The cooking’s good, but fun is better

Austin Cooks - Brian Feeding an Ostrich

Culinary Arts Program Chair Brian Hay drops by an ostrich farm for “Austin Cooks.”

The Austin Community College District now has its own version of The Food Network with its new cooking show, “Austin Cooks.”

Culinary Arts professors Brian Hay and Brian McCormick took center stage in

the half-hour show that debuted February 4 on television and the Internet.

“Response has been very positive. We are hoping we will generate more responses from the website as time goes on,” says McCormick, associate professor in ACC’s popular Culinary Arts Program. Hay serves as professor and chairs the program.

“Austin Cooks” mixes Central Texas flavor and lively fun with lessons in cooking basics. Each episode covers a specific topic, as the cohosts spotlight the region’s culinary experts as well as promising novices.

In the first episode, “Chicken Basics,” McCormick takes viewers to downtown Austin for a man-on-the-street investigation on whether it’s necessary to wash chicken before cooking it. En route to the answer, viewers witness a surprising range of views and one person performing the chicken dance.

Later in the episode, McCormick tangles with Hay on who gets credit for chicken wings.

“I’m from Canada; we do really good hot wings there,” Hay says.

“Hot wings were invented in Buffalo, New York,” McCormick says.

“In Toronto, we know how to do it,” Hay retorts.

Their deadpan humor and occasional silliness engage viewers, but Hay and McCormick keep education at the heart of every episode.

“Our students will be able to review some of the techniques they learn in class,” Hay says. “And the community will get the chance to get an inside look at the Culinary Arts Program and learn a few tricks of the trade.”

“Austin Cooks” is the brainchild of Charles Quinn, dean of the Business Studies Division that includes Culinary Arts. He approached Hay with the idea last spring as a way to showcase the workforce program and promote ACC TV at the same time.

“Cooking shows are real popular, and we have a Culinary Arts Department with a great faculty,” Quinn says.

Instructional Development Services is producing the show in conjunction with Culinary Arts. Plans call for seven additional episodes to air in the fall.

The “Austin Cooks” schedule lists the premiere date of each episode. Viewers can go to austincc.edu/cooks for all the current shows plus video “extras,” or they can tune in ACC’s cable-TV Ch. 19 at 6:30 p.m. Mondays to view the latest episode. (Each show airs two weeks.)

  • Feb. 4: “Chicken Basics,” (available online)
  • Feb. 18: “Ostrich,” (available online)
  • March 3: “Bistro”
  • March 17: “Fish Basics”
  • March 31: “Flat Iron Steak”
  • April 14: “Winery”

View the show’s trailer (2:30 minutes) or find recipes, episodes, and extras at the “Austin Cooks” website.

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