Rustic Kitchen Bistro and Bar recently invested in Panasonic AW-HE100 integrated pan-tilt-zoom cameras, AG-HVX200 P2 HD camcorders and AV-HS400 multiformat video switchers to serve up its weekly live cooking shows in high definition.
Opened in Boston’s Historic Faneuil Hall Marketplace in 2001, the classic Italian bistro Rustic Kitchen quickly gained notoriety for its distinctive atmosphere and award-winning blend of daily fresh cuisine and signature hand-made pasta.
In the fall of 2006, Rustic Kitchen relocated to a new, larger location in Boston’s historic theater district, where it launched its unique state-of-the-art, television broadcast studio kitchen. It also has locations in Hingham, MA, at the Derby Street Shoppes, and earlier this year, opened at the Mohegan Sun Casino at Pocono Downs, in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Jim Cafarelli and his wife Kathy are the owners, with Tom Holloway as partner and executive chef.
Cafarelli developed this unique broadcast television kitchen studio as part of the newly opened Boston restaurant, and co-created and launched a live evening cooking show called "In the Kitchen" with host Alissa Bigelow. Together they have produced more than 250 live cooking shows, which have become one of the most coveted tickets in town. The group is in the process of producing a televised version of “In the Kitchen."
Currently, the Boston and Mohegan Sun locations each have broadcast-ready studios that offer a variety of live daily cooking shows, morning cooking classes and a weekly live evening cooking show. The Boston studio is equipped with a mounted HE100 integrated pan-tilt camera, a mounted HVX200 P2 HD camcorder, an AV-HS400 switcher and an AW-RP655 multifunction control system. The larger, newer restaurant at Mohegan Sun has two additional mounted HE100 cameras.
Once guests are seated, a large blinking on-air sign — added for dramatic effect — indicates the start of the show. One production assistant runs the entire production from a small control room using the AV-HS400 live switcher and controllers for the HE100. During the cooking demonstrations, the product assistant maneuvers the camera to capture various points of views.
“Cooking with Kate,” with host Kate Gabriele, the show shot at the Mohegan Sun location, is broadcast on monitors in the restaurant and the casino. “In the Kitchen” with Alissa Bigelow airs as a guest segment on “TV Diner with Bill Costa” on Boston’s local NECN news station available on Comcast and on LodgeNet in local area hotel rooms.
For more information, visit www.panasonic.com/broadcast.
