Best Food Shows on Discovery Plus

I cancelled my cable subscription last year, and one of the things I missed is wonderful food tv. So after going back and forth for awhile, I finally decided to sign up for Discovery Plus. And FINALLY. I had so many food shows to watch again. Some old favorites, and some new to me. Here are several to check out and watch yourselves if you have Discovery Plus and love food shows! Some of these can also be found on the brand new Magnolia Network!

The Lost Kitchen

The Lost Kitchen follows a chef and the restaurant she's created in Maine. Every year, people try to snag a dinner at the restaurant and the food looks innovative and delicious. The season follows her success and story and also adapting to pandemic times.

Why watch it?

The show is set in a gorgeous location in Maine, and the story is captivating. The whole show is shot beautifully and I find myself wanting to snag a future dinner at the restaurant so I can see it myself. Seems like a meal of a lifetime. It's also amazing to see how she pivots to all the challenges presented by the pandemic. So innovative, and honestly an inspiration to anyone faced with difficulty.

Bobby and Giada in Italy

Bobby Flay and Giada travel through some beautiful parts of Italy, cooking and eating along the way. This series has them visiting restaurants and also some locals to showcase the beauty of Italian food and cooking.

Why watch it?

This inspires such wanderlust and makes me feel like I'm walking the streets of Rome and visiting Tuscany right alongside them. This show feels like vacation, as they pop into some of their favorite spots as they walk along. The beautiful scenery and delicious-looking food make me want to go to Italy. NOW.

Giada in Italy

Giada shares recipes while cooking them up in different parts of Italy. This is a cooking-style show where Giada makes several recipes with the beautiful backdrop of Italy. As part of most episodes, she talks about her family's history in Italy and also takes a trip to a local spot.

Why watch it?

Giada in Italy brings together a cooking-style show with fantastic scenery. She makes recipes that look so delicious while also showcasing different Italian spots. I love all the seasons, but I love the episode in the first season where she cooks with citrus!

Magnolia Table

Magnolia Table is a cooking-style show starring Joanna Gaines (of Fixer Upper and Magnolia fame... and also the Hearth & Hand line at Target and the person who made shiplap famous and....). There are two seasons on Discovery+ and each episode has her making several recipes. She's in a beautiful kitchen, making food that tastes delicious and feels approachable.

Why watch it?

If you're a fan of Joanna Gaines and love her personality, you'll love this show. It showcases her charm and goofiness while she brings us along on her cooking journey. It's a beautifully shot show that is fun to watch and makes me want to make those recipes. (Also I've been to the Magnolia Silos in Waco and tasted the cupcakes at the bakery so I'm a fan of her cooking).

Tournament of Champions

If you love cooking competitions, this is the ultimate one. It pits big-name chefs against each other and challenges them with unique ingredient combinations. In each episode, a randomizer wheel is spun to determine the challenge for what the chefs need to cook. This is a bracket-style competition, where losing one round kicks you out completely.

Why watch it?

This is the ultimate in cooking competitions. If you want to watch experienced chefs compete, this is the show to watch. It's fun to see how they react and adapt to the ingredients and styles they need to incorporate. I liked watching chefs I knew from other shows, like Top Chef, Chopped, Iron Chef, etc. compete against each other.

I also have to say... I watched a few episodes of this show at my mom's house and wanted more, so this is what ultimately made me sign up for Discovery Plus. So I could watch the old and new seasons. I love this show.

Mary McCartney Serves it Up

Familiar with Paul McCartney? Yes, this show is hosted by his daughter, Mary. Each episode has her making a meal (in person or virtually) with a celebrity like Kate Hudson or Stanley Tucci. It's cooking-style where she shows how to make different dishes, but it's fun since it's sort of interview-style with another person too!

Why watch it?

Mary showcases some delicious-sounding vegetarian dishes. It's also so fun to see the celebrities on the show. She also has some unique mannerisms and it's a fun way to pretend like you're in London, making and enjoying a meal right alongside her. Mary, I want to cook with you one day!

Zoe Bakes

This show is unique to Discovery+ and at the time of me writing this post, there is only one episode available. However, it's beautifully shot, just like all of the Magnolia Network shows, and Zoe is engaging and bakes delicious treats.

Why watch it?

I want to be Zoe's friend after watching this show. I want her to make me delicious desserts and chat alongside her. I want to relax at her house. This show puts me in a good mood. I want more episodes, more Zoe, and more baking!

30 Minute Meals

Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals. Such a classic. Did you know this show started in 2001? It ran from 2001 to 2012. And then it was revived in 2019! Luckily, on Discovery+ you can watch (I think) ALL of the old seasons and new seasons!

Why watch it?

Rachael Ray makes meals that are approachable and tasty. Her show was one of the first I ever watched on the Food Network back in college, and I still love it. If you know the terms EVOO and "garbage bowl," this show is for you.

Chopped

My husband used to get tired of how much I would watch Chopped. Good news for him, we now have a tv in our bedroom so I can watch it in peace by myself and he can watch some action movie he enjoys on the living room tv. Win-win.

Why watch it?

Isn't there just something so fun about watching a bunch of chefs try to make dishes from random ingredients? I feel that way sometimes when I open my fridge and see leftovers inside. Also, it's fun to watch chefs always try to make ice cream in the dessert round with varying levels of success.

Family Dinner

This is a brand-new show, and I'm in love. Andrew Zimmern goes and visits a family and learns about their traditions while they cook and enjoy dinner. Sometimes it focus on cultural food, but really its all about gathering together.

Why watch it?

This show reminds me of why we gather together. Whether that be with our actual families or friends that feel like families, dinner sometimes is not just about the food. It's about the relationships and the experience. I love feeling like I've been invited over with Andrew to learn more about these families and their traditions and why they gather.

What are your favorites? Comment below and let us know what we should watch next!