Do TV chefs have an obligation to cook healthy food?

I don't think the world is getting fatter, just the population of some of the wealthier countries. There are cooking shows that focus on healthy eating and ones that don't. It's nice if there's a balance, but I would think that someone who could cook well enough to make the recipes shown on tv would have some basic knowledge of nutrition to begin with so they will know if a recipe's healthy or not.

by Jennifer Muirhead

To a certain degree. When it comes to main meals, I definitely think so, but you can never truly make cakes and biscuits healthy, and I don't think cooks should stop showing us how to make them.

by Bryony Harrison

I don't mind at all when tv chef's cook fatty foods. I can see where you're coming from though. Maybe it's be better if they reiterated the act that people should eat a balanced diet, but the fact is, fat, salt and sugar all need to be part of the diet.

by Rachael Koch

Wonderful Question.

I have to say, our world is getting fatter, and it is not just from overeating!
It is the food it's self.The loads of sugar-butter, just calories galore!!!
You have touched on something, that really should be addressed right now.

Yes, in my opinion any chef right now, should be looking at ''The Menu''
for the coming years.
It is getting too late to eat all those death defying foods any longer.

I wonder how many chef's could sit down, and re-invent the way we eat.
Making it that we can eat yummy food, but less calories.
When I lived in LA,there was a place you could eat and nothing was over I think 700 calories, per meal.
Brilliant idea.

by jonaja

I don't think so. It's nice to indulge sometimes, even if you mostly eat healthy food. After all, I personally don't cook or eat everything I watch being made on TV - sometimes it's just a pleasure to see it made even though it would be something I would never cook or eat myself.

by Sarah Bell

I don't think that TV chefs have an obligation to cook 'healthy' food on television. I'm very suspect of what 'healthy' food actually looks like. I mean, yes, foods that are dripping in oil, or packed full of sugar are undoubtedly unhealthy, but I think it's ironic that despite eating what we are told to by health authorities (polyunsaturated fats, lots of omega three, etc.) the incidence of heart disease and other ailments has never been higher. Apart from that, I think it is the responsibility of the individual to choose what is right for them and their families.

by Vee

No but it would be nice if they did. When it comes to food I think we have to police ourselves and not wait foe anyone to do so. Healthy food does not make as much money as the unhealthy stuff.

by Gia

No! They should have NO obligation to cook 'healthy meals'! How BORING would that be & they'd soon be jobless! Any Chef who signed a tv Contract to do that would be very silly indeed!

Remember the 'Two Fat Ladies'? They cooked some of the best meals I've seen on TV. Many of their Recipes I've cooked, & all have enjoyed!

The only Chefs I now watch are Rick Stein, anything he does, & selectively, Jamie Oliver. His '30 Minute Meals', 'Around UK Meals' & 'Comfort Food', were marvellous! Again, many recipes used & lapped up!

by donjo

At least the cooking shows are getting people interested in cooking again. But its a much larger problem starting from the crops that are being grown, how they are stored and processed, how the supermarkets purchase the cheapest products from questionable sources, how unhealthy food is produced, But we as consumers need to be proactive in how we shop and look at receipes and decide not only are they healthy choices or is it just making money for the supermarkets. Coles and Woolies put out a lot of recipe books and who finances they cooking shows?

by judy