Feasting, Central Valley Style
Ever wonder what it’s like to be behind the scenes on a television food program? It’s one of those experiences I’ve wanted to do for some time, but couldn’t seem to find a way in. Thanks to Sun Maid Growers and the Kingsburg Recorder, my chance came and I didn’t even have to drive to Los Angeles.
Last May, the Emmy nominated PBS show ‘Moveable Food with Fine Cooking’ filmed one of their fall episodes in Kingsburg at Jeff and Julie Bortolussi’s property.
The traditional formula for the show is to have the chefs discuss what they’re going to make at the beginning of the day based on the ingredients regionally available to them. They are filmed going out and procuring the items, with a pinch of education about the ingredients along the way. Once they’ve obtained their items, they begin cooking, pausing to demonstrate to the viewing audience how to make the dish. The episode ends with a delectable dining extravaganza of two full multi-course meals from two very talented chefs.
Traffic Publisher Frankie Leal and I arrived at the Bortolussi home in the early afternoon. The crew had been at Bass Lake since 7 AM catching fish for the meal. It was organized chaos and I had to step back and observe until I could get my bearings. Sous chefs were in the kitchen chopping, mincing and blending unknown ingredients. Tables were being set up at various locations. It reminded me of an orchestra warming up where all of the sounds are individualized and non-harmonic.
If the cast was the orchestra then Culinary Producer, Nora Singley was the conductor of the actual meal preparations. With her notes in one hand she was perpetual motion from the sous chefs to the demonstration tables and grilling stations in the back yard. No detail was too small for her radar. As an observer, my basic instinct was to stay out of her way. While she was focused and demanding, she maintained an even and respectful tone to her voice. Everyone did what she said without question. Next time you see “Culinary Producer” on the credits for a food show, know that the success (or failure) of the show was probably primarily due to that person.
There were no scripts. The chefs and host were given generalities and asked to ad lib. This required that the cast say some things over and over to sound more natural, or, to capture the comment from a different angle. I was surprised that there wasn’t more control over the lighting. The only time the lighting was manipulated was when the sun streaked in through the arbor in the backyard. One of the crewmen had to climb on the arbor and throw a sheet over the slates to diminish the streaks of light from coming through on camera.
The cast was given lessons regarding our Central Valley food from Jeff Bortolussi. He walked them out to the grape vines and explained how raisins were made. We locals chuckled at the shock on their faces as they learned that raisins were actually grapes once and that they were laid out on the ground to dry. He also showed them his packing house which fascinated them with all of the conveyor belts and workers.
Chef Anthony Lamas was one of the celebrity chefs filmed in this episode. He was born and raised in Lindsay, California. He has won many awards and contests, most notably the $10,000 grand prize on Food Network’s “Extreme Chef.” He confirmed that many of his colleagues don’t have any idea where their food actually comes from or how much time and how many people were involved to get that food from the farm to the table. I spent some time with Chef Lamas and encourage our readers to follow his career. He is a natural on and off the screen.
After all of the lessons, cooking, demonstration filming and table setting, it’s time to eat. There were about 30 of us and we lined up along the long table. We had to line up, shake hands and sit down three times before the cameraman was happy with our performance. And then came the food. Course after course after course of amazingly delicious food made from the chefs using local ingredients, with a focus on Sun-Maid products. Having cameras on you while you eat is very strange. You’re tying your best to look graceful while eating and drinking; hopefully I will not embarrass my family.
The crew had been working since 7 am and by the time we were finished eating it was after 6 pm. They cooked, filmed, fetched and strategically placed things all day long. Then they served us food and when we left, cleaned up. The next morning they left for Portland, Oregon to do it all over again for another episode.
I was impressed with how well they all worked together and interacted with all of us locals at the same time. I would think that we would have been an annoyance, yet, if we were, they never let it show. I was also proud of Kingsburg. Sometimes it takes a stranger’s observations to make you realize how truly beautiful and bountiful it is in this region. We are truly blessed. And hats off to the Bortolussi’s. I don’t know how they were able to stand so many strangers running around their back yard, cooking in their kitchen and basically reorganizing elements of their furniture with such graciousness. I look forward to seeing how the episode ends up on the screen and hope that Sun-Maid products will enjoy the fruits of their labor on the project.
The Sun Maid/Kingsburg episode is #210. The season opener, #201, is scheduled to air on October 25, 2014. Check our local PBS at www.valleypbs.org for the date and time of our show.
Ever wonder what it’s like to be behind the scenes on a television food program? It’s one of those experiences I’ve wanted to do for some time, but couldn’t seem to find a way in. Thanks to Sun Maid Growers and the Kingsburg Recorder, my chance came and I didn’t even have to drive to Los Angeles.
Last May, the Emmy nominated PBS show ‘Moveable Food with Fine Cooking’ filmed one of their fall episodes in Kingsburg at Jeff and Julie Bortolussi’s property.
The traditional formula for the show is to have the chefs discuss what they’re going to make at the beginning of the day based on the ingredients regionally available to them. They are filmed going out and procuring the items, with a pinch of education about the ingredients along the way. Once they’ve obtained their items, they begin cooking, pausing to demonstrate to the viewing audience how to make the dish. The episode ends with a delectable dining extravaganza of two full multi-course meals from two very talented chefs.
Traffic Publisher Frankie Leal and I arrived at the Bortolussi home in the early afternoon. The crew had been at Bass Lake since 7 AM catching fish for the meal. It was organized chaos and I had to step back and observe until I could get my bearings. Sous chefs were in the kitchen chopping, mincing and blending unknown ingredients. Tables were being set up at various locations. It reminded me of an orchestra warming up where all of the sounds are individualized and non-harmonic.
If the cast was the orchestra then Culinary Producer, Nora Singley was the conductor of the actual meal preparations. With her notes in one hand she was perpetual motion from the sous chefs to the demonstration tables and grilling stations in the back yard. No detail was too small for her radar. As an observer, my basic instinct was to stay out of her way. While she was focused and demanding, she maintained an even and respectful tone to her voice. Everyone did what she said without question. Next time you see “Culinary Producer” on the credits for a food show, know that the success (or failure) of the show was probably primarily due to that person.
There were no scripts. The chefs and host were given generalities and asked to ad lib. This required that the cast say some things over and over to sound more natural, or, to capture the comment from a different angle. I was surprised that there wasn’t more control over the lighting. The only time the lighting was manipulated was when the sun streaked in through the arbor in the backyard. One of the crewmen had to climb on the arbor and throw a sheet over the slates to diminish the streaks of light from coming through on camera.
The cast was given lessons regarding our Central Valley food from Jeff Bortolussi. He walked them out to the grape vines and explained how raisins were made. We locals chuckled at the shock on their faces as they learned that raisins were actually grapes once and that they were laid out on the ground to dry. He also showed them his packing house which fascinated them with all of the conveyor belts and workers.
Chef Anthony Lamas was one of the celebrity chefs filmed in this episode. He was born and raised in Lindsay, California. He has won many awards and contests, most notably the $10,000 grand prize on Food Network’s “Extreme Chef.” He confirmed that many of his colleagues don’t have any idea where their food actually comes from or how much time and how many people were involved to get that food from the farm to the table. I spent some time with Chef Lamas and encourage our readers to follow his career. He is a natural on and off the screen.
After all of the lessons, cooking, demonstration filming and table setting, it’s time to eat. There were about 30 of us and we lined up along the long table. We had to line up, shake hands and sit down three times before the cameraman was happy with our performance. And then came the food. Course after course after course of amazingly delicious food made from the chefs using local ingredients, with a focus on Sun-Maid products. Having cameras on you while you eat is very strange. You’re tying your best to look graceful while eating and drinking; hopefully I will not embarrass my family.
The crew had been working since 7 am and by the time we were finished eating it was after 6 pm. They cooked, filmed, fetched and strategically placed things all day long. Then they served us food and when we left, cleaned up. The next morning they left for Portland, Oregon to do it all over again for another episode.
I was impressed with how well they all worked together and interacted with all of us locals at the same time. I would think that we would have been an annoyance, yet, if we were, they never let it show. I was also proud of Kingsburg. Sometimes it takes a stranger’s observations to make you realize how truly beautiful and bountiful it is in this region. We are truly blessed. And hats off to the Bortolussi’s. I don’t know how they were able to stand so many strangers running around their back yard, cooking in their kitchen and basically reorganizing elements of their furniture with such graciousness. I look forward to seeing how the episode ends up on the screen and hope that Sun-Maid products will enjoy the fruits of their labor on the project.
The Sun Maid/Kingsburg episode is #210. The season opener, #201, is scheduled to air on October 25, 2014. Check our local PBS at www.valleypbs.org for the date and time of our show.