American Masters

History Series / 16 Seasons

American Masters, committed to producing comprehensive film biographies about the broad cast of characters who comprise our cultural history.

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Alice Waters remembers her early friendship with James Beard

1m 18s

Alice Waters recalls a party early in her friendship with James Beard. Waters was nervous bringing her young daughter over to Beard's home, but the two made a wonderful impression on one another.

PBS Previews | American Masters presents A Chef's Flight

1m

Executive Producer Michael Kantor comments on the upcoming series from American Masters, "A Chef's Flight." The four documentaries feature James Beard, Julia Child, Jacques Pépin and Alice Waters: the "culinary Mt. Rushmore of America."

Alice Waters shares her Inspiring Woman: Michelle Obama

29s

Alice Waters shares her Inspiring Woman: Michelle Obama. During her time in the White House, Mrs. Obama planted a vegetable garden on the White House lawn and championed healthy eating initiatives. Share your story at pbs.org/InspiringWoman or using #InspiringWomanPBS.

José Andrés shares his first encounter with Jacques Pépin

3m 17s

When Jacques Pépin's legacy comes up, it's oftentimes in reference to his seminal work, "La Téchnique," and his extraordinary attention to detail. Here, chef and restaurateur José Andrés talks about his first encounter with Jacques Pépin at one of his cooking demonstrations.

Pépin took de-boning a fish to new heights

3m 4s

Jacques Pépin truly mastered the art of craft, taking a technique like cleaning a chicken or de-boning a fish to new heights. Today, chefs are still inspired by the elegance in his work and movement.

Life as a chef, husband and Jacques Pépin's son-in-law

1m 42s

When Rollie Wesen, a well-respected chef in his own right, fell in love with Claudine Pépin, he said his first goal was to win over the incomparable Jacques Pépin by being a good husband, not a great chef.

James Beard's mother was at the center of Portland's market.

3m

At the turn of the century, Portland had a bustling market culture, and James Beard's mother was right at the center of it all. Running a boarding house, Beard's mother brought the very best cooking to her guests and in the process taught her son an appreciation for great food at a young age.

Women in Jacques Pépin's life were entrepreneurs and chefs

24s

Iconic chef and teacher Jacques Pépin shares his Inspiring Woman - his mother. He also talks about the many women in his family who worked as chefs and ran restaurants. Share your story at pbs.org/InspiringWoman or using #InspiringWomanPBS.

How Jacques Pépin's "La Technique" changed modern cooking

2m 47s

In 1976, Jacques Pépin published a groundbreaking new book: a cookbook without recipes. "La Technique" illustrated each moment where your hands interacted with food - teaching the foundations of cooking instead of recipes.

How James Beard pioneered the farm-to-table movement

4m 25s

James Beard was one of the pioneers of clean cooking. He believed in the potential of American cuisine and the power of local farmers markets before there was even a name for this movement.

James Beard as a Gastronomic Gigolo

1m 31s

Initially interested in acting, James Beard began cooking and entertaining when his savings ran low. Soon, he found himself invited to events and parties across the city. After he began his first catering company, he found that his cooking was beginning to open doors for him.

Patsy Cline

2m 10s

Patsy Cline defined modern country music by using her singular talent and heart-wrenching emotional depth to break down barriers of gender, class and genre. In her music and her life, she set a standard of authenticity towards which artists still strive.

Listen to how Patsy Cline "fibbed" to perform on CBS

2m 9s

Julie Fudge, daughter of Patsy Cline, shares a story about how Cline's mother fibbed, acting as her manager, in order to get Patsy Cline onto Arthur Godfrey's CBS show to perform live.

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