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Am spending the day working from home and so have had the TV tuned to the (UK) Food Network in the background. Have been flicking through the listings. 

There have been a number of American cookery shows and I was wondering how typical/representative the recipies are to what people actually eat day to day. Shows have included The Pioneer Woman, Molly on the Range, Diners Drive-in & Dives, The Barefoot Contessa, Trisha's Southern Kitchen.

Also is there an American version of Nigel Slater or Nigella Lawson?

Finally are there any current American cook show formats where an American chef/presenter goes to a foreign country and explores the food culture... I'm thinking along the lines of (UK) Rick Stein and his trip around India or "Istanbul to Venice"

Thanks.

I can't answer your question on cooking shows as I rarely watch them (apart from GBBO). But in terms of food travel shows you should check out the late great Anthony Bourdain (his shows No Reservations and Parts Unknown are on Netflix and Hulu). Also Padma Lakshmi has a new show, Taste the Nation, which I've heard good things about (on Hulu in the US).

In terms of an American equivalent of Nigel or Nigella, I assume by that you mean intelligent and a good writer who shares entertaining information (both about themselves and the recipes) in their books? You could take a look at Melissa Clark, Dorie Greenspan, David Lebovitz, and Deb Perelman. I'm sure EYB members will have more great recommendations.

For a writer/chef from the American South I recommend Vivian Howard, both her cookbook (Deep Run Roots) and public television programs, A Chef's Life and Somewhere South. And one of my favorite food writers is Ruth Reichl along with all the Gourmet books and recipes she did over the years.

In my opinion, not representative in California or many western and southwestern states.  For example, my county majority is 32-33% White, 35% Asian, and  26% Latino so the food is diiferent from east or midwest cooking.