7 Questions with Roger Mooking
7 Questions is a series of interviews with the culinary movers and shakers you want or ought to know better.
The Cooking Channel (aka Food Network 2) debuted last year to a good deal of fanfare from parent company Scripps Networks. From what I have seen so far, the new kid on the block is a force to be reckoned with. Some familiar FN stars have found a place to truly shine. Take for instance Aida Mollenkamp who’s stand-and-stir Ask Aida was at times awkward while her new food/travel show FoodCrafters is polished and sleek.
Several Food Network: Canada stars have also found an American home on the Cooking Channel as well. Last year I was lucky enough to speak with David 
Rocco host of David Rocco’s Dolce Vita. I also got a little phone time with the gorgeous gastro-Guidette herself Nadia G. of Bitchin’ Kitchen. Another FN: Canada arrival is Roger Mooking, host of Everyday Exotic (my vote for the best stand-and-stir on TV today) and co-host of the new Food Network hit Heat Seekers.
Heat Seekers is part food/travel series and part cop-buddy film. Or as Food Network puts it, “For chefs Aarón Sanchez and Roger Mooking, Heat Seekers is a tongue-testing odyssey to discover the most deliciously spicy food across the country — and to figure out why these dishes are so fun to eat.” I love this show.
Mooking is an anomaly within the cosmos of TV chefs; he’s an accomplished musician. I don’t mean accomplished in the way that I gigged away the 90’s in Nashville’s underground rock scene. I don’t even mean an accomplished musician as in Emril Legasse who is good enough on a trap-set to make a comfortable living. I mean accomplished as in award winning.
Mooking won a Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy) for his work with the R&B group Bass is Base and their album Memories of the Soul Shack Survivors. He’s been apart of three Much Music Video Awards to boot. I feel quite confident in saying that Roger Mooking is the only person in history to both jam with James Brown and battle Michael Symon in Kitchen Stadium.
Cooking is a Mooking family tradition going back three generations and as a result Roger is first and foremost a chef. By developing a culinary philosophy built on perfect execution of globally inspired culinary traditions, Chef Mooking has become one of the most respected chefs in the Great White North so now it’s time for America to get to know him. To help, Roger answers 7 Questions:
1. You have an extremely diverse ancestry, how has it helped you as a chef?
It is who I am. All of my creativity is framed by my background and family history. As a chef it gave me a very broad jumping off point when it came time to create and develop new dishes. Plus my family are very harsh culinary critics, if it’s good they will say so. If it’s bad they look at you like “Get outta here with that ****.”
2. How does being a celebrity in Canada differ from being a celebrity in the States?
I don’t think about celebrity. I create things that I love everyday and I realize that you’re hot and your not. So it’s about touching people, which is the same all over the world. Celebrity is a by product of touching many people. I am blessed by being able to create things and share them.
3. Little is known in the States about the food scene in Toronto – can you describe what visitors should expect?
Toronto is a particularly culturally diverse city and although there are specific neighborhoods like India, Little Italy and such those areas are not exclusively populated by those people at all. This I have discovered is very unique from having traveled a bit and I’ve come to appreciate this about the city.
There is also a great wine region and farming community in the Toronto area so the access to market fresh produce, meats and wines is also fantastic. And because the demand from the immigrant communities is so great for their indigenous foods we also get a very wide variety of ingredients from all over the world in the most common of grocery stores not to mention specialty grocers. I really feel that Everyday Exotic was born of this community and my cultural background. The restaurant scene is as vibrant as New York but on a smaller scale. People in Toronto are serious about their food.
4. You’re a very busy man, how does a show like Heat Seekers fit into your lifestyle?
I grew up eating hot sauce sandwiches with butter as a kid. It was a favorite sandwich – bread, butter and hot sauce. So it fits into my life very naturally. The scheduling side of it is a challenge but I’m committed to it so we make it work. My team is the best on the planet and they keep me in line and able to focus on what I’ve gotta do.
5. Were you and Aaron friends before shooting began on Heat Seekers?
Certainly in another lifetime. The first time we met I felt he was my brother. We get along very well and have a lot of respect for one another, not to mention a lot of jokes.
6. Both of you strike me as pranksters, are there any practical jokes when you’re on the road?
Not ones that I can share here. Hehehe. But yes we have a lot of fun when we are shooting.
7. You’ve conquered Canada and you are taking the US by storm – what’s next for Roger Mooking?
I’ve only touched on about 10% of what is lying in my brain. There is still a lot of stuff I would like to do and you will have to wait for it as it comes together. We’ll save it for the next interview. Deal???
Deal!
Now that you know Roger Mooking the chef better, groove out to Roger Mooking the musician. For more on Roger check out his web site HERE.
Review: FoodCrafters
I finally got a little quality time with the Cooking Channel so I am attempting to review several of the shows I have not seen. This time around FoodCrafters.
FoodCrafters is what Road Tasted wanted to be. Super sexy Aida Mollenkamp travels the country trying the best artisanal foods to be found. This is not a profile of the partially synthetic, highly processed foods featured on shows like Unwrapped and Food Tech but rather a testament to the small business owners who chose their course not because of profitability but out of passion.
Mollenkamp, who’s stand and stir show Ask Aida always seemed stiff, is completely at ease in this vehicle. And why not? She is a genuine foodie – a certified chef, blogger, editor for mega food site CHOW, TV host and world traveler. FoodCrafters is like tagging along with Mollenkamp on a road trip. Her graceful yet hip attitude is tailor-made for for this show.
The production value on FoodCrafters is sleek, like a really well made documentary. The food porn is among the best you will see on television. The lighting and cinematography are as good as I have seen on a show of this nature. It’s a great looking show. Mollenkamp’s sultry look and modern sensibility only accentuate the quality of the production.
FoodCrafters stylish approach to it’s subject makes it far superior to the aforementioned Road Tasted. The later always had good core content but never seemed to flow well. Whether hosted by the Deen’s or the Neeley’s the transitions were always equal parts clumsy and corny. FoodCrafters on the other hand is food porn at it’s best.
Review: Kid in a Candy Store
This is going to be a very short review. Because the show isn’t any good? No, not really. It’s because the newest show from Food Network, Kid in a Candy Store, isn’t new. Adam Gertler is just as charming as he was when he (and three other people) should have beaten out Aaron McCargo Jr. on NFNS 4. It’s the format of the show. There is nothing really new about it.
If you liked Food Finds, Will Work For Food, Unwrapped, Food Tech, Road Tasted (with either the Neely’s or the Deen’s), Man vs. Food, FoodCrafters, Unique Eats, Follow That Food or How’d That Get on My Plate? then you’ll like Kid in a Candy Store. It is pretty much those shows. Only it’s just about desserts. I’m sure for those of you with strong sweet teeth it will be a fun variation of a tried and true formula with an amusing and talented host. As for me, I’m not a big dessert guy. My idea of the perfect dessert is a second cheeseburger.
It is certainly better than Cupcake Wars.
Be sure to check out this recent interview with Adam Gertler.
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New Cooking Show Round-up
Cooking Channel Announces Programming Slate While Food Network Welcomes New Series and Returning Favorites
NEW YORK – April 20, 2010 – All burners are firing at Scripps Networks Interactive in the food category, with Cooking Channel and Food Network unveiling new shows for 2010, it was announced today by Brooke Johnson, president, food category for Scripps Networks Interactive.
COOKING CHANNEL
Cooking Channel, the newest network from Scripps Networks Interactive, will launch May 31st. The network by food people, for food people will feature a diverse lineup with new, original shows including Unique Eats, Foodography, Drink Up, Cook Like an Iron Chef hosted by Michael Symon, and Foodcrafters with Aida Mollenkamp. The network will also feature the U.S. premiere of shows like Food Jammers, Indian Food Made Easy, and Caribbean Food Made Easy.
PRIMETIME:
Unique Eats
Premieres: May 31
Unique Eats spotlights America’s most exciting and revolutionary restaurants, providing the first look and the last word in everything extreme in food today. The locations range from high-end dining rooms to casual neighborhood treasures and even roving eateries with no permanent addresses.
DRINK UP!
Premieres: May 31
Happy hour comes to Cooking Channel with Drink Up! hosted by Darryl Robinson, a.k.a. “Dr. Mixologist,” of the Hudson Hotel in New York City. From the first pot still, producing fiery drops of proto-vodka to today’s creative and complex cocktails served by mad-scientist mixologists in sexy lounges, Drink Up! shows viewers how those drinks got into their hands.
Foodcrafters
Premieres: May 31
Aida Mollenkamp uncovers the hidden handmade food secrets found across the country. Travelling from coast to coast, she unlocks these culinary treasures and show viewers how to bring them all home.
Foodography
Premieres: May 31
Food has shaped the way our culture and world have evolved around us. Hosted by CBS Sunday Morning’s Mo Rocca, Foodography showcases these cultural food themes by taking a look into the past, present, and future of iconic, classic, and trendy foods.
Food Jammers
Premieres: May 31
Each episode of Food Jammers features a high-impact, low-fi culinary contraption conceived, designed and constructed in the Jammer’s warehouse studio. This tasty, madcap food odyssey satisfies viewers’ cravings for unusual viewing adventures.
DAYTIME:
Spice Goddess
Premieres: May 31
Bal Arneson reveals the power of using fresh, wholesome ingredients to make delicious, simple, everyday Indian meals. In each episode, Bal delves into the world of herbs and spices and show how just a pinch of this and little bit of that can put pizzazz into any dish.
Indian Food Made Easy
Premieres: May 31
Chef and food writer Anjum Anand brings a lighter, fresher approach to classic Indian dishes, making simple, mouth-watering meals. Anjum helps friends and viewers overcome their fears of planning, preparing and making Indian food by guiding them through shopping and dispelling the myths around Indian cuisine.
Cook Like an Iron Chef
Premieres: July
Iron Chef Michael Symon teaches viewers the skills and techniques needed to cook like an Iron Chef! Along the way, Michael is joined by chef challengers and other Iron Chefs who reveal their mysterious methods in tackling secret ingredients.
Caribbean Food Made Easy
Premieres: August
Levi Roots travels around the United Kingdom and the Caribbean revealing how delicious Caribbean food can be created at home with easy-to-prepare, mouth-watering recipes using fresh, healthy and readily-available ingredients.
Classic Cooking Block
Premieres: June 1
This block features: Julia Child and Galloping Gourmet. Bon Appetit!
FOOD NETWORK
Food Network features the debut of new primetime series 24 Hour Restaurant Battle, Food Trucks (WT) and Kid in a Candy Store, plus the return of fan-favorites, The Next Iron Chef: Season Three, Works Cooks in America: Season 2 and The Next Food Network Star: Season 7.
PREMIERE PRIMETIME SERIES:
CUPCAKE WARS
Premieres: June 18th at 10pm ET/PT
It’s cupcake vs. cupcake in Food Network’s tastiest competition yet! In each episode, four of the country’s top cupcake bakers face off in a series of challenges testing their creativity, flavors and presentation, vying for the right to present their cupcakes at a major event. They will be judged on taste and presentation, and only one baker will win the gig.
24 HOUR RESTAURANT BATTLE
Premieres: July
Hosted by renowned chef Scott Conant, each episode of 24 Hour Restaurant Battle features dueling teams of aspiring restaurateurs who have 24 hours to conceive, plan and open their own restaurants for one night. Once the doors open, diners will be served along with Scott and a rotating panel of judges representing three areas of expertise: restaurant marketer, restaurant reviewer, and restaurant investor. The winning team receives $10,000 in seed money toward realizing their dream!
KID IN A CANDY STORE
Premieres: July
Adam Gertler’s mission is to find the best, most outrageous, most innovative, and also most loved sweet treats in the world. Adam travels the United States to visit bakeries, restaurants, food carts, and factories where America’s favorite candies are produced. From wild and wacky twists on traditional favorites like deep fried cupcakes or sweet beet ice cream to the most scrumptious and creative candy, cakes and frozen snacks in the country, this sweet joyride makes viewers feel like a kid again.
FOOD TRUCKS (WT)
Premieres: August 15th at 10pm ET/PT
Tyler Florence hosts as seven teams of the country’s best food truck cooks hit the road to sauté their way across America. Each week, the teams that sell the most food in the challenge city race to the next episode, and the losing team drives home. One food truck team comes out on top and wins a $50,000 grand prize!
RETURNING FAVORITES:
THE NEXT IRON CHEF: SEASON 3
Premieres: Fall 2010
Kitchen Stadium once again opens its doors to find a new culinary warrior in the sizzling primetime series The Next Iron Chef, hosted by Alton Brown.The reality competition challenges top chefs from around the country in a series of demanding situations, testing their culinary skills and mental toughness for the ultimate prize: to become an Iron Chef.
WORST COOKS IN AMERICA: SEASON 2
Premieres: 1st Quarter 2011
The most hopeless cooks in the country return to compete in the high-stakes elimination series, Worst Cooks in America. Robert Irvine (Dinner: Impossible) joins Anne Burrell as host and competitor to put the recruits through a culinary boot camp they won’t soon forget! At stake for the last two standing is the chance to cook for a panel of esteemed culinary critics and to win the grand prize of $25,000.
THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR: SEASON 7
Premieres: 2nd Quarter 2011
Food Network’s number one series, The Next Food Network Star, returns for a seventh season. This season follows new hopefuls competing for the ultimate dream job: his or her own Food Network show. With this coveted prize on the line, the finalists strut their star power and culinary chops for host Bobby Flay and the selection committee to see if they stack up against the competition.
