My top 10 favorite cooking shows

So i'm going a bit off the normal submitting recipes topic that i normally do and before i start forgive me for my grammar (im shocking, i know! but isn't that what blogging is for?). 

I want to share with you one of my food obsessions.... 

COOKING SHOWS!!!

I am utterly and completely obsessed with cooking shows, and i mean obsessed! My close friends know that when they come to my house i either have the tv playing masterchef, have the great british menu on my laptop playing or a random show streaming on my galaxy tablet. Either way as long as i have some sort of food fix during my day i will stay sain ( having a 3yr old and 6mth old life gets rather hectic).

As i've never had any formal training everything i have ever learnt has either been from watching a screen or reading a book. From jamie oliver to mary berry and all the cooks and chefs between, i always learn something new to do with food and to me that is what makes me happy and content.

I wanted to share with you my top 10 cooking shows i have either watched or am watching at the moment (majority of them are competitions i've realised but i do watch them for the food, promise!).

10. The Next Food Network Star 
       This cooking competition allows 10 chefs a chance to compete in a series of challenges to get their own tv show on the food network. I am addicted to this show, i have only seen 2 seasons so far but it shows how hard it is to put your cooking and personality to screen.
 
9. Iron Chef America
    Chefs from all around the world (including a few good aussie chefs) go to a place called kitchen stadium to compete in a 1hr battle/challenge to which they have use a specific item, eg. fish, eggs or a theme like bbq. The competitor goes against an iron chef to deliver 5 dishes to a panel of judges and who ever reins supreme wins.

8. Top Chef
     Another show where chefs battle it out against each other to win a load of prizes. I have been watching this series for many years and i love all the different types of food they cook (even though i could prob never cook it). Each week they do challenges judged by a panel and someone goes home until the last remaining chef wins.

7. My Kitchen Rules (Australia and UK)
    The most controversial cooking show on telly in oz. Teams of 2 compete against each other to create menus to show off to Pete Evans (that paleo guy) and Manu ( ooh la la). The first few round are the instant restaurant rounds and then into kitchen HQ. It can sometimes be a bit boring as they have the certain teams you hate (The bitchy divas) but i watch this because they cook damn yummy dishes. I just overlook the nastiness.

6. Masterchef USA
     We all know the masterchef franchise. How could you not its HUGE! i only watch this one as well as the oz one because i love to see the difference in culture and the americans cook some delicious food! 

5. Jamie and Jimmy's Food Fight Club 
    If you want to watch a cooking show with a difference this is it! Jamie Oliver and his best mate Jimmy  Doherty cook amazing food, travel round the uk doing challenges (saving ugly veg) and challenge other countries produce against the brits! Its funny, interesting and really makes you want to eat everything they cook.

4. Food Fighters
    Man vs Food host Adam Richman hosts this show about a home cook (just like us) with their signature dishes against some of america's most talented professional chefs. Each time they win a challenge they get money in the kitty. Beat all 5 and they walk away with 100k!

3. The Great British Menu
     Chefs from all around the UK and Ireland compete against each other to get a dish onto the banquet menu. The banquet this year (2015) is for the Women's Institute Centenary. Im highly addicted to this show because it shows different techniques i'd really like to try at home.

2. The Great British Bake Off
     12 Bakers are set 3 challenges each week by Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry to compete to win star baker. Each week a person goes home and star baker is crowned. Last man or woman standing wins. This show is where i get inspiration from for my baking. Flavor and things like a tennis cake that i've never heard of  before, but am so intrigued to try. The australian version is almost about to start and i cannot wait.

1. Masterchef Australia
   My ultimate cooking show! i have very fond memories of watching masterchef at 2am when my daughter was born. It made night feeds so much more fun! The Australian one is so much better than any other countries masterchef i've seen. Not only do our aussies cook much more impressive dishes but there is always a sense of family and friendship. I would love to apply for Masterchef but at the moment with my 2 rugrats i just couldn't, one day i wil! 

so as you can you can tell... competition shows seem to take my fancy. But i always watch a show for the food and not the actual competition. Inspiration can be found anywhere and for me seeing food visually is what appeals to me most.

What shows do you watch? I'd love to watch shows i've never heard of before.