?

In common parlance, a cooking show is a program in which the focus is on trying out recipes, the process of cooking and the communal experience at the stove. Depending on the format, the cast of a cooking show is made up of a wide variety of people: celebrity chefs, amateur chefs, coaches and amateurs with no cooking experience. Cooking shows are entertaining whilst also having the goal of encouraging people to enjoy cooking and help give viewers new ideas for home cooking. They are characterised by a relaxed, chatty atmosphere peppered with small talk and jokes.

Looking back: From then to now

It is certainly no exaggeration to describe the "cooking show" format as a perennial favourite on German television . Even shortly after the war - when gourmet cooking was still a luxury - people felt magically drawn to programs such as "Bitte in zehn Minuten zu Tisch" (on the table in ten minutes). The focus of the early German cooking shows was clearly on the cooking itself, the ingredients and the preparation. This only changed in the 1990s, when Alfred Biolek's cooking show "alfredissimo!" was a resounding success. “Alfredissimo!" was not only about cooking, but also about humorous conversation. After the turn of the millennium, another aspect was added in the style of reality TV shows like "Big Brother": some cooking shows now took on a competitive character. Candidates competed against each other and a jury judged the dishes at the end - for example in "Kochduell" (Cooking duel). In recent years, streaming services such as Netflix have further expanded the spectrum. Shows such as "Barbecue Showdown" or "Baked Squad" are extremely colourful, fast-paced and varied.

What happens in a cooking program?

The concepts of today's cooking shows differ greatly from one another and are difficult to reduce to a common denominator. All shows have one thing in common: people sizzle, cook, garnish and feast to their heart's content. Sometimes a presenter leads the show, in other shows a celebrity chef or a celebrity takes on this role. The involvement of the audience is also inconsistent: in some cases, the audience acts as a jury, whereas in other shows they do not.

Why cooking shows are so popular

Cooking shows take the audience by the hand and provide a funny, stimulating and appetising escape from everyday life (healthy escapism). The opulent images, the celebrity show guests and the exciting, often personal topics of conversation are also reasons for the enduring popularity of cooking formats.

Examples of cooking shows are
- "Grill den Henzler" and "Das perfekte Dinner"
- "Kitchen Battle" on ZDF
- Master Chef
- Hell's Kitchen 

Fancy proving your skills? Apply for a cooking show!

Submit your application now on starboxx as a candidate for a cooking show and wow the audience with your culinary prowess!