The Best Food Network Shows Of All Time

The Food Network is a juggernaut in our modern television landscape. Years before "Ratatouille" taught the world that "anyone can cook," the Food Network was preaching that ethos to the world, igniting a cultural reconsideration of the culinary arts — including the very idea that cooking is, indeed, an art form.

But the concept of a television channel dedicated exclusively to food and cooking was largely inconceivable when it first launched way back in 1993. "How are they going to fill 24 hours, and who's going to do it," celebrity chef, Sara Moulton, recalled thinking at the time (via WGBH). Yet the public demand for all things food-related was greater than anyone realized, and as of 2021, the network was broadcast to roughly 100 million U.S. households (via Discovery).

The impact of the Food Network is undeniable — we at Mashed owe a debt of gratitude to the channel, quite frankly — and with more than 100 shows having appeared on the channel since its arrival, it's no surprise that some have endured more than others. With that in mind, let's review the shows that stand above the rest — the best Food Network shows of all time.

There's just something about Guy Fieri. Perhaps it's his high-energy geniality, but the wild man of the culinary world has been an endearing force since winning the second season of "The Next Food Network Star" in 2006. In hindsight, his ascension feels almost inevitable. But it's hard to imagine him reaching the heights he has — earning an astounding $50 million raise from the Food Network in 2021 (via Forbes) — without his signature series: "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."

The show finds the frosted-tip-rocking, backward-sunglasses-wearing chef visiting small restaurants throughout the U.S., showcasing countless offbeat, under-the-radar locales. While there's no doubt the various restaurants featured contribute to the show's success, it's the trademark mannerisms and witticisms of Fieri that puts Triple D "out of bounds."

It's clear that "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" has made Fieri a star, just as it's clear he deserves the lion's share of the credit for its longevity and popularity. But it hasn't just had a massive impact on his career — it's helped boost the sales and profile of virtually every restaurant the show's ever visited. After the Georgia-based restaurant, Southern Soul Barbeque, was featured in the episode, "Old Time Attitude" (Season 9, Episode 13), for example, owner, Griffin Bufkin, told Thrillist that sales tripled (as Fieri predicted) — and, as of 2016, hadn't "really stopped."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 110,000 chefs and cooks worked in the U.S. as of 2020. Part of the Food Network's appeal is likely that many of them — plus a fair number of viewers — believe they, too, could host a successful show if the opportunity came along. Luckily, for those eager to test their mettle, there was "The Next Food Network Star," which offered contestants the chance to become (you guessed it!) a television star on the Food Network.

"The Next Food Network Star" was simple: It gathered culinary professionals who felt they belonged among the rotation of celebrity chefs employed by the network, and gave them the chance to put their money where their mouth was. Whether contestants were akin to those folks who believe they could have been a professional athlete if they'd gotten that one break,  it was clear that the chance to enter that upper echelon of the culinary world was too much for some to resist.

Buoyed by that chance to grasp the elusive brass ring, and endearing judges including Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay, "The Next Food Network Star" entertained audiences for 14 seasons. While it hasn't aired since 2018, the show's legacy endures, with past winners Guy Fieri and Jeff Mauro still mainstays on the network as of 2022.

It's not exactly groundbreaking to say many people have fairly heightened opinions of themselves. There's no shortage of exorbitantly confident individuals living in the world, and no lack of folks who think they could outperform a world-class performer in a competitive format — which explains both the existence, and appeal, of "Beat Bobby Flay."

Look, we're not here to deny we love Bobby Flay, or imply we're disappointed that he signed a three-year contract extension with the Food Network in 2021 (via People). But that being said ... there's just something about the culinary legend's boyish charm that seems to ignite our competitive fires. Plus, while some may speculate that the show is rigged in favor of Flay, the fact that, as of June 2019, he'd actually lost 77 times out of 224 total contests (via Cheat Sheet) proves anyone can, indeed, beat Bobby Flay.

Not that Flay minds if he loses. After all, as he said on "The Drew Barrymore Show" in October 2021 (via Good Housekeeping), the show allows him to "hangout with friends and to cook ... the two things I love to do most." With the show remaining on air nearly a decade after its premiere as of 2022, it's clear that his fun-loving, it's-only-a-game mentality has resonated with audiences.

It's hard to say why or how the U.S. became a nation obsessed with food trucks, though some evidence suggests it roots go back to the 1960s with the rise of taco trucks in Los Angeles (via Smithsonian). Yet another, far more straightforward explanation likely exists for food trucks' immense popularity: the ongoing adoration for "The Great Food Truck Race," which debuted in 2010.

"The Great Food Truck Race" may not have single-handedly created the concept of a food truck, or be solely responsible for the prevalence of mobile restaurants. But the show almost certainly played a hand in introducing them to a mainstream audience, and, as host, Tyler Florence, told The Daily Meal in 2015, the show "helped invent an entirely new genre of restaurants."

The show wouldn't have thrived, or led to any sort of food truck revolution, though, if it weren't also good. And with a simple concept — where food truck owners compete in various challenges, with the highest-selling truck winning — it's easy to see why the show remains prominent, still going as of June 2022 (via The Wrap).

Daytime talk shows, particularly those with a panel of hosts, have been a standard component of the television world for decades. There's an inviting quality to a group-based talk show, where the co-hosts' breezy banter can make viewers feel like they're casually hanging with friends. This fact wasn't lost on the Food Network, and, in 2014, it jumped on board with the debut of the food-centric talk show, "The Kitchen."

What could be described as "The View" meets the cooking segments on "Today," "The Kitchen" succeeds because it caters to those who want to watch experts engage in easygoing culinary conversations. The show — with co-hosts including Sunny Anderson, Geoffrey Zakarian, and Jeff Mauro, as of 2022 — includes general food-based discussions, as well as cooking demonstrations with the acclaimed chefs, who provide tips and techniques for viewers.

The show was undeterred by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, adapting to the circumstances by having each host film remotely from their home (via Chicago Tribune). Not only did this approach help "The Kitchen" stay in production, but it resulted in an increase in ratings, according to Discovery, showing why it can call itself one of the best Food Network shows of all time.

Our culture has a bit of an unhealthy fascination with celebrities. While there's definitely something voyeuristic about the desire to peek in a window of the lives of the rich and famous — well, it's hard to deny the fact that it is intriguing to discover celebrities who are normal, regular people. So it's no wonder that "Trisha's Southern Kitchen," where country music superstar, Trisha Yearwood, cooks Southern dishes for her friends and family, has been such a huge hit for the Food Network.

Celebrities ... they're just like us after all, right? At least, that's how it seems to viewers who enjoy the Emmy-award winning show (via LA Times). And "Trisha's Southern Kitchen" doubles down on that fun, as it frequently features guest appearances from Yearwood's country music legend husband, Garth Brooks.

With years in the spotlight before the show's premiere in 2012, the Grammy award-winning Yearwood may have been destined to create a top-tier product one way or another. But that doesn't diminish the show's accomplishments — or its status as one of the Food Network's all-time great series.

A man once described by fellow celebrity chef, Alex Guarnaschelli, as "a human air conditioner for good feelings" (via The Hollywood Reporter), Guy Fieri's beloved, over-the-top shenanigans have been all over the Food Network since his first appearance in 2006. There's no doubt the success of his signature series, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," has earned him plenty of cache with his employer. But it's hard to imagine he'd have earned such a massive contract extension in 2021 without the additional hit of his unique cooking competition show, "Guy's Grocery Games."

Of course, the appeal of "Guy's Grocery Games" resonates beyond the jovial goofiness of its host. Evoking memories of the classic game show, "Supermarket Sweep," contestants are tasked with crafting a meal out of ingredients they select from an on-set grocery store, Flavortown Market. Yet "Triple G" doesn't just give chefs free rein. It derives entertainment from the numerous "Chopped"-esque obstacles and twists thrown at contestants. After all, where's the fun in simply watching chefs cook whatever they want, without any rigid restrictions or guidelines?

Clearly, the world can't get enough of Fieri — just as the man himself can't get enough of alliteration. And, just as clearly, there's no holding back the fact that "Guy's Grocery Games" is one of the best Food Network shows of all time.