Going into Season 4, The Great American Recipe has become the highlight of the PBS summer season. The positive, uplifting, and culturally focused food television show engages viewers with an exploration of flavors through personal recipes. Francis Lam, award winning journalist and host of The Splendid Table, returns to The Great American Recipe. During my conversation with Lam, he shared why this show and group of cooks epitomizes what American culture is today.
Anyone who watches The Great American Recipe understands that this PBS show is rooted in a simple idea, food is a personal expression as much as it is a delectable meal. Each home cook presents a piece of their culture, personality, and history in every dish. While there will always be a winner at the end of the season, it is more about the celebration of connection versus a journey to earning the title.
For Lam, he appreciates that his role is less about judging than it is about mentoring. When asked about his thoughts on being part of the PBS show, he shared, “I don’t think that I was really ready for how affecting the experience would be. I did not realize how much the competitors would bond, connect with one another, and form what would be long-term friendships.”
Those real connections allow people from vastly different backgrounds to find those threads of commonality. In Season 4, the cooks are quite diverse. From Cajun to Thai and from Afghan to Filipino, the differences fade and the curiosity to explore each other’s flavors take center stage.
As Lam explained, “these people are from such different places and have such different backgrounds and stories, and yet they connect with one another. They clearly learn from one another and they clearly learn to care about one another. It is a magical experience to be a part of it.”
“Look at our title, The Great American Recipe. It is telling all these stories. It is saying to ourselves how much these are American stories. These are stories that can start from totally different parts of the world, can start in America, or start outside of America, but these people are telling American stories.”
That celebration of the “melting pot” is more than just a cliché term that is overly scrutinized into today’s world. Lam saw several moments throughout the season where the cooks were excited to taste and learn about each other’s cuisines and cultures. It might not have been their preferred flavors or ingredients, but there was a deep appreciation for the thoughtfulness and connection stirred into every recipe.
For Lam, there was a sentiment that extends beyond the 60 minutes of food television. He said, “in a room full of people that look different on the surface, they can come together to share what we have in common. Maybe that is the microcosm of our country. I think it's like we don't all have to get along. We don't have to appreciate the same things. That's okay, but we're on the same rock together. Let's make the most of it.”
In a world where division often gets a louder voice, this celebration of connection through differences deserves to be celebrated. Yes, it is a food television show, but little moments can grow. Like the small ripple in a pond that can form into a crashing wave, every positive action matters.
That positive approach is felt throughout The Great American Recipe. One key distinction is that Lam, alongside Tim Hollingsworth and Tiffany Derry, is more like a mentor versus typical judge on a culinary competition.
When asked about this distinction, Lam shared, “I feel like I'll judge in the sense that I'll taste the food and I'll tell you what I'm experiencing. Is this what you meant for it to taste like? And, maybe I can give you some thoughts as to how it might taste different and maybe better. But, I'm not going to sit here and tell the Afghani cook the right and wrong way to cook Afghani food. That doesn't make sense to me.”
“Judging presupposes that I know better than you. That is not my approach to The Great American Recipe. I think we really are there to see people for who they are and what they're bringing. If we can offer them pointers or tips, we will. But, I don't think of it as a matter of me telling you what you did was right or what you did was wrong.”
Since The Great American Recipe, and its signature cookbook, are a celebration of culture, history, and family storytelling, the show can inspire viewers to create their own family food archive. Whether it is asking for grandma to write down a favorite recipe or simple storytelling around the stove, the reality is that food sets the table to more than just nourishment.
For Lam, this experience has opened him to look at his world a little differently. He said, “I'm really envious of a lot of the cooks on the show because they come with this very strong sense of who they are as a cook, who they are as a family member, who they are as a member of their culture.” While Lam is a child of Hong Kong immigrants, he does not have traditional family recipes handed down from generation to generation. He reflected on how easy it is to break the chain of inheritance.
Lam said, “I have so much respect for people who are able to maintain their chain of inheritance and to add to it that legacy. These cooks share it with us as viewers, certainly with us as judges, mentors in the room. They are presumably sharing it with future generations, family, and friends. It is really wonderful and quite amazing.”
Why does Francis Lam believe that The Great American Recipe should be on everyone’s must watch list for this summer. He said, “I think that this show is an opportunity for people to shine, to represent themselves, and to tell their stories. What I love about the show is that the world is really hard right now and there are a lot of negative feelings, arguments, splitting apart. The Great American Recipe is about coming together. I think that we all need more of this kind of positive energy in our lives.”
For anyone craving delicious food, meaningful storytelling, and a celebration of togetherness, tune into The Great American Recipe on PBS. Season 4 premieres on July 11, 2025. Seasons 1 through 3 can be streamed on PBS.org.
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