(Pop Culture)
Chef Sophia Roe On The “Jam-Packed” Season 2 Of Her Counter Space Series
“You really get a sense of the people that bring food to your plate.”
Sophia Roe, James Beard award-winning chef and social justice advocate, says the series she hosts, Counter Space, has never just been a cooking show. And that certainly holds true for the second season, which premieres on Jan. 17. However, don’t assume that means the new episodes feel the same as those prior. As Roe herself tells TZR in an interview, it’s a “completely different show” this time around. “You really get a sense of the people that bring food to your plate in a way that maybe you've never seen before,” she continues. “Just please watch!”
New episodes of Counter Space will premiere on the Tastemade streaming channel, available across platforms like YouTube TV, Samsung TV Plus, VIZIO SmartCast TVs, The Roku Channel, Comcast Xfinity X1, SLING TV, fuboTV, Tubi, and more. Additionally, it will be available on demand on Tastemade+. Through it, viewers can follow along as Roe explores topics such as food in prison systems, cultural appropriation in the culinary world, and why you should carefully consider the type of tequila you drink.
It’s not a cooking show, nor is it your typical look at the world of food. As Roe discusses the parts of the show she’s most excited about, that’s made even more clear. Those include making chocolate pasta (“because wow, iconic” says Roe), as well as wearing a bee suit (a “lifelong dream” of hers, she explains).
And, of course, there are food icons, innovators, and entertainers with whom Roe partnered for the series to look forward to as well. The host says she’s also excited for viewers to watch her talk to Eva Longoria about tequila, “because I have a feeling people think they know about tequila but they actually don't know anything about tequila,” she says. Season two also features culinary historian Michael Twitty and Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner (among others), who Roe says she was able to connect with and learn from.
Speaking of learning, it seems that that was a big part of hosting this season for Roe. The chef shares that she traveled to Connecticut for one episode in which she dives into the world of kelp farming with Bren Smith. While she says it wasn’t her first time hearing about this practice, she was exposed to much more than she expected and left feeling inspired. “I could've never known that that was going to be one of my favorite episodes,” she says. “It's just truly magical and I feel like so many people are going to learn so much.”
As Roe discusses the new season, her enthusiasm shines through — especially as she reveals her wishes for Counter Space’s future. “I hope the conversations and the segments can get longer and we can just keep going.” For now, though, viewers can enjoy the latest season, which Roe says is jam-packed. “There's so much excitement, and the interviews are really beautiful,” she shares. Given her overflowing passion, it’s hard not to imagine that to be the case.
