The Great American Recipe Premiere exclusive clip: A taste of food and culture

While cooking competitions fill the food television landscape, The Great American Recipe Premiere takes the concept in an inspiring direction. With 10 home cooks vying for culinary glory, the real prize isn’t necessarily the title. For viewers watching at home, it is the connection to food and culture that leaves a lasting impression.

Creating a recipe for success in the food television world is becoming more nuanced. While some shows put the culinary geniuses to the test and others showcase the talents of successful celebrity chefs, many of these shows are missing a key ingredient, the connection to the stories behind the food. Even though foodies can travel the world to discover flavors and ingredients, it is the story that is told in the home kitchen that often resonates deeply.

In The Great American Recipe Premiere, the home cooks showcase a little piece of their food history. While some of the dishes might be familiar, it is more than just another version of a popular plate. It is an invitation to get to know who they are, where they came from and where they are going.

Check out this exclusive clip from The Great American Recipe Premiere.

As seen in the clip, each dish brings a taste of the home cook but also gives glimpse at their culinary point of view. More importantly, the judges aren’t wielding cutting criticism. It is about seeing the plate for what it is but also sharing advice on how to bring the flavor and execution to the food and culture connection.

Since this PBS show is a culinary competition, the home cooks tackle the challenges on each episode While taste, execution and connection to the theme is required, the judges, Leah Cohen, Tiffany Derry and Graham Elliot, are looking for more than just checking off the boxes. It is about the story woven into the bite.

While the phrase the “Great American Melting Pot” might not the term bantered about, the reality is that American cuisine is more than just hamburgers, hot dogs and grilled cheese. Fast food might be the easy choice, but it is not the food that flavors the nation. As viewers watch the Great American Recipe, hopefully they will see that there is an abundance of ingredients that flavors American food.

Although many people will watch for the competition aspect, the teaching aspect that is woven into many PBS shows will be a delicious knowledge tidbits woven into every episode. Even if viewers do not recreate each dish verbatim, this food television show should spark a conversation around the table. Names might not be the same but there can be a flavor connection across cultures.

The Great American Recipe might crown one eventual winner, but from the premiere episode till the finale dish, the real triumph is that everyone can feast at its table.

The Great American Recipe premiere airs on PBS Friday, June 24 at 9 p.m. In addition, it can be watched on PBS.org and the PBS Video app.