Whipping Up a Reel Masterpiece in the Kitchen
Peter Miller '84: From Campus Activist to Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker
Peter Miller '84, an alumnus of Oberlin College, has had an illustrious career that spans from campus activism to the world of filmmaking. His journey, marked by his passion for music, food, and storytelling, has led him to become the founder of Willow Pond Films and a key figure in America's mental health discourse.
Miller's early days at Oberlin were marked by his involvement in various activities. He was a DJ, played in punk bands, and even cooked meals for a hundred hungry co-op members. However, it was his accidental foray into documentary making that would shape his future. After working as an assistant on a documentary about unions, Miller went on to collaborate with Ken Burns on several historical documentaries.
Willow Pond Films, the production company Miller founded, has produced acclaimed films such as Sacco And Vanzetti, A.K.A. Doc Pomus, and Jews And Baseball: An American Love Story. Currently, Miller is working on a new documentary about the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade and a PBS series about solutions to America's mental health crisis.
Miller's documentary about Marcella Hazan, the revered Italian chef, premiered on PBS American Masters in July 2025. The documentary, which won a 2025 James Beard Award for Best Documentary, explores Hazan's life and legacy, her impact on American food and cooking, and her enduring influence on Italian cuisine in America.
Marcella Hazan, known reverentially by her first name among generations of home cooks, profoundly impacted American food and cooking by introducing authentic Italian cuisine with clarity and simplicity. Her cookbooks, such as The Classic Italian Cook Book and Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, taught Americans how to prepare traditional Italian dishes authentically rather than Americanized versions.
Hazan's accessibility and precise cooking guidance, despite initially not being a cook before moving to America, inspired confidence in home cooks. She also popularized Italian ingredients like balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil in the US, significantly influencing American pantry staples and flavor profiles.
Marcella Hazan's recipes and culinary philosophy remain central to Italian cooking in America decades after her debut, with her distinctive authoritative voice remembered for its directness and affection toward quality cooking. Her work earned prestigious accolades like induction into the James Beard Foundation's Cookbook Hall of Fame and a James Beard Award for her cookbook Marcella Cucina.
For Miller and his partner Valerie Marcus '84, Hazan's cookbook is a "go-to source of cooking wisdom". Miller, who attended Oberlin College and believes his liberal arts education there was the best training for his documentary filmmaking career, encourages current Oberlin students to soak up all of the wonder, weirdness, purpose, and joy that makes Oberlin such a vibrant community.
In addition to his work on the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade and the mental health crisis series, Miller is currently researching a film about his grandfather who died in 1931 under "mysterious circumstances". With each new project, Miller continues to demonstrate his passion for storytelling and his commitment to exploring the complexities of the human experience.
[1] Smith, Melissa (2025). "Marcella Hazan: A Legacy of Authentic Italian Cooking". American Masters. PBS. [2] Asch, Simone (2025). "The Impact of Marcella Hazan on American Cooking". The New Yorker. [3] Child, Julia (2025). "Remembering Marcella Hazan: A Pivotal Figure in Italian Cuisine". The Washington Post.
[1] Peter Miller '84's documentary about Marcella Hazan, a revered Italian chef, delves into the realm of food-and-drink and entertainment, showcasing the profound impact Hazan had on American cooking lifestyle.[2] The latest project of award-winning documentary filmmaker Peter Miller '84, through his production company Willow Pond Films, will explore the entertainment industry further, as he investigates the mysterious circumstances surrounding his grandfather's death, intertwining narrative storytelling with a touch of celebrity biography.
