It is crazy to believe that after 10 years of building her body of work, we are finally counting down the days until the premiere of Georgia’s new show “Wild Food” on Destination America! If you haven’t already heard, the show premieres Saturday, June 23rd at 10 pm EST/9pm CT.
As a way to give you some sneak peeks into the making of the show, we asked some of the wonderful cast and crew members a series of questions which we’ll be posting here daily. Today it’s our Executive Producer, Showrunner and Co-Creator, Melinda Cea!
What Georgia has to say about her:
I feel like my life is defined by two phases. The time before I met Melinda and the time after I met her. I didn’t think I’d ever meet anyone who has the same standards, who cares about the details, and hustles as hard as I do, until I met her. We have this amazing symbiotic relationship where I have trust in her unlike anyone I’ve ever met. She and I both go to the mat for the people and things we care about, we share the same values, we are willing to break the mold and when we set our eye on the same goal, it feels inspiring and exciting and full of possibility. It has been one of the greatest honors and joys of my life to get to create a show with her and I’m excited for what the future holds!
Meet the Crew and Cast of Wild Food: Q&A with Melinda Cea:
What’s the wildest food you’ve ever tried?
Georgia’s Wild Boar! It was insanely good.
What’s something people would be surprised to know about Georgia?
Wow so many things! Insanely human, grounded and humble. Ladies — she has the BEST hair I am not even kidding you — it takes her NO time to do. And she can literally pick up a weed from the side walk and turn it into a meal; she is hands down the most resourceful person I have ever met with sniper AIM!
Do you have a favorite moment from filming the pilot?
HANDS DOWN for me it was watching Georgia load her gun in the pouring rain. Surrounded by gray skies her standing there with grit represented so much. As her EP who created the show with her, I had to let the rain hide my tears because that exact moment has been our motivation; a show that has a female lead in what is normally defined as a “man’s world” that challenges stereotypes and pushes us to to think differently; in this case where our food is coming from. I was in awe; not just because of what that moment stood for to us but for what it could mean to little girls watching.
What’s the thing someone MUST do while visiting New Orleans?
Get a beignet, explore outside of the city and talk to the people who live there because that will lead you on your own wild adventure. The people of New Orleans and Louisiana have such a depth and richness about them that it makes you stop and appreciate things more.
What does Manual Literacy mean to you and how do you practice it in your life?
To me these words always remind to me to simply slow down, get outside and connect with nature more or do something that gives me the reward of saying, “look what I did with my hands today,” be it gardening or remodeling my house, getting away from technology, getting dirty and playing more!
What was your biggest laugh while filming?
Georgia trying to say “hafwah” (fart) and “cockleladles” (the runs), the Cajun words that some of the locals — Kimmie and Jeff — taught her was laugh-out-loud funny!
