15 Canceled Cooking Shows That Deserve To Make A Comeback

The amount of screens people watch has skyrocketed since those early, groundbreaking days of television, and so has the number of cooking shows. Every facet of food has come under the entertainment industry spotlight. Audiences have been introduced to local providers, regional specialities, and international flavors. T.V. has also created a galaxy of culinary stars, creating stablemates out of passionate amateurs like Julia Child and professional chefs such as Gordon Ramsay.

However, as time passed and food fashions came and went, some of the shows that were once must-see viewing slipped from our screens. The reasons for their disappearance vary but many audiences would be happy to see some of them rebooted. Here are canceled cooking shows that we think totally deserve to make a comeback. We think you will probably remember most, if not all, of these shows and will be cheering for their hopeful return along with us.

Not every cookery show that has fallen victim to the broadcasting axe is buried in the mists of time. Nickelodeon cancelled "The Tiny Chef Show" after three seasons in June 2025, to the dismay of creators Rachel Larsen, Ozlem "Ozi" Akturk, and Adam Reid, as well as countless fans on social media — including irate singer Dionne Warwick. She demanded on X, "Who is in charge over there? I want a name."

Stop-motion animation "The Tiny Chef Show" first aired in 2022 and followed a small green character who lived in a tree stump and cooked up a range of plant-based meals for his friends. It was primarily aimed at teaching children about food and cookery, but quickly found a place in the hearts of many adults, too.

The social media video in which the tiny chef cried after finding out the show was being axed went viral, and fans signed up to the Chef's fan "cwub" to save it. To date, Nickelodeon has stood by its decision but "The Tiny Chef Show" is getting a reboot — sort of. Supporters raised enough money for the creators to fund their own episodes, as they revealed in an Instagram post.

In 2007, Gordon Ramsay brought his "Kitchen Nightmares" series to the United States, and four years later, "Dinner: Impossible" star Robert Irvine fronted a similar show called "Restaurant Impossible." Like Ramsay, Irvine and a camera crew visited struggling eateries across the U.S. and set out to turn their fortunes around.

Unlike Ramsay, Irvine had two days and $10,000 to work his transformations. "Restaurant Impossible" made for compelling television, as the chef/presenter clashed with business owners desperate to prevent their restaurants closing. Ironically, while Irvine helped many people, he couldn't prevent the axe falling on his show. In August 2016, "Restaurant Impossible" was canceled, but not for long.

Three years later it was revived but, despite its popularity, it was ditched again in July 2023. Fans took to social media to plead for its return , while Irvine offered a clue about its demise. He wrote on X, "Although the show is a GREAT show that helps small business and families/communities it's not a show that they believe fits into who or what they want or the younger viewers like."

Cooking against the clock is nothing new, but between 2011 and 2013, "Sweet Genius" took it to a whole new level. Four chefs competed over three rounds to create desserts that went above and beyond these American classics. Not only did they have to impress host Ron Ben-Israel to avoid elimination, the quartet had to incorporate an additional ingredient, given to them by the host at each stage. The winner was dubbed the episode's "Sweet Genius," and won $10,000.

In 2012, Ben-Israel described the show as "partly like a gladiator's ring, and I am just throwing candy to the lions," adding, "The creativity and expertise is remarkable as these chefs spin straw into gold," via Huffpost. Although T.V. critic Jace Lacob noted the "spine-chilling way" the host tasted contestants' creations "with an insane amount of fastidiousness," per The Daily Beast, fans loved "Sweet Genius" despite its brutality. Although there's no definitive reason why the series was canceled, fans, including Facebook group Bring Back "Sweet Genius," have spent the years since enjoying reruns while calling for the show's return.

Some cookery shows are like sports, while others focus on fancy ingredients. "Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee" was different. For 15 seasons, between 2003 and 2011, the cookbook writer-turned-T.V. star showed how to get the best out of store-bought ingredients and singlehandedly created the "tablescapes" trend.

Lee, who described herself as an "all-around lifestyle personality," per The Hollywood Reporter, took a practical approach that combined 70% pre-made items with 30% homemade. Millions tuned in for each episode's unique table decorations — and the accompanying cocktail. However, in 2015, the star was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the following year, "Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee" was canceled.

Lee was not universally loved — one of her fiercest critics was Anthony Bourdain — but opinions of her cooking style have softened in her long absence from the screen. One Redditor, asking about the criticism, wrote that she "revolutionized the cooking scene by giving a completely new and practical take on things." In 2024, Lee teamed up with Jordan Andino for "Dinner Budget Showdown," but only time will tell if "Semi-Homemade Cooking" will make a comeback, too.

Food and travel are inextricably linked, and some of the best cookery shows combine the two. Throw in a dash of competition and you have the ingredients for "Chef vs City." This 2009 reality show was hosted by Ethan Erickson, in which Aaron Sanchez and Chris Cosentino faced local cooks and fellow T.V. chefs across the United States in a series of silly or gross challenges.

"Chef vs City" lasted for just two seasons. Although some critics were unimpressed by some of the tasks, including eating whole ghost chilies or bulls' testicles, fans lapped up the antics. Many on social media have fond memories of the show and would love to see it make a comeback.

Sadly, Cosentino is unlikely to get onboard. The food challenges did little for his digestive health, as he explained in 2017. Doctors said his stomach lining "looked like I'd swallowed a wolverine that tried to scratch itself out," via Men's Journal, while watching an episode of "Chefs vs City" with loved ones, Cosentino said, "I looked like a bully."

Every now and then, a show comes along that breaks the mold. In 2010, that was "B*tchn' Kitchen." Originally a web series, it was picked up by a Canadian broadcaster and then in the United States. Starring Nadia Giosia, each episode featured three themed recipes, lashings of fourth wall-breaking comedy, memorable characters, and nonsense catchphrases, including the closing quip "Alla prossima!"

"B*tchn' Kitchen" wasn't just a silly cookery show that made the leap to television. It served up proper recipes and tips, and also allowed Giosia — via her alter ego Nadia G — to talk about everything from politics to her crush on Christian Bale. People across North America loved it, but by 2013, it had vanished from T.V. screens.

In the 2018 documentary "We Are the Menstruators," Nadia G offered a clue about the demise of "B*tchn' Kitchen." She said, "They started neutering it more and more and more," adding, "When I was making political jokes they didn't want to hear and if I use the word feminism they cut it out." Is the time ripe for it to come back to mainstream T.V.? Fans on social media seem to think so.

Many food programs in the United Kingdom in the 1990s were about restaurant-style cooking. In 1996, Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright drove a motorcycle and sidecar straight through that T.V. trend. Their cooking show "Two Fat Ladies" was unlike anything else.

Cameras followed the middle-aged pair – who until then were strangers – as they travelled around Britain, cooking food that made our arteries clang, and having a jolly good time while doing so. Paterson, a former private cook, and Dickson Wright, an ex-lawyer, were a hit with U.K. audiences, and the show was soon exported around the world, including the United States.

Devotees have fond memories of the show, which ended in 1999 following Paterson's death, and the senior women's antics. One Redditor remembered their "fingers smooshing a chicken liver or something through a wire mesh," while another called the presenters "my posh British aunties." Dickson Wright died in 2014, and while nobody could replace her or Paterson, enough time has passed to think about another duo dusting off that motorbike and sidecar.

Broadcasters often take foreign shows and create American versions of them, and 2005 series "Iron Chef America" is just one. Based on the Japanese phenom, two celebrity chefs raced to create a five-course meal, incorporating a secret ingredient, in just one hour. Although, as host Alton Brown told FoundationInterviews in 2012, a lot of preparation — from him and the participants — went into every intense episode.

"Iron Chef America" was compulsive viewing for millions, not least in 2017 when regular Bobby Flay wore a T-shirt with "This is my last Iron Chef battle ever" written on it. He later admitted it was a joke and "in hindsight, it was probably not the best decision," per People. Ironically, "Iron Chef America" was axed in 2018.

Six years later, the format was briefly resurrected. "Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend" popped up on Netflix, hosted by Brown and featuring Mark Dacascos as the chairman. Brown said he was "sick with jealousy," after hearing about the Netflix version, but getting on board was a no-brainer. "It meant removing myself from one network, but that was not a hard decision," he told Variety.

Cookery is often compared to science. After all, mixing up various elements, applying heat or cold, and testing the results sounds like something that happens in a lab. Between 1999 and 2012, Alton Brown took this concept and turned it into the much-loved series "Good Eats." He picked apart popular recipes to find out what made them tick, in ways that were engaging, educational, and wildly popular.

One Redditor dubbed it "the 'Bill Nye the Science Guy' of cooking shows," and devoted audiences were heartbroken when it ended. Then, in 2017, "Good Eats: The Return" made its debut on American screens, after Brown posted a teaser video. Fans were delighted, and Brown told Chris Fuhrmeister "It's been very, very well received," per Atlanta Magazine.

Sadly, even good things have to come to an end at some point. For "Good Eats: The Return," that came in 2021, and a Facebook announcement from Brown. "This is it folks... the big hurrah," he wrote. While Brown confirmed in a livestream that "Good Eats" wasn't coming back, that doesn't mean we don't miss the iconic series.

Knife chefs are a requirement for professional chefs. For this entertaining series, which ran from 2013 to 2017, they were used for stabbing competitors in the back — metaphorically speaking. Hosted by Alton Brown, "Cutthroat Kitchen" followed four chefs as they tried to out-cook and outwit their rivals, avoid elimination over a series of rounds, and win up to $25,000.

It was a hit with viewers but, in 2018, audiences were gutted when "Cutthroat Kitchen" came to an end. Social media users hoped it would return, with some insisting Brown was taking a break, rather than stepping down entirely. Sadly, a bombshell post from the star the same year proved that wasn't the case. "Cutthroat Kitchen got canceled. Sorry. #ProbablyMyFault," a photo of a sticky note said.

However, all was not lost for those looking to see it rebooted. During a livestream in February 2025, Brown acknowledged rumors that production was going to start on "Cutthroat Kitchen" again but he wouldn't be involved. Weeks later, "Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out" launched. Although the format was the same as the OG series, Brian Malarkey was the host.

The culinary world has served up some incredible personalities for each generation of viewer, from James Beard and Julia Child to Gordon Ramsay and much-loved star Guy Fieri. For audiences in 1968, it was Graham Kerr, better known as "The Galloping Gourmet."

Born in the United Kingdom, Kerr got his T.V. break in New Zealand, before being snapped up by an Australian broadcaster. Although "The Galloping Gourmet" was filmed in Canada, it was a worldwide smash — including in the United States. Each episode began with Kerr leaping over a chair clutching a glass of wine (his wife Treena came up with it) and female viewers in particular adored the blend of cooking tips, amusing stories, unexpected moments, and slightly saucy asides.

"The Galloping Gourmet" came to an abrupt end, after a 1971 road traffic accident that left Kerr too injured to cook. He presented other shows into the 1990s, but none had the same global impact. Treena died in 2015, but fans on social media marked Kerr's 91st birthday in January 2025. Is a new generation ready for a 21st-century GG?

Does every food show have to be just about cooking? Heck no, said the people who brought us "Food Detectives." Launched in 2008 and presented by Ted Allen, it sought to provide science-backed answers to a variety of questions about all things related to food. They included whether ginger could help with nausea, what meats really did taste like chicken, and whether it was safe to eat moldy cheese.

Unsurprisingly, many parents loved the show, with its child-friendly educational qualities. Critics were more reserved, suggesting that not all the questions posed by "Food Detectives" were worthy of answering, though they acknowledged subjects that were covered were genuinely interesting.

Fans were equally divided, with Allen's behavior putting some off. Sadly, "Food Detectives" ran for just two seasons, and the curtain came down in April 2009. However, we think there's still more mileage to be gained from this show.

Television shows often glamorize the culinary world: Perfect presenters in immaculate kitchens serving up beautiful food. Anyone working in the industry knows it's not like that at all. In order to shed light on the little-known aspects of the industry, presenter Adam Gertler rolled up his sleeves and got stuck in with the 2009 show "Will Work for Food."

Over a single season, the presenter tried keeping bees, farming clams, being a BBQ pitmaster, making jugs of cider, farming pheasants, and harvesting oysters, among many other tasks. Sometimes all Gertler risked was his dignity; other times he faced greater danger to give viewers an access-all-areas insight.

In the same year "Will Work for Food" aired, Gertler revealed that not all the experiences made it to the screen. Being a prison chef and foie gras preparer ended up on the cutting-room floor, but if the show came back with Gertler, he would only sidestep working on an oyster boat in the future. "A sack of oysters weighs between 100 and 120 pounds. Hauling those and stacking them five high — it was the one time I was like, 'When are we done with this?,'" per Philadelphia Magazine.

Learning to cook can be an intimidating exercise, with some recipes requiring more ingredients than most people have in their cupboards. Chef Claire Robinson sought to cut through all that with her daytime show "5 Ingredient Fix." It debuted in 2009 and ran for six seasons before coming to an end in 2011.

The episodes were as no-nonsense as the title implied, with recipes covering everything from fresh tuna salad and white pizza, to short ribs braised in red wine and poached pears served with a creamy, pecan sauce. In 2010, Robinson advised people to always have some Greek yogurt to hand (but these will do in a pinch) and revealed that if her friends couldn't identify all five ingredients in a recipe, the dish needed a tweak.

Fans loved the simplicity and straightforward delivery of "5 Ingredient Fix," with many of them rustling up the recipes Robinson demonstrated. A new generation of home cooks learning the ropes, or families looking to make savings on their grocery bill without resorting to junk would no doubt be delighted to see this show back on their screens.

What do you get if you assemble a gaggle of pro and amateur chefs, jostling for the chance to delight the palates of the disapproving Anthony Bourdain, sultry Nigella Lawson, Gallic chef Ludo Lefebvre, and host-judge hybrid Brian Malarkey?  Award-winning cookery competition "The Taste," of course. Call it the food version of "The Voice" with a dash of "Top Chef" thrown in for good measure, the show hit American T.V. screens in 2013, with Malarkey replaced by Marcus Samuelsson for the second and third series.

Unlike the British version, which featured Lawson, Lefebvre, and Bourdain, it was a huge hit. Viewers relished the tension of the blind taste test, while their heart strings were good and tugged by the contestants' personal journeys. The quartet of judges were supportive — well, at least Nigella was — but that wasn't the only quirk that set "The Taste" apart from other food competitions.

It also put professional chefs and amateur cooks on an equal footing. Critics were initially won over by the format and the sparkling panel, with each judge's personality bringing a different flavor to proceedings. Sadly "The Taste" was canceled in 2015 after the ratings nosedived. A reboot may be possible, but it would have to be without Bourdain, who sadly passed in 2018.