5 Cooking Shows You Aren't Watching, But Should Be

If you're a casual viewer of cooking shows, you might think that they're all the same: Someone stands in front of a camera, stirs some things in a bowl, puts it in the oven, then presents it on a platter and says "Voila!." But in reality there are some truly spectacular cooking shows out there, hosted by some legendary chefs and cooking instructors, and if you're not watching them you're missing out. Here are five.

'Avec Eric'
Eric Ripert is the chef at New York's legendary Le Bernardin, and on this show the personable French chef travels the world gathering inspiration through various cuisines. The show airs on PBS, but you can also find full episodes online.

'America's Test Kitchen'/ 'Cook's Country'
America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country may have lost their north star with the recent departure of host Christopher Kimball (he'll still be on every new episode until the end of 2016), but the format of the shows — demonstrating recipes developed by some of the country's most skilled recipe testers, conducting taste tests, and doing side-by-side product reviews — won't change, and it'll be as irresistible and authoritative as ever. Episodes can be seen weekly on public television.

'Simply Ming'
Public television is also the home of Ming Tsai, an early Food Network star who's one of the country's most authoritative voices on Asian cuisine. On this show, he prepares dishes with his signature Asian flare (with a heavy dose of creativity), often alongside respected guest chefs.

'Brunch at Bobby's'
Flay is in fine form in Brunch at Bobby's, his only current "stand and stir"-style show, which airs on Cooking Channel on weekend mornings. Each show's theme is different, but it always revolves around cooking delicious brunch dishes (and cocktails), and a low-key, casual Flay is an ideal companion while relaxing on a lazy weekend.

'Luke Nguyen's France'
Airing on Cooking Channel on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. is Luke Nguyen's France, in which this Australian chef travels through France discovering classic, little-known French family recipes and cooking his own interpretations in some surprising settings.