Beloved PBS chef Vivian Howard is back this fall with her brand-new series, “Kitchen Curious,” premiering nationwide on October 6, 2025. Known for her acclaimed shows “A Chef’s Life” and “Somewhere South,” Howard is once again serving up her signature blend of storytelling, Southern food traditions, and humor. But this time, she’s digging deeper into the everyday culinary questions we all face at home, from how to pickle and preserve to the truth about frozen food. With stops across the U.S. and even in Paris, “Kitchen Curious” promises to be Howard’s most relatable and eye-opening series yet.
Vivian Howard Brings Food Back To Basics With ‘Kitchen Curious’
Image courtesy of Baxter Miller
Howard’s earlier shows leaned heavily into farms, restaurants, and aspirational cooking. But with “Kitchen Curious,” she wanted to pivot to something more grounded.
“My last two shows were very aspirational,” Howard told The Blast. “This is kind of more like meeting people where they’re at. Rather than going to farms, in every episode we go to the grocery store. I go to Walmart and Piggly Wiggly with a nutritionist in almost every episode.”
That accessibility, she says, is what makes this series timely. “The last five years, I’ve just kind of been scrolling on my phone, like a lot of people,” she said. “There are so many experts out there on what you should eat, how you should eat, what’s good for you. And I was confused. If I’m confused, I know a lot of other people are.”
Howard Admits Olive Oil Blew Her Mind
Image courtesy of Baxter Miller
Each episode of “Kitchen Curious” tackles a culinary theme, unpacking the culture, science, and surprising stories behind everyday foods. For Howard, even as a professional chef, some of the answers were eye-opening.
“One of the most surprising things was olive oil,” she admitted. “I thought I understood it. I mean, I’m a chef. But we don’t really know how to shop for it or what extra virgin actually means. At Corto Olive Oil in California, I learned so much. I’ll never taste or shop for olive oil the same way again.”
It’s exactly that sense of discovery, realizing we may not know as much as we think, that fuels the show’s curiosity.
Vivian Howard On Why Cast Iron Will Always Be Part Of America’s Food Culture
Image courtesy of Baxter Miller
In the premiere episode, Howard explores cast iron cookware, a staple of American kitchens. She explains why it still sparks fascination and intimidation today.
“Over the years, one of the first questions I would get was, how do you store it, how do you clean it? There are just so many myths around it,” she said. “I think cast iron skillets are America’s cookware. They don’t break, they get handed down, and they carry so many memories.”
Howard hopes the episode will clear up common misconceptions while celebrating cast iron’s enduring role in American food culture. “Even if you put instructions on the front page of the New York Times, people would still have their own beliefs about it,” she laughed. “It’s part of our culture.”
Howard Says True Comfort Food Is Simple
Image courtesy of Baxter Miller
Another episode spotlights root vegetables as the original comfort food, but for Howard, true comfort goes back to her childhood.
“The comfort food of my youth was what we call chicken and rice,” she shared. “My mom would boil a whole chicken until it was falling apart, shred it, and cook rice in the broth with lots of salt and pepper. I can smell it when I talk about it now.”
Years later, Howard tried to recreate the dish for her mother after surgery, adding her own “chef’s touch.” It didn’t go over well. “I couldn’t make it the way she did. She ended up not eating it, and we fought about it. I finally realized it was the rules she broke that made it great,” Howard said with a smile.
Vivian Howard Says Frozen Food Deserves A Second Look
Image courtesy of Baxter Miller
Perhaps the most surprising lesson of the series is one that challenges decades of American kitchen wisdom. Frozen food can actually be a game-changer!
“I want to reshape the way people feel about frozen food,” Howard explained. “We go to Paris, where the French favorite grocery store only sells frozen products. It’s a stunning lesson that maybe we’re reading frozen food wrong.”
In one episode, Howard and a nutritionist compare canned green beans with frozen ones, finding the frozen option often more nutritious. “Your freezer is the best preservative you have,” she emphasized. “I think our perception of frozen food has shifted over the last 50 years, and it’s time to think about it differently.”
Vivian Howard Hopes To Be Remembered As ‘A Really Good Storyteller’
Image courtesy of Baxter Miller
Unlike glossy cooking competitions, Howard’s series digs deeper into food’s culture and history. It’s not just about recipes, but it’s about connection. “Food is one of the few things that continues to connect us, which is very unusual these days,” she said. “My audience has always come to me to learn something, to feel connected, and to be entertained. I still believe you can do all those things.”
Looking back, Howard hopes her legacy is simple, telling The Blast, “I hope people remember me as a really good storyteller and someone who improved their lives when they engaged with my work.” With “Kitchen Curious,” she’s doing exactly that, making viewers smarter, savvier, and more connected, one question at a time.
“Kitchen Curious” premieres October 6, 2025, on PBS and will be available to stream on the PBS app.
Dining and Cooking