Season 2 of ‘Cooking with Koppell’ Highlighted by Episode with Josh Dela Cruz

Broadway and Blue’s Clues & You! Star Joined President Koppell for a Live Show Produced by School of Communication and Media Students

Cooking with Koppell, launched to provide unique and enriching learning opportunities for School of Communication and Media students while showcasing the diversity of Montclair State University, presented a new challenge for students working on Season 2 of the series this semester- the opportunity to plan and produce a live broadcast. 

The show features President Jonathan Koppell cooking with members of the Montclair community to prepare a meal reminiscent of their childhood or meaningful to their heritage. Season 2 features Filipino, Italian, Korean and Argentinian dishes, along with a twist on a popular American comfort food recipe. 

Another twist this season was a live show featuring Josh Dela Cruz (’11), as President Koppell welcomed back the Blue’s Clues & You! host to campus for Homecoming on September 28. In front of a live audience in a packed Presentation Hall in the School of Communication and Media, Dela Cruz fondly recalled his time at Montclair, shared more about his current work on Broadway and advised students in the audience about getting ahead in show business.

Students in three different classes worked on Season 2 during taping in the spring, the live show in September and post-production this fall. Senior Film and Television major Kelsey Tallis who worked on the episodes in the Special Topics FMTV 361-5 course with Assistant Teaching Professor Nicole Pometti and FMTV 436 Arts and Cultural Programming with Professor Stuart MacLelland said, “It’s been such an amazing experience. We applied our classwork to these shows and working with people at the highest level of their profession like President Koppell and Josh was incredible. I’m also working in areas I’m not as skilled, like editing. I’m actually editing episodes right now (for Season 3) and I now feel comfortable putting that on a resume and having a conversation about that in a job interview.”

Tallis also cited the experience she and her fellow students gained in the Arts and Cultural Programming class as critical to the success of the live show. Students in that class produce live shows such as concerts, plays and other shows such as the Cooking with Koppell episode with Dela Cruz. Prior to that, under the direction of Professor Dr. David Sanders and Amanda Accardo from the Broadcast Media Operations team, Tallis was a T.A. in the Intro to Control Room course where she taught other students how to use production equipment. “Becoming a T.A. allowed me to master the basics of a control room that I learned in my other courses. I think teaching is one of the best ways to reinforce information, so having that experience working with other students also helped my development.”

“We are always looking to challenge our students and present them with unique opportunities they might not have at other universities,” President Koppell said. “It was rewarding to see the incredible collaboration by our students on Season 2 as they learned how to plan and produce this series, including the intricacies of shooting the live episode that we did with Josh during Homecoming. I am proud of their work and excited for Season 3 and beyond.” 

All five episodes of Season 2 are summarized below and available on Hawk+, the official streaming platform of the School of Communication and Media.

Season 2, Episode 1 featuring Anabella Poland

In this episode of Cooking with Koppell, President Koppell welcomes WMSC Director Anabella Poland into the kitchen. As they prepare traditional Argentinian empanadas, Anabella shares her inspiring story of moving to The States and the experiences that shaped her passion for media and the Montclair community.

Season 2, Episode 2 featuring Antonio Talamo 

In this episode, Antonio Talamo, Assistant Director, Student Center and Commuter Life, Center for Student Involvement, Student Development and Campus Life, shares his passion for Italian cuisine. Over a conversation about his rich Italian heritage, Antonio guides the President through making orecchiette pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage. Join them for a blend of heartfelt stories and mouth-watering cooking tips that celebrate the joy of food and the Montclair community.

Season 2, Episode 3  featuring Nicholas Burgess

Fall is football season, so in this episode President Koppell teams up with Montclair student Nicholas Burgess, the captain of the football team and a business major from the class of 2024. Together, they whip up a Veggie Mac and Cheese while Nicholas shares his unique experiences as a student at Montclair. From balancing athletics and academics to finding his passion on campus, Nicholas offers a glimpse into student life and his take on this popular dish. 

Season 2, Episode 4 featuring Dr. Jin-A Choi

Professor Dr. Jin-A Choi and President Koppell prepare a mouthwatering Bulgogi Bibimbap while Jin-A shares insights about her Korean heritage. As they mix vibrant ingredients and savor the aromas, viewers learn about her journey in academia and her passion for data analytics and storytelling. 

Season 2, Episode 5 featuring Josh Dela Cruz

For this live episode, Josh Dela Cruz (’11), host of Blue’s Clues & You! and a veteran of Broadway shows such as Aladdin, is welcomed back to campus during 2024 Homecoming festivities. President Koppell and Dela Cruz recreated Dela Cruz’s signature family dish, Filipino Spaghetti.

Taping and post-production for Season 3 of Cooking with Koppell continue this semester in Professor Pometti’s class. Students are involved in the entire operation of the series, including research, show concepts, pre-production work, creating sets and post-production editing and graphics. A limited number of seats are still available for the spring semester, and Professor Pometti recommends the course for students learning to gain hands-on experience. “Cooking with Koppell is a fun way for my students to learn about every facet of the production process,” she said. “It’s much more than a cooking show, it’s about community and storytelling. I can’t think of a better way for students to tell their own story and sell themselves during the internship or job interview process than by sharing more about their valuable experience on this show.”

“Students should 100% take this course,” Tallis said. “If they are looking for a class to take everything they’ve learned in other courses and apply it, then Cooking with Koppell is the one to do it.”

Story by Keith Green, School of Communication and Media

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About the School of Communication and Media: The School of Communication and Media offers a range of dynamic programs in communication and media to a talented and diverse student population of over 2,000. Offering degrees in film and television, social media and public relations, advertising, journalism and digital media, sports communication, communication and media studies, animation and visual effects, and an MA devoted to strategic communication, the School prepares the next generation of communication and media practitioners and leaders. The School houses award-winning student programs that include WMSC Radio, The Montclarion newspaper,  Hawk Communications Agency, the Red Hawk Sports Network, Hawk+ OTT streaming platform, and News Lab, as well as the Center for Cooperative Media, which serves the public by working to grow and strengthen local journalism. Student projects and programs have recently received national recognition from PRSSA’s Bateman Competition, an Edward R Murrow Award, several Marconi Award nominations, and a College Television Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.