Food Network Fires Robert Irvine; Rachel Ray Continues Multiple Shows

"I don't watch the Food Network anymore because every time I turn it on it's always Paula Deen or Rachel Ray."

A friend said that to me the other day, and I laughed it off. While those two women, Rachel Ray especially, do seem to be on the channel quite a bit, there are enough chefs on the channel to make it worth watching. Then the Food Network did something completely unexpected: they fired Robert Irvine.

Robert Irvine is the host of one the more popular shows on the Food Network, Dinner Impossible. This show spoofs the old television series Mission Impossible. Irvine arrives in an undisclosed location, and it given a seemingly impossible task to perform. Among those tasks was created a dinner for a large group of soldiers prior to shipping off to Iraq, cooking dinner on an old fashioned chuck wagon, and making a meal on a deserted island.

Through it all Robert Irvine has managed to bring light and humor into even the most impossible situations, and gained quite a following on the Food Network. His first cookbook, baring the same name as his television show, was released in 2007. Women seemed to love the show because of his easy demeanor and bulging biceps, even Paula Deen herself has expressed some delight at his appearance. Men too loved the show, because they had a real man cooking on television.

Irvine is a far cry from the other Food Network favorites including Tyler Florence, the Deen boys, and Bobby Flay. He was more of a rough and tumble British bloke, and was known to kick back with fellow television chef Guy Fiere (host of "Dinners, Drive Ins, and Dives"). Then it was announced that the Food Network would not be renewing Robert Irvine's show, or contract after this season.

It seems as though some of the stellar information Irvine listed on his contract wasn't quite true. Among those accomplishments, the chef claimed he was a knight, had been a personal chef to Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and had been given a castle in Scotland by the Queen herself. None of these claims it turns out, were quite true. The St. Petersburg Times out of Florida revealed the information in an expose on the celeb chef. In response the Food Network has decided to air the remaining episodes from this season, and then stop the chef's contract.

In response Irvine stated, "I met people with all this money, it was like trying to keep up with the Joneses. I was sitting in a bar one night and that came out. It was stupid."

Robert Irvine is far from the only man ever to lie after a few drinks in a bar, yet he loses his job for the mistake, disappointing fans everywhere. I love the Food Network, and I have for quite awhile, but there are only a few reasons that I do watch the channel. I loved the Deen boys, who saw their show removed from the air, Duff, Mary Alice, and the whole group from Ace of Cakes, and anything that Guy Fiere is on. These people are regular, every day folks who just happen to have a television show. They are not trying to make up perfect cooks, but simply sharing their experiences with us.

The Food Network consistently pushes Rachel Ray on us. During one particular day she had six different shows on in one single 24-hour period. That's fine and dandy if you like Rachel Ray, but I don't. Her over eager and chipper demeanor makes it hard for me to watch, or enjoy her cooking methods. I prefer those chefs that are willing to swear if things don't go right, or who aren't always perfect. That's the reason why I watch Robert Irvine.

Sources:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/royal-story-all-cooked-up/2008/03/04/1204402403985.html