When you’re watching insanely addictive videos on TikTok, Instagram and Youtube, it’s easy to forget that a good deal of food TV is still watched on television. Major streaming services like Netflix and Hulu offer compelling shows that offer one of two things: food competitions (that help us see the look in someone’s face when they lose a cooking competition) and dramas/documentaries that look like they took months to film because… they did.
For those of you who enjoy programming longer than one minute long, we’ve compiled a list of upcoming food shows in chronological order — from soonest to latest — with network and debut date.
Chef’s Table: Pizza
Network: Netflix
Debuts: September 7
Chef’s Table, the Emmy-nominated documentary series, has already covered star chefs like Dan Barber, Grant Achatz, Francis Mallman, Enrique Olvera, Michel Troisgros, Nancy Silverton, Christina Tosi, Sean Brock and celebrity butcher Dario Cecchini. This season they focus on pizzaiolos including American pizza pioneer Chris Bianco, Rome’s Gabriele Bonci, and Minneapolis’s James Beard Award-winning Ann Kimm.
The Tiny Chef Show
Network: Nickelodeon
Debuts: September 9
The Tiny Chef took Instagram by storm in 2018 with its stop-motion oddball cuteness. It spawned children’s books and products, and now Tiny Chef has come to Nickelodeon. The theme: educating kids about vegetarian eating. Expect to see more mini kitchenware, recipes, and guest stars including Tabitha Brown, Kristen Bell, and RZA.
The Great British Baking Show
Network: Netflix
Debuts: September 13 in the UK, September 16 in the US
The Great British Baking Show returns; series 13 has a dozen new contestants across 10 episodes — a new one airing each Friday. Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood return as judges and Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas resume their hosting duties. Competitors’ ages range from 18 to 60. Look for a holiday-themed mini-season in December, too.
Best in Dough
Network: Hulu
Debuts: September 19
Everyone likes pizza, right? Well, that’s the premise of Best in Dough, which features pizza-themed challenges in each episode and a potential cash prize of $10K for the winner. LA chef Daniele Uditi (of Pizzana) is head judge, Wells Adams (from “Bachelor in Paradise”) is the host, and the judges rotate, starting with Millie Peartree (chef-restaurateur), Eunji Kim (Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University), and Bryan Ford (award-winning bread baker and author). Watch the Hulu trailer and keep an eye out for when the host tells the contestants they will be making a “pizza cupcake” and the 82-year-old just says “no.”
Bob’s Burgers
Network: Fox
Debuts: September 25
After 12 seasons — and a movie this summer (see trailer below) — this animated characters franchise is back. Bob’s Burgers is essentially a family comedy show depicting the Belchers (great name) struggling to keep the family biz alive; it’s a burger joint in New England. Listen and watch the “Floppy Waffle” song video here.
Easy-Bake Battle: The Home-Cooking Competition
Network: Netflix
Debuts: October 12
Yes, the show is basically a culinary competition focused on the Easy-Bake ovens from your youth. The Netflix show page doesn’t offer much in background, but it will be hosted by Queer Eye‘s Antoni Porowski and the first season will feature eight, 30-minute episodes. According to Variety, home chefs will compete in two rounds — a savory and a sweet challenge. The ultimate winner has a chance to win a $100,000 prize; each battle is worth $25,000.
From Scratch
Network: Netflix
Debuts: October 22
This miniseries is based on Tembi Locke’s 2019 bestselling memoir From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home, which is described thusly on her website:
“[This is a] poignant and transformative cross-cultural love story set against the backdrop of the Sicilian countryside, about how one woman discovered the healing powers of food, family and unexpected grace in her darkest hour.
An incredible journey through Tembi’s life, the book tracks her relationship with her late husband, Saro through three summers spent in the Sicilian countryside. In this sweeping story, we see Tembi and Saro’s initial introduction on the streets of Florence, Italy, their move to Los Angeles as they forge a life together despite disapproval from Saro’s traditional Sicilian parents, and the rare illness that upends everything they thought they knew about family and forgiveness. Ultimately, Tembi’s tribulations lead her back to the Sicilian countryside and her mother-in-law’s table, where with the healing gifts of simple fresh food, the embrace of a close-knit community, and the power of enduring love, she finds the strength to step into a new life.”
Reese Witherspoon is one of the producers through her Hello Sunshine production company.
Drink Masters
Network: Netflix
Debuts: October 28
Eater wonders if it’s “Top Chef but for drinks?”… Here’s what we know:
1) The show stars Tone Bell (stand-up comedian and actor), Julie Reiner (legendary NYC-based bar owner), and Frankie Solarik (co-owner of Toronto’s popular bar BarChef).
2) 12 contestants from across North America complete challenges against a clock — and one person is banished every episode until there’s an “Ultimate Drink Master.”
3) The cocktails will be judged by their taste and presentation.
Expect boozy humor.
Martha Cooks
Network: Roku
Debuts: November 16
She’s baaaack. Martha Stewart will be hosting guest stars and chefs at her Bedford, New York, 153-acre estate in this Roku original show. You can get a taste of the vibe in this preview copy on Roku:
“The eggs from Martha’s chickens cooked to perfection to a delicious strawberry jam made with ripe berries from her garden, Martha welcomes us onto her Bedford farm and into her kitchen to share some of her personal favorite recipes. Learn everything from Martha’s techniques for preparing paella for a crowd to how to bake Martha’s three favorite cookies of all time. Working with world-renowned chefs and dear friends, she will share techniques and how-to instructions like only Martha can.”
Roku is also airing two companion shows this fall: Martha Holidays and Martha Gardens.
