Simon Hopkinson - The Good Cook
Discussion
I've followed Simon for a few years now and he is honestly my favourite cook and food writer. He has a new series on BBC1 on Fridays at 7:30 and it is produced and directed beautifully. Much of the team from Nigel Slater's recent series feature in the production and one name that stands out is Peter Gordon. If I am correct I believe it to be the chef and food consultant who co owns the Pomodores and a few other restaurants in London http://www.peter-gordon.net/
Simon calls himself a cook but was previously a chef having worked in many restaurant kitchens in the UK and France. He co-owns Bibbendum and to me is from the same "food over fame" stable as Rowley Leigh, Allistair Little and to some extent Nigel Slater.
Watch it and listen to his tips and recipes. Then buy all of his books especially Roast Chicken and Other Stories. I think there is a new one due out to accompany the series soon too.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/19...
Simon calls himself a cook but was previously a chef having worked in many restaurant kitchens in the UK and France. He co-owns Bibbendum and to me is from the same "food over fame" stable as Rowley Leigh, Allistair Little and to some extent Nigel Slater.
Watch it and listen to his tips and recipes. Then buy all of his books especially Roast Chicken and Other Stories. I think there is a new one due out to accompany the series soon too.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/19...
Watched the repeat yesterday morning, and it inspired me to do the coq aux van and sticky toffee pudding. They were fantastic.
His matter of fact attitude to flavours really appealed and as a result the show is on series link, (not something I've done since Ching did that Chinese food made easy) and I went on Amazon for some books.
His matter of fact attitude to flavours really appealed and as a result the show is on series link, (not something I've done since Ching did that Chinese food made easy) and I went on Amazon for some books.
I watched the first episode hoping to be amazed - and sort of wasn't. Not heard of the guy before so had no expectations apart from the adverts. Was hoping to get some detail on how to cook a stunning dish of food, but it just seemed like the type of cookery show that's destined for that half hour slot on a Saturday morning between the end of Saturday kitchen and the lunchtime news. Like "Rachels Burgers" or whatever its called, or the "im a model now I do baking really good" one.
Bit underwhelmed really. Hope it gets better.
Bit underwhelmed really. Hope it gets better.
Missed first one, but I would be hugely disappointed if this wasn't up to scratch.
Whilst I understand he isn't exactly a household name, he is hugely influential. Roast Chicken and other Stories is absolutely one of the best cookery books ever.
Looking forward to catching up on iPlayer.
Whilst I understand he isn't exactly a household name, he is hugely influential. Roast Chicken and other Stories is absolutely one of the best cookery books ever.
Looking forward to catching up on iPlayer.
I don't think I could watch another episode of this. While he seemed like a nice normal bloke the editing was way OTT IMO for a number of reasons;
1 - Over used artsy camera man on a sugar overdose. Why can't we just see the worktop, the cook/chef and the bowls/chopping board? If the recipes and ideas are good enough then we just need to know how it was cooked and how we can reproduce it at home and not have them dressed up like a music video. The number of times that absolutely random camera angles and extreme close ups were used, and then focused......go out of focus....back into focus was ridiculous. I just want to see how he cooks not feel like I'm watching Cloverfield.
2 - Over use of CGI editing, all the ingredients instructions being CGI'd into the shots in mid air and being covered by spoons or whisks being used was daft and distracting. Considering this is a cooking show, I would love to know the budget that was splurged on Michael Bay and all the CGI.
Plus point was the quick segment showing the origin and background of the Porcini Mushrooms as it was light and interesting however again used too much slick editing.
I know that cooking shows (Masterchef) are now becoming more lifestyle orientated as opposed to focusing on the food but this show has way too much style over too little substance.
1 - Over used artsy camera man on a sugar overdose. Why can't we just see the worktop, the cook/chef and the bowls/chopping board? If the recipes and ideas are good enough then we just need to know how it was cooked and how we can reproduce it at home and not have them dressed up like a music video. The number of times that absolutely random camera angles and extreme close ups were used, and then focused......go out of focus....back into focus was ridiculous. I just want to see how he cooks not feel like I'm watching Cloverfield.
2 - Over use of CGI editing, all the ingredients instructions being CGI'd into the shots in mid air and being covered by spoons or whisks being used was daft and distracting. Considering this is a cooking show, I would love to know the budget that was splurged on Michael Bay and all the CGI.
Plus point was the quick segment showing the origin and background of the Porcini Mushrooms as it was light and interesting however again used too much slick editing.
I know that cooking shows (Masterchef) are now becoming more lifestyle orientated as opposed to focusing on the food but this show has way too much style over too little substance.
I'm really enjoying the series, and found Hopkinson very likeable. Obviously comparable to Nigel Slater, but I just can't get on with that one.
Regarding the effects, Normally I get really hacked off by overdone camera/graphic trickey (constant camera shake and focus pulling on Nigella's program being the worst), but I actually didn't find all the floating ingredient things etc too intrusive. Perhaps Matrix style 'pause and pan' shots are unecessary, though!
I found the cooking simple and explained well, without his own personal preferences being forced upon you too much. It's all presented at a very good pace, as well. I liked the little segments showing the background to some of the ingredients too.
Looking forward to the next one. I did the Tandoori chicken from episode2 tonight, and it definitely delivered (granted not easy to get wrong).
Regarding the effects, Normally I get really hacked off by overdone camera/graphic trickey (constant camera shake and focus pulling on Nigella's program being the worst), but I actually didn't find all the floating ingredient things etc too intrusive. Perhaps Matrix style 'pause and pan' shots are unecessary, though!
I found the cooking simple and explained well, without his own personal preferences being forced upon you too much. It's all presented at a very good pace, as well. I liked the little segments showing the background to some of the ingredients too.
Looking forward to the next one. I did the Tandoori chicken from episode2 tonight, and it definitely delivered (granted not easy to get wrong).
Edited by Arun_D on Tuesday 19th July 23:13
Goa'uld said:
1 - Over used artsy camera man on a sugar overdose. Why can't we just see the worktop, the cook/chef and the bowls/chopping board? If the recipes and ideas are good enough then we just need to know how it was cooked and how we can reproduce it at home and not have them dressed up like a music video. The number of times that absolutely random camera angles and extreme close ups were used, and then focused......go out of focus....back into focus was ridiculous. I just want to see how he cooks not feel like I'm watching Cloverfield.
Absolutely does my head in. What on earth are they trying achieve when they carry on with this nonsense?, it seems they are all at it. Saturday Kitchen is about the only current production I can watch without going dizzy.
I think it is precisely the production 'team' that should be binned en masse for obscuring the genuine skill and insight of someone who has spent decades thinking about cooking with gimmicky camerawork and twee presentation.
It's utterly at odds with the simple, controlled and precise way that he orders cooking for it to be hammed up as if it couldn't stand up on its own without being 'styled'.
Ironically for a cooking programme, the production shows a marked lack of taste
It's utterly at odds with the simple, controlled and precise way that he orders cooking for it to be hammed up as if it couldn't stand up on its own without being 'styled'.
Ironically for a cooking programme, the production shows a marked lack of taste
redtwin said:
Absolutely does my head in. What on earth are they trying achieve when they carry on with this nonsense?, it seems they are all at it. Saturday Kitchen is about the only current production I can watch without going dizzy.
ks, there's about 15 mins of a decent cooking show there.Oh I don't know. He hasn't got a side kick dog, or a scooter, or a motorcycle (+/- side car)...
He just cooks.
I think this works on two levels. A lot of BBC1 viewers will like the Matrix stuff and think he is a bit of an oddball doing some simple food. The "dog whistle" viewers will overlook the "lets make it interesting for the masses" stuff and realise he is *actually* cooking. And you can actually LEARN something, rather than just being presented with a list of ingredients being hammed up in some pretend garden. Really interested to see how he did the risotto - trivet, casserole, fairly high heat. And he lined the grill pan with foil for the tandoori chicken...who ever does that on the pretend shows ? Nobody, because they are not really cooking.
He just cooks.
I think this works on two levels. A lot of BBC1 viewers will like the Matrix stuff and think he is a bit of an oddball doing some simple food. The "dog whistle" viewers will overlook the "lets make it interesting for the masses" stuff and realise he is *actually* cooking. And you can actually LEARN something, rather than just being presented with a list of ingredients being hammed up in some pretend garden. Really interested to see how he did the risotto - trivet, casserole, fairly high heat. And he lined the grill pan with foil for the tandoori chicken...who ever does that on the pretend shows ? Nobody, because they are not really cooking.
I found this accidentally when channel hopping, and set the machine to record the rest of the series.
Enjoyed the simple basic cooking, understated delivery techniques and those little tips that make the difference thrown in every now and again.
Have to do tandoori chicken now as well.
Enjoyed the simple basic cooking, understated delivery techniques and those little tips that make the difference thrown in every now and again.
Have to do tandoori chicken now as well.
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