Great Chefs is a franchise of cooking show

Cooking show

A TV cooking show is a television program that presents the preparation of food, in a kitchen on the studio set. The host of the show, often a celebrity chef, prepares one or more dishes over the course of the show, taking the viewing audience through the food's preparation showing all...

s and cookbook

Cookbook

A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...

s that began with thirteen half hour programs produced for the American Public Broadcasting Service

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

 entitled Great Chefs of New Orleans. Later series include Great Chefs of San Francisco, Great Chefs of the West, Great Chefs: The Louisiana New Garde, Great Chefs of the East, Great Chefs Great Cities, Great Chefs of Hawaii, Great Chefs of the Caribbean, and Great Chefs of the South, many with their own companion cookbooks.

During the late 1990s, the Great Chefs franchise moved to the Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...

, which began the production of two different programs entitled Great Chefs of America and Great Chefs of the World.

Unlike other cooking shows, the Great Chefs programs are recorded entirely in professional kitchens rather than production studios. The Great Chefs website says "Great Chefs is the only cooking technique television series". The program usually consists of the preparation of three dishes, prepared by professional chefs with little or no showmanship and with clear, precise instructions. Similar in this respect was the Discovery Channel program World Class Cuisine

World Class Cuisine

World Class Cuisine is an American television program created by Jason Vogel and Arna Vodenos and co-produced by the Discovery Channel between 1993 to 1997 featuring the talents of professional chefs from around the globe. John Kavanaugh was a camera man for the show's duration and directed part...

, which began production after the Great Chefs series.

The program was produced by John Shoup in New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...

, and taped on location around the world. The television series boasts 700 episodes and 3,000 dishes and featured chefs such as Alain Passard

Alain Passard

Alain Passard is a French chef and owner of the three star restaurant L'Arpège in Paris.The son of musicians, Passard is also passionate about music, playing the saxophone. He recently released his first book, Les Recettes des Drôles de Petites Bêtes, a recipe book written especially for children...

, Alfredo Ayala

Alfredo Ayala

Alfredo Ayala is an internationally recognized chef, having been featured on the television program Great Chefs and celebrity judge on television programs such as Top Chef. He trained with Eric Ripert, chef of Le Bernardin in New York.-References:...

, Emeril Lagasse

Emeril Lagasse

'Emeril John Lagasse is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, and cookbook author. A regional James Beard Award winner, he is perhaps most notable for his Food Network shows Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril as well as catchphrases such as “Kick it up a notch!” and...

, Jacques Torres

Jacques Torres

Jacques Torres, known as “Mr. Chocolate,” is a master pastry chef. Torres is a prominent member of the FCI community, leading the Pastry Arts as well as holding pastry demonstrations.- Biography :...

, Jean-Philippe Maury

Jean-Philippe Maury

Jean-Philippe Maury is an award-winning pastry chef who grew up in Perpignan in the south of France.-Biography:At the age of 17, Maury started his training in pastry at L’Ecole Hôtelière du Moulin à Vent and later went on to complete his Master’s studies at La Chambre de Métiers in Perpignan,...

, Eric Ripert

Eric Ripert

Eric Ripert is a chef, author and television personality specializing in modern French cuisine and renowned for his work with seafood. His flagship restaurant, Le Bernardin, located in New York City, is routinely ranked among the best restaurants in the world by Restaurant magazine's and S...

, Mark Miller

Mark Miller

Mark Miller may refer to:* Mark Miller , television actor and producer, father of Penelope Ann Miller* Mark Miller , American football quarterback...

, Raymond Blanc

Raymond Blanc

Raymond Blanc OBE is a French chef, born in Besançon, France. Today he is one of the Britain's most respected chefs. Blanc is the owner and chef at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, a hotel-restaurant in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England. The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scored 9/10 in the...

, Richard Chamberlain, Rick Tramonto

Rick Tramonto

Richard Michael "Rick" Tramonto is a Chicago chef and cookbook author. He is executive chef and partner in Tru, a contemporary fine-dining restaurant from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.-Biography:...

, Robert Hughes

Robert Hughes

-Politicians:*Robert Hughes, Baron Hughes of Woodside , British Labour politician, MP for Aberdeen North*Robert Gurth Hughes , British Conservative politician, MP for Harrow West-Sportsmen:*Robert Hughes , of Stamford FC...

, and Steve Young

Steve Young

Steve Young is an American football quarterback.Steve Young may also refer to:*Steve Young , country music singer, songwriter and guitarist*Steve Young , industrial rock music songwriter and guitarist...

.