The Great American Recipe episode 3: Setting the table with love

After the home cooks shared some easy to fix meals and crowd-pleasing dishes, The Great American Recipe episode 3 takes on a theme that always brings people to the table. Ready to send a love letter with a delicious dish?

Over the first two episodes of The Great American Recipe, the dishes have resonated with PBS viewers. While other food television programs tackle mystery boxes, elevated chef-driven dishes or unusual ingredients, these home cooks make approachable food enjoyable. It is about what is possible from the home kitchen yet is far from bland.

In The Great American Recipe episode 3, “Love Language” sets the table with another story. Blending comfort food with a memory, these dishes are an affair to remember.

According to PBS, here is the The Great American Recipe episode 3 synopsis states:

"Join us in the kitchen as the remaining eight cooks share favorite comfort foods and a dish inspired by a loved one. From first date cuisine to sentimental recipes passed down through generations, love is definitely in the air."

Food being a love language is a sentiment that many cooks share. From regular cooks to celebrities, many people use a dish to express a feeling that words cannot say. And, sometimes those dishes are the way to bring back that feeling time and again.

While the stories of engagement chicken or grandma’s gravy might take center stage, sometimes it is the simple dish that often has the most meaning. Even that grilled cheese with a cup of tomato soup which was the tradition after a bad day at school can be transformed into a cherished family memory.

Although The Great American Recipe is a culinary competition, the conversation that it sparks is more than just who has the best dish which will be featured in a cookbook. It invites a discussion with people watching the show. Whether it inspires them to cook a favorite recipe this weekend or maybe ask grandma for the secret to her flakey pie crust, it opens a dialogue. Hopefully, each episode will help everyone turn another page and continue the story long after the competition ends.

The Great American Recipe episode 3 airs on PBS Friday, July 8 at 9 p.m. EST. In addition, it can be streamed on other platforms and online.