You're not alone in thinking that "A Chef's Life" was pretty great, but unfortunately you're also right to put it in the past tense. "A Chef's Life" has ended after five surprise-hit seasons on PBS.

It started as a local North Carolina show on the local PBS affiliate, but it grew very much from there to become a huge hit for PBS across the country.

It was such a success, in fact, that it inspired PBS to stay in the Vivian Howard business.

Howard is the host and star of "A Chef's Life," which began by focusing on Howard's restaurant, Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, N.C., but shifted the focus to other aspects of Howard's life as her restaurant, and her fame, grew. 

Howard has suggested in interviews that she had grown tired of the format of "A Chef's Life," and so she hatched a new show concept in collaboration with PBS and Markay Media (which produced "A Chef's Life").

The new show is going under the working title "South by Somewhere," and will put Howard into the role of culinary anthropologist as she highlights the connections and similarities among the foods of different cultures and communities.

Nevertheless, Howard said in a news release that "the new show will continue to highlight Kinston and the South."

Another shift it will bring is in timing: this new series will air in prime time, which she says she's "excited" to tackle. (You could say she already conquered daytime, having won the Daytime Emmy this year for Outstanding Culinary Program.)

Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided.