The spread of cable TV, and more recently the internet, has affected every aspect of culture, and food has been no exception. What was once the province of household secrets and cookbooks has become something shared throughout the world. On television the Food Network has had great success marketing shows that focus on food not just as nutrition, but as entertainment. On the internet, Buzzfeed and Tasted have become very popular with their videos of beautiful, elaborate recipes being presented in only minutes.

One recent video on the Tasty Facebook page, named “Dear Chocolate, I Love You,” features a montage of different chocolate sauces being poured on top of more chocolate and ice cream. It has more than 100 million views, an amount previously reserved for only the most famous of musicians. Other videos illustrate how to make green tea swiss rolls, honey garlic chicken, peanut noodle pasta salad and hot chocolate. What is so appealing is how easy the videos make these recipes look. Anyone who has ever messed up a simple steak will find the videos especially fulfilling. They offer the same type of escapism as a James Bond film, allowing viewers to experience something well beyond their own capabilities.

More ambitious viewers may even try making these recipes at home. On Facebook, Tasty describes itself as making “Food that’ll make you close your eyes, lean back, and whisper ‘yessss’.” Unfortunately, it is difficult to find the recipes written up in the classical way. The assumption seems to be that visuals offer directions that need no written explanation. The popularity of these videos seems to confirm this.

While this is great for Tasty, it is ominous for the traditional cookbook industry. Many now feel that this type of writing, which has long been present in a large majority of homes, may become extinct. In a recent article for Slate, L.V. Anderson argues in favor of this idea. She feels that the huge variety of ways in which people can obtain instruction in food will, in the long term, cause cookbooks to go extinct.

This type of transition, from the printed word to the digital, has happened in almost every part of culture — literature, poetry, music and politics have all gone through this. Now, it appears, so is food. While there may be some downside to this, Tasty, BuzzFeed and the Food Network guarantee that we are entering an entertaining new era of food.

A version of this article appeared in the Jan. 25 print edition. Email Anthony Schwab at [email protected].