Arlington Native, Celebrity Chef Serves Up 'Good Food America'

MIDDLETOWN, CONN. — A vegetarian lunch date among friends turned into more than soup and salad last week when Sarah-Jane Ripa and Jessica Carso had a brush with fame and agreed to be interviewed by a celebrity chef for a national television show.

The duo stopped by Middletown's after noon Tuesday and found themselves in the middle of the taping of a segment for Chef Nathan Lyon’s Good Food America for the Veria Living network.

“Everything about yesterday was unexpected,” Carso said Wednesday. “We went for lunch and when approached by the crew, I think we initially thought we'd be in some panned shots. I had no idea we'd end up being interviewed.”

"We're going across the country on a healthy eats food trip and healthy never tasted this good," Lyon says in the video promo for his new series, filming for which wrapped up Tuesday in Middletown.

Monday, Lyon visited the well-known Miya's Sushi in New Haven and blogged about his experience. 

Even if you don't recognize Lyon by sight, his demeanor — dazzling smile, infectious laugh and neatly shaved head — makes you feel as though you do. He hails from the West Coast, and is originally from Arlington, Va.

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Lyon, whose trademark is the thumb-lick “Lyon stamp of approval,” is the author of the book, “Great Food Starts Fresh,” chef and co-host of PBS’s “Growing a Greener World,” and creator and host of “A Lyon in the Kitchen” on Discovery Health and Fit TV. He made it to the final four on “The Next Food Network Star,” and was guest chef and expert on TLC’s “Home Made Simple” and “Real Simple Real Life.”

Although seven production assistants milled about, filming amid the waning lunch hour at It's Only Natural, they somehow melded professionalism with the laid-back vibe of the place and interruptions of reality were kept at a minimum. Lyon was the epitome of California cool — fit and fresh-faced in a black polo shirt, jeans and black boots.

The lunch interview followed a “top-secret” cooking session in the restaurant's kitchen that was off-limits to the press, but we did manage to overhear the dish Lyon prepared. Here’s a hint — it’s a longtime staple of the It's Only Natural menu, a little unconventional and combines some of the same culinary elements Lyon champions so much in his cooking.

Although both Carso and Ripa said after the interview they felt nervous, neither looked remotely so as they answered all questions with aplomb and without so much as a single “um.”

Carso, of Middlefield, works for the Middlesex County Community Foundation and is chairwoman of the Fund for Women and Girls. She helps head its Live Local, Give Local 365 initiative.

Ripa, of Middletown, is the student services and outreach coordinator for the Wesleyan University Graduate Liberal Studies Program.

Lyon relayed a little bit about his background and then prepped her for the show by offering her one of the most important elements of television interviews — repeat the question as you are answering. It makes editing much easier later.

A longtime vegetarian, the coolly composed Ripa told Lyon on camera that she looks for locally sourced foods in season and supports local farmers. “If the food isn’t locally sourced, it has an environmental impact,” she said on camera.

Lyon asked Ripa about the Caesar salad and crab cakes with cabbage she had enjoyed. Unprompted, she summed it up, “It sounds funny, but it tasted like sunshine,” she said.

Carso, who said she is somewhat newly vegetarian, cited health and animal rights reasons for her eating patterns.

“It was all a surprise and I'm not one to do that kind of thing. I hadn't heard of Chef Lyon before, although I do watch the Food Network and Cooking Channel,” Carso said. “I liked the basis of the show, talking about harvest-to-plate and natural, healthy foods, vegetarianism and locally produced and ecological goods. That was compelling and Chef Lyon was extremely nice, very kind. Real.”

Carso said being interviewed by a celebrity was a pleasure.

“He seems to really care for his craft. For all those reasons I found myself inclined to come out of my comfort zone and participate. I look forward to seeing his show,” she said.

It's Only Natural marketing manager Kori Crosson was called in near the end of filming to conclude the segment. After only two quick walk-throughs and the production manager’s direction, she had it down pat: She walked up to the table and placed a cup of coffee down seamlessly as Lyon asked her about the table, which was crafted from locally-sourced reclaimed wood by City Bench of Higganum.

And that’s a wrap.

Lyon headed back to the airport for a book signing and cooking demo Friday at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, where he is a 2011 Sustainable Seafood Ambassador.

"Good Food America" will begin airing in July on Veria Living.