Celebs Who Slammed The Food Network After They Left

Primarily an actor on sitcoms like “One Day at a Time,” Valerie Bertinelli got over her imposter syndrome as a chef after she joined Food Network in 2015. On April 8, 2023, Bertinelli posted a bittersweet video on her Instagram account inviting followers to watch the Season 14 debut of “Valerie’s Home Cooking,” airing the next day on Food Network. 

“The bad news is that it’s its final season. Yeah, Food Network canceled us last summer, I have no idea why. I didn’t say anything last summer because honestly I was hoping they would change their mind but they have not,” Bertinelli said while trying to stop herself from crying. Nine months later, in January 2024, Bertinelli announced on Instagram that she’d lost her other gig on the Food Network, as a host of “Kids Baking Championship.” She said “Logically, I know it’s business. Budget cuts, right? But it really hurt my feelings to know I’m not going to be asked back.”

Over the next few months, the sadness and heartbreak gave way to more pointed anger and criticism, with Bertinelli using Threads to lament how the Food Network had evolved. “I fell in love with Food Network two decades ago because of all the amazing ITK (in the kitchen) shows,” Bertinelli wrote, referencing instructional programs hosted by Rachael Ray, Ina Garten, and Giada De Laurentiis. “I learned so much. It’s sad it’s not about cooking and learning any longer. Oh well, that’s just business, folks.”