Chef and Italian immigrant Lidia Bastianich shares stories of first, second and third-generation Americans shaping the shifting definition of what it means to be an American. As America grows more diverse than ever before, immigrants must figure out how much of their culture to keep and what to leave behind, and many are more openly sharing their heritage with a new country they now call home.

An immigrant story with a (glazed) twist, The Donut King follows the journey of Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy, who arrived in California in the 1970s and, through a mixture of diligence and luck, built a multi-million dollar donut empire up and down the West Coast.

A daughter recalls her memories of her family’s restaurant Lee’s Garden, one of the first Chinese restaurants to open outside of Montreal’s Chinatown in the 1950s. Through interviews with former customers and families who owned other restaurants, the documentary explores how these early restaurants played an important role in the social history of Chinese and Jewish communities.

Appalachians write their own future, one in which deep roots are celebrated and communities rise together, hand-in-hand with stewardship of the land

Appalachia is a land of paradoxes. How can a place so rich in biodiversity, natural beauty, and living culture suffer decade after decade from poverty and neglect? With the help of some fearless female community leaders, we’ll explore these seemingly contradictory elements and learn how food is being used in Appalachia as a vehicle for healing and recovery.

Drinking Culture introduces trendsetters in world of spirits and libations. We meet childhood friends who opened a bar as an homage to their Indian upbringing, the founders of a microbrewery incorporating local Hawaiian flavors, a rum company preserving sugar cane farming and traditional rum agricole, and a chef combining a dynamic bar program with her James Beard Award winning cooking.

Food grounded in memories and cultural history somehow tastes better. In this episode, we explore nostalgia with father-son team Hidehito and Kenshiro Uki of Sun Noodles; Cantonese American chef Calvin Eng and his mom, Bonnie; an organization preserving and reimagining 14th century Korean noble cuisine; and the iconic Halekulani hotel where traditional Hawaiian dance and food share a stage.

We meet leaders of the grassroots food community advocating for change while preserving the soul of Chinatown. Writer Grace Young takes us on a tour of the oldest restaurants in Manhattan’s changing Chinatown, where Mei Lum (Wing on Wo) evolves her family’s heritage business, and chefs Helen Nguyen (Saigon Social) and Winston Chiu (Feed Forward) are feeding local residents in need.

On a trip to Oahu, we meet the Reppun family who are preserving taro farming; chef Mark Noguchi who prepares an epic potluck dinner; and chefs Michelle and Wade Ueoki who get personal when it comes to Hawaiian food while their mentor, chef Alan Wong, creates a tuna poke. We also meet Brooks Takenaka who runs a fish auction that helps regulate, market, and preserve Honolulu’s fishing industry.

Whether it’s returning to the source, chasing your love, respecting the land or awakening the past – Family Ingredients is a journey where our host, Ed Kenney, highlights a simple dish that reminds us of the importance of family, friends and purpose.