The 20 best food and cooking shows on TV

It’s one of the dominant genres on TV, yet most food programming TV is distinctly lacking in flavour. You know the drill. Somebody stands behind a worktop in an unconvincingly clean kitchen that probably isn’t theirs, talking to camera as they cook the sort of fussy food which you’ll probably never attempt.

There are a few such shows in our viewing menu, admittedly, but also many that attempt something more ambitious. Alongside the standard foodie fare, we’ve served up a delicious selection of documentaries, dramas, competitions and travelogues. This is the crème de la crème of culinary viewing, all available to stream right now.

20. Somebody Feed Phil (2018-present)

Phil Rosenthal is the creator of 1990s hit US sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and he’s really rather hungry. For seven series, the unassuming host has been wandering the world to satiate his prodigious appetite. In each episode, he not only devours the region’s delicacies but spotlights the work of a local charity. It’s a low-stakes premise, elevated by Rosenthal’s easy charm and endearing enthusiasm. With comedy cameos from his famous friends, including Ted Danson and Alison Janney, it’s irresistibly funny too. Big-hearted and optimistic, it makes tasty comfort-viewing.

Watch it on: Netflix

19. Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy (2021-2022)

“The Tootch” co-directed classic food film Big Night and wrote a memoir about rediscovering his joy of food after oral cancer. During lockdown, his cocktail-making videos went viral. The Oscar-nominated actor traded on his gourmand image in this Anthony Bourdain-inspired, Emmy-winning travelogue. Our dapper host journeyed across Italy to discover the delights of his homeland’s regional cuisines, charming viewers and everyone he met en route. Sun-kissed. Leisurely. Delizioso.

Watch it on: BBC iPlayer

18. Ugly Delicious (2018-2020)

As the Virginia-born son of Korean parents, chef David Chang is obsessed with how food cultures intersect. In this essay-like series, he takes a beloved junk-food staple – such as fried chicken, pizza, curry or tacos – but he doesn’t just cook and eat it. Chang also takes a deep dive into its origins, evolution and sociological significance. In the season two opener, he discovers he’s going to become a father, comes over all emotional, then cracks on with learning how to make baby food. Directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville, it’s both historically fascinating and hunger-inducing.

Watch it on: Netflix

17. Big Zuu’s Big Eats (2020-present)

Rapper and chef Zuhair “Big Zuu” Hassan became a double Bafta-winner for his debut series, cementing his status as one of TV’s fastest-rising talents. With straight-faced flatmates Tubsey and Hyder as his long-suffering sous chefs, our ebullient host cooks for stand-up comedians who are touring the UK. He chats to them about their life in food before creating a bespoke menu, big on flavour and wordplay. ITV recently jumped on the Big Zuu bandwagon with travelogue 12 Dishes in 12 Hours, which is equally entertaining.

Watch it on: UKTV Play or Apple TV+

16. Is It Cake? (2022-present)

A TikTok meme that became a fiendishly addictive TV game show. Illusion cakes are pushed to their limit as elite bakers disguise desserts as all manner of everyday objects in a bid to dupe celebrity judges. Is it real or a skilfully decorated cake replica? You only find out when host Mikey Day cuts them in half with a samurai sword. The winner of each episode receives a $5,000 prize – and, of course, a chance to win more money by identifying which bag of cash is real and which is cake. Bizarre, brainless fun that’s bound to have you shouting at the TV screen.

Watch it on: Netflix

15. James May: Oh Cook! (2020-present)

As an antidote to slick TV chefs, you could do worse than the Top Gear and Grand Tour alumnus’ attempts. This quasi-comedic series is pitched from the perspective of someone who can’t really cook but fancies having a crack. Fuss-free dishes are made with widely available ingredients and store cupboard staples. Captain Slow mucks in with his trademark nerdy enthusiasm. Happily, home economist Nikki Morgan is on hand to salvage things when they go wrong. Charming in a ramshackle way.

Watch it on: Amazon Prime Video

14. The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook (2004-2008)

Their beloved status was demonstrated recently when Si King led 20,000 fellow bikers on a tribute ride from London to Cumbria. The extraordinary procession celebrated the life of King’s best mate and fellow Hairy Biker, Dave Myers, who died of cancer in February. The duo shot to cult fame in this BBC series, which saw them hitting the road on their hogs to seek out regional gastronomic treats, then experiment with recreating them. The pair’s warm humour, authentic passion and life-affirming friendship made them a joy to ride with.

Watch it on: BBC iPlayer

13. Madhur Jaffrey’s Flavours of India (1995)

Ken Hom’s classic Chinese Cooking is also still available on iPlayer but it’s nudged off our viewing menu by Jaffrey’s landmark series about regional Indian cuisine. The Delhi-born “actress who could cook” had a calmly authoritative on-camera persona as she showed how to cook favourites from six Indian states, with an emphasis on delectable vegetable dishes. Starting in the 1980s, her shows helped transform the image of Indian cuisine in Britain, turning it from a post-pub curry house ritual to an aromatic home-cooked treat. More poppadoms and lager please, waiter.

Watch it on: BBC iPlayer

12. The Chef Show (2019-2020)

When actor-director Jon Favreau made 2014 romcom Chef, he was trained to cook like a pro by chef Roy Choi, whose fusion taco truck served as the film’s inspiration. The pair became pals and whipped up this cooking-cum-chat show. The likeable duo demonstrate techniques, work through favourite recipes and embark on culinary adventures. Favreau directed the Iron Man movies, meaning there are cameos from Marvel alumni such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. The result is a sort of food-based buddy comedy. A warm, fuzzy, freewheeling treat, with a taste for grilled cheese sandwiches.

Watch it on: Netflix

11. Rick Stein’s Taste of the Sea (1995)

The Padstow kingpin started out as a guest chef on Floyd on Fish. He has now been fronting his own BBC food travelogues for three decades. This early series perfected the Stein template: exploring coastlines at home and abroad, joining local fisherman in their quest for a catch, then whipping up delicious recipes with the fruits of their labour. Stein’s bubbling passion for fresh fish shines through the screen. Ravishing scenery and his adorable rough-haired Jack Russell terrier Chalky (RIP) only enhance the piscine pleasure.

Watch it on: BBC iPlayer

10. Salt Fat Acid Heat (2018)

“I’ve spent my entire life in pursuit of flavour.” Based on her bestselling book, chef Samin Nosrat fronts a superb four-part documentary about what she persuasively posits are the four key components of successful cooking. She travels the world, from Italian olive groves to Japanese beaches and Mexican jungles, to learn how each element is put to use in local cuisine. Nosrat is a winningly natural, passionate presenter who demystifies cooking, teaching you things without you noticing. A simple concept, elegantly executed.

Watch it on: Netflix

9. Two Fat Ladies (1996-1999)

Riotously unreconstructed duo Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson vroomed around the country on their Triumph Thunderbird motorbike with its extra-wide sidecar (registration number: N88 TFL), stopping off to cook vast meals for everyone from soldiers to schoolgirls and even nuns. Their calorific traditional food – generously made with clotted cream, lard and often fatty game they’d shot themselves – led to complaints about them being a bad influence on the British diet. They gave such criticism bracingly short shrift. “Yummo” indeed.

Watch it on: YouTube

8. Man v Food (2008-present)

It was dubbed the culinary version of MTV stunt show Jackass. Actor and food enthusiast Adam Richman roams the US, exploring the “big food” culture of different cities before tackling a famed eating challenge at a local restaurant – usually involving eye-watering habanero chillies or queasy amounts of meat. You can feel your arteries clogging as you watch but it’s huge fun. Host Richman quit for the good of his health after four seasons and has since lost five stone. The even more peckish Casey Webb took over as host.

Watch it on: Discovery+, Sky or Apple TV

7. Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (2004-2014)

No, chef! The Michelin-starred Scot’s shouty, sweary, straight-talking made for riveting reality TV during his Noughties imperial phase. Ramsay made his name with this trouble-shooting series, in which he’d arrive at failing restaurants, diagnose their problems and enlist staff to help turn the business around in just one week. It proved a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, meaning he spread himself too thinly and became ubiquitous, while his aggressively alpha style fell out of fashion. This is a welcome reminder of Ramsay in his ruthless perfectionist pomp. Compelling and often unexpectedly emotional.

Watch it on: Channel4.com or Amazon Prime Video

6. Nigella Bites (1999)

She later lapsed into pouting caricature but the domestic goddess’s award-winning TV debut was a game-changer. Nigella Lawson took infectious pleasure in eating, describing it with sensual glee and a natural flair for words. At her West London home, she whipped up decadent dishes with a side order of labour-saving shortcuts. This was aspirational lifestyle fare, with the intimate on-camera manner of your most glamorous, gossipy friend. Who wouldn’t want to be invited to those well-fed, fairy-lit dinner parties that end each episode?

Watch it on: Amazon Prime Video

5. The Bear (2022-present)

There have been many food-based dramas and comedies over the years – we also recommend Boiling Point, The Trip and HBO biopic Julia – but The Bear is the tastiest. Now back for a third season, it follows an award-winning chef who returns to his hometown of Chicago to take over his family’s Italian sandwich shop after his brother’s suicide. The sweaty kitchen scenes are immersive and intense, while dishes such as the cola-braised short rib and Boursin omelette have inspired viewers to recreate them at home. Yes, chef!

Watch it on: Disney+

4. The Great British Bake Off (2010-present)

You might be thoroughly bored of its copious spin-offs and copycats but the charming cake-making contest was a breath of fresh air when it arrived in a TV landscape of macho, gladiatorial cookery shows. It’s magical to watch the home bakers bond and blossom in that familiar marquee. Their spongey, sugary confections aren’t half bad either. Remind yourself of its joyousness by revisiting the early BBC series, back when Mary Berry, Mel and Sue still reigned supreme. Comfort-viewing at its sweetest.

Watch it on: Channel4.com

3. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013-2018)

Having found fame with tell-all memoir Kitchen Confidential, the craggily charismatic rock ’n’ roll chef proved a TV natural, combining his laconic wit with an infectious fascination with food. His early hit was grainy travelogue A Cook’s Tour, followed by the Emmy-winning No Reservations. However, our favourite is the CNN-made Parts Unknown, which found “Tony” exploring lesser-known places via their cuisine. Memorable instalments saw him take his brother Chris for a nostalgic trip around New Jersey and get shown around Rome by actress Asia Argento, who later became his partner. He was working on more episodes when he took his own life, aged 61.

Watch it on: Amazon Prime Video

2. Floyd on France (1987)

The 1980s were simpler times. Keith Floyd’s one-of-a-kind series are a throwback to the days when a bowtied bon viveur could get steadily sloshed on primetime TV while in charge of sharp knives and open flames. Floyd was a pioneer of taking cooking programmes out of the studio and an, ahem, “informal” presentational style. His unscripted shows were cheerful chaos as he cooked in unusual locations, glass of plonk permanently in hand, teasing cameraman Clive. Funny but instructional and refreshingly unfussy.

Watch it on: BBC iPlayer

1. Chef’s Table (2015-2022)

The ultimate in food porn and the most handsomely filmed culinary show there has ever been. Each episode profiles a renowned cook in their natural habitat. They discuss in-depth their inspirations and philosophy, while their food is filmed in drool-inducing cinematic close-up. You might not have heard of some of the subjects – the globe-trotting series only ventures to the UK once in six seasons – but it’s never less than absorbing, even if it does veer close to self-parody at times. It has spawned three spin-offs (Pastry, BBQ, Pizza) and the stunning photography makes every dish resemble a work of art. Hungry yet?

Watch it on: Netflix