The Detroit Free Press’ documentary “Coldwater Kitchen” has been selected for the 2025 American Film Showcase, a curated film collection that will be screened by United States’ embassies around the world. This partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts aims to provide a nuanced view of American life and reflect the diversity of the American experience.
The documentary provides an inside look at the culinary training program at Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, Michigan, where students receive training in culinary skills necessary for success in fine dining restaurant kitchens, such as mastering French mother sauces and understanding wine pairings. The film follows Chef Jimmy Lee Hill and three of his students as they navigate challenges within the prison system and work towards rebuilding their lives after incarceration.
Co-directed by Free Press executive video producer Brian Kaufman and former Free Press restaurant critic Mark Kurlyandchik, “Coldwater Kitchen” premiered in Michigan at the Freep Film Festival in 2023 and globally at DOC NYC, the largest documentary film festival in the U.S. The film went on to win the James Beard Foundation media award for best documentary in 2023.
To learn more about “Coldwater Kitchen,” visit
