While today might be known more for candies and treats, October 31st also marks the launch of a new podcast that aims to help younger, pickier, eaters to expand their palates and be exposed to a range of cultures through their respective foods.
What’s Happening:
- The WNET Group, creators of the multi-Emmy-winning PBS KIDS series, Cyberchase, are about to serve up The Plate Show, a fresh new podcast for 6-8-year-olds and their families!
- The fun and learning-rich audio podcast, launches today, October 31st, and will be dishing out new episodes weekly until December 19th.
- The new podcast is the perfect recipe for helping to expand the palate of picky eaters and exposing them to a range of cultures through their respective foods.
- The series will feature a different celebrity chef in each episode who will talk about their favorite foods and special traditions from their own culture.
- Hosted by Spoonie, a talking spoon voiced by Jasmine Romero (Sesame Street), and her trusty sidekick, Tongs, voiced by Jonathan Butler-Duplessis (Hamilton), The Plate Show takes kids on an eye-opening, mouth-watering culinary journey in every 20–25-minute episode, focusing on a different food and its cultural context, from Caribbean to Native American to Jewish and beyond.
- With engaging storytelling, interviews with celebrity chefs, including James Beard Award-winning chefs JJ Johnson and Pati Jinich, and interactive games featuring real kids, the show offers a unique blend of entertainment and learning that will nurture young viewers' appreciation of new foods and encourage them to give them a try.
- The series' characters also reinforce key life skills for kids – like when Spoonie learns about patience while baking challah for the first time or Tongs discovers that it's okay not to like spicy dishes and that food can be seasoned to individual taste.
The Plate Show Episode Descriptions:
- Episode 1: It's Spoonie's very first podcast and in honor of the fall season, she's making her favorite food, pumpkin pie! But when the pie gets ruined Spoonie learns pumpkin isn't always just for pie, it can be used in savory foods, too- and maybe tastes even better! Celebrity chef J. Kenji López-Alt joins to share his family’s recipe using kabocha squash, a classic Japanese dish, and special kid guest, Lila, joins to share about calabaza en tacha and how her family makes it as a part of their Dia de los Muertos celebrations.
- Episode 2: It's a cold day outside, so to warm things up Spoonie is doing a show about Caribbean food, making some spicy jerk chicken and creating a beach in the kitchen! Tongs doesn't like spicy food and learns that's okay — and that food can be seasoned to individual taste. Celebrity chef J.J. Johnson shares his own jerk chicken recipe as well as some favorites from his household growing up, and kid guest Leia talks about her favorite food from her Dominican background…platanos!
- Episode 3: Spoonie is doing a show about street food, but keeps getting distracted by a delicious smell coming from outside. She discovers it's a food truck — just as it drives away! Thankfully Tongs has been trying to tell her all episode he knows what food the truck serves, and they have the ingredients to make their own. Spoonie promises to be a better listener. Celebrity chef Pati Jinich shares about Mexican street food, and kid guest Gavi talks about the curry puffs he loves making with his Malaysian grandmother.
- Episode 4: The show today is about pancakes from all over the world! Spoonie is making a recipe from Tongs' grandpa for super fluffy buttermilk pancakes, yum! But will Spatty the kitchen spatula be able to get over his nerves in time to do his big pancake flip for the Big Taste? Special guest Reem Kassis joins and tells us about qatayef asafiri, delicious stuffed pancakes eaten during Ramadan, and kid guest, Anoushka, shares about appam pancakes from Kerala, India too!
- Episode 5: Spoonie LOVES corn, which is a major part of Native American cuisine in many parts of the country! She and Tongs can’t wait to try making succotash for today’s episode…but uh oh, their trusty kitchen plate is missing! Working together with their kitchen utensils, Detective Spoonie must follow the clues to find the plate in time for the Big Taste. Special guest Kevin Maillard shares stories about food that’s meaningful to him and his family as a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and kid guest Watehronhine tells us about the food and traditions that are important to her and her Mohawk Native American community in Upstate New York.
- Episode 6: Spoonie is learning about Jewish foods and making challah bread for her beloved Aunt Mitzy, but is astounded to realize how many steps it takes and just how long it takes to make bread. Will she finish before Aunt Mitzy arrives?? Special guest Elyssa Heller joins to talk about Jewish deli food, both traditional and modern, and kid guest Juliet shares about her favorite Jewish food – matzah ball soup!
- Episode 7: Today is all about Nigerian food! Spoonie is so excited to talk to her guests and try delicious chuk chuk candies, but keeps getting interrupted by Super Fan, Canastasia the Can Opener! Spoonie must navigate her frustration and annoyance as Canastasia keeps trying to take over. Ultimately, Canastasia realizes she’s gone too far, and Spoonie realizes Canastasia’ s over-eagerness is actually a major compliment. Canastasia for President of The Plate Show fan club! Celebrity chef Yewande Komolafe shares tips for making chuk chuk and her own favorite Nigerian food from growing up, and special kid guest Lexie tells us all about Jollof rice and moin moin that she eats with her family, too!
- Episode 8: The last show of this season is all about Lunar New Year! Spoonie and Tongs are trying their hardest to stay up late to celebrate at midnight. Between noisemakers, Jam Band music, and making Vietnamese spring rolls for The Big Taste, will they be able to make it?? Special guest Calvin Eng joins to talk about his family’s Cantonese traditions and favorite recipes, and kid guest Milo shares his favorite Korean rice cake soup, Tteokguk!