One of our favorite food shows of late has been
the Peabody Award winning farm-to-fork PBS series A Chef’s Life featuring Beard nommed chef
Vivian Howard, her husband, Ben Knight, and their acclaimed Chef & the Farmer restaurant in Kinston, North Carolina. The first season followed the pair after they returned to Howard's economically depressed, former tobacco growing, hometown and embarked on what many thought was the folly of opening up a a fine-dining establishment that focused on seasonal, locally grown foods — Chef & the Farmer sources ingredients within 30 miles of its kitchen. A Chef’s Life isn’t your typical cooking show —it's also a documentary about Howard’s life, a truthful look at the behind the scenes of running a restaurant, balancing family, and an exploration of local food traditions, including collard kraut, chicken and rice, grits, muscadine grapes and the perfect tomato sandwich.
Season 4 finds Howard continuing to explore local ingredients, but also follows her as she works on her first cookbook, plus the growing travel schedule that comes with her increased fame. A Chef’s Life premieres on PBS this weekend. Here's a quick amuse to whet your appetite.