2023 was the yr of The Bear. The FX/Hulu present impressed all the things from sudden thirst traps to real-life $31 Italian beef sandwiches to gasp-worthy responses to an altered Chicago deep-dish pizza. However what else have been Eater editors watching (and generally hate-watching) this yr?
What was the perfect meals present of 2023? And any ideas on the worst?
Greatest: The Bear, clearly. In any other case, I assumed meals TV was fairly bland in 2023. I don’t wish to watch one other bizarre competitors present, for the love of God. — Amy McCarthy, employees author
I’ve a sense everybody else goes to say The Bear, in order a lot as I beloved it (and I did; Season 2 vastly beat out Season 1 for me), I’ll provide one thing else: I actually loved the most recent season of Nice British Bake Off, which was a shock to me given how a lot I disliked these Matt Lucas seasons. The addition of Alison Hammond as a co-host has been a return to kind. The challenges made rather more sense than among the problematic ones lately, however even higher, the allure is again. However, as a lot as I wished to love the Filipino Netflix sequence Changing Chef Chico, which facilities on a fictional advantageous eating restaurant within the Philippines, the outdated, over-the-top caricatures of cooks and “foodies” made it’s a cringe-inducing look ahead to me. There’s positively an viewers for it, however I’d say set your expectations extra to the extent of a Hallmark film or Burnt than The Bear. — Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter
It simply dawned on me that I haven’t watched Nice British Bake Off in any respect this yr. It’s not as a result of it’s unhealthy, however I believe I’m simply completed with it. Godspeed, GBBO, I want you properly and hopefully one thing comes alongside to take your home. — Jaya Saxena, correspondent
Greatest: I’m not going to be unique right here: The Bear nearly by no means fails to be a very good if demanding time. Whereas I didn’t love how Claire was arrange as an inevitable foil to Carmy’s capacity to run his restaurant, I proceed to adore the ensemble solid, and would fortunately watch a spin-off that revolved totally round Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Olivia Colman peeling mushrooms. Worst: Mario Batali’s Zoom class. — Rebecca Flint Marx, House editor
I don’t watch meals TV (please nobody come for my job) aside from the Nice British Bake Off, and I used to be grateful that the newest season was a lot improved over the previous couple of, due to new host Alison Hammond and duties that felt like an actual return to kind. And the worst meals present… The Bear? I child! I haven’t seen it. — Monica Burton, deputy editor
Greatest: The Bear is de facto the one reply right here. — Jonathan Smith, interim senior editor
Bake Off is vastly improved with the addition of Alison Hammond, nevertheless it’s nonetheless pale into the realm of background look ahead to me. What I discovered surprisingly extra compelling this yr have been the 2 seasons of Bake Off: The Professionals at present streaming on Netflix, which proves the Herculean duties of constructing all-chocolate showpieces and a window show’s value of patisserie is certainly finest left to the professionals. — Erin DeJesus, govt editor