A CHEF’S LIFE is a cooking and documentary series that takes viewers inside the life of Chef Vivian Howard, who, with her husband Ben Knight, opens a fine dining restaurant in her small hometown in Eastern North Carolina. Each episode follows Vivian out of the kitchen and into cornfields, strawberry patches and hog farms as she hunts down the ingredients that inspire her menus. Using a chef’s modern sensibilities, Vivian explores Southern cuisine, past and present – one ingredient at a time. A celebration of true farm-to-table food, the series combines the action and drama of a high-pressure business with the joys and stresses of family life.

The Fish Episode, Y’all
Chef Vivian presents a few of the many ways fish makes its appearance in southern cooking. She learns the rules of a good Eastern North Carolina fish stew: Make it a social event. Use whole hog bacon. Resist your urge to stir! And most important, start crackin’ eggs and don’t forget a side of white bread.