Remember when you were young and your parents told you things like "cheaters never prosper"? Well, it's true. (All right, not all the time, but at least this time!) As TV Squad reported recently, Chef Robert Irvine, star of Food Network's Dinner: Impossible, has been hoist on his own petard. Now that the truth is out -- that he lied and padded his resume -- the network has dumped him. His fire has been extinguished. Dinner: Impossible will go on, but not with Chef Irvine as chief cook and chef extraordinaire. Food Network president Brooke Johnson said in a statement, "We appreciate Robert's remorse about his actions, and we can revisit this decision at the end of the production cycle, but for now we will be looking for a replacement host."
DI episodes with Robert will continue to air. No word on whether they'll be pulling the plug on the Season Four episodes he's currently filming. Also up in the air is that March episode of Chefography. That's FN's biography series. It would be a wee bit awkward to air an hour bio about the guy when it turns out that he's more fiction than fact.
Looking at the current crop of Food Network chefs, who could continue with the Dinner: Impossible franchise and pull it off? Bobby Flay is already doing a similar show, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and it's not really a Paula Deen kind of property. My choice would be Alton Brown, but AB is probably more interested in doing his own thing (which is why he's good at what he does!) How about Tyler Florence?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-04-2008 @ 9:52AM
gail said...
Uh, the Food network better hire some resume checkers!
this is the second time someone pulled one over on them
first, it was that contestant, now this guy
never liked him
if it was iIna Garten, then I'd be upset-ahaha
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3-04-2008 @ 10:55AM
Randy said...
It would be hilarious to watch Rachel Ray try to carry all the stuff under her chin for a Dinner Impossible.
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3-04-2008 @ 10:59AM
CRVBOY said...
He's a chef, not a nuclear physicist! So what if he "padded" his resume? Does it affect his cooking? Does it affect the program? No. Just use the new opening that's removed his "accomplishments" and leave it at that.
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3-04-2008 @ 11:05AM
michel said...
I couldn't be happier. Something about him bugged, and I could never bring myself to watch the show.
The thing is, he not only padded his résumé, he's also wanted for fraud in Florida.
As for DI, I don't know why, but I find the concept somewhat distasteful that some 'roid boy ponce jumps through contrived hoops to feed a few hundred people.
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3-04-2008 @ 12:34PM
chgosaint said...
Brooke Johnson said they were finishing this production cycle, so season 4 will be made in its entirety. I love that she states they will "revisit this decision at the end of the production cycle..." translation: IF he pulls good ratings, all is forgiven.
No one is accountable for any actions anymore...
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3-04-2008 @ 1:33PM
Oreo said...
Didn't someone else here do an article about this a few days ago?
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3-04-2008 @ 2:25PM
Robyn said...
New DI chef has to be some relative unknown, had anyone EVER seen Irvine on TV before DI? Probably one of the high finishing Next Food Network Star/Top Chef contestants, but not a winner (because they are so busy opening their world famous restaurants, oh, wait, has any of them? )
OR - how about Emeril - if rumor is right, he's about to lose his Emeril Live, he can try and cook for multitudes. Since everyone thinks he's the second coming in the klitchen he can do the loaves and fishes thing and give them all shrimp muffalettas.
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3-04-2008 @ 2:55PM
Stephen Opipari said...
Emeril has a new show starting on the upcoming Planet Green channel called Emeril Green. Supposed to be about organic food preparation and organic gardening, etc.
3-04-2008 @ 11:32PM
Oreo said...
You are really behind everything.
Emeril Live was not picked up by The Food Network, the last episode was December 18, 2007.
Next Food Network Star isn't about making a cafe or anything, it's about making a TV show, all of them have TV shows, Guy has a few now.
Top Chef is on Bravo, do you have any clue what you are saying?
3-04-2008 @ 3:09PM
Kate said...
It's too bad since I loved Dinner Impossible, but I guess if he really did lie about all that stuff then they sort of had to fire him. Although honestly, when I first read the story about the lies, I got the distinct impression that they were sort of just embellishments that got away from him.
I really can't think of who else besides Bobby Flay has the necessary personality to carry DI. And he's got so many other projects going right now, it's probably doubtful whether he'd be able to do it.
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3-04-2008 @ 10:22PM
Ryan said...
Mario Batali would probably be able to pull off something like DI. Of course that would require Food Network throwing him a bone after essentially pushing him off the network (aside from "Iron Chef America"). As good a personality Alton Brown is, I don't think he has the background and reserves to pull off DI.
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3-05-2008 @ 2:19PM
JoAnn said...
so what, he fibbed about a wedding cake, his show with him at the helm of dinner impossible makes it the best food show out there. I love him and his show and will not watch if someone else takes over. He's still a chef, no matter what he's made. Lets look into the shady pasts of the other chefs, maybe he should write a tell all book like those other money greedy chefs, like they dont make enough money on there restaurants and food shows, Come On, Give Robert a break!
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3-12-2008 @ 3:47PM
C. Rojas said...
Politicians lie all the time thats a known fact, what makes this any different, he knows how to cook, does it really matter what it said on his resume - the man can cook and that is all that matters.......
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3-12-2008 @ 4:19PM
clare stevenson said...
I am really sick of the food networks banal "chefs" that they repeat over and over again. Chef Irvine was a breath of fresh air on their program as opossed to Sandraaa, Inaaaa, and Rachealllllllllevoooooooooo! (Oh, and not to mention Giada's painfully overly ennunciated Italian words--ouch.) I could care less about his credentials, padded or not--He cooks with flair and expertise and is the model for what real cooks do. They rise to the occasion, do their job with whatever resources they have and make the mundane ingredients they have on hand elegant.
Mario Batali is probably way too busy to do this anymore.
AB is a scientist
Emeril is a clumsy-handed buffoon
and why can't we get professionals to do these shows--like real chefs!
It's like the elections, they always dig up dirt on worthy canidates.
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3-19-2008 @ 9:55PM
GG said...
This is not the government. If it were, Robert Irvine would be just fine. I would be sorry to see DI go. It is entertaining. That is the point. The Food Network is entertainment. When I want to really learn fine culinary techniques I turn to PBS. Julia, Lidia, et al are still the best teachers around. They will never get stale. Bobby and Alton are keepers. I love Ina, but its time to revamp, and I have learned to appreciate Giada ( Someone has to pull in the reins at FTV. Time to take stock of their mission, I think it was more than selling knives, books, CD's and aprons.
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3-26-2008 @ 1:21PM
peter said...
Oh please look at the Morons on the food network like Emeril , Bobby Flay, Guy fierie, Anthony Bourdan. Get rid of those idoits.Dont get rid of someone with personality and talent, like Robert Irvine.
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3-29-2008 @ 4:28PM
JJ said...
Obviously the man can cook. Not only can he cook he is able to satisfy large groups of people in a very short amount of time. So what if he carried the trays for the wedding cake for the prince and princess? He had a part in it didn’t he? Granted, it was not an integral part but a part nonetheless. I love how the masses instantly turn on someone like this. Save your venomous tongues for the druggies and rapist otherwise known as politicians.
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5-15-2008 @ 4:58AM
Gretchen Snider said...
My whole day just got ruined. I knew nothing about Robert being fired. I never miss DI, and think he's wonderful. This is just a TV show--he's not running for office. And for me, the worst part is replacing him with Symond. I can't stand his giggle, so will now stop watching DI completely. I suspect that a lot of other people dislike him, since he has had only one Iron Chef challenge, and his challenger was chosen for him.
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