ABSTRACT
Even among the relatively 'normal' list of interests cited above, chefs and cooks stand out like a sore thumb, or so this chapter will argue. The reason for this is that cookery television trades far harder on the personalities of the exponents, the 'personalities' of the chefs and cooks, than other types of television. In general, the 'personalities' of gardening, antique and pet programmes do not receive as much cross-media interest in their other activities (unless it includes something prurient). What is cookery television for? Why are there so many television cooks and chefs - and do we need them? And what is culinary television like? Unsurprisingly, diverse commentators have had quite a lot to say on these subjects.
