CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Four Johnson and Wales cooking school students have been featured in a pilot reality show series on the Cooking Channel that documents what it is like inside the program.
The four-part series called “Cooking School Confidential” was produced by Charlotte-based Susie Films and features a behind-the-scenes look at life in culinary school for four very diverse students.
“It captures the flavor,” said Kay Taylor, an Alabama native in her 40’s who came to Charlotte for the program. “I think the documentary did a really good job in trying to give you a glimpse inside cooking school. “
The show is different than what viewers have normally been seeing in the reality TV category lately.
Each one-hour episode follows Taylor and three other students at Johnson and Wales and back in their home towns.
Graham Foster is a South Carolina native and professional cyclist who was featured on the show.
“They came in and saw our families and talked to our families about our culinary life,” Foster said. “I think Johnson and Wales will benefit as well as the four of us.”
The two other students included Paul Walls, an Army veteran who tries to win an internship at a prestigious culinary school in France, and Amber Brewer, a mother of three who attempts to balance another full-time job.
Production crews came to the school about once every three weeks to film the episodes. Taylor says the production didn’t interrupt the learning environment.
“They worked very hard to make sure the filming would come off without too much of a disruption to the class,” Taylor said. “I was very satisfied with it and I think a lot of folks were.”
“It was certainly awkward at first,” Foster said, but added the production was done tastefully. “It was incredibly accurate. It came out a lot better than I thought it would.”
Leaders at Johnson and Wales agree. In fact, after producer Scott Gallaway pitched the idea to both the Food Network, which owns the Cooking Channel, and school officials, there was a chance the filming wasn’t going to happen.
Taylor said school lawyers didn’t want the show to be filmed at Johnson and Wales because they’ve seen how reality show television has hurt a lot of images.
“They didn’t want housewives and all that crap,” she said.
Walls and Brewer have since graduated, while Foster and Taylor are wrapping their second week in Charlotte in the new semester. No one has become a reality star yet, but they could if the network decides in a couple of weeks to pick up the show for a full season.
Foster says back at school he’s already getting grief from teachers and fellow students.
“Calling me Hollywood and stuff like that, “ he said.
Taylor noted the show helps viewers get a glimpse of how fast paced culinary school really is.
“When we began the term last week, it had just premiered and everyone was kind of talking about it. That was fun for a couple of days,” she said.
“I haven’t been asked for an autograph,” she joked. “I’m waiting.”
Overall, Foster and Taylor agreed the show is unlike any other on television right now and was a positive image for both Charlotte and the school.
“There was no fabricated drama,” Foster said. “Whatever you saw on camera, that’s the way it is.”
The pilot season is almost done. The last viewing will air Sunday at 7 a.m.
“Johnson and Wales really has a good program. It’s a balance of academics and hands on. That is reflected in the documentary,” Taylor said. “Johnson and Wales was a much bigger star than I was.”
