The Martha Stewart Show and My Cuisinart Panini Grill

The Martha Stewart Show was broadcast from Chelsea Television Studios on W. 26^th Street between 7^th and 8^th Avenues in New York City.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

This is the Cuisinart Panini Griddler the audience members received as a gift and the crowd went wild. I'll admit that it was a bit cumbersome carrying a big heavy box around New York after the show let out, but I'm not complaining.

I use mine for more than just paninis, I grill steaks, hamburgers, seafood, vegetables, quesadillas and lots more. Anything you grill cooks equally on both sides without flipping so it's a good idea to keep that in mind when determining the length of cooking time.

The set of the show is divided into three sections, kitchen, craft area and garden. Each section has everything installed that will be needed to prepare and create the featured items for that day's show.

Picture taking is allowed for just a few minutes before and after the show. No photos during taping.

In the photo below you can see Martha in the kitchen talking to the audience.

There is so much that we don't see when watching the show on television. In the studio there are people milling about with cameras, microphones, headphones and clipboards. And the lights, so many lights, wall to wall on the ceiling.

Before the show begins, a warm-up comedian instructs the audience on what signals he will use throughout the show and what our reaction should be. His actions tell us when to applaud and when to stop, when we should say “oooh” and when to stop. He tells jokes, converses with the audience and gets the audience worked up into laughing and having a good time before Martha walks onto the set.

Here's Joey and Martha on April Fool's Day.