Assignment

In this research paper I will discuss the role and significance of the media in relation to the changes that take place in eating habit of people and what is the pros and cons of such programs on TV. The firs thing that can be noticed is that there are Celebrity Chefs in many program and these chefs has an important role in changing eating habit.

Cookery programmes have generated great interest amongst the public, and are shown at peak times throughout the day. Nevertheless it must be emphasised that although there is a greater interest in the programmes, consumers are cooking less than ever before, therefore showing a paradox. This questions whether such programmes actually train people on how to cook or whether they are more for entertainment intentions.

Riely (1996) researched that only a small %age of people who watch cookery programmes learnt from them. It was as well determined that one in five people engaged with the cookery on a practical level, and merely one in seven purchased a new ingredients after watching a cookery show. This shows that although celebrity chefs are in the position to affect culinary culture, their impacts on consumer's looks to be marginal.

Ruhlman (1997) points out those celebrity chefs have demystified cooking and introduced consumers to a whole new range of foods. he has the opinion that celebrity chefs might entice viewers to be excited by the recipes and influence them to buy new ingredients, Nevertheless they don't look to be intriguing consumers to actually involve themselves practically with the cooking. Researches explains that through celebrity chefs, consumers have learnt that cooking could be fun and creative, Nevertheless whether they actually learn to cook or have the time to do so, is another matter.

Chmelynski (2000) emphasise that over the years attitudes to food have changed noticeably and busy lifestyles for instance, have meant there are now pots of people 'eating on the hoof' and 'grazing' hence less people want to cook at home. This concerns well to Chmelynski (2000) finding that the United Kingdom has the worst diet in Europe (most obese) and some people believe that television more than any other medium is influencing the food eaten. In this way, celebrity chefs are having negative impact on culinary culture. Rather than educating consumers, they are de-skilling them and promoting them to purchase convenience products for instance the kinds of meals they might ...