We launched Cooking with the Cap Times in February 2021. The inspiration for the series came in December 2020, after food editor Lindsay Christians hosted a Cap Times virtual event with chef Cortney Burns, who provided a cooking demonstration.
Attendance at that event was restricted to Cap Times members, who have given money to support the newsroom. Not only was it a successful talk, but Lindsay found such joy in hosting it. We knew that if we could find sponsors, it would be a great opportunity to start a series that featured local chefs. Based on Google Analytics, we knew that local food content was highly read by our readers, and they wanted to consume more “how-to” or easy recipe-style cooking videos.
“I wanted to start the series because we’re all cooking from home a lot more, and because restaurants have been through an unprecedented year of struggle with COVID-19 dining restrictions,” Lindsay said. “I follow so many talented, hard working, creative cooks in this city, and I’m constantly inspired by them. If there’s a way we can give them a signal boost and serve readers’ interest in expanding their own culinary skills, this seems like a win-win.”
Each cooking demo is held at the test kitchen of Kessenich’s, a kitchen equipment store, in Madison, Wisconsin. Viewers can watch live by registering for a free Zoom webinar, and all who register also get the recipe made during the event. Everyone who registers is also subscribed to our Madison Life newsletter. After each event, we upload the videos to our YouTube and Facebook pages so those who weren’t able to join us live can watch.