Synopses & Reviews
An Entertainment Weekly Best Tell-All of 2013!
Allen Salkin shows how the sausage really gets made at the Food Network in From Scratch, a behind-the-scenes history liberally spiced with gossip and unsavory tidbits.”Entertainment Weekly
A detailed look at the network from start-up phase to the present, with a generous lump of juicy stories about the networks most polarizing figuresGuy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Anthony Bourdain and, of course, Paula Deen yallheaped on top.”The Atlantic Wire
Big personalities, high dramathe extraordinary behind-the-scenes story of the Food Network, now about to celebrate its twentieth anniversary: the business, media, and cultural juggernaut that changed the way America thinks about food.
In October 1993, a tiny start-up called the Food Network debuted to little notice. Twenty years later, it is in 100 million homes, approaches a billion dollars a year in revenue, and features a galaxy of stars whose faces and names are as familiar to us as our own familys.
But what we dont know about them, and the people behind them, could fill a book.
Based upon extensive inside access, documents, and interviews with hundreds of executives, stars, and employees all up and down the ladder, Allen Salkins book is an exhilarating roller-coaster ride from chaos to conquest (and sometimes back). As Salkin takes us inside the conference rooms, studios, homes, restaurants, and after-hours meetings, we see a salty Julia Child lording it over the early network performers; a fragile Emeril Lagasse staggering from the sudden public shock of cancellation; a very green Rachael Ray nearly burning down the set on her first day; a torn Tyler Florence accepting the Applebees job he knows he cant refuse, but with a chill running down his spine; a determined Bobby Flay reinventing himself once again to survive.
Paula Deen, Tom Colicchio, Anthony Bourdain, Mario Batali, Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart, Guy Fieri, Cat Cora: Salkin illuminates the people we thought we knew, and the ones we never knew about, in this irresistible story of the intersection between business, television, pop culture, foodand us.
Review
Praise for From Scratch: Inside the Food Network
“With a light wit and balanced perspective, Salkin presents the definitive history of the network from inception to the present day. Food Network devotees will delight at the inside knowledge of internal scandals, the intriguing biographies of their favorite star chefs, and an exclusive look at the ever-shifting lineup of executives and parent companies . . . Salkin moves deftly between periods in the channels development, garnishing the narrative with frequent quotes from influential personalities to add depth. [A] nuanced and rich tale of an empire that no one expected to survive.”—Publishers Weekly
Review
and#8220;A detailed look at the network from start-up phase to the presentand#8230;juicy stories about the networkand#8217;s most polarizing figuresand#8212;Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Anthony Bourdain, and, of course, Paula Deen yand#8217;all.and#8221;and#8212;
The Atlantic Wire
and#8220;Dishyand#8230;Hard to resist.and#8221;and#8212;The New York Times Book Review
and#8220;One part steamy exposand#233;, one part deep-fried human interest, and one part television history.and#8221;and#8212;Kirkus Reviews
and#8220;Details the egos and feuds of the people that made a fledgling upstart a cable TV empire.and#8221;and#8212;The Daily Beast
and#8220;For a full account of the network and its evolution, itand#8217;s worth reading Allen Salkinand#8217;s excellent, informative new tome.and#8221;and#8212;The Wall Street Journal
and#8220;Salkin brings a pop journalistand#8217;s eye to the development of the network that would provide the ultimate exploitation of food and cookingand#8230;Thereand#8217;s plenty of good gossip to be hadand#8212;the rise and fall of Emeril Lagasse is practically Shakespeareanand#8230;Salkin seems to have interviewed almost everyone connected with the channel, and heand#8217;s good on behind-the-scenes business machinations.and#8221;and#8212;Los Angeles Times
Synopsis
Big personalities, high dramaand#151;the extraordinary behind-the-scenes story of the Food Network, now about to celebrate its twentieth anniversary: the business, media, and cultural juggernaut that changed the way America thinks about food. In October 1993, a tiny start-up called the Food Network debuted to little notice. Twenty years later, it is in 100 million homes, approaches a billion dollards a year in revenue, and features a galaxy of stars whose faces and names are as familiar to us as our own familyand#8217;s.
But what we donand#8217;t know about them, and the people behind them, could fill a book.
Based upon extensive inside access, documents, and interviews with hundreds of executives, stars, and employees all up and down the ladder, Allen Salkinand#8217;s book is an exhilarating roller-coaster ride from chaos to conquest (and sometimes back). As Salkin takes us inside the conference rooms, studios, homes, restaurants, and after-hours meetings, we see a salty Julia Child lording it over the early network performers; a fragile Emeril Lagasse staggering from the sudden public shock of cancellation; a very green Rachael Ray nearly burning down the set on her first day; a torn Tyler Florence accepting the Applebeeand#8217;s job he knows he canand#8217;t refuse, but with a chill running down his spine; a determined Bobby Flay reinventing himself once again to survive.
Paula Deen, Tom Colicchio, Anthony Bourdain, Mario Batali, Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart, Guy Fieri, Cat Cora: Salkin illuminates the people we thought we knew, and the ones we never knew about, in this irresistible story of the intersection between business, television, pop culture, foodand#151;and us.
Synopsis
Big personalities, high dramaand#151;the extraordinary behind-the-scenes story of the Food Network, now about to celebrate its twentieth anniversary: the business, media, and cultural juggernaut that changed the way America thinks about food.
In October 1993, a tiny start-up called the Food Network debuted to little notice. Twenty years later, it is in 100 million homes, approaches a billion dollars a year in revenue, and features a galaxy of stars whose faces and names are as familiar to us as our own familyand#8217;s.
But what we donand#8217;t know about them, and the people behind them, could fill a book.
Based upon extensive inside access, documents, and interviews with hundreds of executives, stars, and employees all up and down the ladder, Allen Salkinand#8217;s book is an exhilarating roller-coaster ride from chaos to conquest (and sometimes back). As Salkin takes us inside the conference rooms, studios, homes, restaurants, and after-hours meetings, we see a salty Julia Child lording it over the early network performers; a fragile Emeril Lagasse staggering from the sudden public shock of cancellation; a very green Rachael Ray nearly burning down the set on her first day; a torn Tyler Florence accepting the Applebeeand#8217;s job he knows he canand#8217;t refuse, but with a chill running down his spine; a determined Bobby Flay reinventing himself once again to survive.
Paula Deen, Tom Colicchio, Anthony Bourdain, Mario Batali, Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart, Guy Fieri, Cat Cora: Salkin illuminates the people we thought we knew, and the ones we never knew about, in this irresistible story of the intersection between business, television, pop culture, foodand#151;and us.
Synopsis
Twenty Years of Dish from Flay and Fieri to Deen and DeLaurentiis...
Includes a New Afterword!
and#147;I donand#8217;t want this shown. I want the tapes of this whole series destroyed.and#8221;and#151;Martha Stewart
and#147;In those days, the main requirement to be on the Food Network was being able to get there by subway.and#8221;and#151;Bobby Flay
and#147;She seems to suggest that you can make good food easily, in minutes, using Cheez Whiz and chopped-up Pringles and packaged chili mix.and#8221;and#151;Anthony Bourdain
This is the definitive history of The Food Network from its earliest days as a long-shot business gamble to its current status as a cable obsession for millions, home along the way to such icons as Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray, Mario Batali, Alton Brown, and countless other celebrity chefs. Using extensive inside access and interviews with hundreds of executives, stars, and employees, From Scratch is a tantalizing, delicious look at the intersection of business, pop culture, and food.
INCLUDES PHOTOS
About the Author
Allen Salkin has been a journalist for such publications as New York, the Village Voice, and Details. As a staff reporter for the New York Times, he wrote nearly two hundred features about food, culture, and mediaand#151;for one of them, the legendary chefs Ferran Adriand#224; and Josand#233; Andrand#233;s cooked him lunch in his apartment. As an investigative reporter for the New York Post, Salkin wrote hundreds of articlesand#151;on corrupt judges, emergency room ethics, and troubled cults, among others. He has also produced video interviews with culinary stars for many food websites. Salkinand#8217;s journalism has taken him to more than forty countries, from the Beijing Olympics to the snorkel wakes of and#147;Doom Touristsand#8221; in the Galand#225;pagos. He lives in New York City.