BEHIND THE SCENES

As the camera rolls on Weekends with Yankee, co-host Amy Traverso tours the Chatham Bars Inn’s farm on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

A conversation with Weekends with Yankee executive producer Laurie Donnelly

Over her long career in public television, Emmywinning producer Laurie Donnelly has worked on a number of innovative shows, from This Old House to Lidia Celebrates America to Simply Ming. Today this California native turned New Englander oversees Weekends with Yankee, a GBH collaboration with Yankee magazine, which launched its fifth season on public television stations nationwide in spring 2021. Here, she shares some insights on Weekends with Yankee, New England, and this latest season.

How did the partnership between GBH and Yankee come about?

When the Yankee team approached us with the idea of bringing the magazine to a television platform, we instantly said, “Yes, let’s do this!” Yankee is a New England institution that has been telling this region’s story for decades, so working with the editors gives us access to places and people that we otherwise might not have. We call the show an “insiders’ guide,” because the editors know New England in a way that very few people do, and they know what audiences respond to.

What things have you learned about this region as a result of producing Weekends with Yankee?

So many things! One is people’s commitment to New England. They are passionate about it. So even if they move away, there’s something that draws them back again. Second, there’s so much variety with both the landscape and the seasons. It’s not just beaches, it’s not just mountains, it’s not just leaf-peeping.

New England is a serious culinary destination, too. I love the diversity of the food here. There’s such richness in the variety of cuisines. And the chefs are so committed to the idea of farm-to-table. While that movement gained national popularity and visibility a decade ago, we’ve been living it here for much longer.

And I think the other thing is that there’s adventure to be had here. It was really through co-host Richard Wiese’s eyes that we saw that. It’s not just about kayaking and skiing. There are really unusual adventures and remote areas to explore.

In the new season’s first episode, we retrace Julia Child’s footsteps in Boston and Cambridge, where you actually got to know her. What was she like?

She was much taller than I expected, and I was worried that I’d be intimidated by her, but I wasn’t. She really made you feel welcome. She always believed in being a mentor for women. She was also inspirational, in that she began her career later in life and didn’t let anything get in her way. She was passionate, she stood up for what she believed, and she never stopped learning.

What are you most excited about in this season?

I loved the Julia Child segment. I loved visiting chef Michel Nischan and hearing about his commitment to making healthy food available to underserved communities. Richard’s segment at a llama farm was this surprising little adventure in an unexpected place. And I really got turned onto jack jumping, a sport I’d never heard of in my life. Finally, I loved meeting Boston chef Douglass Williams. It’s great to focus not just on people who are in the spotlight all the time, but on people who are passionate about what they do.