Plot Synopsis

In this documentary series, acclaimed chef and James Beard Award-winning host Pati Jinich takes viewers to the U.S.-Mexico border region to experience and celebrate its rich, diverse, and unique culture through the lens of food. Jinich, who received a master's degree in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University, draws on her vast experience as a political analyst and later as a leader in the culinary world as Director of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., to conduct in depth, interviews with an array of residents along the border. LA FRONTERA follows Jinich as she travels the length of the border encountering people from all walks of life and sharing a plate with fascinating characters both in and outside of the food world. The first season of LA FRONTERA premiered from 9-10pm ET on Fridays, October 15 & 22, 2021 on PBS:

"Miles from Nowhere" (Friday, October 15, 2021 at 9pm): Jinich travels from El Paso and Juarez to Big Bend National Park. She discovers the people, places, and food -- from burritos to middle eastern cuisine, that make this region unique.

"From Dos Laredos to Mars" (Friday, October 22, 2021 at 9pm): Jinich travels from Laredo and Nuevo Laredo to Brownsville, Texas. She learns how tight-knit family bonds are an underlying theme connecting everything in the Laredos, and throughout La Frontera.
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The three-episode second season of LA FRONTERA WITH PATI JINICH debuted on Monday, April 3, 2023 at 9pm on PBS (check local listings), with new episodes premiering Mondays through April 17. Season 2 episodes include:

"Fronterizos of the Golden Coast" (Monday, April 3, 2023 at 9pm): Chef and James Beard Award winner Pati Jinich travels the California part of the US-Mexico border. She meets the fronterizos, or borderlanders, of the golden coast to experience melding of cultures, cross-border collaborations, and explosive growth.

"Ancient Seeds & Desert Ghosts" (Monday, April 10, 2023 at 9pm): Pati Jinich travels the Arizona-Sonora border through some of the most untouched places in North America. She hunts for an ancient chile, meets a ghost town caretaker, drops water for migrants, meets a painter with a dark past, and more.

"Back to the Middle" (Monday, April 17, 2023 at 9pm): Pati Jinich travels the New Mexico and Chihuahua border region, one of the most unique and bio-diverse places in the world. She meets architect Ronald Rael, observes migratory species, visits a remote Mennontie camp, and more.