In this premiere episode, Vivian explores America's love affair with cast iron skillets, from hunting vintage treasures with Warren Brothers at Copper Mill Mercantile in Kinston to visiting Charleston's Smithey Ironware Company to learn how modern cast iron and carbon steel cookware are crafted. Along the way, she debunks cleaning myths, whips up a skillet shakshuka in her church kitchen, and bakes a cornmeal blueberry coffee cake that bridges the traditions of cornbread and cobbler.
Episode 1: Cast Iron
Episode 2: Pasta
Vivian explores how pasta stretches small amounts of flavorful meat into satisfying meals, a practice that spans cultures and centuries. Joined by "noodle man" Dan Pashman, host of The Sporkful and creator of the cascatelli pasta shape, she embarks on a Charleston noodle crawl that includes stops at Top Chef finalist Shuai Wang's King BBQ and her own restaurant Lenoir. Vivian meets nutritionist Christine Byrne to settle the whole grain versus regular pasta debate before heading home to prepare pantry-friendly recipes like anchovy spaghetti and a modern Hamburger Helper.
Episode 3: Fats
Vivian explores cooking fats, one of the most misunderstood ingredients in the kitchen, from her mother's saved bacon grease to perfectly dressed salad greens. Nutritionist Christine Byrne debunks myths about seed oils, saturated fats, and which oils work best for frying versus finishing at the grocery store. Vivian visits Corto in Lodi, California—America's largest olive oil producer—to see olives become oil and decode what makes the good stuff great. Back home, she goes full fat-forward, frying fish to golden perfection in peanut oil and serving it over a generous swipe of homemade mayo.