I believe every meal has a story to tell if you’re willing to look for it. I’ve spent the past decade of my life trying to eat consciously, and I love exploring the qualities that make wild ingredients so profoundly unique. It’s not always easy, but it’s pushed me to search in places I’d never expect for the most unpredictable ingredients. As a result, I’ve learned that the best way to truly understand and experience everything food has to offer is by harvesting it directly from the source.
In this one-of-a-kind cooking show, I set out to uncover the intricate relationships between the food we eat, the land from which it grows, the cultural ties it possesses, and how it fits into a sustainable future. As the host, I travel across the U.S. to meet with passionate chefs with unique perspectives on cooking. Click here to watch the first episode of Sourced now on YouTube.
Starting in Connecticut, I team up with the one and only Brad Leone, host of the hit show It’s Alive, to catch blue crabs and dig for clams. Clams and other shellfish have been an invaluable food resource for thousands of years and today they’re a celebrated symbol of this region's connection to the ocean. I then visit Dan Meiser at the lovely Stone Acre Farms, where I tour the gardens and gather seasonal vegetables. We put together a celebratory meal using some of the best summer ingredients that the East Coast has to offer.
In Tennessee, I join chef Michael Hunter, a renowned restaurateur and author, and MeatEater’s Ryan Callaghan for spring turkey hunting and foraging. Ever since I cooked my first wild turkey I’ve been fascinated by the distinctive characteristics that set them apart from the shrinked-wrapped turkeys at the grocery store. In this episode you’ll watch us roast a turkey breast stuffed with morels over an open fire and learn a few creative ways to use the whole bird.
From there, I meet up with our very own chef Kevin Gillespie in his hometown of Atlanta. With Durrell Smith of Gun Dog Notebook as our guide, I experience the rare flush of wild quail and learn how this native species is so deeply rooted in the culture of Georgia. After a proper Old Fashioned, I get a chance to cook with Kevin at his restaurant, Revival. We break bread with family and friends and enjoy Southern cooking at its finest.
In the next episode, I’m beyond excited to meet Liwei Liao, owner of the only commercial dry-aged fish market in the United States. I figured the best way to learn about dry aging is to see his process of handling fish from beginning to end, so we go offshore fishing around the Catalina Islands. This episode provides an inside look at a true ocean-to-table experience, explains why fresh isn’t always better, and demonstrates how dry-aging creates a more sustainable future in commercial seafood markets. Aside from eating a 14-day-old fish for the first time, Liwei stir-fries an amazing meal and the most tender squid I’ve ever had.
Lastly, I arrive in the Florida Keys to meet with chef Bri Van Scotter. Bri has a deep love for the ocean and spearfishing, but the experience is totally new for me. I tackle the challenge and join her for a day of spiny lobster diving. We let the regional influence inspire our meal and we cook the lobsters a few different ways. Grilled tails with jerk-spiced rum butter might have been my favorite. This was an amazing way to celebrate a successful day in the water.
I promise that every episode will leave you feeling inspired and hungry for more. My goal is to challenge your perception of what food is, where it comes from, and how those two elements are woven into our lives. Food is more than just the calories that sustain us: It's one of the best ways we can connect to our landscape.
