Cookbook authors and Charleston advocates Matt and Ted Lee will bring their brand of Southern charm to the small screen this Sunday. The Lee Bros. television series, Southern Uncovered, will air on Ovation at 8 p.m. on June 14. The program travels the South in search of unseen adventures and genuine food experiences. Here are five things to know.
1. The first six episodes follow the Lee Bros. through Charleston, Atlanta, Dallas, Louisville, New Orleans, and Asheville. While the duo have previously visited these cities, producers for Southern Uncovered were able to unearth artisans and eateries the hosts weren't familiar with, thus making for authentic discovery moments. Ted says the network helped find these moments with the idea of "Why don't we dig deeper and find something surprising?"
2. The brothers quickly learned to relax as hosts of the show. "We've done travel from the contributing editor perspective, where we flood the zone and figure out every detail and plan it meticulously" says Matt, but with a Raleigh-based production company coordinating all the details, the Lee Bros. were allowed to let go and truly experience each segment without all the managing leading up to it.
3. Southern Uncovered focuses on food, but the show isn't just shots of the hosts stuffing their faces and saying "yum." For example, Matt and Ted meet up with a potter who produces plates for local restaurants and, in another episode, learn how to create foam drawings from the top latte art barista in the country. "We're showing the breadth and the depth of Southern food culture," Matt tells us.
4. There will be dancing.
5. The Lee Bros. are having a good time telling audiences about the South. "There's so much discovery going on ... the learning makes it fun," says Matt, "Not only are we having fun, but we're getting good ideas for exploration." Ted mentions, "It's a little quirky, like we are, and the unexpected South comes through."
Southern Uncovered airs on Ovation at 8 p.m. on June 14.