Deconstructing Dinner
Deconstructing Dinner is the creation of food systems journalist Jon Steinman. The series has taken many forms including its internationally syndicated radio show and podcast (2006-2010), print media, and its annual film festival. Most recently it has become a multimedia television and web series produced in collaboration with Declan O'Driscoll, Stornoway Communications (ichannel) and the Canada Media Fund (CMF). It is one of the only sources of media in Canada and the U.S. solely dedicated to investigating the origins and impacts of food choices and sharing the stories of people and communities who are reconstructing food systems abroad.
| Sole proprietorship | |
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | January 1, 2006 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Jon Steinman |
| Services |
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| Website | www |
Television and Web Series
Deconstructing Dinner: Reconstructing Our Food System is a six episode television series produced by Stornoway Communications, Declan O'Driscoll and Jon Steinman with support from the Canada Media Fund.[1]
In each of the six episodes, Host Jon Steinman joins local farmers, scientists, backyard gardeners and award-winning chefs like Michael Anthony (Gramercy Tavern), John Sundstrom (Lark), Blaine Wetzel (Willows Inn), Michael Stadtlander (Eigensinn Farm), Heather Carlucci (formerly of PRINT) and Mark Picone (Niagara College). With the help of these chefs, Steinman explores, demystifies and deconstructs six popular foods: wheat, tomatoes, pork, garlic, honey and eggs.
For the series' online component, over 45 short webisodes are available and support the content of each episode. A selection of podcasts, a blog, and recipe folder are also part of the project's web site.
The official Canadian launch of the series fell on September 16, 2013. In the weeks following, each of the six episodes broadcast to cable and satellite subscribers across Canada on ichannel. Episodes are also available on the series web site and continue to broadcast across Canada on ichannel.
The music for the series was produced by Juno- and Emmy-award nominee Adham Shaikh.
Radio Show / Podcast
Deconstructing Dinner was an internationally syndicated radio show produced between 2006-2010 at Kootenay Co-op Radio CJLY in Nelson, British Columbia and syndicated by Radio4all.net. Before going off the air, Deconstructing Dinner was broadcast on over 50 radio stations across Canada and the United States. For most of those years, the show was also delivered in podcast form and it continues to be ranked as the top Canadian food podcast by Apple iTunes. The show is archived on the Deconstructing Dinner web site.
Deconstructing Dinner featured a number of high-profile guests and voices including Percy Schmeiser, Michael Ableman, Frances Moore Lappe, Palagummi Sainath, Fred Eaglesmith, Eric Schlosser, Maude Barlow, Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, Carl Honore, Shiv Chopra, John Robbins, Vandana Shiva, Canadian Members of Parliament Alex Atamanenko, Rob Merrifield, Wayne Easter, and more.
In March 2008, Deconstructing Dinner launched The Local Grain Revolution series documenting the evolution of Canada's first Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project for grain. The coverage of the project on Deconstructing Dinner sent ripples throughout North America and has inspired like-minded projects and extensive media coverage as documented on the series page.
The show focused considerable attention on the subjects of GMOs, animal welfare, salmon farming, food labeling, co-operatives, and local food systems.
Deconstructing Dinner's Jon Steinman was nominated for a 2011 'Jack Webster Award for Community Reporting' for the episode "Local Food Fraud? An Investigation".
Film Festival
In 2012, Deconstructing Dinner launched the Deconstructing Dinner Film Festival, an annual film festival in Nelson, British Columbia. The multi-day event features food documentaries screened at multiple venues throughout the city. The Festival took place in 2013 and 2014 and expects to return in 2016.