Screen Time EP 2 : Serious Home Chef Youtube Picks

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Screen Time. This is a sequel of sorts from episode one, whereby I now go into some of the channels on Youtube that has more technical flair and for those home cooks who seriously want to up their level many times over. Well, it did it for me! 

Do note that as this is a Youtube only list, chefs with past media experiences like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver will not be in the list, although they have their own Youtube channels. So with that caveat out of the way, lets dive in shall we?

Bon Apetit

Most people refer to this channel as their first entry to more technical Youtube cooking channels. And I am no exception. I love reading about food, if not why am I writing this right? Blogging has made me a food writer. However, video form is great too and to make a food magazine into a video format is what I feel Bon Apetit excels at. It started out as a food magazine after all. 

 

Can't skip on the parm y'all

They have very interesting series of videos and a variety of hosts. From Claire making home made version of snacks like M&Ms and Doritos, Priya's Indian food, to classic Italian dishes from Carla and Brad's barbecue genius, there is something for everyone. 

This was so much fun to watch. 

My personal favourite is "Back to Back Chef" where they invite guests to cook with each other where one a trained chef or a member of the Bon Apetit cast instructs a novice cook. The only catch is that they cannot see each other and literally are back to back .There are a huge variety of guests. From Natalie Portman, Braun Strowman and even Andrew Rea from Babish were the novices. In terms of the chefs, they are no slouches. And even Gordon Ramsay made an appearance. So much in avoiding TV chefs in here huh. 

Another noteworthy presenter is Priya. I love aloo gobi and I am quite confident with my version.
Yet I still learnt a lot from this. 

And with over 6 million subscribers, its hard to deny their awesomeness. In summary, it is a more sophisticated version of Tasty and in a good way. They are more instructional and their cooking videos are more "real time" as in there is very little editing and fluff when you see them cook. 

Waffle iron egg. Why though? 

Most viewed: Almost every way to cook an egg (at 28 million views)

Recommended videos:

Back to Back chef with Braun Strowman - This video has infused two of my passions, food and wrestling. And not to mention that Braun was hilarious in this video. 

Carla's Fettuccine Alfredo -  There are many great pasta dishes in Bon Apetit, but this one is an absolute bomb. 

Epicurious

 They do have a similar format to Bon Apetit but of course with their own twist on their shows. And after doing some research for this post, I just realised that both shows have the same director, Rhoda Boone.  Shows that I highly recommend is 4 Levels and Pro Chef and Home Cook Swap recipes. 

The first episode I watched and still my favourite. 

I particularly love the 4 Levels series, where they pit a level 1 beginner, a level 2 home cook and a level 3 chef and culinary lecturer to the test. Each participant will make their own version of a dish and their final products are then dissected by a dietitian, which brings out the level 4. 

Grandma Beth!

If you are a food geek who loves the science in their food, you will love this series. Some of my favourite characters are actually the level 2s as they are more relatable, being home cooks and do teach you many tricks. In said level 2s, my favourites are Lorenzo, a very self assured comedic home cook, Beth, a warming and compassionate grandma, and sophisticated dad Anthony. Some of the level 1s are there more for the comedic factor, but I really applaud their daring in showing their kitchen mishaps to the public. We were all beginners once. So kudos to them . 

This is worth watching just for the laughs alone!
And with 32 million views, I think many others share my opinion. 

That is not to say the Level 3s are bad, they are very good. But they can be too technical and not as relatable. Despite that, I enjoy watching Frank and Chris. They are like the cool uncles who invites you for barbecues every month and show you how its done despite being tough and technical. On that note, their personality really shines when they did Swap Ingredients. As the title suggests, an amateur chef swaps recipes and ingredient with the pro chef and they try to replicate each others dishes.Which was great, especially when Frank and Lorenzo were the first in their pilot episode. With over 32 million views it seems I am not the only one that enjoys this. 

Most viewed: $500 vs $16 Steak Dinner: Pro Chef & Home Cook Swap Ingredients (at 32 million)

Recommended videos:

4 Levels of Spaghetti & Meatballs - An interesting video which actually taught me a lot in something that I thought I have already mastered. This was the first 4 Levels episode that got me hooked. With Frank and Lorenzo in it, there is no surprise. Eline, who is the Level 1 here reminds me a lot of me when I was a much lesser competent cook. She was alright, with sauce from a jar. We all go through such phases. Is what we learn and grow that counts. 

On a side note, any video with Lorenzo and Frank together is just great to watch. 

 And here is the ultimate finale...

Taste Show

This is to me the ultimate choice when it comes to technical cooking videos. Initially, this channel specialises in Chinese cuisine but now adds more chefs into their production army, and is now global in scope and flavour. 

Chef John in action, in one of his instructional videos. 

Their most popular chef is Chef John. A seasoned veteran with the zen of a flowing river, he prepares very rare and intricate dishes which makes days slaving in the kitchen worthwhile. Each recipe is a fully immersive experience. Each slicing movement is fine, each crunch is heard and each sizzle is pronounced. There is also Chef Bao, a much younger culinary artist, who makes Chinese inspired fusion dishes and now Italian dishes are entering the fray. One common complaint that the dishes are too technical and time consuming that many home chefs have staved away, even me. There are dishes that takes 2 whole days to prepare (click here) ! 

Pork belly stuffed with adzuki on steamed rice.
The name is as long as its cooking time! 

And as such, there are now simpler and more instructive videos where Chef John narrates his dishes and really goes deep into techniques and explaining the logic behind cooking. One noteworthy video is his fried rice recipes where he uses stuff your fridge will most probably have. Despite that, you can still whip up great fried rice (click here). Real props to the Taste team. The unsung hero is in fact the cameraman! Once you watched a few videos you will then know. The quality is impeccable. 

It shines!

Most viewed : The Best Lemon Chicken And Chilli Chicken Recipe EVER (at 26 million views) Simple, instructive and just serene to watch, I actually strongly recommend watching this video as a base recipe to learn the basics in Chinese cooking. Great with a bowl of rice. 

Recommended videos:-

Melt in Your Mouth Fried Milk by Chinese Masterchef This is such a rare dessert and a laborious one at that, that I would probably only try once just to experiment. But the production quality is awesome. And the music in the background... just bliss. 

How To Make Crispy, Juicy Fried Chicken Every Time by Masterchef This is the second video where Chef John narrates his cooking. Simple and straight up fried chicken. Easy to follow but looks amazing. And do not worry if you cannot speak Mandarin as subtitles are available. 

So there you have it. If you are ready to up your game, I strongly recommend the above-mentioned Youtube channels. I initially was reluctant in adding in Taste Show as they are almost exclusively Chinese cuisine, but such a reason will do this channel a severe injustice. 

If you enjoy reading such content, why not watch the recommended videos mentioned above? And if you missed it, please read the first installment of Screen Time by clicking here!