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Title details for From Scratch by Allen Salkin - Available

From Scratch

Inside the Tumultuous Billion-Dollar World of the Food Network

by Allen Salkin
Julian Fleischer
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Big personalities, high drama—the extraordinary behind-the-scenes story of the Food Network, now about to celebrate its twentieth anniversary: the business, media, and cultural juggernaut that changed the way America thinks about food.
In October 1993, a tiny start-up called the Food Network debuted to little notice. Twenty years later, it is in 100 million homes, approaches a billion dollars a year in revenue, and features a galaxy of stars whose faces and names are as familiar to us as our own family’s.
But what we don’t know about them, and the people behind them, could fill a book.
Based upon extensive inside access, documents, and interviews with hundreds of executives, stars, and employees all up and down the ladder, Allen Salkin’s book is an exhilarating roller-coaster ride from chaos to conquest (and sometimes back). As Salkin takes us inside the conference rooms, studios, homes, restaurants, and after-hours meetings, we see a salty Julia Child lording it over the early network performers; a fragile Emeril Lagasse staggering from the sudden public shock of cancellation; a very green Rachael Ray nearly burning down the set on her first day; a torn Tyler Florence accepting the Applebee’s job he knows he can’t refuse, but with a chill running down his spine; a determined Bobby Flay reinventing himself once again to survive.
Paula Deen, Tom Colicchio, Anthony Bourdain, Mario Batali, Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart, Guy Fieri, Cat Cora: Salkin illuminates the people we thought we knew, and the ones we never knew about, in this irresistible story of the intersection between business, television, pop culture, food—and us.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    October 1, 2013

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781101975060
      • File size: 454199 KB
      • Duration: 15:46:14

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      The provocative behind-the-scenes story of the launch of the Food Network is one of those audiobooks that engages the listener's attention to the point of eluding life's next tasks, like getting out of the car to go to work. The billion- dollar network, featuring a galaxy of legendary chef-stars and "chef-testants," had little known humble origins and a myriad of hurdles to overcome. Narrator Julian Fleischer sounds intrigued by the machinations of the exhilarating corporate culture and cleverly hints at the players' distinctive voices to make it all thrillingly familiar. Interviews with famed chefs and cooking show luminaries whet the listener's appetite before the author plunges into details of the financial perils and triumphs that evolved into the successful venture. Quotes from many high-powered personalities and lots of spicy dialogue as well as juicy scandals and hilarious exposés are vividly portrayed in Fleischer's adept performance. A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      August 19, 2013
      The Food Network has risen from obscurity and ridicule in the early ’90s to become a powerhouse of cable television, transforming chefs like Emeril Lagasse and Paula Deen into celebrities and changing food culture forever. With a light wit and balanced perspective, Salkin, a former food and media reporter for the New York Times, presents the definitive history of the network from inception to the present day. Food Network devotees will delight at the inside knowledge of internal scandals, the intriguing biographies of their favorite star chefs, and an exclusive look at the ever-shifting lineup of executives and parent companies. The first act, detailing how the network was conceived, funded, and staffed, is tremendously dry and provides little entertainment, making it almost impenetrable for all but the network’s most devoted fans. Once the stage is set, however, Salkin moves deftly between periods in the channel’s development, garnishing the narrative with frequent quotes from influential personalities to add depth. Referring to nearly everyone by his or her first name makes for inevitable confusion, but patient readers will eventually uncover a nuanced and rich tale of an empire that no one expected to survive. Agent: Eric Lupfer, William Morris Endeavor

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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