Heat Seekers – Great New Show or Gotta Go?
Food Network has taken the leap. They’re the first network to air a show dedicated exclusively to spicy food. “Heat Seekers” is a new spicy show that features Aaron Sanchez and Roger Mooking traveling the country looking for spicy food, and attempting spicy eating challenges. Wait, some of that isn’t true. Food Network wasn’t the first network to take the leap, it was actually Cooking Channel.
All that is basically fact. Now let’s get to my opinion, & why I think this show has GOTTA GO!
First of all, I knew about this show a LONG time ago. I was contacted by a producer from High Noon Entertainment in September of last year asking for my help with some problems they were having. Emails were exchanged, and I ultimately declined to help them. Why? The producer had the balls to tell me that he was familiar with our video concept (that we’re trying to get on TV) Spicy RV, and that “Spicy RV is definitely a source of inspiration” for their show. Oh, gee, thanks…
Obviously being virtually pimp slapped was a major factor as to why I never watched or publicized the show when it was on Cooking Channel. I never expected it to become a series, and I couldn’t have dreamed it would move to Food Network! OK, back to reality. Heat Seekers is on Food Network, and its future is up in the air. Now here’s the question to ponder, “Is Heat Seekers a quality show that accurately represents the fiery foods world?”
My answer is HELL NO. Now I know what you’re probably saying… “He’s just bitter because they got on the air first.” Nah, I would be bitter if their show was good, but in my opinion it’s not. I’m basing that opinion on one segment of one show, and I couldn’t bear to watch anymore after that.
Don’t get me wrong, any program that shows love to the spicy world is bound to have some good points. Roger Mooking has great energy, and seems to be willing to eat almost anything spicy. The show also gives positive publicity to the restaurants they visit. Unfortunately the cons outweigh the pro by a landslide.
The landslide starts with Aaron Sanchez, who either doesn’t have anything resembling a personality, or doesn’t really enjoy ultra spicy stuff. He looked tired, bored, and basically uninterested throughout the segment. In fact, Roger had to grab a slice of habanero and put it back on the fork for Aaron when they were sampling a dish because Aaron obviously didn’t want to eat it. The fiery fails continues with their eating challenges. Not one of the eating challenges they attempt is published on Eat Feats, which happens to be the largest eating challenge database online. The heat hits rock bottom with the fact that they don’t get into the heart and soul of fiery foods; people, products, and peppers. There are so many brilliant culinary minds, pheNOMenal products, and let’s not forget the art and science of growing chiles. Have they even used the word capsaicin on that show?
Why am I sharing all of this? Good question. These guys are on the verge of killing OUR chance at a show. You see, Hollywood is VERY simple. If a show succeeds, then every network wants one. A perfect example; how many cake shows are on the air today? Exactly! Too many. Heat Seekers are giving chileheads a bad name! Therefore, we have to take things into our own hands.
We’ll be starting a campaign in the coming days to get a REAL spicy show on the air. We’re prepared to do whatever it takes, and we have some of the biggest names in fiery food backing us. How can you help? Start spreading the word! Like this article, like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to us on YouTube, and SHARE SHARE SHARE! We’ll be putting out a viral quality video very soon that will challenge the internet to help us take this bad boy to the next level, and the internet will be rewarded… with piquant pain. We’re going all out to bring spicy entertainment to the masses! Join us, so the rest of the world can EAT MORE HEAT!
I think this is a very fair summary of the show. I agree with your fiery mission & will support your goals.
First let me say that I think you have pegged the shows production errors and the show could use some help. however the average watcher has no background in the Fiery Foods industry.
Since I run a Hot Sauce shop, let me offer another view. 90% of our customers are “heat seekers” and not “chiliheads”. Therefore alothough someone does not want to eat a habanero it does not mean they do not want heat. It is my experiance that only a small portion of people can actually eat super hots.
Any show that promotes spicy foods deserves a chance (two episodes at least). Instead of a campain to get them off the air why not a campain to introduce the producers and writers to the REAL Fiery Foods industry (the one that is friendly and welcomes new people)
You Go Girl!
Adrienne,
First of all, let me thank you for visiting the site, and let me say we love comments from new chileheads! I wouldn’t really call this a campaign. We’re not asking for people to demand that Heat Seekers be cancelled. There’s no petition or election. This post is more about letting people know that Heat Seekers is selling the industry short, and there are better ideas/people out there. If this show gets cancelled, it could be months or even years before a network will take a chance on another spicy show. We just want to show the demand is there for the right concept, and not to use Heat Seekers as the barometer for interest. Actually it would benefit everyone if the show succeeds, and the whole reason I watched it was in the hopes I could support it. Unfortunately that wasn’t possible. Sites like ours, Scott’s, and Brian’s introduce and welcome new people to our world all the time! However Roger and Aaron aren’t in our world. Roger used to have an exotic foods show, and Aaron writes cookbooks and owns restaurants. They’re outsiders that are doing a terrible job of painting the piquant picture.
James,
I can totally understand your point. I love both yours and Scott’s sites and what guys like you contribute. I have been in this industry for 17 years. I remember a time at age 20 when this industry didn’t let people in, it was tight-knit and mostly men who called me sweetie and little girl, THANK GOD THAT CHANGED!. I love this industry and what it is but, and don’t get me wrong, our way is not the only way.
I have come to really lose respect for Heat Seekers after going to one of the restaurants on the show (Lucky Devils) and trying their “Diablo” sauce and discovering that it’s not hot at all! We actually sent it back twice asking the waiter to “Make me cry!” He told us the chef added 6 habaneros and still, we couldn’t taste anything. Tabasco is hotter, I kid you not.
Aaron and Roger obviously fake some (if not all) of their reactions. There’s no two ways about it.
Obvious fakers! You’re right Ms. G. My wife and I went to Heaven on Seven in Chicago and tried their Voodoo Pasta as advertised on Heat Seekers and it wasn’t spicy nor was it even tasty. I ate less than half, brought the rest home and added a little heavy cream, fresh parmesan and habaneros and it was ON! Too bad I can make their dish taste better than they can.
I truly enjoy heat seekers. The two chefs have great chemistry and I can’t wait until the next episode. Don’t hate.
If they have great chemistry, then they should have a show about food they can actually eat.
This entire show is a fake, based on the Philadelphia episode – I live in Philadelphia. Here’s a breakdown of the three places they visited and what they ate:
Campo’s “The Heater” – A simple buffalo steak. It isn’t very hot at all. Its no hotter than a buffalo chicken steak from any corner deli in town.
Monsu – The item reviewed in the show is not available on their menu.
Q BBQ – The item reviewed in the show is not available on their menu.
They skipped ACTUALLY hot foods here in the city, like Monk’s Cafe’s Spanish Flies, or Jake’s Sandwich Board’s Ghost Chili Steak. I guess they didn’t pay Food Network enough to get featured.
So, yeah, the entire show is a joke.