food youtube channels that are not terrible

Where we try to forget about BATK and move on.

I like Chinese Cooking Demystified - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC54SLBnD5k5U3Q6N__UjbAw

Mostly:
Chef John http://www.youtube.com/c/foodwishes
Adam Ragusea http://www.youtube.com/user/aragusea
Kenji http://www.youtube.com/c/JKenjiLopezAlt
Pailin's Kitchen http://www.youtube.com/c/PailinsKitchen

I also enjoy a good Marco Pierre White stockpot how-to, but as has been said it's like being taught cooking by a retired Sith lord.

Kay's Cooking http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeKWgImK1RAD9IGjWZqxmIw

What?

Chef John seems to make interesting stuff but his prosody is extremely distracting. The uptalk!

Really liking J. Kenji, don’t know why he never showed up in our recs before since Babish mentions him on a regular basis

I’ve also been checking out What’s Eating Dan on the America’s Test Kitchen channel.

when i was young and impressionable, kenji taught me so much about cooking between his seriouseats articles and his book. i had to take a break from him b/c i found him to be one of the most insufferable twitter personas i had ever encountered. but the videos he's been doing under quarantine are excellent and remind me why i liked him in the first place.

I find Tiny Kitchen to be an incredibly powerful narcotic.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BCYSNL5P-1E

I’ve mentioned my appreciation for Mythical Kitchen as a cooking-adjacent improv comedy show on the BATK thread; I feel like Matty Matheson’s shows are almost in the same vein, although Matty is always making real food.

One thing I find interesting between these ostensible professionals is whether they add black pepper before cooking meat; some are like “don’t want any burnt pepper on your food” and yet many others just treat freshly ground pepper as an essential part of seasoning everything. I assume the real reason has nothing to do with “burnt pepper” and everything to do with best practices for working in busy professional kitchens, like a lot of the myths that Kenji Lopez-Alt and Alton Brown have busted over the years

Does anyone else do the POV approach like Kenji?

Not that I’ve seen. Part of why it works for him is that he goes so light on editing. I think for others that rely on heavier use of editing it could get really disorienting

kenji is the only one of these cooking show youtubers i like. also chef john but he's so oldschool that it doesn't feel right to lump him in with the others, totally different lane of appeal

i had to take a break from him b/c i found him to be one of the most insufferable twitter personas i had ever encountered.

he's even more insufferable IRL if you can believe that.

Here's something from left field you probably didn't expect to be recommended here:
Thu Tran's Food Party (no longer on YT, it got picked up by IFC)

https://www.ifc.com/shows/food-party

A kids' cooking show that's equal parts Amy Sedaris/David Lynch/Fort Thunder.

also chef john but he's so oldschool that it doesn't feel right to lump him in with the others, totally different lane of appeal

isn't that what this thread is for though? or do we need to start a different thread for non-terrible, uncool food youtubers?

i mean i think chef john is super cool in his own way but you know what i mean

oh no i wasn't saying he doesn't belong in this thread, just that he's not part of that current "scene" of youtube cooking personalities that seem to have overlapping followings

http://www.youtube.com/c/KabitasKitchen

Indian food and other things

(Kabita’s Kitchen)

he's even more insufferable IRL if you can believe that.

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, August 26, 2020 6:53 PM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

oh i can very much believe that

i def get a 'annoying redditor' vibe from him but his vids are too focused/streamlined for it to matter

i like this intentionally terrible guy more than babish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSR5RNqaJFk&list=PL803A87744721C14C

er...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSR5RNqaJFk&list=PL803A87744721C14C&index=59&t=0s

that’s pretty intentionally terrible!!

Practically unwatchable even!

How many channels has matty matheson been on? This guy’s everywhere

I didn’t know who that guy was until I saw his book. I immediately wanted to hurt him.

https://imgur.com/KHGkvqT.jpg

frightening

Matty is certainly an acquired taste. I’m extremely hesitant to try and diagnose where his shit comes from. I probably would have resented him greatly in high school.

If I had known Kenji in high school I probably would still strongly resent him today.

oh it was completely 100% based on the front cover photo

I like matty. Has that kind of off-putting energy that an addict in recovery can have,but seems genuine and good-hearted.

I forget not everyone has heard of him, guess he was canada-famous first

i had never heard of him and based on pictures i'm not exactly running to his content

I think the best introduction to mr matheson is probably trying out his newer content where he’s promoting his forthcoming HOME STYLE COOKERY book, when his kid joins him in the kitchen it’s actually cute plus the lol this guy’s a dad effect

I know it’s nowhere in the rules that you gotta eat how you cook on youtube, especially if your channel is mostly stunt cooking, but I feel like I lost a little respect for Mr Babish when I learned his regular diet was chicken salads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jAhGHxa3js

The Burger Show episode where Matty and Alvin compete at Babish’s house always kills me every time Matty chops into the carrot with that nice-looking knife

I used to work for MM before he was properly famous and seeing his face plastered everywhere fucking blows

(nothing substantive against him really, it was just a shitty time in my life)

"Action Bronson but worse" is a surprise celebrity turn

I haven't seen any of the content so I can't weigh in in that sense. But just imagine seeing your old boss from a really shit job pop up grinning in your youtube sidebar every day.

Babish is now the Babish Culinary Universe

We are LOVING Stump Sohla. I can’t wait to see what else they come up with now they have a full studio and crew.

(the latest one where she makes a 7 course tasting menu with only bodega ingredients was kind of a rerun of a bunch of Mythical Kitchen tricks)

(which is totally great actually)

not stating an opinion as to whether food52 is terrible or not terrible but i don't feel like working today and just refreshed my pie crust knowledge with this appropriately slow paced (v long) video. i have been improving over the past few years but i think i am brave enough to try mixing it by hand now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1fJ3GsmQBg

I’ve added Chilli Chump to my short list. He’s earnest and monomaniacal and that’s good enough for me.

Same for George Motz, the Burger Scholar, even though he sometimes gives me MAGA waves; maybe that’s just where he’s from.

I hope this livestream of sohla making thanksgiving food on babish lasts for a whole week

even though andrew keeps drinking blue moon which is just sad

this is just going to be the tombot talks about sohla thread

her one-handed boozy brunch today was very impressive and also made me miss going out for brunch, a lot

CLAIRE SAFFITZ IS BACK WITH A NEW CHANNEL

I dont know how OK people are with comedy cooking YTs but I love this guy (my partner HATES him fwiw).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwP6HyGavLs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_J4e58eoyY

haha Middle Eats came into my feed recently as well

He’s great!

I also like Nadia Gilbert for Middle Eastern stuff and Refika Birgül for Turkish.

I love Matty Matheson for ultimate no frills comfort food and his videos are fun
i dunno if he’s for everyone but i love him

i am def making these chicken wings holy shit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AMQbxBZohY

I've moved on to Tiktok chefs instead, specifically Cult Flav, who I am loyal to but they've clearly become influencers who probably have a book deal and possibly a tv show in their future, and the much more lo-fi @2peoplecooking, a lovely gentle couple who live in Asbury Park and have cooked together professionally and make nice Friday night dinners in their apartment and invite you in.

I'm a fan of Sohla and Ham El-Waylly, both together and separately. Sohla was a Bon Appetit test kitchen guru, both are now with NYT and have many things on the youtubes including the awesome challenge show where they are given a bag of something odd (like green jello or hot pockets) and have to make a 3 course meal in 45 minutes.

I’m back

Very happy that Carla Lalli Music has her own YT channel and substack now, hoping her recent divorce brings her happiness

Also I finally discovered Guga. That guy is ridiculous

Today I learned that Carla is getting divorced. I hope she gets to keep the backyard pizza oven (and the back yard). <3 her

She’s the best

Oh the other protein-forward guy I started following is Sam The Cooking Guy. I will probably never cook anything he makes on his channel, but he and his kids are funny to me

Hahahaha. When I saw you ref Matty Matheson in the politics thread I knew it would only be a matter of time before this one got a revive.

Very happy that Carla Lalli Music has her own YT channel and substack now, hoping her recent divorce brings her happiness

Other people I discovered have their own channels in the intervening years:

- No Expert with Emily Duncan, of mild epicurious fame

- Protocooks with Chef Frank Proto, also a regular on epicurious

- the SO YOU WANNA GET FAT podcast, which is two new york chefs mostly doing reactions to tiktoks so it doesn’t make much sense that they call it a podcast, but when they talk aboutthe restaurant business it’s actually kind of edifying

Ha! I sort of love Emily and Frank is good too, tho I prefer the Mexican pro-chef, he is fantastic

He’s great. I wish he had a channel of his own.

Chef Elizabeth Haigh just handling fresh ground turmeric while wearing a white top and no apron - holy shit the courage

Saul!! Saul deserves his own show. I think what happens to chefs who get famous is that someone convinces them to publish their own cookbooks, and vaya con dios but I think what's so great about Saul is his mannerisms and sense of humor and there's a lot of ways that could NOT come through in a book. But he deserves success.

His instagram looks like a joy https://www.instagram.com/cantinarooftop/reel/C8K51UXRWbX/

I forgot to ask if people here have opinions on the British channel SORTED FOOD

Have not seen Sorted but watched a video by some UK guys called Jolly where they ate at George Motz's restaurant and they were the most smarmiest and comfortable middle class kids like I've spent my whole life bumping up against that I had to switch it off. I've found that with most UK food YouTubes, the absolute privilege and the only people who get to do media stuff in the UK anymore, I just can't abide it.

Oh dear. The JOLLY guys are absolutely that, but much like the old Top Gear hosts, because we don’t have to live with them over here, they’re way more tolerable.

The main money maker for those two is called KOREAN ENGLISHMAN and they do much more entertaining stuff there, taking students on trips to Korea and generally being a cultural exchange service that happens to get millions of views along the way.

I'm assuming the rate my takeaway guy has a different class dynamic going on? I found him simultaneously endearing and off-putting. The Jolly team also give off Mormon missionary vibes (I think they are mainline Christians but somehow English + Christian = Mormon; maybe English + Mormon = Scientologist?)

Also I finally discovered Guga. That guy is ridiculous

― trm (tombotomod), Saturday, 27 July 2024 00:54 (four days ago) bookmarkflaglink

I just want to see him dry age steaks in more and more ridiculous substances. If they are foul or if they are delicious I'm equally entertained.

Anyway, here is my most recent discovery, I love Lao cuisine and he's a great advocate for it

http://www.youtube.com/@SaengsKitchen

Have not seen Sorted but watched a video by some UK guys called Jolly where they ate at George Motz's restaurant and they were the most smarmiest and comfortable middle class kids like I've spent my whole life bumping up against that I had to switch it off. I've found that with most UK food YouTubes, the absolute privilege and the only people who get to do media stuff in the UK anymore, I just can't abide it.

― Harris vs. Trump Is Taking Shape. And Then There’s Maude. (stevie), Wednesday, 31 July 2024 21:34 (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

There are some guys just like this who are competing with Geowizard to do straight line challenges who are exactly like this, they even make fun of him with a comedy midlands accent sometimes and I wish they would just fuck off.

MATTY MATHESON WENT ON LAST MEALS

I can’t watch it yet because partner is picking up child from school

Today’s episode of A Hotdog Is A Sandwich on the Mythical Kitchen channel about breeding new vegetables is really good imho

Babish ranked pickles today and I was pleasantly validated by his top five picks

Sad face https://open.substack.com/pub/carlalallimusic/p/the-true-costs-of-being-on-youtube

Interesting, I do like that she acknowledges that spending that much on video production isn't necessary for everyone (if you can shoot/edit yourself instead of hiring pros, or can get away with production values that aren't as high).

That is fascinating. You seldom see it broken down that way.

She’s a really good writer

Yeah it really helps put it in perspective how even the biggest YouTubers with the possible exception of e.g. MrBeast are probably pinching pennies everywhere just like any small business

stevie otm, her voice really comes through.

$3500 seems excessive. More than excessive. I get that they're top quality, but maybe they didn't need to be. I doubt the relationships between money spent, video quality, and viewer engagement (i.e. ads served) are linear. To be fair, spending less would probably mean not employing four people per shoot which would mean doing more herself, and it seems like it's the workload as much as the money which did for her.

($3500 per video, that is)

the Country Life Vlog channel is incredible

xp $3500 as a break-even just comes off as wild. not a touring musician but that just genuinely made me curious what a "break-even" for a solo touring artist with a few crew would be.

Today’s offerings include the SYWGF podcast interviewing George Motz, Kevin Bacon on Last Meals, and Saquon Barkley on Hot Ones. My cup runneth over

I’m watching the staff of Sporked.com rate regional chips in a tournament bracket and I care about the results

Oooh I am interested in this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbOmNZBOlTg it’s over an hour though

This poor guy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2evcaW9ZTk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb7MfJ0x1pU

doing this recipe this weekend

This poor guy!
📹

i keep on thinking of the vlogger upthread who spent $3500 per vid. cue the dril candle tweet. however given that she previously used to be at bon appetit where i assume she got used to having professional production it makes sense to me that she'd want to fund that for her personal venture. so understandable. also good to throw some of that google ad money towards freelancers. but there are also so many channels that are have complete DIY aesthetics that have 1M+ subscribers.

ah well

it might be that she just wasn’t that good ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i liked the beans recipe that max read shared a few months ago but i struggled with her whole affect