In an ongoing effort to support and raise awareness for local, family farmers, chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Grand Cayman announced the debut of “Genuine Cayman with Chef Michael Schwartz”, a television show targeted for the Cayman Islands and aired on CITN-Cayman 27 Wednesday (25) evening at 7:00pm

The new series of shows were developed exclusively for CITN in partnership with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and Camana Bay  The show explores the origin of island ingredients, the people behind them, and how they can come to life in the kitchen in fresh, simple, and pure recipes. The series is produced and directed by co-creator Emma Gladstone, of Switched On Productions.

“I think as viewers, our diners will get a kick out of going out into the field with me in Genuine Cayman,” says Schwartz. “It’s a great complement to what my head chef Thomas Tennant and the staff can share with people inside the restaurant. I’m thrilled with how clearly and vividly Emma brought to life the process we go through day in and day out at the restaurant to put together seasonal menus that respect both the ingredients and small producers.”

The first season of Genuine Cayman follows Schwartz as he embarks on an exploration of the Cayman Islands in six 30-minute episodes including Slow Foods, Eggs, Lionfish, Pizza, Pork, and Snapper. In the first part of each episode, the chef journeys out into the field, connecting with small, family food producers (farmers, ranchers, fishermen) and food artisans (sea salt producers, bakers, cheese makers), getting a hands-on experience with their operations and learning about the people behind the ingredients. Each episode concludes with the chef bringing the ingredients back to the kitchen to prepare a recipe. The food producers themselves, with chef Tennant and other local chefs sometimes join in the kitchen and at the table to sample the completed dish.

“We are proud to support Genuine Cayman and ambassadors like chef Schwartz who, despite being an import himself, support the local economy and make it their mission to look within, to the rich resources our community can offer before taking the easy way out,” says Shomari Scott, Cayman Islands’ Director of Tourism. “The show is both educational and entertaining, and will raise awareness for the bounty that the Cayman Islands have to offer and hit home the Cayman Islands as the premiere culinary destination in the Caribbean. It’s an inspiring look at the challenges and opportunities facing the island that will hit home with visitors and Caymanians alike. From trips to the Farmers Market to fishing excursion packages such as Lionfish Safari, there are so many unique-to-Cayman agritourism experiences and events like Culinary Month that provide added reasons to visit.”

For yesterday’s episode, “Slow Food,” the setting was a complimentary tasting of food prepared by local chefs featuring local ingredients at the Farmers Market at The Grounds in Lower Valley, part of the Cayman Islands’ first Slow Food Day during Culinary Month 2012.

“We are proud of Michael’s genuine passion for community that he brings to Camana Bay, and are very supportive of his projects,” says Jackie Doak, Chief Operating Officer of Dart Realty (Cayman) Ltd. “Genuine Cayman reinforceshis unrelenting belief in people and shows us the good that can come from simply taking the time and effort to build relationships and empower others.”