Thursday, November 03, 2005

Who in the World is Robin Miller?

I've been seeing quite a few promos on Food Network for Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller. It appears to be in the same vein as 30 Minute Meals and Semi-Homemade Cooking. I'm of the opinion that Rachael Ray and Sandra Lee are holding down the fort quite nicely when it comes to quick 'n' easy cooking and Food Network should find themselves a qualified chef for a vegetarian cooking show.

At any rate, Robin Miller seems normal enough in the promos, but a friend of mine saw the premiere episode the other day and reports that Ms. Miller 1) has some questionable sanitation standards involving poultry and 2) has Crazy Eyes, a la the Runaway Bride.



I probably won't be able to catch her show till the weekend so this afternoon I did some Googling to try to find more about this mysterious Robin Miller. She is strangely absent from FoodNetwork.com's Host and Celebrity Cooks page, but a short bio is listed on Food Network's Ad Sales website:

Robin Miller has 12 years of experience as a food writer and nutritionist. She earned a master’s degree in Food and Nutrition from New York University. Currently, she is Contributing Editor for Health and Cooking Light magazines and has regular features in many national publications. Miller is also the author of six books, including: Picnics (Clarkson Potter, 2005), Verdure (Clarkson Potter, 2001), The Newlywed Cookbook (Sourcebooks, 1999), The Daily Soup (Hyperion, 1999), Jane Fonda, Cooking for Healthy Living (Turner, 1996), and The Newlywed Cookbook (R&E Publishers, 1991). She currently lives in Arizona with her family.

Her books are listed on Amazon under the name Robin Vitetta-Miller, and it looks like they carry most of them. She has written quite a bit for Shape magazine, too.

It seems Robin Miller has the credentials, but is her show any good?

21 comments:

Stephanie said...

I think her show is cute. She did a slow cooker show that I enjoyed. She's not really into cooking healthy, per se. I'm burnted out on R. Ray and I don't even watch "Semi-Homeade" (shudder). It's a nice change, her show. I warn you: she uses cream of celery soup. LOL!

Anonymous said...

Food sanitation issues is a mild way of putting it...she's a public health nightmare with raw chicken.

JordanBaker said...

She terrifies me. Once I'm able to put it into words, I may have to tackle her as a subject.

Laura said...

This show is appallingly bad. Robin is unwatchable. Her meals are attrocious. And to the dietician, yes, Robin is "less indulgent with calories". It is apparent that she is at war with calories to an unhealthy extent. I LOVE watching food network chefs but even I have a limit.

Anonymous said...

When you handle raw chicken whether it's for TV or not, you MUST wash your hands and any other implement (cutting boards, knives, spoons, etc.) that has touched the raw chicken. Otherwise everything that you or your implements come into contact with is now contaminated.

All it takes for you to come down with a raging case of food poisoning or salmonella is one unwashed knife.

She's bad with the raw pork too.

Jan said...

I just started watching Robin Miller and I love her show, especially her slow cooker ones. She's bright, entertaining and her meals are easy to make and good. With having a family she knows the importance of time and using it wisely.

Her new cookbook is coming out this month; I can't wait to get it!!!!

Shahriar75 said...

I really like Robin Miller's show. In fact I tape it everyday. I think she is an awesume cook and her tips are great. I have started to prep ingredients on the weekend, and find that really helps out in the weekdays. I also like the way she says, "some for the plate, some for the cutting board, some for my mouth". She is extremely entertaining.

The Broards said...

I don't think Robin looks like the Runaway Bride, but I hate her show. She always suck her lips when she speaks---like Hannibal Lechter saying "fava beans."
Plus she uses prechopped garlic from a jar! That stuff is awful and I don't care how busy you are, you can chop a fresh garlic clove.

While I'm on the subject I think Sandra Lee ought to be shot! She goes on and on about Miss Stephanie, her neice and must spend four hundred dollars each show on her "fabulous tablescapes." BARF. Lee mixes cinnamon with Cool Whip and then "takes all the credit." GAG

Verve.IS.served said...

I think everyone here should be ashamed of themselves. Some of you are bashing on here like there's no tomorrow. I like her show because her dishes are easy and healthy. She's not all about calories- Ellie Krieger is. They're both nutritionists, and they're in great shape, why? Because they're taking care of themselves and they give you several ideas on their shows to help you eat healthier. I found a video of Robin Miller online and she says, you don't HAVE to use low fat products in the recipes, if you don't want to. She gives you a choice.

EndoPush said...

I think BOTH Robin Miller and the run-away-bride.... should see an Endocrynologist (I work for one) about their swollen Thyroid gland in their photos!! This could well have some reasoning behind their current issues that are making their eyes HUGE and their throats swollen!! As well as... their presumed strange behavior. Chicken or not... LOL!

anna said...

I don't like her show at all or her food. It is bland and unappetizing. I think Food Network is a sellout - nothing like it used to be years ago. It's all about entertainment now, not food. I think Robin Miller looks gaunt and way too thin - her bones stick out in her neck, chest area. It actual disturbs me to watch her; she's pale and just looks unhealthy to me. Does she eat?

Jesse said...

She's a lousy cook and has absolutely no passion for what she's doing. What a bore.

Unknown said...

I love her down to earth recipes. I have enjoyed the few that I've tried. She had a severe case of crazy eyes first couple of episodes. But has since adjusted to lights. cameras. etc. She has since become my favorite f/n star.

diane said...

The Food Network fails again with Robin Miller. I realize the targeted demographic for their shows is the 17 to 26 year old male (I am much older) but, honestly, the only show I am able to watch is Tyler Florence's Food 911. He is a natural teacher who is absolutely passionate about his food. PBS has fabulous cooking shows on the weekends. Because Robin Miller moves so quickly, she becomes mechanical. I agree that her food recipes are boring. I know what you mean about the "eyes." I think it is directly related to how painfully thin she is. The Food Network is so lame!!

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOD THIS WOMAN HA HUGE HORSE TEETH. THOSE TEETH HAVE TO BE CAPPED. EVEN WHEN SHE SMILES BIG YOU CAN'T SEE HER GUMLINE AND THE TINY BIT I HAVE SEEN IS BLACK INDICATING CAPS. AAAAAAAA YUK MAN I CAN'T WATCH AHYMORE. I LOVE GIADA, THE MUSIC, LIGHTING AND CAMERA ANGLES LEND THEMSELVES TO SOFT FOOD PORN. FABULOUS!

unkwoman said...

Have you all noticed she doesn't really try her food? She doesn't enjoy food and her emmaciated body shows it. She is a FAKE!

cali said...

OMG! You people need to grow up! Bashing on poor Robin Miller! What are you,supermodels or perfection?!As far as the poultry thing; Heck,take a good look at Emeril,he's no sanitation freak! He joked about eating undercooked pork, for crying out loud, and I watched, as in 2 different episodes he did not wash(not even a token attempt)his hands after handling meat. Although I used to watch, I'm finding it harder to watch Emeril. The audience clapping whenever he says the word "garlic" is pretty ridiculous; then there are the sounds he makes.The sounds one should only make in the privacy of one's own bedroom.....Ohhh Baaby

The Salty Swine said...

I think anyone in favor of any of these food network shows targeting the busy home cook need to go to their library and get a cook book. These shows are nauseating. Snadra, Rachel, Robin Miller, Sunny, and the Nealy's all suck. Not one of these "personalities" has any skill, technique, or even basic sanitation practices that any novice home cook should adopt. Food network use to be about profesionals teaching home cooks standards in practice and technique. The new "tits with tongs" concept is really confusing the public with what is simple in basic in cooking. The truly informative shows fro yesteryear are no longer available (Cooking Live, Malto Mario, How to Boil Water, Taste ect..) but there are still some gems on the network that can still be informative and not kill you and your family with bad sanitation practices (Good Eats, Easy Entertaining, and Tyler's Ultimate to mention a few). I just watched Robin Miller tell me that caramalizing means to soften. The last time I checked, that was sweating. Caramalizing is to slowly develope the natural sugars from your ingredient. Now, some might say that it isn't a big deal but if your recipe calls for for "caramalized onions" and you learned this from Miller , then your whole dish is screwed. I am just tired of personality over proffesionalism. And prepping your food in advance is common practice in any kitchen. This retard did not invent that.

If anyone needs good ideas for home cooking I urge you to seek out resources other than daytime tv. Your library has tons of great books, the Internet is also a great source weather it be recipes or forums. The best way to learn new things is from honest people who have tried them out and know they work. Not just because it looks or sounds good on tv.

The Salty Swine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Macwench2006 said...

I've been homebound, with an illness and daytime television being what it is, I found myself watching the Food Network. Honestly, I fear for the future of flavour and taste after watching Robin Miller's show. Is there an episode where the emaniciated hostess doesn't cook boneless/skinless chicken breasts? I have read her background and frankly I'm not surprised her credentials are in the dietician direction, for her relationship with food seems to be antagonistic at best. Her appearance is so gaunt and if she was a relative of mine, I'd figure she was a purger. If young cooks are taking her recipes as gospel their children are going to think that macaroni/cheese with sliced hotdogs in it is high flavour and exotic cooking. My 82 year old Mum jokes that Robin Miller's family hits the McDonald's drive-thru before the arrive home and have to face yet another bland chicken breast meal. Where are the chefs on Food Network? Why is Alton Brown on sooooo much? I don't want so-called reality competition shows like Iron Chef. Give me Emeril anyday...oh wait, he's now only in rerun on Food Network. Sigh....what built the popularity of the Food Network is now in rerun. Robin Miller sucks...and holy hannah, you're right she does have that Nancy Pelosi/Runaway Bride eyeball thing happening.

Unknown said...

I just caught this show for the first time and it was awful! First of all the recipes are awful and secondly the ingredients are awful. she made an "upside down" pizza. she cooked some sausage and mushrooms then dumped in a jar of spaghetti sauce (why bother having a cooking show every working mom knows you can buy a jar of sauce). she laid this all in a baking dish and covered in 16 ounces of pre-shredded mozzarella cheese that she said was 2 cups (apparently she is measuring challenged as 16 ounces of cheese is in fact no where near 2 cups as it is weight 1lb not volume). She then poured some batter over it she called pizza dough which last i checked wasn't a liquid and doesn't normally pour. then took a tub of pre shredded parm and put that on top of it. I'm not sure what of this was health conscious I guess maybe mushrooms and jarred sauce aren't too bad unless you count all the freaking weird stuff the put in jars of sauce. On sanitation I watched her wash her hands (with extra hot water) but she used no soap at all. I think I would rather watch a McDonalds employee cook for a half hour. The people that make this show a success are the same people who think Olive Garden makes a delicious Alfredo sauce (you know the one that's cream cheese based). I'm getting sick of the culinarily challenged helping out the even more culinarily challenged. And yes I have been a chef for 15 years.