15 Best Cooking Shows Every Culinary Aficionado Needs To Watch

    The ultimate lineup that'll leave your mouth watering.

    Elena Hernandez
    by Elena Hernandez

    BuzzFeed Staff

    I'm not a great cook, and I spend most of my time in the kitchen baking. Although I love the art of plating and all the work that goes into preparing dishes, I'll leave it to the actual pros. That being said, there are so many great cooking shows that it's hard to keep track.

    I rounded up the best cooking shows, from tense competitions to culinary travelogues and nostalgia tutorials. This list has something for all cooking enthusiasts, including my fellow bakers. Follow along as chefs explore eccentric dishes from corners of the globe, or fire up their stoves to prepare carefully crafted multi-course meals.

    1. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

    Screenshot from "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations"
    Travel Channel / Via youtube.com

    Not to be confused with Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, No Reservations aired on the Travel Channel, and mainly featured Bourdain's exploration of cultural cuisines. (Parts Unknown followed a similar format but provided more insight into the social and political issues of the locations being visited.) Bourdain's commentary on the food is lighthearted, and his comedy is unmatched. If you had to pick only a few episodes, try the ones featuring Eric Ripert.

    2. The Martha Stewart Show

    A hand slices a large ice cream sandwich with nuts on top, placed on a wooden board
    Martha Stewart TV / Via youtube.com

    Martha Stewart's daytime cooking show featured special guests with a studio audience, covering everyday meals and desserts. The show ran for six seasons, alongside her baking series, Martha Bakes. If you love Martha, you'll want to check out her additional series, Martha Cooks and Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party. While I love Snoop, the OG show is so nostalgic and comforting. Also perfect to watch and (try) to follow along to!

    Stream The Martha Stewart Show on Martha Stewart TV.

    3. Barefoot Contessa

    Ina Garten in a kitchen holding a cloth-wrapped item, with ingredients and cookware on the countertop
    Food Network / Via youtube.com

    Recipes perfect for easy dinner nights, parties, and picnics are featured on Barefoot Contessa. Ina Garten is all about making her recipes accessible, fun, and most of all, entertaining. Her pie recipes are my favorite if you're trying to whip up a delicious dessert. There's no shortage of puddings, cakes, and dessert bars in this nostalgic series.

    4. The Chef Show

    Screenshot from "The Chef Show"
    Netflix / Via Everett Collection

    Jon Favreau starred in the 2014 film, Chef, which was co-produced by Roy Choi. The duo created the travelogue cooking show to explore global cuisines, while including celebrity guests like Gwyneth Paltrow and Tom Holland. If you're looking for more of a straightforward cooking show, this one might not be your favorite. There's a heavy focus on Jon and the guests' playful banter as they cook. It's great to keep on in the background while you whip up your own meals.

    5. Chopped

    Screenshot from "Chopped"
    Food Network / Via Everett Collection

    Ted Allen hosts this competitive cooking show, in which four chefs compete in a three-course meal battle of unconventional ingredients. After each round, one chef is "chopped," with the winner taking home $10,000. This one always has me on the edge of my seat. There's plenty of drama in this show, and it's perfect to watch with a friend or family member while you chat about your favorite chefs and their mistakes.

    6. Ugly Delicious

    Two men smiling, holding and examining live shrimp at a seafood market
    Netflix / Via Everett Collection

    This series is hosted by award-winning chef David Chang. Chang explores cuisines worldwide, honing in on dishes that aren't typically considered appetizing. Featuring many guest stars from night show host Jimmy Kimmel to comedian Nick Kroll, the show blends traveling, cooking, and cultural history to create an exciting experience. If you're looking to be educated on different cultures with an open mind, Chang's right up your alley.

    7. Tournament of Champions

    Chef in an apron reaches for ingredients on a pantry shelf in a professional kitchen
    Food Network / Via youtube.com

    This culinary competition show is hosted by chef Guy Fieri and features a single-elimination, sudden-death format. Sixteen of the nation's most talented chefs compete to win, with Season 5's grand prize totaling $150,000. Fieri's intensity and humor is deeply appreciated and perfect for those looking for something with a touch of comedy.

    8. Good Eats

    Man in patterned shirt toasting bun, condiments on counter, TV show scene from "Good Eats" with Alton Brown
    Food Network / Via youtube.com

    I don't know if you grew up with this show, but I did! Wacky and informational, Alton Brown leads Good Eats in an educational format. Each recipe is tackled in a manner that explains the technique and culinary context. If you're looking for the intersection of humor and cooking, you'll find it in this series.

    9. Iron Chef

    Five chefs in theatrical costumes on stage at a cooking show event
    Netflix / Via Everett Collection

    Arguably the most popular cooking show, Iron Chef originally aired in 1993 and has since been adapted into a few spin-offs. The Japanese cooking show follows a format where an expert "Iron Chef" competes with another challenger, featuring an ever-changing secret ingredient. The dramatics are never lacking, and you'll be on the edge of your seat. Bonus points for the humor, which is always appreciated in these types of shows.

    10. Top Chef

    Screenshot from "Top Chef"
    Bravo / Via Everett Collection

    Yet another competition cooking style format! In this series, 15 of the world's finest chefs are pitted against one another to compete for the title of America's Top Chef, with the grand prize totaling $250,000. The show has had a staggering 21 seasons, and for good reason. Viewers get to learn about each contestant on a deeper level than the shows with a single competition per episode. As a result, you're inevitably rooting for your favorites.

    11. Chef's Table

    Chef in white uniform meticulously garnishing a dish in a professional kitchen
    Netflix / Via Everett Collection

    This Netflix series spotlights the most talented chefs worldwide, contextualizing their dishes' techniques and highlighting their inspirations and cultures. If you're looking for an artsy and high-brow show, this is just the one for you. Don't expect to follow along with the dishes being made — they're labor-intensive but so intriguing.

    12. Cutthroat Kitchen

    Person mixing ingredients in a bowl on a kitchen counter with tattoos visible on their arm
    Food Netwotk / Via youtube.com

    Another series hosted by chef Alton Brown, Cutthroat Kitchen features a unique competition model. Each of the four participants is given funds to sabotage their opponents or prevent themselves from being sabotaged. The grand prize? $25,000. The title makes sense, right?

    13. Hell's Kitchen

    Gordon Ramsay with two chefs in a kitchen, overseeing cooking activities
    Fox / Via Everett Collection

    Infamous for its hilarious GIFs and Gordon Ramsay memes, Hell's Kitchen is a dramatic, high-energy competition show where chefs are put to the test. While Kitchen Nightmares is more of a favorite, this one is also great to see Ramsay in action, with that familiar blend of culinary dramatics.

    14. Beat Bobby Flay

    Two chefs in an animated kitchen competition with a shark-themed setup
    Food Network / Via youtube.com

    Two chefs compete to make it to the final round, where the winner then competes with expert chef Bobby Flay. The guest chef prepares a dish ahead of their round with Flay, which he must recreate. The dishes are finally reviewed by a blind audience to determine the winner. 

    15. MasterChef

    Screenshot from "MasterChef"
    Fox / Via Everett Collection

    From amateurs to experts, a class of chefs follows a rigorous series of cooking challenges for a chance to earn the title of MasterChef. Judges include Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot, Joe Bastianich, Christina Tosi, and Aaron Sanchez. The series is nothing less than intense, and the compelling personalities of the judges make every episode riveting!