And the winner of The Great American Recipe is… Silvia Martinez! The California home cook who grew up making Mexican dishes she learned from her grandmother, aunts, and mother takes home first place during the season finale of the PBS cooking show.
Originally from Guanajuato in central Mexico, Silvia formerly had a successful career as a human resources executive and university instructor before transitioning to life in the U.S. after meeting and marrying her husband. Silvia’s heartwarming personal stories and delicious recipes, which combine the flavors of her home country with the bounty of California produce, repeatedly charmed host Alejandra Ramos and judges Leah Cohen, Tiffany Derry, and Graham Elliot.
During the uplifting cooking competition series that celebrates the multiculturalism that makes American food unique and iconic, home cooks from around the country had the opportunity to showcase their beloved signature dishes.
“Congratulations to Silvia Martinez for being named the winner of the first season of The Great American Recipe,” said Zara Frankel, Director of Programming and Development, General Audience Programming at PBS. “The first season was a multiplatform success, attracting younger and more diverse audiences for PBS as part of our ongoing commitment to showcasing a range of voices and perspectives. We are delighted that the show resonated with viewers and are thrilled to bring new episodes of this fan-favorite back to audiences across the country.”
PBS will bring season 2 in 2023 with Ramos as a host. “The recipe for success for this series was bringing ten home cooks together to share cherished family recipes and personal stories of what those dishes mean to them,” said Steve Humble, Chief Content Officer at VPM. “As the series progressed, each episode drew viewers into deeper connections with the contestants. At a time when America is divided, this series about food and family brought people together around the table.”
“We’re excited to be bringing back this wonderfully warm show to PBS,” said Jilly Pearce, President, Objective Media Group America. “It’s a unique kind of cooking competition, a celebratory series where the judges offer professional advice and the contestants root for each other and bond through the shared stories of food and family.”
The official series also has a companion book featuring winner Silvia Martinez’s recipe for Chiles en Nogada (Stuffed Poblano Peppers in Walnut Sauce) on the cover. The cookbook includes more than 100 recipes from the cast, host, judges, personal stories, stills from the series, and color photographs throughout. The cookbook is now available wherever books are sold.
