CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio – Mike Thomas has been keeping a big secret since mid-June 2022. Because of show rules, he couldn’t tell anyone that he’s one of nine home cooks to appear on Season 2 of PBS’s “The Great American Recipe.”
Now, the embargo is lifted.
The show, which airs on Mondays starting June 19, was created to “celebrate the multiculturalism that makes American food so vibrant and unique.” Each of the eight episodes, which were filmed in fall 2022, challenges the cooks to showcase two of their signature dishes. By the end of the season judges identify a great American recipe from these dishes.
When he was chosen for the show, Thomas, a special education teacher at Cleveland Heights High School, couldn’t tell his family or employer where he was going or why. That silence has been lifted, but Thomas must remain mum about the winner.
He will reveal that his entries in the competition represent his Southern heritage and his life in Cleveland. They are shrimp and grits, and a Cleveland Polish boy.
The experience, he says was amazing. “Once I found out it was PBS it was right up my alley. I grew up with Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Graham Kerr. They were the culinary titans. These people were in my home already. To be part of something near and dear to my family was amazing.”
Thomas learned to cook in the kitchen of his mother and grandmother.
“When we had our holidays,” he says, “I was in the kitchen with them. Over time I was given different tasks. As I got older, I was able to do more. I absorbed everything from them.”
“I’m a savory person,” he says. “I like to do all the dishes, from grilling to frying to broiling/basting.” And so, at his home, he cooks while his wife bakes.
Of course, he tries to get his children – ages 2, 5 and 7 – in the kitchen to learn about cooking. “It’s a wonderful way to teach them how to be responsible, to do math and to have that relationship,” he says.
“I always go back to my Southern dishes like fried fish, catfish, pork chops and fried chicken,” he says. “I love doing Asian food -- maybe it’s a past life -- anything that has garlic, ginger, mirin, soy sauce. I gravitate toward Asian dishes and Asian fusion.”
In addition to being a dad and a teacher, Thomas has been operating Artistic Catering for the past eight years. Most of his employees are special education teachers or special needs students. They cater weddings and special events around Ohio.
“The ultimate goal is to have a ghost kitchen/event center and bring in others who want to share their family recipes, heritage and stories,” he says.
“I love food,” says Thomas. “I communicate through food. That’s my love language.”
Paris Wolfe is a life and culture reporter for Cleveland.com. She has a special interest in food, dining, cocktails and spirits. You can reach her with news and story ideas at pwolfe@cleveland.com. Here’s a directory of her latest posts. Follow her on Instagram @pariswolfe.
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