Thursday, March 7th marked Dan Eaton’s eight year anniversary with what is now known as YNN. Curtis Jetter, YNN Regional Executive Producer, stopped by Dan Eaton’s house last week to see a shoot in progress…and got fed a delicious lunch.

Dan Eaton in his kitchen.

To celebrate Dan’s eight year anniversary, I made the trip to Rochester and to Dan’s house to see him produce a few of his Cooking at Home segments. I have been with Dan before while creating his segments, but they were all on-location shoots at the CNY Parade of Homes sites over the years. This was different; I was headed to “The Kitchen” itself. So much is said around the YNN Rochester newsroom about how Dan produces six segments a week in his very small home kitchen, but nothing prepared me for just how small it really is.

Dan Eaton with photographer Chris Coffey.

Tiny is a better way to describe it. That wood block table Dan prepares his meals on takes up about one-third of the floor space in the kitchen. Dan wheels it about to make room for the lights, and camera that need to be set up for each shoot. Today, Chris Coffey was Dan’s assigned photog.

Surprisingly, Chris has maintained his weight while shooting many Cooking at Home segments over the years, because Dan loves nothing more than serving the food he prepares. While there I enjoyed a delicious spinach and mushroom lasagna…

…Along with a sweet potato ginger soup and a fantastic piece of olive oil cake. None of it stood a chance.

It is hard to believe that Dan has been creating his delicious Cooking at Home meals for more than eight years now. Even harder to believe that he always finds something new to make, and keeps everything he does simple, so viewers can make the same thing in their own kitchens. That, to me, is the surest sign that Dan truly loves to cook and to make good, nutritious foods that everyone can enjoy. Hopefully, the On the Back Burner blog will allow more of Dan’s personality to come through and allow viewers the opportunity to learn more about Cooking at Home.