Global Soul Kitchen returns to FYI on Monday, June 30, at 10 PM ET, with Chef Deborah VanTrece reworking a French classic through a Southern lens. The episode puts Chicken Fricassee on the table, but this version pulls from multiple culinary playbooks.
VanTrece anchors the dish in the tradition of smothered chicken, a staple from her own upbringing, but the execution pushes beyond the familiar. The ingredients, methods, and plating reflect a wider world view. That fusion is the engine of the show.
Global Soul Kitchen is not just a travelogue or recipe rundown. It’s a focused half-hour that takes the soul food foundation and builds outward, layer by layer, using techniques borrowed from global cuisines. The end result is a plate that tells more than one story.
For this episode, that story includes butter, broth, white wine, and a generous nod to Southern stews. The French bones stay intact, but the flavor shifts with every step. Viewers get a full breakdown of the process, with VanTrece walking through both the cultural context and the cooking itself.
