NICK STELLINO COOKING WITH FRIENDS

Join veteran public television chef Nick Stellino for an all-new series featuring some of the nation's most celebrated chefs in NICK STELLINO COOKING WITH FRIENDS. Nick and chefs from hot spots across the country share their recipes for dishes that are simple yet elegant, teaching viewers how to turn their homes into their favorite restaurants. The emphasis is on fresh, seasonal, and easy to prepare dishes with tips from the chefs on making the final presentation worthy of the finest restaurant table. As always, Nick Stellino guides the viewer with his warm and effervescent personality, sharing his passion for food and life.

Chef Michael Cimarusti, head chef and owner of Providence restaurant in Los Angeles, prepares a simple Alaskan Halibut with Yukon Gold potato but elevates the dish with an unusual topping of foamy "Lemon Spuma" and herbs. Although impressive looking, the dish is one that any home cook can master with ingredients found in their local supermarket.

On our tour of the country's best food, master chef Laurent Manrique from Aqua in San Francisco prepares succulent Hamachi with grapefruit sauce and avocado. Kent Rathbun, from Abacus and Jasper’s in Dallas, prepares a fresh Chicken Salad with Market Vegetables. Elise Wiggins from Panzano in Denver wows us with a simple but dynamic Peach Salad with Bing cherries, prosciutto and rolled goat cheese balls. Walter Pisano from Tulio in Seattle shows us how to make Truffle Salted Wild Salmon accompanied by a delicious bitter green salad. The former "Prima Ballerina" Patricia Williams, from District in New York City, shares with us her secret on how to make the perfect Claufouti.

Danny Bortnick from Firefly Restaurant in Washington DC, shares with us his children's favorite dish: Green Eggs and Ham, a simple yet sophisticated quiche. Neal Fraser from Grace Restaurant in Los Angeles, takes us step-by-step through making Grilled Fillet of Beef with Farro, with a luscious red wine sauce. The ever effusive Heather Therune, from Chicago's Atwood Café, prepares a delicious Grilled Artic Char with Chipolte Barbeque Sauce. Michael Hillyer from Capital Grille shows us how to make the perfect Crab and Lobster Burger. And of course Nick brings 13 of his own recipes to the table, from Veal Chop with Lemon Rosemary Honey Sauce, to Tuna Tartare, to Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes Basil and Shrimp

Nick Stellino launched his first show on public television in 1995 with the debut of Cucina Amore and followed with five seasons of Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen. In 2009, Nick will celebrate his 14th year on public television with a fresh new season of great food. Along with his new series, Nick is also sporting a fresh new look after losing 65 lbs. "You'll still see influences of the Italian food that is my birthright, but it was time to lighten both the recipes and the chef! At 50 years old...I feel more fit than when I was 30."

NICK STELLINO COOKING WITH FRIENDS featured guest chefs:

• Chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles

• Chef Laurent Manrique, AQUA, San Francisco

• Chef Kent Rathbun, Abacus , Dallas

• Chef Patricia Williams, District, New York

• Chef Michael Hillyer, Capital Grille Seattle

• Chef Heather Therune, Atwood Café, Chicago

• Chef Elise Wiggings, Panzano, Denver

• Chef Neal Fraser, Grace Restaurant, Los Angeles

• Chef Danny Bortnick, Firefly, Washington DC

• Chef Walter Pisano , Tulio, Seattle

Station Relations:

Heather Mudrick

813-835-1681

NICK STELLINO COOKING WITH FRIENDS is presented by KCTS 9/Seattle Public Television and distributed by American Public Television (APT).

KCTS 9/Seattle Public Television, Program Presenter

KCTS 9/Seattle serves viewers by producing and presenting quality information and entertainment programs that reflect its mission to “inform, involve and inspire.”

American Public Television, Program Distributor

With more than 10,000 hours of programming in its library, American Public Television (APT) has been a prime source of programming for the nation’s public television stations for 47 years, distributing more than 300 new program titles per year. In 2006, APT launched Create – the TV channel featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming. Known for its leadership in identifying innovative, worthwhile and viewer-friendly programming, APT has established a tradition of providing public television stations with program choices that strengthen and customize their schedules, such as Rick Steves' Europe, Worldfocus, Globe Trekker, Simply Ming, Sara's Weeknight Meals, America's Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Doc Martin, Broadway: The Golden Age, Lidia's Family Table, Rosemary and Thyme, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, The Big Comfy Couch, Celine Dion: A New Day, Queen Rock Montreal, Monarchy With David Starkey, Spain...on the road Again, and other prominent documentaries, dramatic series, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. For more information about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.