WEEKEND TV : Food for Thought; the Daryl Gates Furor

The cook, the chief, a band and a real singer strut their stuff this weekend.

“Great Chefs” goes on a bluegrass tour of lip-smacking barbecues in nine states today at noon on Channel 28. Then at 2:55 p.m., “The Frugal Gourmet” recalls the American era of soda fountains, root beer malts and date-nut bread.

Channel 2’s “Newsmakers,” today at 4:30 p.m., focuses on an issue of a different flavor--the furor surrounding the retirement of Police Chief Daryl F. Gates and the future of the LAPD with guests Harry Melkonian, an attorney for Gates, and Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky. Stanley K. Sheinbaum, president of Police Commission and critic of Gates, will weigh in with his opinions Sunday at 6:30 a.m. on Channel 4’s “News Conference.”

“Genesis: Opening Night,” tonight at 10 (7)(3)(10)(42), features the veteran band now composed of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks performing on their “We Can’t Dance Tour.”

And Sunday at 2 p.m., Channel 28 presents “Jose Carreras: A Life Story,” an encore of a documentary that chronicles the fight back from serious illness and the musical accomplishments of the great Spanish tenor.