In the afternoon of 17 October, an episode of an American TV show ‘Family Ingredients’ was filmed on King’s College London’s (KCL) Strand Quadrangle. The show will air on PBS.
The culinary and travel documentary delves into the history and traditions of Hawaii by exploring the stories behind the family recipe of a guest. Season three of the show, released in 2023, was nominated for a Daytime Emmy.
No area of the Quad was inaccessible during filming. Instead, the host of the show, chef Ed Kenney, walked up the courtyard in conversation with a Hawaiian student from the University of Exeter. Signage directed students to speak to the crew if they did not wish to end up in the program. The crew filmed several takes and continued working on campus until approximately 4 pm.
The episode filmed at KCL’s Strand Campus featured King’s alumnus Joseph A. Kamauoha, who was one of eighteen young Hawaiians handpicked by the King of Hawaii to participate in the Hawaiian Youths Abroad Program. The programme was designed to produce future Hawaiian leaders and lasted from 1880 to 1892.
KCL was not the only university to host students on the scheme, with Hawaiian students also studying in Italy, Scotland, China, Japan and the United States.
Kamauoha arrived at KCL in 1882, taking courses including chemistry, mathematics and divinity. He intended to be an engineer.
Unfortunately, Kamauoha’s health declined significantly during his studies at King’s. He died while on a restorative trip in Torquay in 1886.
