bobby flay

NBC is determined to get a piece of the delicious pie that's known and cooking television. While Food Network would seem to be the destination of choice for all things culinary, Bravo's had successes with 'Top Chef' and 'Top Chef Masters,' so NBC is enlisting those producers to cook up something foodie for its network that'll actually succeed. NBC has hired chef Bobby Flay to top line 'America's Next Great Restaurant,' a new food competition show to air next season.

Bobby Flay's already one of the most prolific stars at Food Network. He's on 'Iron Chef' as one of America's iron chefs, he's a judge on 'The Next Food Network Star,' and hosts (or has hosted) 'Throwdown,' 'Boy Meets Grill' and 'Grill It.' You would think he's busy enough with FN -- as well as four restaurants of his own -- but the lure of NBC has clearly gotten to him. This new show, formerly called 'United Plates of America' will likely get a major promotion by NBC.

Here's tonight's TV lineup (all times Eastern).

• At 8, CBS has a new 'Old Christine,' followed by new episodes of 'Gary Unmarried,' 'Criminal Minds,' and 'CSI: NY.'
• NBC has a new 'Mercy' at 8, then a new, two-hour 'Law & Order: SVU.'
• FOX has a new, two-hour 'American Idol' at 8.
• PBS has a new 'Faces of America.'
• At 8:30, ABC has a new episode of 'The Middle,' followed by new episodes of 'Modern Family' and 'Cougar Town,' then 'The Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special.'
• At 9, Syfy has the two-hour season premiere 'Ghost Hunters.'
• History Channel has a new 'MonsterQuest' at 9.
• At 9:30, Food Network has a new 'Throwdown with Bobby Flay,' followed by a new 'Dinner: Impossible.'
• At 10, USA has a new 'Psych.'
• FX has the series finale of 'Nip/Tuck' at 10.
• Bravo has a new 'Shear Genius' at 10.
• MTV has a new 'Real World' at 10.
• Showtime has a new 'Inside NASCAR' at 10.
• Also at 10: TV Land has the season finale of 'High School Reunion.'
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new 'Tosh.0.'

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

I'm not sure how many people are even aware that a network called Fine Living even exists. It's up there on your cable dial, and even though it runs a lot of Martha Stewart programming, it's still a network that people don't think about too much. Maybe that's one of the reasons why Scripps is getting rid of the channel and changing it to The Cooking Channel on May 31.

Where Fine Living was focused on other lifestyle topics, The Cooking Channel will focus on well, food and cooking. Scripps owns Food Network too, so expect to see some new shows from people like Rachael Ray and Bobby Flay. Both of them need new shows because they currently only have about 11 each.

Maybe this cooking channel will fill the gap that a lot of people say that Food Network created when they started to go towards more personality-driven cooking shows and reality competition shows. It would be great to see Sara Moulton doing a live cooking show again, wouldn't it?

[via Mediabistro]

It's been weeks now, and still, President Barack Obama has had nothing to say about two of the greatest threats to American security.

We're speaking, of course, about Snooki and The Situation, from MTV's new series 'Jersey Shore.' Alas, according to First Lady Michelle Obama, it's a show the First Family does not watch. "I've heard about it," Mrs Obama tells People, in an interview all about the Obamas' TV viewing preferences. "Not seen it."

The Scripps vs. Cablevision battle rages on, but at least New York City area viewers will be able to see a battle of another kind this weekend.

The 'Super Chef Battle: An Iron Chef America Event,' which NYC viewers couldn't watch because Food Network and HGTV programs are no longer being carried on Cablevision, will be rebroadcast 8 p.m. Sunday on WPIX-TV, Channel 11, in NYC and WTXX-TV, Channel 20, in Hartford, Conn., both free channels.

The price battles between TV channels and cable service providers continue. While Time Warner Cable and Fox have called a truce and reached a temporary agreement that allows TWC subscribers to keep watching 'House' and weekend football, the dispute continues between Cablevision and Scripps over fees for Food Network and HGTV, leaving 3.1 million subscribers in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut without access to Bobby Flay or 'Design Star.'

As part of an effort to promote her healthy eating agenda, First Lady Michelle Obama made a guest appearance on 'Iron Chef America' and revealed the secret ingredient in a battle pitting Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse against Bobby Flay and White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford.

In this clip, Obama tells the assembled chefs the secret ingredient is anything grown in the White House garden, which includes an abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Watch the video after the jump.

• At 7, ABC Family has Pixar Short Films (repeated at 9).
• At 8, CBS has Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, followed by The Grammy Nominations Concert Live.
• NBC has Christmas in Rockefeller Center at 8.
• FOX has a new So You Think You Can Dance at 8, then a new Glee.
• Cartoon Network has a new Destroy Build Destroy at 8.
• Hallmark has The Christmas Choir at 8, followed by I'll Be Home For Christmas.
• BBC Amercia has the season premiere of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares at 8, then the season finale of Mary Queen of Shops.
• At 8:30, ABC has a new episode of The Middle.
• At 9, DirectTV 101 has a new Friday Night Lights.
• Discovery has a new Mythbusters.
• A&E has the season premiere Dog The Bounty Hunter at 9, then the series premiere of Steven Seagal: Lawman (two episodes).
• Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay at 9.
• Syfy has a new Ghost Hunters at 9, followed by a new Ghost Hunters Academy.
• Fine Living has a new Whatever, Martha at 9.
• There's a new Inside the NFL on Showtime at 9.
• At 10, ABC has a new Eastwick.
• NBC has a new Jay Leno Show at 10.
• TBS has a new Tyler Perry's House of Payne at 10, followed by a new Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns.
• FX has a new Nip/Tuck at 10.
• Travel Channel has a new Man vs. Food at 10.
• Current has a new Vanguard at 10.
• Also at 10: Bravo has a new Top Chef: Las Vegas, then the series premiere of Launch My Line.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

So last night was the big battle between Chef Garces and Chef Mehta, the two finalists on Food Network's Next Iron Chef with two very different cooking styles. I didn't watch much of this season, but judging from last night's episode I wish I had. Jeffrey Steingarten is one of my favorite judges, and it's interesting to see other iron chefs in the judging chairs.

Did the right chef win?

Some people say that President Obama has been on TV too much since he became President a year ago, but his wife is about to make a big splash on one of Food Network's most popular shows.

First Lady Michelle Obama will reveal the secret ingredient on the January 3 special episode of Iron Chef America (I don't think it's the season premiere because we're in the middle of new episodes right now). There's no specifics yet on what the secret ingredient will be, but it is something that grows in the White House garden and ties in with the First Lady's "Healthy Kids Initiative" to get kids eating better and exercising. Beyond all that, this sounds like its going to be a great episode of the show. It will pit White House chef Cristeta Comerford and Bobby Flay against Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse.

You know what I'd like to see as the secret ingredient on Iron Chef America? Ring Dings. Or how about Atomic Fireballs?

Given the popularity of the second-season opener of The Next Iron Chef, I figured it was a good time to pull out this interview I did with the show's host, Alton Brown, at the network's TCA party in July. It was definitely the tastiest party of the tour, as each Iron Chef contestant plied the critics with delectable morsels of their creativity at various stations.

In a bit of a surprise, one of the contestants, Amanda Freitag, was being assisted by her friend Ariane Duarte, one of the more popular contestants from rival program Top Chef's New York season (I was so flabbergasted by the turn of events, I snapped a pic of the two with my cell phone). When I pointed this tidbit out to Brown, his response was very interesting...

• At 8, ABC has the series premiere of Hank, followed by the series premiere of The Middle and new episodes of Modern Family, Cougar Town, and Eastwick.
• CBS has a new Old Christine at 8, then new episodes of Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has new episodes of Mercy, Law and Order: SVU, and The Jay Leno Show.
• FOX has a new So You Think You Can Dance at 8, followed by a new Glee.
• The CW has a new America's Next Top Model at 8.
• PBS has a new episode of The National Parks at 8.
• At 9, Syfy has a new Ghost Hunters.
• History Channel has a new Nostradamus Effect at 9, then a new MysteryQuest.
• Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay at 9.
• Also at 9: Showtime has a new Inside the NFL.
• At 10, Travel Channel has a new Man vs. Food.
• TruTV has a new Black Gold at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

Yes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but this a bit much. TLC has given the greenlight to BBQ Pit Masters, a new food show about American barbecue competitions. Does Bobby Flay, Mr. Food Network grill master himself, know about this? I can see him getting as red as his hair when he reads about it.

So, TLC is saying that this new show, a documentary about the über-competitive world of competitive grilling, will run for eight hour-long episodes commencing December 2. How this will be different from similar food competitions on other networks -- like Food Network -- remains to be seen.

So, did the person you thought was going to win The Next Food Network Star actually win, or are you steaming mad right now? After the jump, a quick analysis of last night's season finale.

So we're down to two.

One thing that I was wondering while watching this episode was ... is Emeril Lagasse even on Food Network anymore? I know there are repeats of his shows still running, but I wasn't aware that he was still doing new things (his show now airs on Fine Living).