Produced by KQED, Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul will be his most personal television series. Pépin reflects on his 60 years in the kitchen with never-before-seen footage, and introduces new recipes and techniques with family and friends.
Series culminates with Pépin’s 80th birthday special featuring Lidia Bastianich, Rick Bayless and Ming Tsai.
KQED announces production on Jacques Pépin’s final cooking series will begin on October 8 at its San Francisco studios. Like his previous series, Jacques Pépin Heart & Soulwill feature Pépin teaching the skills necessary for success in the kitchen, sharing favorite recipes and demonstrating the timeless cooking techniques that make him a master. But itwill also reveal more about Pépin to viewers than ever before. Pépin will reflect back to his earlier days in the kitchen and in front of the camera with never-before-seen footage from Pépin at home and favorite clips from his earlier series. The 26-episode series is set to broadcast on PBS stations in fall of 2015. A companion cookbook will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in October 2015. KQED will be producing a mobile-friendly website for the series which will feature recipes, clips and full episodes.
The production slate includes a PBS pledge special commemorating Pépin’s 80th birthday that will be produced in front of a live audience at Farallon Restaurant. This program will feature a celebratory feast prepared for Pépin by guest chefs Lidia Bastianich, Rick Bayless and Ming Tsai and will premiere in December 2015.
Each episode of Heart & Soul will feature creative recipes that combine Pépin’s culinary history and travel experiences with his expert teaching skill. Viewers will see simple dishes for the novice and more involved creations for the seasoned cook along with frugal tips. On occasion, family and friends are invited to cook alongside Pépin or join him in the dining room. Heart & Soul also highlights his passion for using the best provisions for meals, whether it is through tending his garden, foraging in the woods behind his home or on the nearby beach. Viewers will hear Pépin reminisce on these times as well as on his friendships with Julia Child and other chefs, and also recall the little ‘problems’ that have occurred during recordings in the studio.