Explaining aspects of the “gastro” phenomenon in the Spanish television – Hypertext

MasterChef Spain

In Spain we have experienced in recent years a spectacular explosion of programs cooking and talent shows on TV, but what reasons have led us to meet in this gastronomic bubble? Previously existed cooking TV shows, including shows about them, why they did not work then? The reason is a simple matter of time, arriving at the right time, and this is it.

Before explaining the causes of this gastronomic boom will go over the history of Spanish cuisine in the small screen. It was Elena Santoja in its “Hands-on” which, in 1984, we introduced to the world of cookbooks that we live up to this day. Classics like Gourmet Desserts , the hitherto most TV chef, his sister Eva, Bruno Oteiza or sadly deceased Dario Barrio was followed throughout the years.

Jose Andres was the driving force behind the new gastronomic revolution in television The first chef that changed the way in which programs were mounted kitchen in our country was Jose Andres, an innovative Asturian internationally renowned chef who succeeds in the US . In his program “Let’s cook with Jose Andres,” the cook left the typical dress of the chefs, with white jacket and toque blanche , inviting popular characters on your plate, decorated more homey, and ran the Spanish markets to show the qualities of the ingredients that later would use in their recipes.

This type of program worked, they were successful and were at the time slot of the food , just for housewives, mostly female viewers of these spaces, could copy the recipes and prepare them at home. Seeing the success that harvested the kitchen, chains like Telecinco took the step in 2006 to turn these programs into realities . “This kitchen is a hell” was the bet of the chain, a program led by Sergi Arola and Mario Sandoval in prime-time schedule that proved a resounding failure in terms of audience .

Chef Jose Andres, flagship of Spanish cuisine in the US

But what has changed in our society to cooking shows as” Nightmare in the kitchen “,” MasterChef “,” Top Chef “or” A country to eat “are now phenomenon that enchants millions of people in Spain?

Cooking has become a hobby

With the increase in the speed of our lifestyle, the incorporation of women into the work, the increase in restaurants and fast food franchises or prepared dishes, the take-aways or deliverys , the kitchen on weekdays has become almost impossible, simply we have neither time nor inclination to put ourselves to prepare dishes before or departure of our working hours.

We use the variety of offers that are put at our disposal and we forget what it was cooking a chore. The evolution of this work into a matter of leisure with which to differentiate, entertain, relax, motivate and satisfy our family or friends is one of the keys to the success of these programs.

More and more of us that we identify with each other in the kitchen, programs are the link . As a hobby it is, we better every day, improve our skills and learn all about him. recipes, ingredients, techniques and new terms

Top Chef Spain

There lies the great success of MasterChef, a program in which the protagonists are not for the first time, professional chefs, but people who are passionate about cooking, they see it like a hobby it were and who inspire us with their successes and failures in new dishes we could all draw.

Improved knowledge of nutrition, health and welfare

Traditional cooking shows made from the beginning a great job to improve our understanding of nutrition, health and welfare , recommended us away from the fast food chains that we all know, and prepare the dishes at home for a healthier and economically.

In recent years we have seen a parallel revolution around these three axes, obesity and related diseases are one of the major problems of the first world, and combat has been a mission for institutions, governments and media communication. Connect with nature and with our cultural past are the foundation of programs like “A country to eat” and the improvement of the knowledge we have about nutrition or styles of ever more healthy lifestyles have increased the importance of home cooking, the Mediterranean diet , considered today without discussion, as the grail of health and good eating.

In short, an exceptional combination of chefs, produce and homemade recipes that have helped to spread and consolidate the unquestionable success of Spanish cuisine, recognized as one of the tastiest and healthiest in the world

Spain dominant position in the culinary world

We are a world power in the world of cooking, the cuisine is more than 10% of GDP and represented 17% of all our exports according to the Royal Spanish Academy of Gastronomy. Gastronomy has become a brand argument territory of the country brand and gastronomic tourism continues to grow as our interest in cooking.

Recording the program “Junior Master Chef”

Spain is world reference in new gastronomy thanks to the milestones achieved by geniuses like Ferran Adria We are the country with the highest number of restaurants among the 10 best in the world with El Celler de Can Roca in Girona occupying the 1st position globally in 2015 after the official announcement that was made in gala held last night in London, and our star chefs have become media figures to hit gastronomic competitions and programs.

Now our children do not want to be astronauts or police, they want to be chefs , as we may well see in the successful children’s version “Junior MasterChef”, where the youngest show us how they are managed in the kitchens. The Michelin stars become idols in the eyes of all lovers of the kitchen chefs who wear them, and as the number of them, their relevance in society grows.

Landing revolution foodie in our country

It is not new, in fact it was a term coined by Paul Levy, Ann Barr and Mat Sloan in the book “ The Official Foodie Handbook “in 1984, but it takes a couple of years of fashion, and still is with the rise of social networks like Instagram or programs food critic as” Nightmare in the kitchen “, led by Alberto Chicote.

The foodie is one person who loves the kitchen is up to date regarding developments have passion for bio / organic and gourmet haunts the most hidden places of the city. They have become a kind of influencers who have great prominence on the Internet and move thousands of consumers who rely on their opinions, thus further increasing the mass of people interested in cooking shows or talent shows.

Steack House – Food Porn

These are critical, have exquisite taste and know by heart the appropriate points in meat and fish, not worth anything to them, and if they are not well treated in a restaurant will complain writing a negative review on Twitter you can do much harm to the business. Always accompanied by a smartphone with which to capture the design of the dishes that will taste style “food porn” and then discuss their impressions on Instagram, the social network they use most.

Accessibility and everyday haute cuisine

Haute cuisine in Spain is not unique to the elite classes , has fallen to the underworld reducing the prices of their menus and making them more adaptable to all the world. His presence on television since its inception with Ferran Adria new techniques have taught us that we can practice in our home today.

A fewer people now surprised the terms sferification , alginate , concassé , poach or clear . Techniques that open us to a new world of recipes to startle our guests, and we find in books or cooking courses directly related to television programs which have achieved success, as “Top Chef” differentiated its public television competitor in the high level of expertise and professionalism of the participants.