MISSOULA — One thing we all have in common -- we eat. And now a University of Montana grad is turning her passion for cooking into a TV show meant to feed both the body and the mind through the inspirational people she’s met along the way.
It was a busy day in the kitchen for Jill Ferris, host of Jill's Inspiration Kitchen when we stopped by. She was cooking a favorite family recipe with Missoula’s Shannon Schweyen. It all started with one of those big birthdays.
“When I was turning 50, I wanted to do something that’s inspirational rather than your typical midlife crisis or change my whole world,” Ferris said. “So I decided to write a book and I wanted to honor women who have inspired me and lifted me up in my lifetime.”
Jill wrote the cookbook called “Cheers to 50 Years” and was then encouraged to spice things up a bit, turning the cookbook into a television show to talk about the connection we have to food and our families.
The program includes stories of courage and perseverance or just a warm memory made around the dinner table.
“I want them to see the inspiration, I want them to see the connection and I want them to cook great food together because that’s our common denominator, isn’t it?” Ferris said “ That is what I think brings us together, our humanity and that’s something we can do together in our homes with our friends our families.”
She features mostly Montanans, spending time cooking and chatting with public figures, politicians, chefs even an angel psychic. They are people who just have a story to share.
“It's purely fun. It's emotionally gratifying as well because I think we can health the human body and we can heal and save the human body and I hope it does a little bit to save the human spirit because we need both,” Ferris told MTN News. “And maybe something like this can help unite our nation a little bit and unite our communities and make us feel good."
Production is underway on season two as Jill is sharing more recipes and stories, she hopes to connect with people because sometimes, the best conversations we have happen in the kitchen. You can check out Jill's Facebook page here.
