Television culinary programs, which used to be a mainstay of evening entertainment, are seeing a decline in viewership, and the cronut—an amalgamation of croissant and donut—provides an understanding of the reasons behind this trend.
In recent years, traditional TV cooking shows have seen a noticeable decline in ratings and cultural relevance. Programs that once drew millions of viewers, featuring celebrity chefs and elaborate culinary challenges, are now struggling to maintain engagement. This shift reflects broader changes in how audiences consume content, as well as evolving attitudes toward food, creativity, and convenience. The cronut phenomenon, which took the world by storm a decade ago, exemplifies how culinary trends and social media influence modern eating habits in ways that television alone can no longer capture. Cronuts represent more than a pastry; they illustrate how novelty, instant gratification, and shareable experiences have reshaped food culture, highlighting why traditional cooking shows are losing their luster.
The rise and fall of TV culinary programming
Cooking shows emerged as a dominant genre in the 1990s and 2000s, combining entertainment, education, and aspirational lifestyles. Programs like Iron Chef, Barefoot Contessa, and MasterChef captivated viewers with their dramatic competitions, high-stakes challenges, and charismatic hosts. These shows offered both inspiration and instruction, encouraging audiences to experiment in their kitchens while indulging in the excitement of televised drama.
However, the format that once guaranteed viewers has started to feel dated. Audiences crave interactivity, immediacy, and relatability—qualities that traditional TV struggles to provide. Long-form episodes with scripted tension no longer hold attention in an era dominated by social media, short-form video, and on-demand streaming platforms. Modern viewers prefer platforms where they can engage with content at their own pace, comment, share, and even recreate recipes in real-time. The one-way communication of traditional cooking shows cannot compete with the dynamic, participatory culture of digital media.
The television format often lacks the spontaneity and authenticity that contemporary audiences seek. Viewers are drawn to personalities and trends that feel approachable, interactive, and visually stimulating—qualities that social media influencers and viral culinary videos often provide more effectively than network television. As a result, cooking shows are increasingly seen as formulaic, predictable, and disconnected from the fast-evolving world of food culture.
Cronuts and the transformation in culinary culture
The cronut’s rapid ascent highlights a crucial reason for the decreasing popularity of TV cooking programs: today’s culinary world is driven by novelty and the ability to quickly share experiences. Created by Dominique Ansel in New York City in 2013, the cronut merged the traits of a croissant with those of a donut, resulting in an eye-catching confection. Its popularity was propelled not only by flavor but also by its photogenic quality, scarce availability, and widespread social media attention. Queues at bakery doors and widely shared online images generated a sense of urgency and exclusivity that television programs, bound by scheduled airtimes and consistent formats, fail to emulate.
El fenómeno de los cronuts ilustra una tendencia más amplia en la manera en que las personas disfrutan de la comida. Los consumidores cada vez aprecian más la originalidad, el atractivo visual, y la capacidad de compartir experiencias culinarias en formato digital. Este énfasis en lo novedoso ha movido el interés de los contenidos tradicionales de cocina instructiva hacia formas dinámicas, breves e interactivas de entretenimiento culinario. Instagram, TikTok y YouTube ofrecen plataformas donde los espectadores pueden involucrarse directamente con las tendencias, probar recetas en casa y participar en desafíos, actividades que los programas de cocina convencionales no pueden satisfacer completamente.
Moreover, the cronut phenomenon highlights a shift in food as a cultural experience rather than purely sustenance or technique. Audiences are drawn to foods that tell a story, evoke emotion, or spark conversation. Social media amplifies this effect, turning limited-edition pastries into cultural moments and influencing culinary trends on a global scale. In contrast, television shows, with rigid schedules and controlled production, struggle to create the immediacy and virality that modern audiences crave.
The role of social media in the democratization of culinary content
The decline of TV cooking shows is closely tied to the rise of social media, where content is democratized and participation is encouraged. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have transformed the way people discover, share, and engage with recipes. Short, visually engaging videos offer quick satisfaction and a sense of accessibility that traditional cooking shows rarely provide. Audiences no longer wait for a weekly episode—they can explore a continuous stream of trends, tutorials, and innovations at any time.
This shift has also altered the role of the chef in popular culture. While television chefs were once authoritative figures, social media influencers and home cooks now hold significant sway, creating peer-driven communities of culinary experimentation. Engagement metrics, likes, shares, and comments now determine popularity, rather than broadcast ratings. The cronut, as a viral sensation, exemplifies this new paradigm: its appeal was amplified by user-generated content, online reviews, and social sharing rather than traditional media promotion.
Moreover, the advent of online platforms fosters innovation and encourages boldness. In contrast to TV broadcasters that must follow rigid programming standards, social networks enable culinary artists to explore freely, quickly try out concepts, and rapidly adjust based on viewer reactions. This dynamic, engaging method has transformed the public’s view on food and entertainment, making it challenging for conventional cooking programs to remain pertinent.
Reevaluating the future of gastronomic entertainment
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The cronut and other viral food crazes teach us a significant lesson: culinary shows need to evolve to fit today’s consumption patterns. Viewers now favor innovation, involvement, and interactive content over traditional teaching methods. Cooking programs that do not incorporate social media, brief content, and interactive experiences may continue to lose relevance. Stations should reconsider their approaches, possibly by merging digital channels, promoting viewer interaction, or showcasing food as a visual and communal experience rather than solely instructional content.
Some networks have experimented with hybrid approaches, combining traditional programming with interactive online components, live-streamed tutorials, and social media engagement. These experiments suggest that there is still a place for television-based culinary entertainment—but only if it evolves to meet contemporary demands. The key is to leverage the immediacy and interactivity that audiences now expect while retaining the storytelling, suspense, and expertise that make professional culinary content compelling.
The decline of TV cooking shows is less a failure of content than a reflection of changing audience behaviors and cultural trends. The cronut phenomenon illustrates how novelty, shareability, and digital engagement have reshaped food culture, emphasizing immediacy, aesthetics, and participation. Television networks and culinary content creators must recognize these shifts to remain relevant. By embracing new formats, interactive experiences, and the social dimensions of food, culinary entertainment can continue to thrive, even in an age dominated by short-form digital content and viral sensations.
