Kids in the Kitchen Wins the Beacon Award
Click on the screen above to see the local news clip from KCRG-TV9
Latest News:
Show's creator is named finalist in the Cable Leaders in Learning Awards
It's not your ordinary cooking show. It's about the history, geography, literary legacy, the science and math of food. It's dedicated to the proposition that kids would eat better if they knew how to cook!
|
|
Jim'es recipes are on the way! Mark this page in your Favorites and check back.
|
Welcome to our Show
by Gary Olsen, Producer of
Kids in the Kitchen
 must say our first episode of the second season of Kids in the Kitchen wents exceedingly well, and the students from Roosvelt Middle School had a wonderful time both in front of and behind the cameras.
 Our sound system, lighting, and editing equipment, not to mention cameras all functioned perfectly, especially the Steadicam unit. We intended to use this camera exclusively for the Shopping with the Chef segments, but it was so comfortable, I decided to keep in an and we shot the entire show with it. Thanks so much to our production partner, Mediacom.
Chef Jim Terry from Captain Merry and our Dietician Megan Dalsing from Hy-Vee did wonderfully. We made an outstanding corn soup recipe that is one of Jim's favorites.
 |
KITK introduces
Manners the Magnificent! |
We have our incredible cast... 28 students from all three middle schools in our district. We bring in 8 to 10 students at a time (see the schedule), and half are on camera while the other half serve as crew members.
Meanwhile, I've been busy in pre-production for a segment of the show called Manners Make Magic. This season, due to scheduling conflicts, teacher Janet Mozena (Senior High) turned over the reins of the segment production to her sister-in-law, Terry Mozena. Terry is an incredibly talented party and event planner, though not professionally. She has been on all sorts of community organizations, boards, and she's chaired all kinds of charity event committees and social functions. If anyone knows about proper etiquette, it's Terry, a long-time friend of mine going back at least 30 years.
I asked Terry if she would be interested in working with me on this project, and she was enthusiastic, but didn't know exactly what the duties of a TV producer were. It's the one thing she hasn't done and she was up for the challenge, plus she agreed philosophically with me about the show's premise... that kids want to learn good manners so that they can be more comfortable in social situations with adults.
We film all the segments in her lovely home on West Third Street, and so far we've taped about seven episodes. They are short, two to three minutes long, and each covers a different aspect of manners and etiquette in typical social situations. Students are recruited to be in the segments, and I usually pick my most reliable students like Kenny, Bryan, Marissa, and Maria. The concept is squarely aimed at middle school kids, and each rule of etiquette is discussed as to its point of origin, its ethnic or cultural significance, and how the manner has evolved to present day.
 |
Patrick Sterenchuk |
During one of our pre-production meetings, Terry told me under no uncertain terms did she want to be on camera. She preferred to remain in the background and direct. I said, fine, but we needed someone to serve as a subject expert to whom the students defer or consult on a particular rule. Terry said she had just the character. His name is Patrick Sterenchuk, a part-time actor who I had seen in some Fly-By-Night productions down at the Civic Center on occasion. He is wonderfully funny, and Terry arranged a meeting.
I was immediately taken with his personality, enthusiasm and ideas for this character we now call "Manners the Magnificent." The character Patrick would portray in the segments is a magician that magically appears when the kids utter the magic words, "Please, Thank You and You're Welcome." Terry dressed him up in a vintage tuxedo with tails and a silk top hat that was a hundred years old but still serviceable. And like Frosty the Snowman, when Patrick put on the silk hat, he magically became "Manners the Magnificent." He got right into it. The kids we recruited for the shoot engaged with him on camera, and, indeed magic happened in the alchemy that is performance, and I knew immediately that we had something wonderful happening through my viewfinder.
This is going to be a fabulous year of exciting projects, and this certainly is one of those projects. I just love the collaborative process of television production. It's my opinion that television is the most perfect medium around which to rally talent. And the results speak for themselves in many ways. Our shows are now going state-wide on Mediacom who has decided that it's the programs that we produce that distinguishes them from the Dish Network.
--Gary Olsen, Media Developer for the District |
Kids in the Kitchen Season 2
 e began shooting the second season of Kids in the Kitchen on January 10th. We have successfully cast our student chefs from our three Dubuque middle schools. I want to especially thank Washington's Kendra Kunkel, Jefferson's Phil Kramer, and Dale Lass, our Roosevelt Middle School casting coordinator.
Here's what we were looking for in a student: Decent grades, an engaging personality, and comfort interacting with adults. We weren't looking for perceptible talent for television, nor did we require they know anything about cooking. We preferred they just want to learn and are enthusiastic about the possibilities of being on a television show. Students with performing experience are always good choices, obviously, and some of these students have been in school productions, perform in school music ensembles, and even participate in their building's televised announcements that are broadcast each morning at the start of school.
 |
Wally Brown Executive Producer
|
Cast Size:
We've expanded the cast to provide greater opportunities for more students.
Each school fields two teams of students. We've cast 29 students who will divide into teams of 4 to five each and rotate in each week during filming (see schedule).
The expanded cast assuredly provides more opportunities for more students to participate in the show. Kids in the Kitchen is now seen state-wide throughout Iowa on Mediacom Cable's subscriber network. We have all sorts of fans, and our in-store audience has become quite large on production days.
With our new state-of-the-art studio kitchen we have capacity for 70 people, and we hope that's sufficient. Who knew so many people would take the opportunity to come to Hy-Vee to watch a television show being filmed so early in the morning? You are certainly welcome to join our audience, but you may have to get there early to guarantee a seat.
Production Days:
We start production at Hy-Vee Asbury at 8:30 AM usually on Wednesdays (see the schedule at right). Since we now have a permanent set, shooting will stay within a strict-two and-a-half hour period. Students will be ready to return to school by 11 AM.
The Schedule:
Our master schedule consists of 15 show dates starting January 10th and ending in April 25th. However, we may add show dates in the event of a weather cancellation or if we just want to add shows to the schedule for whatever reason. Once again, consult the master schedule for any changes or additions.
Shows air on Mediacom Cable 19 within a few weeks of their production. Episodes will also be available for download from this website.
Transportation:
Each school is responsible for transporting their kids to and from the set, and proper permission forms must be completed and signed by parents allowing students to participate and permission granted to the school district for the use of each student's image and performance.
The Executive Staff of Kids in the Kitchen:
Gary Olsen is the creator and producer of Kids in the Kitchen. Gary has nearly 40 years experience in production including graphic design, marketing, public relations, and television.
Megan Dalsing is a certified nutritionist and associate producer of the show. Megan is with Hy-Vee, and she provides logistical help, dietary information and sees to it we have the necessary ingredients and food items for each show. Megan also performs on camera with the students during the Shopping with the Chef segment.
Jim Terry, a well known and favorite chef of the Tri-State Area, Jim is in his second season on the show, and he brings wit, intelligence, a vast knowledge of food and nutrition to each show, and the kids just love him.
Wally Brown is our executive producer on Kids in the Kitchen. He arranges critical sponsor and business tie-ins to the production. Plus, he promotes the Kids in the Kitchen brand in the marketplace. Wally is a fund raiser and philanthropist. He belongs to or is affiliated with 15 boards and quality-of-life agencies and organizations including the YMCA, Project Concern, Finley Hospital, the Boy Scouts, and the Dubuque Community School District Foundation.
Jim Barefoot, Mediacom Cable Television, is the show's technical director. Jim gets the show on the air, and his expertise contributes much to the overall quality of each and every show. Jim has been working with Gary for five years on various productions that are seen on Mediacom Cable Television.
Terry Mozena, our manners expert and consultant for Manners Make Magic. Terry is a grandmother, plans and executes a lot of parties, and she takes a practical approach to teaching young people proper etiquette. Terry and her husband Dr. Darryl Mozena, live in the original Bissel House, a lovingly restored 19th Century Victorian home where most of the segments of Manners Make Magic are taped.
Patrick Steen, Manners the Magnificent, is a character in every sense of the word. This professional actor lives and works in Dubuque, and he agreed to develop a new character for our Manners Make Magic segments. Patrick performs with the Fly-By-Night Theater Company based at Five Flags Theater. Patrick is introduced in each segment apparating in a flash and puff of smoke when the students say the magic words, "Please, Thank You and You're Welcome." Patrick feels right at home in vintage tuxedo and tails. And there must have been some magic in that old silk hat we found, 'cause when we put it on Patrick's head, he began to dance around.
Correspond with us:
We are always available via this website for your comments and suggestions. Just e-mail the producer of the show, Gary Olsen by clicking here. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
Kids in the Kitchen a Success Thanks to our Cast Members |
 On behalf of our school district, our sponsors and my associate producers, I want to personally thank you for your participation in this season's national award winning Kids in the Kitchen. It was a spectacular season enhanced by our winning the Beacon Award, being nominated by Cable Leaders in Learning, and, most important, the positive feedback from our community, our sponsors and an audience that numbers tens of thousands thanks to Mediacom. But we couldn't have done it without the talent and enthusiasm of each and every one of you. I hope you enjoyed the experience as much as we did having you on the set. You made an important contribution to the success of our television enterprise, and it was clear your collaboration did more than just cook something up on screen with chef Jim Terry. You contributed to the education and proper nutrition of more than one generation of viewers. Good luck in your educational endeavors, and I hope we see many of you next season. --Gary Olsen, Producer |
|
 These three members of the original cast of Kids in the Kitchen (Maria is pictured at right)... complete another year
And as you see by last year's photo, they have grown quite a bit, and they are on the other side of the camera for a change. Part of their experience in participating in our enterprise is that students learn production skills. Scroll down the page to see the Jefferson and Washington Cast and Crew Photo Album links. For more production shots of this telecast, click here. |
|
 |
| It's really great seeing the kids grow up and teach other kids new to the set the skills they learned from the first season. Here's the combined cast from Roosevelt including several students from the first season. Kenny, Maria, Bryan, and Marissa are now seasoned professionals in the art of television. They know how to run cameras, the mic boom, the digital recorder, and even crew on the Steadicam that the producer wears throughout the shoot. |
 Click on the photos on this page to automatically download printable frames from the actual footage of Kids in the Kitchen. |
|
 |
 |
| The cast switches each week so half get to serve as crew behind the cameras and the other half performs. |
| |
Meet the Cast of Kids in the Kitchen (Click to Enlarge Images) |
|
Jefferson |
|
|
|
 |
Paul Sellers |
Brandon Feldman |
Kenny Capesius |
 |
|
|
Jordan Stecklein |
Megan Kunnert |
Marissa Allen |
|
|
|
Carson Kreiss |
Austin "Obee" Oberbroeckling |
Maria Russett |
|
|
|
Marc Moore-Sharp |
Kayla Mclauglin |
Bryan Case |
|
|
|
Dathan Welbes |
Caitlin Dix |
Namratha Sandadi |
|
|
|
Erin Wessels |
Shane Sullivan |
Lucas Tully |
|
|
|
Nick Fisch |
Anthony Wince |
Morgan Drish |
|
|
|
Mickey Hansen |
Telisha Thomas |
Hayley Runde |
|
|
|
Randi Westervelt |
Amanda Sarazin |
Lynsay Haverland |
|
|
|
Megan McDermott |
Cody Sprecher |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Producer Gary Olsen stands in the brand new state-of-the-art teaching kitchen at Hy-Vee Asbury, the set for Season 2 of the celebrated Kids in the Kitchen series on Cable 19. Click on the photo for a printable version. |
Meet our Culinary and Nutrition Professionals
|
 |
Megan Dalsing
Certified Dietitian
|
Yes, there are 15 episodes. Last year we did 10. I figure with the permanent kitchen and the conveniences we have available, we may feel more inclined to do a few more shows. Let me know as soon as possible if you can't make any of these dates.
Megan Dalsing is back and she is now a board certified dietitian for Hy-Vee, and we are so happy to have her.
Megan has been with our show from the beginning, and she was so inspired by its success, she started her own show during the summer months on Mediacom Cable, The Garden Organic. This show takes place in a real live garden involving 25 students who must plant a garden without the aid of chemical pesticides, or non-organic fertilizers. The first summer's garden was very successful, and we look forward to doing it again next year. In addition to the garden, students had the opportunity to take field trips to such places as Organic Valley in Wisconsin, an organic farm cooperative. And the students also entertained a constant parade of special guest gardeners, farmers and environmental specialists on the show. Executive Chef Jim Terry is also back, and we are utterly delighted to have him. He has some exciting culinary plans for this year's episodes.
Production starts at 8:30 AM as students arrive on set at Hy-Vee Asbury
We begin each shooting day with Shopping with the Chef. This is a 10 to 15 minute (to film) segment that edits down to about 5 minutes at the start of each episode. This is an important and popular part of the show. Viewers love to "Shop with the Chef" and particularly with Jim Terry because he is so knowledgeable about where food ingredients come from, what to look for, and what is the nutritional value of a particular food item. This year a lot of advanced planning is going into each episode so that we can tie in not just the nutritional information of ingredients, food items and recipes, but we are going to reveal the geography, the literary background, the science and chemistry of those ingredients. There are a lot of additional curriculum opportunities to be found in the grocery store and the kitchen. Jim Terry is the ideal chef because of his incredible knowledge about all things food. Our favorite Jim Terry quote from a first season show: He was using a blender to create a special salsa recipe, and as he removed the lid of the blender and he, the students and the studio camera peered into the swirling whirlpool of red salsa, Jim said, "Into 'the maelstrom'... for those of you up on your Edgar Allen Poe."
|
Some new innovations that will impact how we shoot segments (click on image to see enlargement) |
 We have made significant improvements in sound gathering. But the real improvement will be in the application of the Steadicam. This camera support device is worn by the operator, and it literally "flies" a camera along the path the operator walks. The camera balances on a single pivot point which is attached to a double spring actuated armature that dampens camera movement. The Steadicam has been an important innovation for Hollywood movie making for years, and now we have our own. Kids in the Kitchen is a perfect application for the Steadicam. Because we try to shoot longer takes using the Steadicam rather than start and stop the camera for multiple takes, we are going to endeavor to do the shopping segment in real time without too many stops. Each stop means an edit point in post, and the objective here is to reduce as many edit points as possible. This means it would be best if we mapped out where ingredients are in the store before we do the segment so we don't waste a lot of time searching. This means the chef or our nutritionist, Megan Dalsing should do a quick run-through the store to locate ingredients before the camera rolls. |
| Meet The Cast from Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School |
 |
 Students were not only in front of the camera on this first day of production, they were behind the cameras. Namratha, Hayley and Lucas are on the cameras and the slate. Morgan is on the mic boom. Not only do the kids get a chance to perform, but they learn everything about the production of a complex cable show. Below is the first cast of the first show of the second season of KITK. Left to right, Jim Terry Kenny, Bryan, Marissa, Maria and Megan. Click on images to download printable enlargements. |
 |
Meet the Cast from Jefferson Middle School |
 |
 Meet the Jefferson Cast at their first Kids in the Kitchen taping. Download the photos from that show including cast and crew.
We had a delightful time with this brand new cast from Jefferson Middle School. What talent! A list of names go with the faces in the table below. From our point of view, this was an excellent show and you'll be able to see it soon. Meanwhile, in the left column is our historic first episode taped with the Roosvelt Middle School cast. Click on the camera and see the Jefferson Middle School Kids in the Kitchen photo album right now |
|
|
The kids got right into the cooking aspect of the show. They learned how to use the gas stove, the blender and all manner of knives. None were harmed during the filming.
As you can see, there were Hillhawks on both sides of the camera. Students also ran the sound boom and the digital recorder.
An important aspect of the video taping is allowing all 10 of the school's Kids-in-the-Kitchen team members to be on the set for the entire two-and-a-half hour taping. Half are in front of the camera performing while the other half serve as crew. Then, at the next taping, they'll switch. |
Meet the Cast from George Washington Middle School
|
 |
Meet the Washington Cast at their first Kids in the Kitchen taping. Download the photos from that show including members of the cast and crew (scroll down for the other cast photos we've taken)
We had a delightful time with this brand new cast from Washington Middle School. What talent! A list of names go with the faces in the table below. Meanwhile, in the left column are our episodes, posted as the emerge from post production. |
| The Creme Brulee recipe was one of the most dangerous recipes we've attempted. But we wanted the kids to see how professionals do it (with butane torches), but we provided a safer alternative to carmelizing the top layer of this delightful dessert. |
Meet the Cast from Jefferson Middle School |
|
 Meet the Jefferson Cast at their second Kids in the Kitchen taping of Episode #3 (Buffalo Meatballs with Smokey Chapotle Sauce featuring Iowa Bison products (a local company)
We had a delightful time with this brand new cast from Thomas Jefferson Middle School. What talent! A list of names go with the faces in the table below. Meanwhile, in the left column are our episodes, posted as the emerge from post production. Scroll down the page to see the Roosevelt and Washington Cast and Crew Photo Album links. |
 |
 |
| The buffalo meatballs were from a local farm that raises real buffalo, Iowa Bison. Here one of our students is expertly sauteeing onions. |
|
 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
These files require browsers equipped with one or the other free media player software. Windows MediaPlayer is available for both PCs and Macintosh computers (it's standard issue on PCs with Windows software). RealPlayer is another option you may wish to consider, and it's available for PCs, Macs, and computers running Linux. You can download and install it free from 
