NEW ORLEANS – Chef Kevin Belton takes viewers on a tasty tour of New Orleans in his new 26-part cooking series produced by WYES-TV. From Classic French to soul food to German, Irish and Italian influences, “New Orleans Cooking With Kevin Belton” explores the diverse mix of cultures that contribute to the distinctive food of the Crescent City.
The series premieres on WYES-TV/ Channel 12 on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. Future episodes will air in the series’ regular time slot on Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m., with repeat broadcasts on Sundays at 1:00 p.m.
Chef Belton himself is a gumbo of English, French, Native American and African ancestry. His mother’s family has roots in the French- Caribbean island of Martinique, and his French-speaking father’s family came from the Bayou Lafourche area of South Louisiana, near Thibodaux.
The self-trained chef began cooking under the watchful eye of his mother and grandmother in the uptown New Orleans home where he grew up. From these talented home cooks, Chef Belton learned to prepare the venerable dishes of the city. In his new series he’ll share family recipes and personal tips for making seafood gumbo, pralines, shrimp remoulade, Chicken Clemenceau, corn and crab bisque, pecan crusted redfish, red beans and rice, Cajun turkey and dirty rice, bananas foster and many other New Orleans specialties.
Cooking instruction is second nature for Chef Belton, who has spent the last 20 years teaching the foundation of Louisiana cooking to appreciative audiences. As an instructor at the New Orleans School of Cooking, located in a renovated French Quarter molasses warehouse built in the early 1800’s, this homegrown chef has introduced more than 500,000 visitors from around the world to the food and rich traditions of the region.
In his new national public television series Chef Belton wants to pull back the curtain and show viewers what really makes the legendary cuisine of New Orleans so delicious. “Everybody says you make it look so easy,” he said. “I tell them, no, it is easy. My mission is to get you to cook and then sit down with your family and friends and share that meal. People need to get back to the table.” Recorded in the studios of WYES-TV, “New Orleans Cooking With Kevin Belton” is a chance for viewers to meet a new and charismatic host whose big personality is a perfect match for his 6’9” frame.
In addition to the new cooking series, Belton fans can enjoy a companion cookbook titled Kevin Belton’s Big Flavors of New Orleans, which contains all the recipes from the series, plus many more. If purchased through WYES, cookbooks will be autographed by Chef Belton. The cookbook is published by Gibbs Smith and is also available in bookstores nationwide. Also offered is a 60-minute DVD featuring chef’s favorite recipes from the series.
“New Orleans Cooking With Kevin Belton” will be distributed to public television stations nationwide by American Public Television (APT).
