–by Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil Intercultural
West Hollywood, CA (The Hollywood Times) 5/18/17 – Meet some of America’s culinary legends through American Masters’ Chefs Flight: four hour-long documentaries on James Beard, Julia Child, Jacques Pépin, and Alice Waters. The films will be broadcasting on PBS throughout the month of May. Michael Kantor is the series executive producer.
- Chef James Beard at Reed College
New documentaries James Beard: America’s First Foodie and Jacques Pépin: The Art of Craft will be paired with encore presentations of Julia! America’s Favorite Chef and Alice Waters and Her Delicious Revolution, respectively.
The films on Beard and Child will air on Friday, May 19th at 9 and 10 p.m. and the films on Pépin and Waters will air on Friday, May 26th at 9 and 10 p.m.
James Beard: America’s First Foodie
Written and Directed by Elizabeth Federici. Produced by Elizabeth Federici and Kathleen Squires.
Julia! America’s Favorite Chef
Originally broadcast in August 2004. Directed by Marilyn Mellowes.
Jacques Pépin: The Art of Craft
Produced and directed by Peter L. Stein. Executive producer Michael Isip. Co-executive producer Susie Heller.
Alice Waters and Her Delicious Revolution
Originally broadcast in March 2003. Directed by Doug Hamilton.
As a prelude to the Chefs Flight program launches on May 19th and 26th, this reporter was able to speak over the phone with Elizabeth Federici about her work on the James Beard segment on the afternoon of Thursday, May 18th. Federici lives in Portland, Oregon where Beard was born and is well aware of the vibrant Pacific Northwest regional food culture that impacted him so profoundly.
“American cooking is regional and immigrant cooking,” said Federici. The Beards were a family of bon vivants who traveled the world and employed a Chinese chef. Eclectic influences like these are common in American kitchens.
- Julia Child
Federici appreciates how the restaurants in the Pacific Northwest are about the food rather than the décor and service as seen in big cities such as New York and LA. She considers James Beard to exemplify the pioneering American spirit.
Hopefully this taste of Beard will whet readers’ appetites for the television reviews this reporter will soon be writing about each of the four Chefs Flight films in turn. Bon appetit to all in advance!
