‘Cooking with Koppell’ Launches on Hawk+

Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell is helping showcase the people who make the institution thrive – and the students who are creating some of the best content in the nation – by getting into the kitchen.

Koppell’s new student-produced cooking show, Cooking With Koppell, has launched its first season on Hawk+, the official streaming platform of Montclair’s School of Communication and Media.

The four-episode season will feature a new installment each week, with the first episode launching on May 4.

The show provides the chance for Red Hawks to prepare a meal of their choosing – be it a family recipe or a dish that reminds them of home – alongside Koppell in Montclair’s famed Red Hawk Diner (the first on-campus diner in the country).

Amidst the cooking and conversation, Koppell gets the opportunity to learn more about the people that make the University such a diverse, inclusive and vibrant community. The first four installments will feature Director of Choral Activities Heather Buchanan, Executive Chef Jorge Padmore, Justice Studies Associate Professor Jason Williams and Nutrition and Food Science graduate student Victoria Gargano.

“The best thing about Montclair State University – our secret sauce, if you will – is our people,” says Koppell. “This show is less about cooking and more about getting to know the amazing individuals who make up this community. And preparing and eating the food that brings someone home is a great way to connect.”

Koppell also emphasized the student role in production. Montclair students were involved in every stage of the production process to bring the concept to life, from research and pre-production work to post-production editing and graphics.

“Working alongside our incredible students in the School of Communication and Media was a real treat. I cannot wait to share this experience with other Red Hawks in the future, assuming our ratings are good enough to get picked up for a second season.”

The project was turned into a class for 11 undergraduate students, serving as the kind of hands-on learning that has become a hallmark of Montclair’s academic experience.

“It was the most hands-on experience with a media project I’ve ever had,” says Anthony Castano, a senior film and television major. “I enjoyed learning about the wonderful staff and faculty that were part of the process, and I hope they enjoy their stories that we’ve been trying to bring to life.”

“This is another wonderful example of experiential, real-world learning opportunities in our School, where students apply their skills and expertise to both create amazing professional content and gain the experience they need to thrive in the professional world,” says School of Communication and Media Director Keith Strudler. “The fact that the students had such a great time producing these episodes is just an added bonus.”

Taping for Cooking with Koppell will resume during the fall semester, with the goal being to create an experience that gives more Red Hawks the chance to tell their stories over their favorite dishes.

“It was great fun cooking alongside President Koppell,” says Buchanan. “I went into the taping thinking we would mostly talk professionally, but he also asked about me and my family. I appreciate him taking a genuine interest in the people who comprise our community in such a novel way.”

For more information on Montclair State University’s School of Communication and Media, visit montclair.edu/scm.

This article was featured in the Winter 2024 edition of Montclair magazine.