WGBH's Neighborhood Kitchen

           Are you a fan of Food TV? Before the Food Network, there was WGBH. Julia Child's The French Chef was the first of its kind, and WGBH is continuing the tradition with Neighborhood Kitchen. Here's a preview of what's in store for the upcoming season; I can't wait to check it out and learn about some great local restaurants!

From the Pan-Asian Kitchen of Myers+Chang in Boston’s South End, to the Regional Cuisines of India in Pawtucket, Rhode Island

An all-new season of WGBH’s Neighborhood Kitchens starts
 Saturday, April 13 at 4pm on WGBH 2

BOSTON, Mass. (April 10, 2013) – WGBH’s Neighborhood Kitchens serves up 13 new episodes exploring New England’s cultural diversity through food beginning Saturday, April 13 at 4pm on WGBH 2. In each episode, Margarita Martínez visits a different ethnic restaurant and learns three delicious recipes from the chef. She also explores the restaurant’s neighborhood, discovering hidden gems along the way.

Season two kicks off in Boston’s South End and the pan-Asian kitchen of Myers+Chang, where chef/owner Joanne Chang teaches Margarita how to prepare the dumplings and scallion pancakes her mother made when she was growing up. Inspired, Margarita goes to nearby Chinatown to learn more. Chef Chang, recently nominated for a James Beard Award for Best Chef: New England, also takes Margarita on a special tour of one of her Flour Bakery kitchens and prepares Flour’s signature lemon and ginger mousse. Part one of season two will premiere on WGBH 2 with six of the 13 episodes in April and May. The second part of season two will return in September with seven episodes, including a stop in Pawtuckett, Rhode Island. The first six episode descriptions follow:

Joanne Chang / Myers+Chang and Flour Bakery (Episode 201)
Saturday, April 13 at 4pm on WGBH 2
In the second season premiere of Neighborhood Kitchens, host Margarita Martínez visits Boston’s South End to experience pan-Asian cuisine at Myers+Chang. Chef and owner Joanne Chang teaches Margarita how to prepare the dumplings and scallion pancakes her mother made when she was growing up, and sends Margarita to check out more Chinese culture and cuisine in nearby Chinatown. Aside from her restaurant, Chef Chang also owns the local Flour Bakery empire, and takes Margarita to one of the four locations to end the day with a delicious lemon and ginger mousse.

Richard Garcia / Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel (Episode 202)
Saturday, April 20 at 4pm on WGBH 2
Host Margarita Martínez heads to Boston’s Seaport District, where she meets Richard García, executive chef at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel and well-known around the city for his emphasis on sustainability. Margarita experiences Chef García’s philosophy on responsibility and local sourcing firsthand when he takes her on a tour of the nearby Fish Pier, where they pick the freshest catch for the day’s recipes. Back in the kitchen, Chef García teaches Margarita how to make local Pollack with bacon and seaweed consommé, Taylor Bay scallops with ceviche sauce, and “trash fish” minestrone soup.

Nuran Chavushian / Sevan Bakery (Episode 203)
Saturday, April 27 at 4pm on WGBH 2
Host Margarita Martínez travels to Coolidge Square in Watertown, MA, where a close-knit Armenian American community has thrived for nearly a century. At Sevan Bakery, co-owner Nuran Chavushian gives Margarita a lesson in Armenian cooking as the two prepare feta- and dill-stuffed boreks, karniyarik with bulghur pilaf, and his family’s signature pistachio baklava. Margarita also gets a tour of Sevan’s market, sampling the olives, nuts, and dried fruits that stock the wall-to-wall shelves.

Episode 204: Marcos Sanchez / Tres Gatos (Episode 204)
Saturday, May 4 at 4pm on WGBH 2
Host Margarita Martínez ventures to Jamaica Plain. Marcos Sanchez, executive chef at Tres Gatos, shows her how to prepare a trio of Spanish-inspired tapas, or small plates: lamb bocadillos with chimichurri sauce on fresh potato rolls, chicken confit with artichoke mousse, and homemade churros with spiced chocolate sauce. Margarita also tours JP’s Latin Quarter with Alberto Vasallo, Publisher and Managing Editor of community newspaper El Mundo, who introduces her to the neighborhood’s vibrant and diverse Spanish-speaking community.

Duyen Le / Pho Le (Episode 205)
Saturday, May 11 at 4pm on WGBH 2
Host Margarita Martínez visits Fields Corner in Dorchester, the heart of Boston’s Vietnamese community. Chef and restaurateur Duyen Le meets Margarita at his newest restaurant, Pho Le. Since moving to the United States 22 years ago, Mr. Le has been instrumental in introducing Vietnamese cuisine to the Greater Boston area. Together he and Margarita prepare Vietnamese crepes (banh xeo), green mango salad (goi xoai xanh), chicken noodle soup (pho ga), and tofu with lemongrass (dau hu xao sa ot). After wrapping up in the kitchen, Margarita explores the Vietnamese storefronts on Dorchester Avenue—“Dot Ave” as the locals call it—to take in the full breadth of the local culture.

Vittorio Ettore / Bistro 5 (Episode 206)Saturday, May 18 at 4pm on WGBH 2
Host Margarita Martínez travels to West Medford, where she meets Chef Vittorio Ettore at his neighborhood restaurant, Bistro 5. The Tuscan-born chef teaches Margarita how to make calamari with tomato chutney, Meyer lemon risotto, and profiteroles with vanilla bean gelato and chocolate sauce, sharing with her the real essence of Italian cooking. One important part of Chef Ettore’s mission is his “Seed to Plate” program, created to build a connection between children and their food. The program is available at Winchester's Ambrose School.

Stay connected to the series by liking Neighborhood Kitchens on Facebook or following the show on Twitter at @NKitchensWGBH.