Food Network is Premiering a Show Called “Fat Chef” — Here’s the Skinny

It must be tough working with food all day. While it sounds like an ideal job, imagine trying to keep it all out of your mouth as you prepare it. Now, let’s talk about the premise to Food Network’s latest show, premiering this January 26th — Fat Chef.

The network’s new series gives viewers an inside look at the struggle chefs face when their love for food becomes a dangerous and overwhelming tax on their health. The six-episode series follows twelve overweight culinary professionals from Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio on their four-month venture to overcome weight issues with the help of therapists, nutritionists, and trainers.

The overarching concept definitely itches of similarity to NBC’s The Biggest Loser, but their seems to be enough differential to warrant a completely different show, on a completely different, niche network. Each episode will include two chefs working with their health consultant, including Christine Avanti (nutritionist, author of Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food) and Brett Hoebel (previously one of the trainers on The Biggest Loser).

These twelve overweight chefs will be looking to defeat their abusive relationships with food and regain control of their lives.

The show premieres Thursday, January 26th at 10:00pm ET/PT. Will you be watching?

“Michael/Melba”
Michael Mignano is a 36-year-old, morbidly obese pastry chef from Long Island with a dangerous fast food addiction. As he hovers around 500 pounds, his life and health are in dire straits. Meanwhile, Harlem soul food maven Melba Wilson is a single mom wrestling with obesity of her own, as she deprives herself during the day and binges at night. Both blame their extreme weight on long hours, stress, and constant temptation synonymous with the food industry. Their weight is putting their lives in serious danger. Now they are doing something about it – following them over sixteen weeks, Michael and Melba attempt to reassess their relationships to food. With the help of Robert Brace working with Michael and Christine Avanti working with Melba, these chefs will try to lose 25% of their body weight  and regain control of their lives.