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The Mind of a Chef Season 2 Episodes
Season 2 Episode Guide
16 Episodes 2013 - 2013
Episode 1
Southerners
Sat, Sep 7, 201324 mins
It is Sean Brock's mission in life to expose the world the regional varieties of Southern cuisine and to erase the misconception that southern cuisine is all the same. In this episode, Sean explores a few of the unique regional cuisines in the South. Sean explores the ever so painful ways of Prince's Hot Chicken. Chef John Currence makes tamales-you read it right...tamales. Tennessee Pastry Chef Lisa Donavan makes a buttermilk pie. Sean and fellow South Carolinians, the Lee Brothers, make deviled crab, before visiting Fishnet's Seafood outside of Charleston to enjoy their more wholesome version "Jesus crabs".
Episode 2
Seeds
Sat, Sep 14, 201324 mins
It all began here when Sean Brock went looking for Jimmy Red Corn. That simple journey turned into a lifetime of searching, archiving and reviving lost crops of the South. His partners in crime are the legendary owner and operator of Anson Mills, Glen Roberts, and University of South Carolina professor, David Shields; a trifecta of seed nerds hell-bent on preserving Southern food heritage. In this episode, Sean makes Jimmy Red Corn Grits and a Chestnut Bread and Red Sive bean salad. David Shields visits Sean's R&D lab to experiment with seeds, and to tell the story of the Bradford Watermelon, a near extinct fruit with a delicious and deadly history.
Episode 3
Rice
Sat, Sep 21, 201324 mins
This episode is all about rice and its essential role in Southern cuisine. Sean Brock visits Anson Mills, where Glenn Roberts is blazing a trail to reintroduce the world to the Carolina Rice Kitchen. Carolina Gold rice was once the primary crop in South Carolina and sought after worldwide. Using animation and archival images, a timeline will highlight how the Civil War as well as changes in the agricultural economy caused Carolina Gold to all but disappear. Glenn is the reason for its resurrection and Sean is its biggest champion. In the fields at Anson Mills, Sean and Glen prepare an Appalachian classic, perlou. And in Nashville, Sean makes Hoppin' John and Chef Ed Lee shows Sean how to make Korean BBQ.
Episode 4
Louisiana
Sat, Sep 28, 201324 mins
This episode focuses on the heavy influence Louisianan cuisine has on Sean Brock. Historian and food-writer John T Edge of the Southern Food Alliance takes Sean to his "favorite place on Earth", Middendorf's Restaurant, where they shave thin slices of catfish into the fryer to create a catfish chip. In the kitchen, Sean makes a gumbo and his version of the catfish chip. Chef Donald Link takes Sean frogging then cooks up a frog dish.
Episode 5
Preserve
Sat, Oct 5, 201324 mins
Sean Brock often describes how his family ate growing up this way: "If we were eating, we were eating food from the garden or the basement-it's a way of life." In this episode, Sean shows us what it means to be eating from the basement by exploring and utilizing the preservation techniques that are critical components to southern culture: drying, salt curing, canning, and fermentation.
Episode 6
Roots
Sat, Oct 12, 201324 mins
Many chefs have their first exposure to cooking at a young age. For Sean Brock, who was born and raised in rural Virginia, it was the experience of his family growing their own food that left a deep impression. In this episode, Sean explores his roots, prepares a typical Appalachian dinner, cooks chicken and dumplings with his mom, throws down with chef Joseph Lenn at Blackberry Farms, and learns how to make fried okra and country ham on the farm.
Episode 7
Lowcountry BBQ
Sat, Oct 19, 201324 mins
In this episode, Sean Brock highlights both the people and food of the Lowcountry by preparing an epic outdoor feast on his friend's farm. Legendary pit-master Rodney Scott spends the day roasting a whole pig, Steven Satterfield makes Savannah Red Rice, and to finish off the feast, Sean prepares Frogmore stew made from the bounty of the Charleston bay.
Episode 8
Senegal
Sat, Oct 26, 201324 mins
The history of southern cuisine is incomplete without understanding how West Africa influenced the cultural heritage and ingredients of America. In this episode, Chef Sean Brock travels to Senegal to meet with friend, Fatimata Ly. Together they explore the markets of Dakar and M'Bour, cook the traditional Sengalese dish Theibou Yapp, and search for the connection to American cuisines through techniques and flavors used by the locals.
Episode 9
London
Thu, Oct 31, 201324 mins
In this episode, Chef April Bloomfield travels to the city where her cooking career began. She cooks walnut Tagliatelle with Chef Ruth Rogers of the world-renowned River Café, makes a rabbit pie with her pals Fergus Henderson, and heads to the pub for a pint and some scotch eggs with her mentor Rowley Leigh.
Episode 10
Sea/Salt
Thu, Nov 7, 201324 mins
This episode focuses on April Bloomfield's love of the sea, which, if you've ever had the pleasure of eating at her John Dory Oyster Bar, you know is deep and fully realized. In this episode, April goes to Riverhead, NY with her friend Chef Anita Lo. The two chefs go clamming and make clam chowder. In the kitchen, April makes carte da musica with bottarga and chili, and she travels to Oregon to visit her favorite salt purveyor Ben Jacobsen. And Harold McGee breaks down salt.
Episode 11
Curry
Thu, Nov 14, 201324 mins
Explore the origins of curry and England's versions of this historic cuisine.
Episode 12
Italian
Thu, Nov 21, 201324 mins
In this episode, April Bloomfield explores her deep love for Italian cuisine and its influence on her cuisine. April visits cookbook author Marcella Hazan where she cooks a dish that reinvigorated April's love of cooking, travels to Oakland to make sausage with Chris Cosentino, and April makes her famous gnudi.
Episode 13
British Classics
Thu, Nov 28, 201324 mins
In this episode, April Bloomfield revisits the classic dishes of Great Britain, and prepare their versions of these British classics. April eats on the streets of London, makes banoffee pie, cooks faggots, and Harold McGee breaks down frying.
Episode 14
Farmer
Thu, Dec 5, 201324 mins
In this episode, April travels 4 hours outside London to Cornwall to visit and cook with chef Tom Adams on the farm that raises the cute, furry, and delicious mangalitsa pigs. April and Tom cook jowls, visit a butcher shop, and April makes her famous pigs foot for two.
Episode 15
Leftovers
Thu, Dec 12, 201324 mins
This episode aims to prove that nasty bits have been given a bad rap and deserve to be on the kitchen table along with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. In the kitchen, April Bloomfield cooks bubble and squeak and pig parts; and Fergus Henderson works his offal magic on kidneys.
Episode 16
Restauranteur
Thu, Dec 19, 201324 mins
This episode wrestles with the questions every aspiring new or expanding veteran chef has to wrestle with: What does it take to open a new restaurant? What happens if you are fortunate enough to make it past year one? How do you stay relevant? Do you keep serving what made you famous? Do you branch out and try something totally new? These questions are reflected upon as April Bloomfield and her business partner Ken Friedman explore the challenges of opening their first out of state venture in San Francisco, Tosca. April is inspired by a local morning bun; and is busy in the kitchen testing and tasting dishes for her new menu.
