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Jacques Pépin’s Final Series, Heart & Soul, Premieres in September

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Farewell series culminates with Pépin’s 80th birthday special featuring Lidia Bastianich, Rick Bayless and Ming Tsai.

Jacques Pépin, one of the world’s most beloved chefs, taught generations of Americans to cook. After more than 60 years in the kitchen and nearly three decades in front of public television audiences, his final cooking series, Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul, premieres on PBS stations nationwide on September 19. The 26-episode series produced by KQED Public Television in San Francisco is deeply intimate, featuring the food he cooks at home for family and friends along with reminiscences and stories about food and wine, his friendship with Julia Child and other food producers that provide him with some of his favorite ingredients. Jacques also reveals his philosophy on cooking for others and how to raise a granddaughter who will eat almost anything.

“In Heart & Soul, not only do I share my favorite recipes and memories, I also share a few morsels of wisdom I’ve learned over a happy and rewarding career,” said Pépin. “The greatest pleasure in life for me remains simple: sitting down and enjoying a meal and a bottle of wine with family and friends. To share with others, this is true happiness.”

“KQED is proud to have been Jacques’ television home and partner for the last 25 years.  We are delighted to present his final cooking series which happens to be his most personal of the 13 series we have worked on together,” says Michael Isip, KQED’s chief content officer and series executive producer. “Heart & Soul is not just a cooking show, but a celebration of Jacques, his food, and, most importantly, his friends and family.

The production slate includes a PBS Pledge Special commemorating Pépin’s 80th birthday. Filmed in front of a live audience at Farallon Restaurant, chefs Lidia Bastianich, Rick Bayless, and Ming Tsai join Pépin to prepare a celebratory feast.

Each episode of Heart & Soul features Pépin demonstrating his timeless cooking technique and sharing favorite recipes. Whether a novice or a seasoned chef, Pépin’s impeccable technique and detailed demonstration ensures all viewers can learn and cook alongside Pépin. With never-before-seen footage, the series highlights Pépin in the kitchen, as he forages for the best ingredients in the woods behind his home, on the beach and harvesting from his garden. He shares personal stories from his extensive career while reflecting on his close friendships with Julia Child and other chefs. Heart & Soul is an intimate look into the art and life of the legendary man who continues to inspire.

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Jacques Pépin is the host of Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul. Tina Salter is the series producer, Paul Swensen is the director and Michael Isip is the executive producer and chief content officer. Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul is produced by KQED and distributed by American Public Television (APT).

Heart & Soul is made possible by the generous support of KitchenAid, OXO, Vine Connections (La Posta Wines, Viña Casa Silva, Luca Wines), Bertolli Olive Oil, Riedel Crystal and Oceania Cruises.

The accompanying cookbook, Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in October 2015. It will feature more than 200 recipes, Pépin’s watercolors and over 100 full-color photos of the food and the chef in his element. KQED’s mobile-friendly website for the series, featuring recipes, clips and full episodes, will launch August 28 at kqed.org/jpepinheart.

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ABOUT KQED PUBLIC TELEVISION
KQED Public Television, the PBS affiliate that serves Northern California, is one of the country’s most popular public television stations. It brings the values of public media to homes around the Bay Area with Emmy Award–winning programming that inspires, informs and entertains, including Downton Abbey and Sherlock from MASTERPIECEAmerican ExperienceAmerican MastersGreat PerformancesPOVIndependent LensNOVA and Nature. KQED produces local series like Check, Please! Bay AreaKQED NEWSROOMSan Francisco OperaTruly CA and ImageMakers, as well as popular programs for national broadcast such as Film School ShortsEssential Pépin and QUEST. KQED also distributes programming to public media stations across the country including Roadtrip Nation and Joanne Weir’s Cooking School. For more information, please visit kqed.org/tv.

About KitchenAid: From the legendary stand mixer to the first-ever five-door refrigerator, KitchenAid creates everything with those who love to cook in mind. Each appliance is made with a focus on detail, technology and design. And with Cook for the Cure®, we’ve created a way for people with a passion for cooking to join in the fight against breast cancer. We’ve partnered with Susan G. Komen® and raised over $10 million in the past 14 years. You can learn more on our website and visit the Kitchenthusiast™ blog to find recipes, tips and events going on near you.

About OXO: OXO began with a few simple questions – Why do ordinary kitchen tools hurt your hands? Why can’t there be wonderfully comfortable tools that are easy to use? The man who asked these questions was Sam Farber, who had recently retired as an entrepreneur in the housewares industry. Sam, approaching seventy, and his wife Betsey, who had arthritis, found ordinary kitchen tools uncomfortable and difficult to use. He was thus inspired to create a line of cooking tools developed under the philosophy of Universal Design—creating products that are easy to use for the widest spectrum of users—including those with arthritis. Sam’s goal was design tools that were not only more comfortable, but that were developed with a keen attention to maximizing performance. After hundreds of models, dozens of design iterations, and extensive research, OXO was born. In 1990, the first group of 15 OXO Good Grips kitchen tools was introduced to the U.S. market. These tools, complete with their pudgy black handles, set a new standard for the industry and raised the bar of consumer expectation by offering a comfortable, easy-to-use, high-performing alternative to the kitchen gadgets they had used for generations.

About Vine Connections: Vine Connections is a premium wine importer that curates boutique portfolios from regions that deserve to be known. We represent over 75 wines from Argentina, Chile, and California and 30 ginjo sakes from Japan, proudly partnering with family-owned wineries since 1999.
Luca Wines
Fourth generation winemaker Laura Catena is proud to share her ultra-premium Luca wines from Argentina. Laura had a vision of creating a new breed of Argentine wines: small quantity, artisan quality, and true to their individual terroirs. Luca Malbec 2012 was honored as #19 on the Wine Spectator ‘Top 100 List’ in 2014—the highest rated Argentine wine on the list.
La Posta Wines
In collaboration with Laura Catena and winemaker Estela Perinetti, La Posta wines salute the hard work and skill of the grape growers who bring the experience of Argentina to you in every sip. La Posta was named ‘Value Brand of the Year’ by Wine & Spirits Magazine in 2015. La Posta is Argentina, at your table.
Viña Casa Silva
Casa Silva is the most awarded Chilean winery of the 21st century. The Silva family pioneered grape growing in the Colchagua Valley, Chile with the first vineyards in 1892. They strive to innovate in their vineyards and to pioneer new terroirs, and they are paving the way for Carmenere research.

About Bertolli Olive Oil: Founded in the small Tuscan town of Lucca, Italy, Bertolli has been at the heart of Italian cooking and eating for 150 years with America’s favorite olive oil, delicious sauces and taste-tempting frozen meals and desserts. At the heart of Bertolli, is a commitment to quality, dedication to leveraging the natural goodness of ingredients and a tradition of providing outstanding and flavorful food. For more information on Bertolli plus delicious recipes and tips on how to experience Bertolli at home, visit villabertolli.com. You can find the latest Bertolli news at facebook.com/Bertolli and on Twitter @Bertolli.

From its Tuscan origin in 1865, Bertolli has grown to become the world’s No. 1 olive oil brand. Sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, Bertolli remains true to its Italian origins of culinary artistry, quality, consistency and authenticity. Bertolli delivers high-quality, nutritional olive oils for the entire family and can be found at most major supermarkets, retail superstores and membership warehouse clubs. Its diverse product line, including Extra Virgin, Classico, and Extra Light Tasting olive oil; Organic Extra Virgin olive oils; 100% Extra Virgin, 100% Extra Light Tasting and 100% Extra Virgin Organic cooking sprays offer a healthy and flavorful solution for every cooking and baking need.

About Riedel: RIEDEL Crystal is a 300 year-old family owned company known for its creation and development of varietal-specific stemware. RIEDEL Crystal is the first in history to recognize that the taste of a beverage is affected by the shape of the vessel from which it is consumed, and has been recognized for its revolutionary designs complementing alcoholic beverages and other drinks.

In 2013 the company began a new era of innovation, applying its knowledge of form and function to non-alcoholic beverages. Accepting the invitation of the Coca-Cola Company, and with the support of its Atlanta based flavor experts, RIEDEL applied its taste-tested blueprint to create a finely-tuned, specific shape to enhance the enjoyment of the world’s most iconic beverage, classic Coca-Cola. In the same year, RIEDEL was exposed to hot beverages by Nespresso in Lausanne, Switzerland. Together, with the universal knowledge of their top coffee authorities, we developed two machine-blown shapes for Nespresso, which amplify the distinct flavors of the coffee leader’s popular espresso blends.

Since its founding in 1756 and its pioneering of varietal-specific stemware beginning in 1958, RIEDEL has become the brand of choice for wine connoisseurs, hospitality professionals, and consumers worldwide. RIEDEL glassware is distributed worldwide and can be readily found at retailers and fine dining destinations.

About Oceania Cruises: The finest cuisine at sea, impeccable personalized service and outstanding value are the pillars that define Oceania Cruises’ five-star vacation experience. The upper-premium line's luxurious ships allow guests to explore the world in unparalleled style and comfort. Intimate and distinctly mid-size, the onboard atmosphere invites conviviality and conversation, while offering an unrivaled level of personalized service with an extraordinarily high staff-to-guest ratio. The gourmet culinary program is crafted by Executive Culinary Director, Master Chef Jacques Pépin, and has always been a hallmark that distinguishes Oceania Cruises.

Oceania Cruises is renowned for serving the finest cuisine at sea at a range of gourmet specialty restaurants – all at no additional charge – and features a number of unique culinary experiences on board Marina and Riviera. At The Culinary Center, the first-ever hands-on cooking school at sea, guests can hone their culinary techniques and learn how to prepare a variety of delicious dishes under the instruction of expert master chefs. Guests can also discover unique insight into the local cuisine and culture of a destination as they dine at renowned local restaurants and visit vibrant markets on one of Oceania Cruises'  Culinary Discovery Tours. Back on board at La Reserve by Wine Spectator, guests partake in wine seminars, vintage wine tastings, plus exquisite gourmet food and wine pairings.

Oceania Cruises' itineraries are handcrafted, featuring over 330 fascinating ports throughout the world, bringing the world’s most alluring destinations, including historic cities and modern meccas, along with charming seaside villages and faraway islands to life. Calling on the perfect mix of must-see marquee and boutique, off-the-beaten-path ports, many itineraries also feature multiple overnight stays, truly encouraging guests to immerse themselves  in the cuisine, culture and history of the ports we visit. For more details, visit us at OceaniaCruises.com.

THE PERSONALITIES BEHIND JACQUES PEPIN HEART & SOUL:

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JACQUES PEPIN, HOST
Jacques Pépin is renowned as a chef and host of acclaimed and popular cooking shows on public television. He is a respected instructor, a prolific author, and a gifted artist. A former columnist for The New York Times and contributing editor to Food & Wine magazine, he is the Dean of Special Programs at the International Culinary Center in New York and has taught at Boston University for more than 25 years. He is the winner of numerous James Beard Foundation and International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) awards for both his television series and for his books. He earned a place in the Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame in 1996 and received their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. Pépin holds the highest honor bestowed by the French Government, the title of CHEVALIER DE L’ORDRE NATIONAL DE LA LEGION D’HONNEUR. He has also shared the spotlight with Julia Child in a PBS series that still appears on public television stations. The series, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, received a 2001 Daytime Emmy Award from The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Pépin lives in Connecticut with his wife Gloria and two poodles, Paco and Gaston.

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