History of WVIZ/PBS Cooks!

Much to the chagrin of some Clevelanders, the format for WVIZ/PBS was actually born at public television station WQED in Pittsburgh.  Chris Fennimore, the Director of Programming for that station, was passionate about cooking and loved nothing better than talking to others about food and exchanging family heirloom recipes.

Chris, being an outgoing, personable and generous foodie, found that he wanted to reach out to as many people as possible to share his love of cooking and meals enjoyed with family and friends around the table. So, in August 1993, Chris produced and was featured on the station’s very first cooking “marathon.”

Over the next two years, word of Chris’ successful cooking show spread to food lovers at public television stations across the country, and one by one, they phoned Chris for his advise on how they could create similar programs on their own PBS stations.  WVIZ/PBS was among those chatting it up with Chris.

In February 1995, WVIZ/PBS asked viewers to send in their favorite family recipes for the first-ever cooking marathon the station was planning to produce and broadcast live. The topic was P is for Pasta.

We were absolutely delighted as, each day, the mail brought dozens and dozens of mouthwatering recipes. Fettucine Alfredo, Lazy Pierogi, Spaghetti Pie, Apple Noodle Kugel – each recipe sounding even more delicious than the next. Why, even the Cleveland Heights Fire Department got into the act sending us their terrific recipes for Firefighters’ Tomato Sauce, Linguine and Clams and Spaghetti!

A “kitchen” was built in the WVIZ/PBS studios and the staff set about the difficult task of selecting a sampling of recipes to be prepared live, on-air, during the show. Guest chefs were lined up, the format was established and the show was ready to go.

When WVIZ/PBS Cooks! P is for Pasta went on the air in March, the number of viewers becoming members in support of this new local cooking idea overwhelmed the station, and we were inundated with member requests for the cookbook.

Amazingly, that was 14 years and 55 shows ago. Since then, WVIZ/PBS has produced and broadcast live cooking marathons on just about every topic under the sun, from soups to desserts; from cheese to chocolate; from meat to potatoes. We’ve amassed quite a library of cookbooks, too. And we’d venture to say that they contain some of the very best dishes you could ever hope to taste and share with family and friends.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the wonderful support from the community that WVIZ/PBS Cooks! has enjoyed. The station does these programs for you, but we are well aware that we couldn’t possibly do them without you!

To the thousands of generous and talented chefs and cooks who have shared their family secrets and family favorites through thousands of delicious recipes, thank you. And to everyone who has watched and supported the WVIZ/PBS Cooks! series with generous pledges of membership support, you have the stations heartfelt gratitude.

The WVIZ/PBS Cooks! Club is your tribute and is dedicated to you!