About

Southern Dish is Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s new television program that explores the sights and smells of the food to the personalities of those creating the dishes in communities around the state. Season one features chefs and restaurants in Cleveland, Jackson, Meridian, Natchez, Oxford, Tunica, Tupelo, and the coastal region. Interviews, kitchen visits, and stories behind the food guarantee fresh, compelling content for the coming season that will surely whet the appetites of Southern Dish viewers.

Southern Dish is hosted by Lydia Chassaniol, whose professional experience includes owning a restaurant and catering events. She has served in the Mississippi Senate from the 14th district since 2007. Born and raised in Mississippi, she attended Winona High School and the University of Mississippi. Her passion for cooking and genuine Southern hospitality shine through on camera.

Conceptually, Southern Dish takes an approach quite different from typical cooking shows. Although you will see chefs demonstrate and discuss how they prepare signature dishes, the real focus is on people, not process. The show strives to show the bonds we form by preparing and sharing meals. Those bonds include both family and community, as many of the restaurants we visit have become treasured local cultural hubs that serve a function above and beyond simply serving food.