The Mind of a Chef Season 4 Episode 12 Strawberry

The Mind of a Chef is a critically acclaimed PBS documentary series about the culinary world. In season 4 episode 12 titled "Strawberry," viewers are taken on an immersive journey into the tastes and history of the beloved summer fruit as explored by James Beard Award-winning chef and author Edward Lee.

Throughout the episode, Lee dives deep into the sweet, juicy flavor of strawberries and the many culinary possibilities they offer. The episode starts with a look at the sweet history of the strawberry and how they evolved from a small, wild berry to the plump fruit we know today.

From there, Lee takes viewers inside his Louisville restaurant, Milkwood, to see how he incorporates strawberries into some of his favorite recipes. One standout dish Lee shows off is a roasted beet and strawberry salad with whipped feta, a dish that neatly balances the sweetness and tang of the fruit with the earthy flavor of the root vegetable.

As he cooks, Lee chews on the many different ways strawberries can be used as a flavor base for dishes, before hopping over to California where he visits with long-established strawberry farmer Rod Koda to see how the fruit is grown and harvested.

With roots in California's Oxnard Plain, Koda is a fourth-generation farmer, and he gives Lee a tour of his fields while discussing the many challenges and joys of strawberry farming. Along the way, Lee gets a close-up look at the many varieties of strawberries and learns how differences in flavor and size can make a big difference when it comes to cooking.

Eventually, the episode closes with Lee experimenting with the many ways strawberries can be used as a flavoring rather than just a standout ingredient. Lee shows off many unusual takes on the fruit in dishes like a grilled strawberry steak with blueberry salsa, strawberry kebab, and even a strawberry cocktail.

Throughout the episode, viewers get a window into Lee's inventive approaches to cooking. Lee's inspired use of strawberries is a reminder of just how much creativity and fun can be had in the kitchen. Overall, "Strawberry" is a delightful episode of The Mind of a Chef that explores one of summer's most beloved fruits in depth, proving there's much more to the humble strawberry than meets the eye.