Food Network programming is divided into two parts, "Food Network in the Kitchen" and "Food Network Nighttime". Generally, "In the Kitchen" (weekday afternoons and weekend mornings) is dedicated to instructional cooking programs, while "Nighttime" features programming based on the history and knowledge of food, travel programming, cooking competitions and other entertainment-based concepts.

Promos identify "Food Network Nighttime" programming but not daytime programming. Many of the channel's personalities routinely pull double-duty (or more) — hosting both daytime and nighttime programming — and the channel regularly offers specials which typically either follow its personalities on working vacations, or bring together a number of personalities for a themed cooking event.

Among the chefs present at the channel's 1993 launch were Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse, all three still major fixtures of the channel's lineup; Lagasse's Emeril Live! was the channel's signature series for many years, with the series' final taping occurring December 11, 2007. Among other duties, Flay and Batali appear regularly as "Iron Chefs" on Iron Chef America, the channel's well-received remake of the original Japanese series. America's host, Alton Brown, gained a cult following for his Good Eats, which mixes science, cooking and offbeat humor. Possibly the channel's biggest cross-over star is Rachael Ray, who has parlayed her cable following (primarily through the series 30 Minute Meals and $40 a Day) into a syndicated talk show.

Beginning in 2005, an annual reality contest, The Next Food Network Star, has brought viewers to New York to compete for their own show. Previous winners include Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh (Party Line with The Hearty Boys), Guy Fieri (Guy's Big Bite and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and Amy Finley (The Gourmet Next Door). A fourth season has been announced for 2008.


TV Food Network HD
Food Network HD is a high definition channel that plays select Food Network shows in HD. Unlike most HD cable channels, which mirror their normal lineup and show HD programming when available, Food Network HD originally only showed HD programming, and as a result had a limited lineup (which consists of later episodes of current Food Network series and specials).

On March 31, 2008, Food Network (along with HGTV) relaunched as an HD simulcast of its standard definition feed.
 

Some of the Food Network's most popular shows include: Boy Meets Grill, The Next Food Network Star, Iron Chef America, Emeril Live, Barefoot Contessa and 30 Minute Meals.