FOR IMMEDIATE MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday, February 17, 2010

WVIZ/PBS ideastream® is hanging streamers, inflating balloons, and most importantly, warming up the oven located on one of Northeast Ohio’s most famous kitchen sets to celebrate 15 years of the popular cooking series WVIZ/PBS Cooks!

The WVIZ/PBS Cooks! “F Is for Friends” special premieres live Saturday, March 13 at 11 a.m., with an encore broadcast immediately following at 3 p.m.

In March 1995, WVIZ/PBS Cooks! debuted with “P Is for Pasta.” The series quickly became one of the station’s most popular on-air productions.  Through its 51 original episodes, special friendships have been forged as viewers learned – and laughed – with local home and professional chefs.  “F Is for Friends” brings back some favorite guests to celebrate both food and friendship and cook up some special memories. 

Appearing on the broadcast are “cooking comrades”:  Brandt Evans (Blue Canyon), Rocco Whalen (Fahrenheit), Jonathan Bennett (Moxie/Red The Steakhouse), Joyce Lampp (Home Chef), Mike and Bernie Sokolowski (Sokolowski’s University Inn), Marlin Kaplan (Luxe & One Walnut), Joe Crea (Food and Restaurants Editor, The Plain Dealer), Bev Sheafer (Mustard Seed Market and Café), and Stefanie Paganini (Culinary Expert). Also cooking on the program are WVIZ/PBS Cooks Culinary Producers Laurie Bell and Tom Meyrose.

Iron Chef Michael Symon, who gained some of his early TV experience on WVIZ/PBS Cooks! programs, joins the celebration through a special taped message, and by submitting some special recipes to be included in the program’s cookbook. Also sending best regards via videotape is the show’s original host, Susie Heller, a national cooking show and cookbook producer who now calls California home.

Each episode of WVIZ/PBS Cooks! is centered around a letter of the alphabet.  From “A Is for Appetizer,” “B Is for Bread,” “C Is for Cookies,” and so on, the series is a veritable “alphabet soup” of offerings.  WVIZ/PBS Cooks! also has a library of cookbooks - one published for each program - and includes nearly 8,000 individual recipes.  “F Is for Friends” will also feature a cookbook, this one with submissions from each participating chef and also from the “Cooks Regulars,” Kent Geist, Julie Henry and Peg Neeson.