Chefs Cleetus Friedman (Fountainhead) and Rick Gresh (David Burke’s Primehouse) are teaming up to host a new interactive online show called “Chicago Food Revolution.” As the name suggests, the video series will feature revolutionary local products and techniques from chefs, businesses and artisans reinventing Chicago food.
Friedman and Gresh plan to give fans more access than any other food show, inviting fans to join the crew during filming and share their experiences with their social networks to help grow the community and support Chicago’s food scene. Digital and social interaction are vital components of the show’s success, so content, commentary and incentives from partners and sponsors will be available to fans through Twitter, Facebook, mobile apps and other interactive channels.
David Greiner of Fiaba Productions is the executive producer and the first episodes of the show, themed around Chicago’s beer scene, will air online in May. Greiner says each show will consist of five five-minute episodes with episodes released weekly. He hopes that the show will eventually be picked up by networks. For a small taste of what the show might be like, see Friedman and Gresh in action emceeing the fifth annual Food Fight for Scleroderma on Sunday.
And what might “Chicago Food Revolution” mean for Friedman’s chances of being chosen as the next Check, Please! host?
“There’s absolutely no conflict of interest,” Friedman insists. “I’m so gung ho about Check, Please! and it’s not a huge commitment. The number one priority is my job at Fountainhead, but I don’t think it would be hard to incorporate them all.”
