SCETV launches new series Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard, blending kitchen wisdom, storytelling and everyday cooking

South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) presents Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard, a new half-hour food series that explores everyday kitchen questions — and the deeper stories behind them. Hosted by chef, author and storyteller Vivian Howard, the eight-episode series invites viewers into a lively exploration of how tradition, science and creativity come together in the kitchen.

Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard will premiere locally on the South Carolina Channel on Oct. 3 at 9 p.m. As part of the Create® TV lineup, the series will also premiere at the same time on participating public television stations across the U.S. Additionally, Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard will air on ETV on Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. and will be distributed through American Public Television (APT). Viewers outside South Carolina are encouraged to check local listings for air dates and times in their area.

In each episode, Howard approaches food with humor, curiosity and a dose of Southern practicality. From reviving a vintage cast iron skillet to demystifying olive oil, the series travels through grocery stores, farms, festivals and kitchens to unpack the “how” and “why” of everyday cooking. Howard blends field trips, accessible recipes and candid conversations with experts to spotlight kitchen essentials— like pasta, pickles, root vegetables, beans and rice, and even the overlooked power of the home freezer.

Whether she’s transforming leftover takeout into freezer burritos, exploring the food science behind fats or rescuing bruised fruit from the compost bin, Howard invites viewers to rethink what they cook, why it matters and how a little know-how can make every meal more meaningful.

Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard consists of eight episodes:

• Episode 1: “Cast Iron” – Vivian explores cast iron’s legacy, care, and power—from vintage finds to modern use.
• Episode 2: “Pasta” – Vivian explores how pasta helps stretch meat across a meal, and samples some of the best noodle dishes in Charleston with Sporkful podcaster Dan Pashman.
• Episode 3: “Fats” – Vivian explores fat’s flavor, function, and myths—from bacon grease to olive oil.
• Episode 4: “Root Vegetables” – Vivian champions root veggies with hummus, and meets a chef/entrepreneur who is pioneering instant sweet potatoes.
• Episode 5: “Pickles” – Vivian makes pickling easy, gut-friendly, affordable—and even fun at a pickle fest.
• Episode 6: “Fruit with More to Give” – Vivian tackles food waste by turning overlooked fruit into meals, drinks and dinners.
• Episode 7: “Beans and Rice” – Vivian spotlights this powerful pantry pairing with fresh takes and a trip to Tidewater Grain.
• Episode 8: “Your Freezer” – Vivian celebrates freezers as workhorses—from leftover burritos to Paris’s Picard store.

Many viewers will recognize Vivian Howard from A Chef’s Life and Somewhere South, two nationally distributed SCETV series that showcased her thoughtful approach to food, storytelling and Southern culture. A Chef’s Life premiered in 2013, following Howard as she returned to her North Carolina hometown to open a restaurant and reconnect with the ingredients and people of the region. The series aired for five seasons and concluded with a farewell special in 2018, reaching 97% of PBS stations nationwide and earning widespread acclaim, including a Peabody, an Emmy and a James Beard Award for Outstanding Personality/Host in 2016. In 2014, Howard became the first woman since Julia Child to receive a Peabody Award for a cooking program.

In 2020, she returned with Somewhere South, a companion series that explored the food traditions shared across cultures throughout the American South. Together, the two series reached more than 122 million households and helped establish Howard as a trusted voice in public media’s food landscape.

Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard was produced by SCETV in coordination with Susie Films with production funding provided by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina, First Citizens Bank, Penny Kay Cooper, and the Bea and Ray Norwood Foundation.

In addition to its broadcast Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard will be available for streaming on SCETV.org, PBS.org, the PBS app and the SCETV app. Viewers can also follow the journey on Instagram by following both the SCETV and Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard pages for behind-the-scenes content and updates.

FAST FACTS

• SCETV presents Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard, a new half-hour food series that explores everyday kitchen questions.
• In each episode, Howard approaches food with humor, curiosity and a dose of Southern practicality.
• The series will be distributed nationally by American Public Television and will premiere locally on ETV on Oct. 9 at 8 p.m.
• Production funding is provided by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina, First Citizens Bank, Penny Kay Cooper, and the Bea and Ray Norwood Foundation.