Who could even imagine that a big television streaming network would shoot a Reality TV segment in our little village? Or that the series would not be about Italian cuisine but sushi. You read that right – sushi. Sitting there on Piazza Roma in Pontelandolfo, may be the best sushi restaurant we’ve ever eaten at. TAWĀ is owned by one of the most entrepreneurial young men I know, Giuseppe Sforza. When Giuseppe whispered, “the Discovery Channel – Food Network was starting a new reality show about sushi.” I was even more impressed. This go getter of a restaurateur, somehow got TAWĀ to be one of the first sushi restaurants the network visited. The new show – PAZZI DI SUSHI! Hmm, is that a riff on Food Network’s Pazzi di Pizza?
Giussepe asked us if Jack and I could come and be background for the shoot. Well, he didn’t exactly say “background” but I knew what he meant. We would be pretend customers in a restaurant that we absolutely adore. The concept of the show seemed clear. Pazzi di Sushi is a reality contest that will be held in every province in Italy. A province is like a New Jersey county – so that can be a lot of territory to cover. The production team picked the 3 restaurants from each province to compete. I don’t know how they found the three or if the guys who own them found out about the show and pitched them.
The host, Rosy Chin, who is a famous sushi restaurateur, with a production crew would visit the three sushi restaurants in one day. Accompanied by one “advisor” from each place, Rosy and her three advisor/judges taste the fare presented, talk about the food and then decide who is the best restaurant of that segment. The TAWĀ representative was the handsome sushi aficionado Antonio Del Ciampo. (When I saw the show, Antonio had more air time and sounded soooo much better than the other advisors. )
A night of filming would be fun. So, on dark and dreary Monday in October we headed to the Piazza. TAWĀ was the last restaurant the production team was visiting that day. Yup, Rosy and the crew started with early morning sushi – yum.
Looking like the happy sushi eaters we are, Jack and I arrived at TAWĀ at about 6:00 PM. That was the alleged time the shoot would start. There were four other well dressed folks there already. A mom, daughter, dad and pal. They were dress extras who dressed a hell of a lot better than Jack and I did. Both men were in suits. Jack was in a fleece sweatshirt. I wore a black Mexican style low neck off the shoulder dress with an enormous red necklace. No camera was going to ignore this red necklace. My Ecuadorian embroidered shawl complemented the look. I wonder if they saw my red shoes?
Giuseppe was incredibly gracious. He popped open a bottle and poured a Prosecco for all. It really was a cold and stormy October night and I was freaking freezing. I looked at our host with baby blues and got a Scotch to sip. We enjoyed chatting with the other extras and realized that suddenly it was 7:00 PM and no cast or crew in sight. The ever organized Giuseppe made calls to discover that they were behind and might be there at 8:00 PM. Now I’ve done enough television to know that they’re going to have a ton of high end equipment. It has to be set up, taken down, packed up and shoved in vans. That means 8:00 PM is a fantasy.
Each and every one of us our starving. We are waiting in this fabulous Japanese restaurant watching the chefs make this beautiful food for Rosy and the featured guests. The Scotch in my stomach was screaming for company. Yeah! At 10:00 PM the crew shows up and they’re like any crew I’ve ever worked with my entire life. Well not really, they are all so young I feel like Auntie Dinosaur. They quickly unload three vans. I start counting five cameras. Five cameras to put in this little restaurant. The lighting equipment kit fits in a pocket and morphs into these giant lights. They set up the sound board and monitors outside. Everything was set up by 11:00 PM. Giuseppe kept in touch with Antonio to see where they were. What a long day for the crew and Rosy Chin. What a long day for aged sushi gourmands.
THE REALITY OF REALITY TV – OOPs – am I allowed to talk about this? When they finally got to TAWĀ the production team had us sign a talent/photo release. The young producer who was in charge made it such a big deal.
“Where’s your ID?” She asked.
I barely had a purse, I was just coming to pose. First thing I found was my New Jersey drivers license. Not good enough. We need to be Italian. Luckily, I dug around and found my Italian ID. Then she decides we are American and she will fill out the form for us. WHAT? When she completed the form, I asked her for a copy. She looked at me like I had three heads and asked why. Because I didn’t even know the name of the production company. We knew it was a Discovery Channel. We knew it was a new show. We didn’t know who or what was producing. Of course, I snagged a photo. (Really look at the release – use on Discovery, Prime, Netflix, and more. Damn this is more than the Food Network – which is owned by Warner Brothers Discovery.) Hmm, unlike my unreal reality experience on Cash Cab, we didn’t sign an NDA. So I’m allowed to share all the inside action with you.
I think they started filming at midnight. Yes, midnight and we hadn’t eaten a bloody thing. Jack, poor Jack, kept asking me if we could just sneak back to the counter and order something.
Stop, I whispered. We are actors on a job. Look happy.
Happy, Jack whined, I even look famished. It is midnight! When he started to put his head down on the table, I sighed. Actors….
Suddenly, things started to happen. They started to dress the set. Water and wine was whisked to our tables. Six pieces of sushi are suddenly in front of us. YUMMMMM. I smack Jack with a chopstick – we have to wait until the camera is on. Look for a red light! Then my “I’ll never be a background actor again,” husband starts drinking his wine.
A red light! I see a red light! Rosy and the advisors are making their entrance.
CUT!
Take 2! Take 3! Take 4! Eight takes later their entrance and greeting by Giuseppe was spot on. Actually Giuseppe was spot on every take.
Next the personalities were graciously seated in the center of the room, well lit and WHAT! Giuseppe serves them a sashimi that was so huge, beautiful and amazing that if I didn’t know better I’d think a Hollywood food stylist created it. Rosy talks about the history of sashimi and our eyes glaze over as we watch Rosy and the advisors tstart eating this sashimi. Remember, they have been eating sushi since early this morning. Each personality put the fewest slices of fish on their little plates as possible. Smiles. A taste and suddenly – CUT! We watched the magnificent tray of fresh fish as it moved back to the crew. Sigh…
While they’re setting up the next shot, Rosy turned to me – wait – somehow she knows I’m an American. Did the giant red necklace give me away or my poking Jack with chopsticks? Rosy asks me in English – English like some one who went to Smith or Vassar – why are you here?
I look and gulp, the red light is on. My phony TV voice and face race to answer. (Jack told me I turned on my phony face and voice.) I do an amazing TAWĀ pitch – at least I thought it was amazing.
I’m here because the sushi at TAWĀ is the absolute best in the world. We’ve eaten sushi all over the world – in Los Angeles -where my niece is a casting director, in Paris, in New York, Philadelphia. Blah Blah Blah
Don’t hold your breath – they didn’t use it. Guess my phony face should stay in my purse.
The personalities were served more and more glorious platters of food. The Director yelled CUT! The food disappeared. We got home at 2:00 in the morning, raided the refrigerator and ate everything we could find. Even hungry and lusting for sushi, I must say it was an exciting adventure. I also must say – WE LOVE GIUSEPPE AND TAWÃ!
Want to see who won? Wondering how our hometown place did? If you have a VPN you can set to Italy, you can watch the show – Benevento segment – Pazzi di Sushi. Check out how they voted – chopsticks tossed in a glass. Listen to each “advisors” criticism of the others. Guess who then gets the final vote?
SPOILER ALERT
Ci Vediamo!
Midge
For those of you who have been wondering where I’ve been, we came to New Jersey for the holidays and health issues turned me into a drooling marshmallow for about three months. I am now on the mend, my brain is functioning and you will be hearing more tales in the future. Thank you for your patience.
Nonna's Mulberry Tree 