One of PBS Hawaii’s more popular programs was "The International Kitchen," hosted by the late Nino J. Martin. This month we look back at Martin and his contributions to local television.
Martin grew up on a prune orchard farm in the San Joaquin Valley in California. His family originally came from Italy, and cooking played an important part in the Martin household.
"I have a theory that families will stay together as long as they cook together and eat meals together," Martin said in a 1980s interview with The Honolulu Advertiser.
His early experience in television began in 1968 working as a producer for KBHK in San Francisco. After earning his bachelor’s degree in communications, specializing in creative arts, from San Francisco State University, Martin moved to the islands in 1969. Initially he worked at KGMB as a producer-director, but in 1970 started at KHET, then known as Hawaii Educational Television.
David Silvian, who produced and directed Titus Chan’s cooking show, also started at KHET in 1970. "Nino was a very creative human, which made him into an excellent producer," he said.
During the 1970s, Martin would become executive producer of the cultural and arts division for Hawaii Public Television, developing "Musical Encounter," "Spectrum Hawaii," "Local People" and "Hawaii Now," a daily magazine program that helped launch "The International Kitchen" in 1975.
"I had to get everything ready in just 21 days. I got the kitchen built in the studio, but I had no host, so I did it myself, trying to lean back so I wouldn’t sweat into the lamb chops and spinach I cooked. It was 12 minutes of pure hell," Martin said in a 1984 interview with HGEA’s Public Employee.
The first cook on "The International Kitchen" was Hawaii Public Television’s administrative services officer, Sharynne Nakasone, who prepared the Okinawan doughnut, andagi.
In 1977, Martin would produce and direct "Damien," starring Terence Knapp. The critically acclaimed "Damien" was broadcast nationally on PBS stations in January 1978 and would go on to win a prestigious Peabody Award. Martin also won international film awards in New York and Texas as well as two Best of the West journalism prizes.
"The International Kitchen" became a weekly 30-minute program airing on Thursdays for Hawaii Public Television in 1979. The show became popular for the station and featured local celebrity guests, chefs and even Big Bird. In 1980, "The International Kitchen" was syndicated nationally on more than 100 PBS stations.
The popularity of the series brought Martin public recognition, especially at obvious places. "It gets to be a problem sometimes when I’m grocery shopping," Martin said.
He would also get frequent calls to his home from viewers who wanted to know how to cook something. "It goes with the territory," he said.
A big part of the success of "The International Kitchen," according to Martin, was Hawaii’s diversity of cultures.
"Nino was a wonderful cook and enjoyed inviting a diverse cross section of colleagues to cook with him in HPT’s International Kitchen. He was a mainstay at Hawaii Public Television and an invaluable contributor to the station’s success and quality of service to the community. I very much enjoyed working with Nino and was grateful for all that he did to advance the mission of public broadcasting in Hawaii," said Mary Bitterman, executive director of the station from 1974 to 1979.
Martin died at age 57 on Dec. 4, 1988, after a long illness. Soon after his death, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin honored Martin as one of the people who built public television in Hawaii into an important asset. "His imagination and dedication to his craft enriched thousands of viewers here and on the mainland," the paper said.
In 2011, PBS Hawaii established the Nino J. Martin Excellence in Production Award.
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A.J. McWhorter, a collector of film and videotape cataloging Hawaii’s TV history, has worked as a producer, writer and researcher for both local and national media. Email him at flashback@hawaii.rr.com.
