CHEF BUDDY VALASTRO RETURNS TO LIFETIME WITH “LEGENDS OF THE FORK,” A TASTY CULINARY JOURNEY
Buddy Valastro travels across the United States in search of the secrets, flavors, and human stories behind the most iconic dishes that form part of the country's culinary heart.
“LEGENDS OF THE FORK WITH BUDDY VALASTRO”
WEDNESDAY, JULY 16
4:00 PM MEX
LIFETIME presents the highly anticipated premiere of “Legends of the Fork” on Wednesday, July 16 , a flavorful new series starring Buddy Valastro in which the celebrated chef embarks on a cross-country tour of the country’s most iconic restaurants and the stories behind their authentic dishes and recipes.
In each half-hour episode, Buddy Valastro briefly leaves his iconic bakery to embark on a culinary journey across the United States, from Los Angeles to Nashville, passing through New York, Philadelphia, and other flavorful stops. Along the way, he meets entrepreneurial chefs who, like him, built their businesses from the ground up: he cooks alongside them, discovers the flavors that made them famous, and reveals the personal stories that made these restaurants emblematic of the social, cultural, and gastronomic identity of their communities. With his approachable and passionate style, Buddy celebrates the spirit of those who make good food a true legend.
On Wednesdays, July 16 and 23, Lifetime will premiere three consecutive episodes of “Legends of the Fork .” Then, two new episodes will air each week in which Buddy Valastro discovers along the way what makes the dishes that won over the public unique and what is the key ingredient that turned these restaurants into culinary icons.
On the first day of its premiere, Buddy delves into stories of tradition and flavor that span generations. From calamari and stuffed pork at a family-owned restaurant in New York City to the challenge of preparing an iconic mole in Los Angeles, each stop reveals a unique culinary heritage. There's also room to discover the secret behind a legendary pizza slice in Brooklyn, savor falafel that's been served the same way for half a century, and experience a Southern kitchen led by three generations of women in Nashville.
In the following episodes, Buddy faces feasts full of character, tradition, and fire. From juicy cuts with an island accent to smoked ribs and pulled pork in the South, each visit celebrates meat in all its forms. He also visits delis with over a century of history where he learns to prepare classics like meatloaf and artisanal pastrami, and tests his palate with extreme dishes like the hottest Thai curry or 400-degree Nashville-style fried chicken.
The series also pays tribute to women who have left a profound mark on gastronomy. Buddy cooks alongside figures such as Bricia López, guardian of mole; Maneet Chauhan, a figurehead of Indo-Southern fusion; and discovers the legacy of Sylvia Woods, pioneer of soul food. Throughout the journey, he encounters cuisines that convey identity across generations and flavors that tell stories as personal as they are universal.
Buddy Valastro visits a variety of iconic restaurants on his tour of the United States: in Los Angeles, he explores Jitlada, famous for its amazing Thai curry; Natraliart, with authentic Jamaican cuisine; El Coyote, a Hollywood icon; Canter's Deli, with its classic Mish Mosh soup; and Guelaguetza, the temple of Oaxacan mole. In New York, he visits Katz's Deli, famous for its century-old pastrami; Mamoun's, with its legendary falafel; Patsy's, famous for stuffed calamari and pork; Sylvia's, the "Queen of Soul Food"; and Veselka, which has been serving Ukrainian-style pierogis since 1954. In Philadelphia, he stops at McGillin's and Victor Café, where he tries gnocchi and saltimbocca in a setting steeped in history. In Nashville, she stops at Peg Leg Porker, known for its smoked ribs, chicken, and pulled pork; Silver Sands Cafe, which has been female-run for generations; and Chauhan Ale & Masala House. In Brooklyn, she discovers the secrets of DiFara pizza, and in Glendale, she delves into the Armenian kebabs at Mini Kabob and the steaks at Damon's Steakhouse, with their unmistakable island flair.
“Legends of the Fork” is a Six West Media Group production in association with Cakehouse Media for A&E. Steve Ascher, Nick Budabin, and Buddy Valastro serve as executive producers. Teri Kennedy and Jordan Harman serve as executive producers for A&E Network. A&E holds the worldwide distribution rights to “Legends of the Fork.”
SYNOPSIS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 16
GENERATIONAL LEGACIES
Buddy visits two family-run restaurants: Patsy's in New York City and Guelaguetza in Los Angeles. At the former, he learns how to prepare stuffed calamari and pork, and at the latter, he takes on the challenge of cooking the country's most famous mole with chef and co-owner Bricia López.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Buddy visits two restaurants with inherited recipes. In New York, he tries Mamoun's famous falafel sandwich, which hasn't changed in 50 years. Later, he visits Silver Sands Cafe in Nashville, where three generations of women lead a kitchen steeped in history and flavor.
SMALL SPACES BIG FLAVOR
Buddy visits DiFara Pizza in Brooklyn. There, he seeks to discover the secret of the legendary slice. Later, he travels to Glendale, California, to learn how to make traditional Armenian kebabs at Mini Kabob, using family recipes passed down through generations.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23
MEAT MADNESS
In this episode, Buddy prepares for a meat feast. He first visits Damon's Steakhouse in Glendale, where they serve juicy cuts of meat with an island flair. Later, he visits Peg Leg Porker in Nashville, where they specialize in smoked ribs, chicken, and pulled pork.
OVER 100 YEARS OLD
In this episode, Buddy visits two restaurants with over 100 years of history: McGillin's in Philadelphia and Katz's Deli in New York. There, he learns how to make the famous meatloaf and then discovers how the legendary pastrami on rye bread, which Katz's has been making for over a century, is prepared.
BRINGING THE HEAT
Buddy tests his resistance to spicy food at two iconic restaurants. In Los Angeles, he tries the killer Thai Jungle Curry at Jitlada. Later, in Nashville, he tests his palate with the spicy pork chop and 400-degree Nashville-style chicken. Can he handle them?
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30
FLAVOR PIONEERS
Buddy visits two restaurants that share the flavors of their home countries with Americans. In Los Angeles, he tries authentic Jamaican cuisine at Natraliart. And later, in Tennessee, he enjoys chef Maneet Chauhan's Indo-Southern fusion at Chauhan Ale & Masala House.
LEGENDARY WOMEN
Buddy travels from coast to coast to meet two legendary women who built their food empires from the ground up. In Harlem, New York, he visits the restaurant of the "Queen of Soul Food," Sylvia's, a culinary icon steeped in history, community, and flavor.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6
FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT
In Philadelphia, Buddy visits Victor Café, a spot famous for its appearance in the films Rocky and Creed. There he tries gnocchi and veal saltimbocca. Later, in Los Angeles, he visits El Coyote, an iconic Hollywood spot, where he tries enchiladas, chile rellenos, and legendary margaritas.
COMFORT FOOD CLASSICS
Buddy visits Veselka restaurant in New York City. There, he'll learn the classic pierogi-making technique the establishment has used since 1954. Later, at Canter's Deli in Los Angeles, he discovers the secrets behind the iconic family recipe for Mish Mosh soup, with meatballs and matzah.