The Naked Chef

By James Poniewozik

In the Food Network's gimmicky Iron Chef era, finding a simple cooking program on the channel is becoming as difficult as finding a video on MTV. For that, this high-profile launch is welcome, even if it's as precious and trendy as a truffle-emulsion foam. British superchef/pretty boy Jamie Oliver isn't actually naked--the title refers to his minimalist recipes--but his artfully disheveled, Prada-model looks probably didn't hamper his TV deal. To be fair, this gravy-boat dreamboat is professional and informative. But his languid preening, the jerky handheld camera and the Brit-pop sound track are enough to make you want to toss your biscotti.

--By James Poniewozik