Cooking Up a Story is an online show about food and sustainable agriculture. We bring you an almost timeless array of short documentary stories, interviews and DIY videos with food experts, scientists, writers and others passionate about food and the environment.
From climate change to how to can tuna, to irrigation farmers fighting to survive on the Texas High Plains to wild elk farming, we share first-hand experiences and full-circle stories about our food system. As part of the YouTube Original Programming Initiative in 2012, we formed a new YouTube channel—Food Farmer Earth, to continue sharing the rich diversity of stories and know-how about the food we eat, where it comes from and how it’s grown, raised, processed and cooked. Cooking up a Story, “bringing the people, behind our food, to life”.
More about the show:
What is a sustainable food system, you may ask?
It’s a catch-all term that simply means, the complete circle: from where food is grown and processed, to the ultimate destination, the eaters table. A sustainable food system—incredibly hard to define, and even harder to achieve, is neatly summed up by Wes Jackson as “living within our means,” even though he readily admits it’s an imperfect definition. When environmental pollution, energy production, resource depletion (especially fresh water reserves), greenhouse gas emissions, and other costs are directly measured in, the dominant industrial food system becomes no longer a viable alternative for the future. What will replace it, over how long a period of time and how we get there, are all urgent and largely unanswered questions.
Our food system intersects with virtually every important strata of human society: public health, the environment, politics, the economy, and the list goes on…
The hundreds of original videos and written posts on this site provide a wealth of information, inspiration, practical know-how for gardening and DIY food, proven recipes, and serious content that addresses some of the defining challenges of our time. For those willing to listen, food provides a constant reminder—as others have said— despite our individual differences, there is more that unites us as a people than what stands us apart.
This site strives to educate and inspire audiences through the vicarious experience of people who practice sustainability on a daily basis and whose lives center around food. This is a site for thinkers and for doers. We publish the best content we are able to produce— and also share the excellent work of others—free from the editorial influence of advertising and sponsorship pressures. Translation: though no site that publishes information should be taken as gospel without further thought and critical reflection, there are no outside economic interests that bias in any undue manner the content we produce.
You will discover a library of exquisite content around the many diverse facets of food and agriculture. The following navigational architecture provides links to each of the different CUPS television programming: Documentaries; Interviews; Growing Food; DIY food; and Talks.
While our Blog provides a variety of food related content from around the web, there are also hundreds of written posts by our contributors, and time-tested recipes for making fabulous dishes.
We make no bones about being committed to sustainable agriculture and renewable energy and an unshakable belief in the critical importance of sound public policy to protect our food producing capabilities, our natural resources, and the need to reduce levels of income and wealth inequality at home.
We hope you will join our continuing journey of discovery with inspiring people, innovative ideas and expert food and gardening practices.
Thanks for being here!
Cooking Up a Story was created by Fred Gerendasy and Rebecca Gerendasy. Today, Fred continues his creative work through Fred Gerendasy Photography, while Rebecca shares her ceramic art at Rebecca Gerendasy Clay – Art.
Updated June 23, 2025