| Food reality television | |
|---|---|
 An adult and child watching television | |
| Stylistic origins | Food reality television evolved from domestic advice programmes and cooking segments heard on radio, live demonstrations performed in supermarkets and column's of domestic advice in women's magazines. |
| Cultural origins | The United States |
| Features | Food reality television deals exclusively with food. Programming considers the production, consumption and sociocultural impact of food. |
| Popularity | Broadcast television offers viewers a minimum of 12 hours of designated food programming each week |
| Subgenres | |
| Documentary-style, Adventure-travel, Game show and Cooking-as-lifestyle | |
| Related genres | |
| Drama, Documentary, Comedy, Game show, Reality television | |
| Related topics | |
| Sociology, Psychology, Television Studies | |
Food reality television is a genre of reality television programming that considers the production, consumption and/or sociocultural impact of food.
Reality food television emerged as a recognisable sub-genre in the 1940s. Historically, food reality television sought to educate viewers on matters of food.[1] Early programmes such as Elsie Presents, The Diane Lucas Show and Cook's Night Out imparted 'specific, practical skills'[2] on the viewer, and provided ad-lib commentary on matters of homemaking, home entertaining and motherhood.[3] As the genre evolved, and the Food Network channel launched, food reality television sought also to entertain.[4] Programmes such as Great Chefs, Boiling Point and A Cook's Tour combined the factual information of their ancestors with the personal and confessional nature of unscripted television.[5] 'Delia's "how to cook" gave way to Nigella and Jamie's "how to live"[6] This 'factual entertainment' function has persisted and unifies food reality television's contemporary subgenres.[5] These subgenres include documentary-style, adventure-travel, game show and cooking-as-lifestyle.
According to critics, food reality television has had a significant impact on food production and consumption behaviours. Food reality television has been linked to a decline in culinary practice in the home,[6] the development of culinary taste[1] and the transition of food from 'necessity' to 'hobby'.[5]
Food reality television has been praised by critics for creating opportunities for 'real people'[7] and removing barriers to healthy eating.[8] Food reality television has been criticised for its inescapability,[6] and promotion of overconsumption.[9]
- ^ a b de Solier, Isabelle (2005). "TV Dinners: Culinary Television, Education and Distinction". Continuum.
- ^ Stasheff, Edward (1951). "The television program: its writing, direction and production".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Brost, Lori F. (2000). "Television cooking shows: Defining the genre".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Packham, Charley (2016). "A Woman's Place Is in the Kitchen? The Relationship Between Gender, Food and Television". Food, Media and Contemporary Culture.
- ^ a b c Packham, Charley (2016). "A Woman's Place Is in the Kitchen? The Relationship Between Gender, Food and Television". Food, Media and Contemporary Culture.
- ^ a b c Scholes, Lucy (2011). "A slave to the stove? The TV celebrity chef abandons the kitchen: lifestyle TV, domesticity and gender". The Critical Quarterly. 53 (3): 44–59. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8705.2011.02004.x.
- ^ Hill, Annette (2015). "Reality TV".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Lane, Samantha (2015). "The influence of celebrity chefs on a student population" (PDF). The British Food Journal. 117 (2): 614–628. doi:10.1108/BFJ-09-2013-0253.
- ^ Pope, Lizzy (2015). "Viewers vs. Doers. The relationship between watching food television and BMI". Appetite. 90: 131–135. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2015.02.035. PMID 25747286. S2CID 205612039.