The Frugal Gourmet was a cooking show that aired on PBS from 1988 to 1997. Each show focused on different regional American, immigrant American, or world cuisine.
The host of this show was Jeff Smith, a United Methodist minister, and author of a dozen cookbooks. Known affectionately as "The Frug", he asserted that "frugal" gourmet cooking does not mean "cheap", but choosing your ingredients and using your resources efficiently.
He graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 1962 and from Drew University in New Jersey in 1965.
His show became the highest-rated cooking show ever produced.
His public career came to an end when two of his male assistant chefs brought charges of sexual harassment against him. Although he was proven innocent of the charges, he could not recover his reputation.