More than a cooking show, A Chef’s Life is a half-hour character-driven documentary series that takes viewers inside the life and kitchen of Chef Vivian Howard.
In Season 5, Vivian Howard finds plenty of reasons to celebrate, as Chef and the Farmer turns 10 years old and her first cookbook hits the New York Times bestseller list. So, she sets out on a book tour with her trusted team and a finicky food truck. In between greeting hordes of fans in multiple states, Vivian discovers small batch whiskey in Kentucky, fishes for trout in the North Carolina mountains, and breaks bread with fellow chefs in the Virginia hills where good food and good music meet.
Watch full episodes of “A Chef’s Life” online, and be sure to check your local listings to see when the show will be airing in your area.
The Final Harvest
After five momentous seasons of A Chef’s Life, Vivian hosts The Final Harvest, a farewell feast of epic proportions. This series finale begins as a tractor pushes through her family’s cornfield to carve out the open-air dining room of Vivian’s dreams. Premieres October 22. Check local listings. Continue
Season 5 Episodes
Episode 1: Two-Mato
Vivian’s plate is full of everything–except tomatoes. As Chef & the Farmer turns 10 years old, Vivian embarks on a fruitless search for the season’s first ripe tomatoes to serve at the restaurant’s birthday party. Premiered October 7. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 2: Shake, Rattle and Pole (Beans)
With Summer heat high and rain levels low, Vivian struggles to scrounge up enough green beans to add to the menu at Chef & the Farmer. Premiered October 14. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 3: Prolific Peppers
Vivian preps peppers for a trip to Lambstock, a party where chefs, food, and music converge. Even with Warren behind the wheel, the road provides unexpected woes. Premiered October 21. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 4: A Food Truck and a Pear Tree
The arrival of Vivian’s cookbook sparks a well of emotions as the reality of wheeling a food truck around the country sets in. Premiered October 28. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 5: WANTED: Broccoli
Vivian heads to NYC where her book launch means a full itinerary. A celebration dinner at Bon Appétit Kitchen follows her appearance on the Rachael Ray Show where Vivian finds that a shot of bourbon goes a long way. Premiered November 4. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 6: Bourbon Country
What begins as a dinner at Maker’s Mark in Vivian’s honor ends as an American history lesson. A tour of Maker’s Mark and Jefferson’s distilleries illuminates the differences between whiskey, scotch, and bourbon. Premiered November 11. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 7: Persimmon Style
On a short hiatus from the book tour, Vivian takes the twins to pick persimmons off Mrs. Betty’s tree and learns about the different varieties of the fruit. She then takes that knowledge to Atlanta where an event called “Hired Guns” pits chefs and their dishes against each other. Premiered November 18. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 8: Chasing Trout
Vivian plans a respite from the road during the holidays, but finds herself equally busy at home. She volunteers at a soup kitchen and does one last book signing in Kinston before the holidays. Premiered November 25. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 9: Liver Lover
Vivian visits one of her favorite farmers and an eastern North Carolina restaurant known for its fried livers. Premiered December 2. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 10: King Cornbread
While enjoying some time at home, Vivian films a segment for a morning TV show where cornbread takes center stage. Premiered December 9. Check local listings. Continue
Season 4 Episodes
Episode 1: Onions and Avetts
Spring onions kick off the season in high gear as Vivian takes a break from penning her first cookbook to prepare a benefit dinner at a training ground for beginning farmers. Premiered September 10. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 2: My Watermelon Baby
The heat is high and watermelons are ripe for the picking. After being away from the restaurant all summer, Vivian returns to a staff of unfamiliar faces and works to build camaraderie with the newbies while accepting inevitable changes. Premiered September 17. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 3: Peas, Please
As a visit from her editor accelerates book preparations, Vivian reckons with handing over the restaurant reins to John and Justise. Premiered September 24. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 4: Stand by Your Cabbage
Vivian’s summer itinerary picks up with a 14-day photoshoot as she preps for a first-time trip to Feast Portland. Premiered October 1. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 5: Cabbage’s Last Stand
Vivian heads on an adventure to Feast Portland. Premiered October 8. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 6: Rabbit
Vivian’s rabbit demo at the Carolina Meat Conference is met with a rowdy rabble of protesters. Premiered October 15. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 7: More Than One Way to Skin a Catfish
An up-close-and-personal experience with farm-raised catfish offers Vivian an enlightened perspective on the industry. Premiered October 22. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 8: All Sunchoked Up
Flo and Theo’s pre-school class visit the restaurant for a meal where table manners are the focus, but exceptionally slow service makes everyone antsy, especially Ben. Premiered October 29. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 9: Heavenly Hocks
A view behind-the-scenes reveals the hot and cold of curing ham. At a New York dinner party hosted in her honor, Vivian serves up a gift of NC seasoning meats –the pig tails, ham hocks, and fatback that give Carolina cuisine its quintessential kick. Premiered November 5. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 10: Mayo: The Mother Sauce
Vivian holds a mayo blind taste test and a surprise brand takes top prize. After a new chef takes the reins, her diminishing role at the restaurant becomes clearer. Vivian’s long-held vacation plans are stifled by a series of strange events. Premiered November 12. Check local listings. Continue
Season 3 Episodes
Episode 1: Stop, Squash and Roll
Vivian seeks motherly advice from Mrs. Scarlett and her sister Johna over dinner. Premiered September 5, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 2: Pretty in Peach
Mrs. Scarlett teaches Vivian the secrets of Gramma Hill’s canned peaches and shares fond fried chicken memories from her own childhood. Premiered September 12, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 3: Gettin’ Figgy With It
Vivian is under the gun to pen an entire book chapter on figs in three days. The stress inspires a fig and honey bourbon slushie tasting with Warren and a fig preserves session with Ms Rose. Premiered September 19, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 4: Pickle Perfect
Vivian visits her friend Nancy for a surprisingly comforting combination of homemade pickles, chicken salad, and chocolate cake. Ben and Vivian audition a new chef to offer Ben some relief and much-needed time to focus on his art. Premiered September 26, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 5: Prickly Business
Vivian’s mentor, Scott Barton stops by the restaurant to peruse the kitchen and share the African roots of okra. Thanks to Warren, Vivian learns that picking okra is a prickly business. Premiered October 3, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 6: If You Can’t Beet Em
Matt from Crooked Fence Produce shows Vivian how to make “the best pickled beets she ever ate.” Vivian incorporates beets into an unconventional chocolate cake in honor of Ms. Mary’s 89th birthday party. There’s no telling how Ms. Lillie will respond. Premiered October 10, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 7: A Casserole Says Plenty
The Boiler Room welcomes a new manager, much to Ben’s delight. A family reunion brings out long-lost relatives, the warmth of fellowship, and an impressive spread of home-cooked casseroles. Premiered October 17, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 8: Honey, I’m Home!
After a visit from “The Honey Man,” Vivian turns up the heat on a dish that features chicken livers drizzled with hot honey. While Ben preps for his art show in Durham, Vivian descends upon “the Bull City’s” restaurant row to sample sweet, honey-themed dishes. Premiered October 25, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 9: They Call ‘Em ‘Bagas
Lillie shows Vivian three different ways to bring out the bitter and the sweet in rutabagas. Vivian showers her team with thoughtful holiday gifts as they prepare a New Year’s menu that blends Italian and Eastern North Carolinian influences. Premiered October 31, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 10: Gone Clamming, Part I
Vivian heads to the Charleston’s Wine and Food Festival, the South’s premiere gathering of world-class chefs and food folk. Her jam-packed schedule includes the prestigious “perfectly paired” dinner at Frank Lee’s High Cotton Restaurant. A clamming trip with lowcountry legend, “Clammer Dave” adds a bit adventure to her every day. Premiered November 7, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 11: Gone Clamming, Part II
Vivian’s plate runneth over as her tour of Charleston continues. A highlight is the high-energy and very popular Waffle House Smackdown. Frank Lee, “The Mayor of Charleston,” invites Vivian to his home and schools her on the proper way to open a clam and the secret to his aunt’s decadent clam hash. Premiered November 14, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 12: What’s Your Beef?
After some initial hiccups, Vivian’s whole cow program finds its groove. Mrs. Scarlett shows her how to make a classic cubed steak, inciting an epic tantrum from Flo. Vivian nervously heads to New York to meet her new editor as work on her upcoming cookbook continues. Premiered November 21, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Episode 13: One Potato, New Potato
Vivian judges the Southern Sides competition at the annual BBQ Festival alongside Mrs. Scarlett and Ms. Lillie, who prove to be finicky judges. Vivian follows up with a take on the BBQ plate, featuring a crispy potato salad. When the Avett Brothers stop by the restaurant for dinner, the entire staff, including Vivian, serve up a side of girly giddiness. Premiered November 28, 2015. Check local listings. Continue
Season 2 Episodes
Episode 1: Blueberries and Boiling Over
A year after overcoming a devastating fire, Vivian and Ben go all-in on a 2nd restaurant. Continue
Episode 2: Shrimp Sells
A family beach trip turns competitive for Vivian and her sisters. Continue
Episode 3: R-E-S-P-E-C-T the Butterbean
Vivian and Ben face challenges on the cusp of opening a new restaurant, the Boiler Room. Continue
Episode 4: Don’t Tom Thumb Your Nose at Me! Part 1
Vivian undertakes mammoth preparations for her huge Souther Foodways Alliance luncheon. Continue
Episode 5: Don’t Tom Thumb Your Nose at Me! Part 2
Vivian almost reaches her breaking point, but everyone pulls together for the big event. Continue
Episode 6: Apples
Vivian returns from her road trip and confronts her long absence from the restaurant. Continue
Episode 7: The Fish Episode, Y’all
Vivian presents a few of the many ways fish makes its appearance in Southern cooking. Continue
Episode 8: Obviously, It’s Pecans
November has arrived and the restaurant is busy. Vivian feels the stress at work and home. Continue
Holiday Special
Vivian is determined to give her toddler twins a traditional holiday experience, cooking, laughing, and yes, crying their way through Southern traditions new and old. Continue
Episode 9: Turnips: The Roots
Fun Summer vegetables are long gone, so Vivian looks to liven up the unglamorous turnip. Continue
Episode 10: Turnips: The Greens
Fun Summer vegetables are long gone, so Vivian looks to liven up the unglamorous turnip. Continue
Episode 11: Chicken Lickin’
As Vivian waits for Spring’s vegetables to appear, she pauses to appreciate chicken’s endless capacity as an ingredient. Continue
Episode 12: Ramp-ing up to Spring
Vivian and the restaurant go wild over ramps, after a winter of few fresh vegetables. Continue
Episode 13: Eggs A Dozen Ways
Vivian cooks for a supper club and experiments with an eye towards the James Beard House. Continue
Episode 14: Eggs Two Dozen Ways
Vivian’s invitation to cook at the prestigious James Beard House becomes a reality. Continue
Season 1 Episodes
A Chef’s Life is a new half-hour character-driven documentary and cooking series that takes viewers inside the life of Chef Vivian Howard, who, with her husband Ben Knight, left the big city to open a fine dining restaurant in small-town Eastern North Carolina.
Episode 1: Sweet Corn & Expensive Tea
Chef Vivian and her husband leave NYC to open a restaurant in her North Carolina hometown. Continue
Episode 2: Strawberry Stay at Home
Vivian and Ben rebuild their restaurant against the Southern harbinger of Spring. Continue
Episode 3: Pimp My Grits
The restaurant gears up for a practice service — but nothing is going as planned. Continue
Episode 4: Cracklin’ Kitchen
Vivian launches the restaurant’s new “whole animal, no waste” program with two pigs. Continue
Episode 5: Tomatoes… You Say Heirloom, I Say Old Timey
Vivian preps for a Southern Foodways Alliance luncheon with the ultimate tomato sandwich. Continue
Episode 6: The World is Your Oyster
Vivian goes to Cedar Island to explore the new culture of farm-raised oysters. Continue
Episode 7: Muscadine Time
Ben, Vivian and the twins pick muscadine grapes at a small local vineyard. Continue
Episode 8: A Road Trip for Rice
Vivian travels to meet with Glenn Roberts to learn about Carolina Heirloom Rice. Continue
Episode 9: A Peanut Pastime
Vivian visits neighbor Marty Harper’s peanut farm just before and during harvest. Continue
Episode 10: Love Me Some Candied Yams
Vivian visits one of the largest sweet potato farms in the country. Continue
Episode 11: Collard Greed Queen
Vivian gets a lesson in a 100-year-old tradition of making collard kraut. Continue
Episode 12: The Buttermilk Belt
Vivian and Ben go to Maple View Dairy to pick up buttermilk for the restaurant. Continue
Episode 13: Have Yourself Some Moonshine
Vivian visits Broad Slab Distillery, and talks about the art and soul of white lightning. Continue
Presented by:
Support for this program provided by:
