The Big Picture

  • Food Network needs to embrace new talent and a fresh vibe to stay relevant and appeal to younger generations who have different interests.
  • Chefs like Kristen Kish, Justin Sutherland, and Luke Nguyen bring unique perspectives and engaging shows that could take Food Network to the next level.
  • Promoting new talent now will help shape the content of Food Network in the future and appeal to a younger audience, setting the network up for long-term success.

Food Network has built its brand off of its personalities. Names like Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, and Ina Garten have become household names for many. Lately, however, the shows and personalities have begun to feel stale, and while the network has occasionally highlighted younger talent, they have not made much of an effort to embrace a new vibe. It is, after all, entirely possible to maintain the popular reality shows while simultaneously bringing in new talent with a fresh take on the culinary world.

Sure, who doesn’t love watching Bobby Flay get beaten in one of his many competition shows? And in general, the competition shows do seem to be Food Network’s cash cow. In fact, the most popular shows on Food Network are the seasonal competitions. But these stats are something that will eventually change. As new generations get older, interests tend to shift. Gen Z has zero interest in Rie Drummond’s perplexing and multitudinous casserole recipes. For Food Network to grow with these changes they need to start now. By bringing in new blood, fresh talent, and new vibe, Food Network can begin taking its programming to the next level. But where should they start? Here are some chefs that could help take Food Network to the next level.

1 Kristen Kish

Kristen Kish is the moment. She went from being a Top Chef winner to the Top Chef host, replacing the ever iconic Padma Lakshmi. Kristen is cool, insanely knowledgeable, and has accomplished a lot in her career. Her show, Restaurants at the End of the World, shows the vastness of the culinary world, and echoes Anthony Bourdain’s mission. Many first became aware of Kristen thanks to the series, Fast Foodies which is also a show we’d like to see more of. Regardless of this, Kristen’s star power is undeniable, and Food Network needs to hop on the Kish train.

2 Justin Sutherland

Speaking of Fast Foodies, we’ve got to mention Justin Sutherland. Justin has already had a few Food Network appearances as a judge on Chopped and other competition shows. Justin is the chef and owner of Handsome Hog, which specializes in contemporary southern food. He has the perfect funny yet informative, and we can’t help but to be delighted when we see him on the judging panel on Chopped. He also recently won Iron Chef America, proving that he is not one to mess with in the competition arena either. Give Justin his own show so we can see what other hats he has in his hat collection.

3 Luke Nguyen

Luke Nguyen is a regular face on Tastemade. His show, Luke Nguyen’s Street Food Asia is fun and engaging to watch. He immerses himself in the culture of wherever he is, and is open to eating just about anything. Luke does a wonderful job of taking food that may seem gross to the uneducated American eye, and proves that openness can lead to some tasty goodness. He’s a joy to watch and needs to be seen more.

4 Priya Krishna

If you’ve ever looked up a recipe on Indian cuisine and found one in the New York Times, it was probably written by Priya Krishna. Priya is a food journalist with the NYT, but primarily came to fame during her time with Bon Appetit. Priya is a food pro, with both knowledge and a presence that would make a great addition to Food Network. Can’t get past the NYT paywall? Check out her cookbook, Indian-ish.

5 Bryant Terry

Veganism is on the rise, and most vegans probably have at least one of Bryant Terry’s cookbooks in their kitchen. Bryant’s cultural and personal take on vegan soul food has led to his name being a popular one within the vegan community. He occasionally does cooking videos, and he is somebody who would bring in more plant-based content to the network in a positive way.

6 Rick Martinez

Rick Martinez is another former Bon Appetit personality. His focus on traditional Mexican cooking is much needed on Food Network. Like everyone else on this list, he is both knowledgeable and fun to learn from. He’s got a quirky personality and many excellent manicures. His cookbook, Mi Cocina, is filled with tasty delights, and Food Network could benefit from his talent.

7 Andy Baraghani

Andy Baraghani is a chef who could bring more attention and awareness to the deliciousness that is Middle Eastern cuisine. He grew up in an Iranian household, and that influence shined through during his time with Bon Appetit. He’s an accomplished chef, and his cookbook The Cook You Want To Be makes us want to hop into the kitchen and try out some new techniques.

8 Gabrielle Reyes

Gabrielle is known for two things: being vegan and singing while she cooks. She’s “The Musical Vegan Chef”, and her youtube channel is full of tasty vegan delights that can please even the most skeptical carnivore. Her take on cooking while entertaining has gained her quite the following. She’d definitely bring something new to the Food Network.

There are probably more names that could go on this list, but these 8 chefs are standouts. Promoting new talent like the chefs on this list could absolutely take Food Network to the next level. Yes, it's currently doing fine on its own, but what about the content 10 years from now? It took a solid decade or so to get the network the popularity it has now. The main personalities on the network gained popularity over an extended amount of time, not overnight. It's understandable that they'd want to keep the focus on the talent they've been cultivating, but they must remember that eventually, they'll need to mix things up. They should know that is entirely possible to promote new talent and different content while maintaining what the content that the network is known for. By starting now, and appealing to a younger audience, they can set themselves up for success in the future. And, the sooner they start doing this, the better.