Press Release

WYES ANNOUNCES FOURTH NATIONAL COOKING SERIES FEATURING CHEF KEVIN BELTON
‘Kevin Belton’s Cookin’ Louisiana’ Premieres July 3, 2021

New Orleans, LA — Chef Kevin Belton is ready to hit the trail, the culinary trail that is, in a new 26-part cooking series from WYES-TV. In his fourth public television venture, Chef Belton will explore the rich and multi-faceted foodways of Louisiana. KEVIN BELTON’S COOKIN’ LOUISIANA premieres Saturday, July 3, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. on WYES-TV, wyes.org/live and on the WYES and PBS apps. The tasty tour of the Pelican State’s best flavors and dishes will also air on a majority of public television stations nationwide. Viewers outside of the WYES broadcast area should contact their local station for airdates and times. This series is distributed by American Public Television.

The award-winning chef will visit locations across the state for a look at the authentic food traditions of Louisiana cuisine. The road trip will start in Lafourche Parish, an area southwest of New Orleans where the chef’s French speaking family settled and where the catch of the day is sourced from the 106 miles of bayou
that weave through the parish.

Chef Belton’s Louisiana road trip will take him from the River Parishes, where the region’s German heritage influences its food culture, to Acadia Parish where he’ll “have a rice day” in a locale known as the Rice Capital
of America. In Sabine Parish the chef will sample tamales in a pocket of Spanish culture dating back to the 18th century. And in Arnaudville, a city that rests on the border of St. Landry and St. Martin Parishes, he’ll go in search of the Cajun Kevin Po Boy, an upright seafood and sausage stuffed sandwich inspired by the cypress knees of the bayou.

Back in his New Orleans’ studio, Chef Belton will prepare his take on the outstanding dishes of the state. He’ll salute the Crawfish Capital of Louisiana with a flavored packed Crawfish Burger and sample the bounty of the Sportsman’s Paradise with Fried Quail with Peach Chutney.

In his travels, the chef will seek out dishes that reflect Louisiana’s complex blending of cultures, preparing Filipino-style Beef Tapa with Sinangag (Garlic Fried Rice), Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls and traditional Czech Kolaches. He’ll also dip into the bounty of Louisiana’s food culture with dishes that reflect its prolific fisheries, its citrus harvest and its thriving family friendly “you pick” farm experiences. Chef Kevin will even give a shout out to Louisiana’s state beverage, milk, with a savory BLT Cheesecake and Eggnog Bread Pudding.

From Chicken and Dumplings, one of the Delta Delights from Northeast Louisiana, to Cracklin Cornbread from Evangeline Parish in the Cajun Heartland, KEVIN BELTON’S COOKIN’ LOUISIANA will take viewers on a fun-filled food odyssey with the 6’9” gregarious chef.

Following the success of NEW ORLEANS COOKING WITH KEVIN BELTON (2015), KEVIN BELTON’S NEW ORLEANS KITCHEN (2018) and KEVIN BELTON’S NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATIONS (2019), Chef Belton has become a popular host on public television stations nationwide and on the lifestyle channel CreateTV. Recognized as one of the Best Chefs of Louisiana by the American Culinary Federation, he is also the recipient of a Suncoast Regional Emmy and a Telly Award winner.

KEVIN BELTON’S COOKIN’ LOUISIANA will air on WYES-TV, wyes.org/live and on the WYES and PBS apps every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. For all series information, go to wyes.org. Viewers can purchase an autographed copy of the series’ companion cookbook, of the same name, at wyes.org. A portion of cookbook sales benefits WYES and helps make series like this possible.

National funding for KEVIN BELTON’S COOKIN’ LOUISIANA is made possible by the L.E. Phillips Family Foundation.

About WYES-TV:

For over 64 years, WYES has worked to inform, teach, illuminate, entertain and inspire our entire community. It is the oldest public television station serving southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the 12th oldest in the nation, and the most utilized non-profit organization in our two states with as many as a half-million people using our broadcasts, outreach activities and website each week. We are proud to be part of the nationʼs largest classroom, the largest stage for the arts and a trusted window to the world. For more information, call (504) 486-5511 or visit wyes.org. Like us on Facebook (wyes.neworleans). Follow us on Twitter (@WYESTV) & Instagram (wyestv).

About APT:

American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performance, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children’s series and news and current affairs programs. Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Pacific Heartbeat, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Front and Center, Lidia’s Kitchen, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, James Patterson’s Kid Stew and NHK Newsline are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service and distributes Create®TV — featuring the best of public television’s lifestyle programming — and WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.