Chicago has the largest Polish-American population of any city in the United States. This cultural hotbed made the television show Flavor of Poland from WTTW an instant winner. Not only is the Polish-themed cultural show a hit in Chicago but also hugely popular around the country. Now WTTW is bringing a new companion program to the airwaves with The Polish Cooking Show – shot and produced in Chicago by Love and Light Productions LLC and presented by WTTW Chicago.
In the Polish tradition, when a young man gets married, it is the duty of his mother to take her new daughter-in-law under her wing and teach her the family recipes and the cultural stories that go with them. The Polish Cooking Show captures this dynamic with two charismatic cooks in a real Polish kitchen. It is one part cooking show and one part history.
ThePolish Cooking Show stars Polish-American newlywed Natalie Rokita (Czupta) and her adorable mother-in-law Ala Rokita, affectionately referred to as Mama Ala. Together they demonstrate family recipes with easy-to-follow instructions while sharing interesting and educational tidbits about Polish culture.
In the pilot episode, premiering on WTTW on Saturday, November 20, at 11 a.m., Natalie and Mama Ala teach viewers how to make golabki. These rice and minced meat-stuffed cabbage rolls can be traced back to Ukrainian, Turkish, Armenian, and Jewish influences. The Polish word golabki translates to either dove or pigeon depending on use. The name “little pigeons” traces back to French influence from their dish of roasted pigeons wrapped in cabbage leaves.
As they cook, Natalie and Mama Ala engage in a playful debate of what kind of sauce goes best with golabki. It is this playfulness and genuine affection that caught the eye of producer Rikki Lee Travolta and his partners.
“We did an exhaustive search to find the right pair to star in The Polish Cooking Show. Natalie and Mama Ala came into the room and there was magic. Not only are they both very charismatic but also genuinely love each other. Viewers will love tuning in to share kitchen time with Natalie, Mama Ala, and The Polish Cooking Show,” states Travolta, who despite his Italian surname is also 25% Polish.
“There are over 9.15 million Polish-Americans living in the United States. In Chicago alone there are approximately 1,900,000 Polish-Americans,” explains Travolta. “The Polish culture is beautiful and should be shared. People of all cultures and backgrounds will enjoy spending time with Natalie and Mama Ala on The Polish Cooking Show.”
The Polish Cooking Show premiers on WTTW Saturday, November 20, at 11 a.m. and airs again on Sunday, November 21, at 10:30 a.m. Check local listings for channel information.
