Ding! Ding! Ding! America, thanks to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (the best reality show on TV right now) we now have a winner for the Glad-I-Don't-Live-in-This Hellhole award: Huntington, West Virginia! Great job, Huntington! What's your secret? Children who don't know how to cut food with a knife and can't identify a tomato? Adults who wear stickers that read, "I've tried something new" with the apostrophe in "I've" backwards? Crabby lunch ladies who are in their jobs "for the money"?
Huntington's gonna need more than Jamie Oliver (go, Jamie!) running around dressed as a giant pea if they want to change America's hearts and minds about hillbillies sons of the soil. For starters, how 'bout a grammar coach and a Director of Food Services with a pulse?
Did you watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution last Friday night? What did you think?
More food-TV on deck this week. Including Bourdain in Vietnam, Bobby Flay's new find, Alex Guarnaschelli (they look completely uncomfortable with each other on this Food Network video), and Chicago chef Maneet Chauhan competing against Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
What are you gonna watch? Check out the must-see food show listings after the jump.
Monday (March 29)
Martha Stewart Show: "Martha's Family Recipes." Martha makes pierogi filled with cabbage and blueberries with her nieces, Sophie Herbert and Kristina Christiansen. Also: a recipe for matzo granola with baker Erica King. 9 a.m., Channel 15, ABC
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: "Vietnam: Central Highlands." Tony returns to Vietnam. This time, he explores the Central Highlands. 10 p.m., Travel Channel
Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives: "Fresh and Funky." Guy Fieri gets a taste of fresh Dungeness crab at a seaside eatery in San Francisco, homemade granola at a Reno café, and boiled turkey at a restaurant in Charlotte. 10 p.m., Food Network
Tuesday (March 30)
Little Chocolatiers: "Mr. Chocolate's Opus." A life-size chocolate desk is made, along with chocolate books, pencils, papers and photos. Also: Steve and Katie combine chocolate and beer in an attempt to develop new flavor combinations. 10 p.m., TLC
Food Wars: "Minneapolis Jucy Lucy War." The host heads to Minneapolis to settle a debate between Matt's Bar and the 5-8 Club, both of which claim to have invented the region's famed Juicy Lucy (a.k.a. Jucy Lucy) burger, featuring melted cheese between two patties. 10 p.m., Travel Channel
Wednesday (March 31)
Dinner: Impossible: "Pirate Peril." Chef Irvine cooks up authentic pirate fare at the annual Pirates in Paradise Festival in Key West, Florida. On the menu: bone soup, hardtack, sea turtle, and pickled preserves. 10 p.m., Food Network
Thursday (April 1)
Martha Stewart Show: "The Faux Show With Jeff Daniels." An April Fools' Day show includes fake food that looks edible with actor Jeff Daniels. 9 a.m., Channel 15, ABC
Modern Marvels: "Fry It." Fried food is the subject. Included: funnel cakes and churros; British fish-and-chips; Japanese tempura and Chinese stir-fry. Also: a visit to Mickey's Diner in St. Paul; a segment on Kentucky's World Chicken Festival; and a look at the making of a cast-iron frying pan. 8 p.m., History Channel
Food Tech: "Hot Dogs & Beer." Baseball park food is examined. Included: hot dogs and mustard; draft beer; and Cracker Jack. 9 p.m., History Channel
Friday (April 2)
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution: Jamie gets a chance to cook at Huntington High School, and finds a group of motivated students who are on board with his initiative. With their help, he prepares a gourmet meal for a state senator, local legislators and community leaders, hoping to raise the funds needed to train the school staff to cook fresh food. 8 p.m., Channel 15, ABC
Saturday (April 3)
30-Minute Meals: "Garden Supper." A vegetarian feast, featuring brochettes with hot cherry tomatoes; fettuccine with garden vegetables; and strawberries with lemon and sugar. 10 a.m., Food Network
Down Home With the Neelys: "Easy Living." Prepared: citrus-glazed grilled salmon; arugula salad with bacon, pecans and tomato ranch dressing; roasted garlic potatoes; and peanut-butter pie. 11 a.m., Food Network
Cooking for Real: "Brunch Approved." For brunch: eggs baked in potato nests; grilled asparagus; and pistachio-poppy bread. 12 p.m., Food Network
Giada at Home: "Picnic at the Getty." Giada packs a picnic lunch and visits the gardens at the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
Sunday (April 4)
Alex's Day Off: "A Spring Dinner Celebration." A succulent lamb stew with parsnips, served with a crisp pea salad drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette; cherries sautéed in grappa and dusted with cinnamon. 9:30 a.m., Food Network
What Would Brian Boitano Make?: "Secret Society Scooter Club." Included: hot Italian-sausage panini with pickled peppers; sausage schnitzel with sauerkraut; seafood sausage with miso mustard. 1 p.m., Food Network
Big Daddy's House: "Far Out Flavor." Prepared: spicy beef salad; ginger-and-coconut-crusted shrimp with mango-lime dipping sauce; toasted jasmine rice with bean sprouts and grilled scallion. 1:30 p.m., Food Network
Iron Chef America: "Morimoto vs. Chauhan." Chicago chef Maneet Chauhan is the challenger against Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. 10 p.m., Food Network
