Popularity of Cooking Channels These Days...

I admit that on certain occasions when's there's nothing to do I would switch on the television and watch food network. Whenever shows like Best Thing I Ever Ate, Unwrapped, and Diners, Drive Ins and, Dives come on I stare at the screen as my stomach yearns for the different food shown on television. It's a great way to gather information on where to travel yet an even better way to torture one's self.

However what surprises me is the popularity of the cooking channel out of the blue now. Sometimes I see people linking to some of these shows and talking about them. Celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray, etc. I starting to get mentioned a lot. South Park also did an episode on the food channel craze.

One thing I am curious about is how effective this channel brings about business to restaurants shown on the channel. I would also like to know how chefs feel about how their profession is being exposed to the media as a competition or to turn one into a cooking idol. Certainly there would be some chefs that feel that some of these people don't deserve such titles. All is for certain though I don't think there will be a time when I watch this channel and not feel tortured.