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One of the things I like about Bobby Flay, the Food Network Chef, is that more than any of the other celebrity chefs, is that he actually seems to like food. He wants to celebrate it and acknowledge the role that great food and a great meal can play in our lives. Whether it’s grilling out in the backyard or travelling the country to lightheartedly compete against unknown chefs (that he almost never seems to win on Throwdown is kinda irritating), it’s always an enthusiastic approach.

Now he’s gearing up for yet another show to debut this summer, circa July. Grill It! seems to be a combination of his previous two shows, Boy Meets Grill and Throwdown, however, this isn’t any sort of competition. Flay is hoping to find the best grillers the country has to offer to highlight all the unique recipes and techniques out there.

So whether you’re a primo tailgater or a professional smoker, Flay wants you to send in a two or three-minute clip of you doing your thing on your grill. He wants to see the story behind the recipe as you show the audience how to prepare it.

So shoot your video and upload it and maybe you’ll become the next BBQ pit master. The deadline is April 10 and there are only a few videos on their now.

Another day, another couple of new cooking shows debut on The Food Network. None of them sound particularly enticing, however.

From a press release (yeah we know it’s lazy but this doesn’t deserve our time to go original):

COOKING FOR REAL

Premieres: Sunday, April 6^th at 10:30AM ET/PT

With an understanding of everyday life and that real people deserve down-to-earth delicious meals, Sunny Anderson serves up solutions for easy-to-prepare, fantastic-tasting menus. Sunny?s fresh, uncomplicated approach to classic comfort foods, along with her passion for interpreting the flavors from her unique travels, brings a bright style to delectable, down-home dishes. Every recipe is designed with an eye toward real life budgets, easy-to-find ingredients and time saving tips to make preparation a breeze. From her spicy yet sweet Shrimp Pot Pie from New Orleans, her favorite bistro-inspired Wilted Green Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette, or her mouth-watering take on Germany?s finest, Baked Apple with Crisp Topping, Sunny elevates the everyday meal in Cooking for Real!

ABOUT SUNNY ANDERSON:

Growing up traveling the world as an Army brat, Sunny indulged in many local cuisines. When she joined the Air Force, she continued her culinary world travels and also discovered she had a desire to explore music, becoming an award-winning military radio host and news reporter. Sunny continued her broadcast career playing radio host at stations in New Orleans, Montgomery, Detroit, and finally, in New York at hip-hop radio powerhouse, HOT 97. Sunny also served as Food & Lifestyle Editor at Hip Hop Weekly Magazine and previously ran her own catering company, Sunny?s Delicious Dishes. She debuted on Food Network back in 2005 as a special guest on Emeril Live, and in 2007, Sunny co-hosted Food Network?s series of specials, Gotta Get It.

CHIC & EASY

Premieres: Sunday, May 18^th at 10:30AM ET/PT

Whether it?s a ladies-only soiree, a posh picnic, or big movie night, Mary Nolan proves that successful entertaining results from mouth-watering menus and stylish, welcoming atmospheres. Her exciting twists on the traditional create entertaining delights like Stilton-Stuffed Dates, Sweet and Smoky Popcorn, and Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting. Whether highlighting her practical approach to using local produce, showcasing a single splurge ingredient, or impressing guests with a unique flea-market find, she always offers crowd-pleasing and affordable solutions to make memorable entertaining Chic & Easy.

ABOUT MARY NOLAN:

Born and raised in Davenport, Iowa, Mary Nolan was inspired by a creative and food-loving family who exposed her to hands-on epicurean adventures including working on her grandparents? rural farms, preparing meals, and culinary-focused vacations. While studying journalism at The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Mary enrolled in nutrition and food science courses and began catering bridal showers and parties. Spending a semester in Italy provided yet another source of inspiration for Mary?s cooking. After graduating from college, Mary moved to New York City to become an assistant at premier culinary magazine, Gourmet where she eventually became an advertising copywriter. Dedicated to sharing her fresh perspective and passion for accessibly chic entertaining, Mary is currently attending The Institute of Culinary Education.

SECRETS OF A RESTAURANT CHEF

Premieres: Sunday, June 29^th at 10:30AM ET/PT

With extensive experience as a top restaurant chef and a lifelong passion for food, Anne Burrell takes the mystery (and apprehension) out of the professional kitchen and highlights the practical techniques necessary to create delicious at-home meals. Based on her love for rustic food with simple ingredients and intense flavors, Anne prepares surprisingly achievable dishes such as Herb-Crusted Leg of Lamb with Roasted Fennel, Artichoke, and Red Bliss Potatoes and Brined Grilled Pork Chops with Parmesan Polenta, Saut?ed Swiss Chard and Bacon. With stand-out recipes perfect for a party but easy enough for an everyday meal, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef will make the viewer?s dinner table the hottest reservation in town.

ABOUT ANNE BURRELL:

Now serving as Executive Chef at New York hot-spot Centro Vinoteca, Anne Burrell has always stood out in the restaurant business for her remarkable culinary talent, bold and creative dishes, and her trademark spiky blond hair. After training at New York?s Culinary Institute of America and Italy?s Culinary Institute for Foreigners, she gained hands-on experience at notable New York restaurants including Felidia, Savoy, Lumi, and Italian Wine Merchants. Anne can also be spotted battling on Food Network?s iron Chef America as Mario Batali?s energetic and reliable sous chef. Additionally, Anne taught for three years at New York?s Institute of Culinary Education and recently took over the kitchen at New York?s Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano.

Of the three, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef sounds like it has the most promise.

Always amazed that the Iron Chefs and the competitors could cook a gourmet meal in under an hour? Is it rigged or a testament to their acumen? What’s up with the secret ingredient? So many questions and too few answers until now.

The Village Voice’s Robert Sietsema attended a taping about a year ago and the episode finally aired. Now he’s breaking his silence on one of television’s most griping one-hour dramas. And what does he think?

Iron Chef America is more bogus than even I had imagined.

Okay, there’s nothing new there. Most skeptics would insist there is no way the chefs can do what they do in under an hour.

The televised hour is filled with much rushing back and forth against a backdrop of learned discourse and puckish observation from commentators as the dishes are cooked and assembled. Each chef has a pair of sous chefs working under him; we are led to believe that these teams invent their recipes on the spot in an amazing display of culinary creativity. At the end of the hour-long contest, the dishes are rushed to a panel of three judges, who taste them, make studied quips, and then score the collection for taste (10 points), appearance (5 points), and originality in use of the secret ingredient (5 points). Each judge is thus responsible for 20 points of the score. Whoever scores the most points out of 60 is the winner.

But what about that secret ingredient. Do the contestants know beforehand?

Saying in the past that the contestants are given a short list of possible secret ingredients ahead of time so the reveal isn’t a total surprise. But I wonder if that list is really longer than one or two items. It became obvious that, knowing the main ingredient all along, the chefs had developed a series of recipes the way chefs normally do?through ideation and experimentation, trying and discarding recipes before settling on the collection they intended to make during the show. Hence the self-assurance and lack of mistakes that we saw unfolding before us.

Wow. And also, the Iron Chefs don’t even show up on the days they’re not cooking. I’m never watching this show again.