No Passport Required

Food Series / 2 Seasons

Join chef Marcus Samuelsson on an inspiring journey across the U.S. to explore and celebrate the wide-ranging diversity of immigrant traditions and cuisine woven into American food and culture.

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Francis Cratil-Cretarola at Le Virtù

2m 51s

Francis Cratil-Cretarola, owner of upscale Italian restaurant Le Virtù in Philadelphia, speaks with Marcus about the causes that led to Abruzzian immigration to the U.S., including his own grandfather, who came to the conclusion that the best way to help his family was to leave his home in Italy, in 1909.

Chef Damon Menapace at Le Virtù

2m 58s

Chef Damon Menapace explains the sourcing of some of his ingredients, opting to go local more often than importing, as is custom in Abruzzo. This is part of an overall effort at Le Virtù to respect the origins of the food on their menu. After tasting the taccozzelle that chef Damon prepares, Marcus likens it to a symphony orchestra playing metallica: delicate and rustic.

The Bacalhau Room at Portugalia Marketplace

2m 49s

Father and son Fernando and Michael Benevides give Marcus a tour of their storeroom for bacalhau, an ageless Portuguese take on salt cod that involves air drying, freezing, and finally thawing, which can then be used in myriad Portuguese dishes, from broth stock to savory pastry filling.

Capoeira and pastries with Mestre Chuvisquinho

2m 12s

Mestre Chuvisquinho, a master capoeirista from Sao Paulo, Brazil, teaches one of his capoeira classes. Capoeira is a combination of music, dance, and martial arts, originally used by African slaves for secret intercommunication. Later, Mestre and Marcus eat at Pastelaria, a cafe specializing mostly in Brazilian street food.

Preview: Seattle

30s

Host Marcus Samuelsson goes to Seattle, where he spends time with immigrant and second-generation Filipinos who are taking charge of their city's food scene. As Filipino food gains more national, mainstream recognition, members of the community are working to tell the story on their own terms. Premieres December 13.

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