Trisha Yearwood’s ‘Southern Kitchen’ Show Inspired by Family, Especially Her Mom

By now, you may have heard that Trisha Yearwood is bringing her cooking talents to the Food Network for her new six-episode series, ‘Trisha’s Southern Kitchen.’ But what fans of the songstress-turned-chef might not realize is just how family-inspired Yearwood’s recipes really are.

In an interview with the Tennesseean, Yearwood dished about filming the show, mentioning that the episodes were inspired by those close to her. One episode in particular features her father’s recipe for Brunswick Stew — the only meal her mother wanted to eat while undergoing treatment for cancer.

“I learned to make it when my mom was sick,” Yearwood said. “When you’re going through chemo, very specific things sound good to you to eat, and you might love them every day for two weeks and then never want them again. Brunswick stew was one of those things she went through that she really wanted.”

Before her mother got sick, Yearwood had never made the complicated recipe before. With a long ingredient list — including pork, beef and chicken — and nobody to teach her how to prepare the dish (sadly, her father passed away about six years ago), she was relieved to learn that she could make the stew to taste exactly like her dad’s.

Another family-centric episode of ‘Trisha’s Southern Kitchen’ is called ‘Gwen’s Girls.’ Named after the singer’s mother, the episode features Yearwood and some of her friends preparing her mother’s favorite dishes. The segment focuses on cooking her mother’s favorite dishes in a healthy way. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Yearwood’s mother gave up meat and dairy — a challenge for the southern cook, who uses butter and milk in almost every recipe.

Together, Yearwood and her friends fashioned a Chickless Pot Pie that is meat and dairy-free… and surprisingly completely delicious.

If the six-episode series extends to a second season, the country music star plans to focus on making healthier southern comfort food. Tune in to the Food Network today (April 14) at 10:30AM ET to see the debut episode of ‘Trisha’s Southern Kitchen.’