Television cooking shows, once a staple of prime-time viewing, are losing their audience, and the cronut—a hybrid of croissant and donut—offers insight into why.
In recent times, cooking programs on TV have experienced a drop in viewership and cultural importance. Shows that previously attracted millions with famous chefs and complex cooking competitions are now finding it difficult to retain interest. This change indicates broader shifts in the ways people consume media, alongside changing perspectives on cuisine, innovation, and ease. The cronut craze, which captured global attention a decade ago, highlights the impact of culinary fads and social networks on contemporary dietary patterns, surpassing what TV can solely achieve. Cronuts symbolize more than a dessert; they demonstrate how novelty, instant satisfaction, and shareable moments have transformed culinary culture, explaining the decline in appeal for traditional cooking shows.
The ascent and decline of television cooking shows
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 shift 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.
Cronuts represent a broader trend in how people experience food. Consumers increasingly value uniqueness, visual appeal, and the ability to share culinary experiences digitally. This focus on novelty has shifted attention away from traditional instructional cooking content, toward dynamic, bite-sized, and interactive forms of culinary entertainment. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube provide platforms where viewers can engage directly with trends, try recipes at home, and participate in challenges—activities that traditional cooking shows cannot fully accommodate.
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.
Social media and the democratization of food 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.
Additionally, the rise of digital platforms encourages creativity and risk-taking. Unlike television networks, which must adhere to strict programming guidelines, social media allows culinary creators to experiment freely, test ideas rapidly, and respond to audience feedback instantly. This iterative, interactive approach has reshaped how people perceive food and entertainment, leaving traditional cooking shows struggling to maintain relevance.
Rethinking the future of culinary 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.