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The fourth season of PBS’s The Great American Recipe premiered on Friday, July 11, with eight new home cooks who are more than eager to showcase their family recipes.
Returning judges Tiffany Derry, Timothy Hollingsworth, and Francis Lam will evaluate the contestants alongside host Alejandra Ramos. Special guest judge Al Roker joins the opening episode of The Great American Recipe, adding his expertise as a cookbook author and television personality. The meals, which range from Filipino blood stew to Afghan rice, are as eclectic as the contenders. They include a Louisiana fireman, a Montana military wife, and a Washington-based Thai blogger.
Alejandra Ramos returns as host, joined by judges Tiffany Derry, Timothy Hollingsworth, and Francis Lam, as well as special guest Al Roker. Expect personal stories, bold flavors, and plenty of comfort food served with a sense of cultural pride.
Who are the contestants of The Great American Recipe Season 4?
Fran Wescott from Durham, North Carolina, brings decades of Southern cooking tradition to The Great American Recipe. Her culinary foundation began at family dinner tables and her grandparents’ home in Moore County. College experiences in the Northeast expanded her palate beyond regional boundaries.
Wescott suffered personal sorrow when both parents died. During their final months, she made their favorite foods as a gesture of love and remembrance. The competition allows her to honor their memories with dishes that now have a greater significance. Her trademark shrimp and grits include blue corn grits, which embody both tradition and innovation.
Brie Jamieson exemplifies the problems that military families confront in retaining cultural links. Born in the Chicago suburbs, she grew up in a Caribbean-American household where her grandmother and mother treasured passing down family recipes. Her husband’s 17-year military career included several relocations around the country.
These moves made preserving Caribbean traditions even more important in keeping her children linked to their ancestry. Jamieson relies on her Belizean and Jamaican roots to create recipes that honor culture and community. Her oxtail with rice and peas embodies these family values in every serving.
Carlos Tiburcio follows a similar path as an Army sergeant who moved from Puerto Rico to Colorado and now Texas. Born in Cupey, he learned traditional recipes while preparing meals after school when his mother worked long nursing shifts. His fricasé de pollo con arroz blanco maintains Puerto Rican authenticity while incorporating premium Colorado ingredients.
Several The Great American Recipe contestants use cooking to bridge their homeland traditions with American life. Waigal Safi fled Afghanistan with his parents as refugees, making family recipes a vital connection to their cultural heritage. His lawand ba zereshk palow challenges misconceptions about Afghan cuisine being overly spicy.
Suwanee Lennon traveled from a Thai leprosy village to Wisconsin at age 13 through an American sponsor’s support. Her blog Simply Suwanee shares Isaan cuisine’s bold flavors, while her Feed the Village Project gives back to elderly patients who supported her American journey.
Rex Alba moved from the Philippines in 2005, adapting traditional dishes with local produce while preserving authentic flavors. As president of the Philippine American Society of Central Ohio, he represents his community through food. His dinuguan showcases Filipino heritage with pride.
Celebrating culinary diversity
The fourth season of The Great American Recipe demonstrates how American cuisine encompasses countless cultural influences. Each contestant’s story reveals food’s power to maintain identity, create community, and honor family legacy. Their diverse backgrounds—from Cajun firefighter traditions to Bengali celebrations—illustrate the nation’s rich culinary landscape.
The competition airs concurrently on all PBS channels, making these inspiring stories available to audiences throughout the country. These eight home cooks demonstrate that great American recipes can come from anywhere by sharing their signature dishes and personal journeys.
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The Great American Recipe Season 4 premiered Friday, July 11, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on PBS, with repeat airings and streaming available on PBS.org and the PBS App.
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