New Weekly Food and Dining Show, ‘Dining Playbook,’ With Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson to Debut on NESN in February

December 11, 2013 — NESN, New England’s most watched sports network, announced today that Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson will co-host a new weekly show on NESN beginning in February presented by The Herb Chambers Companies. The Emmy award-winning duo, previously hosts of the popular TV Diner program, will work with NESN’s original programming group to co-launch this new 30-minute show that combines two of New England’s favorite pastimes… food and sports.

The show, called Dining Playbook, will be a fan’s playbook to the New England dining and lifestyle scene. Each episode will premiere on Saturdays at 9 a.m. plus re-air on Friday afternoons, often before NESN’s Bruins or Red Sox pre-game coverage. The program will showcase what to make at home when watching a game and where New England’s favorite athletes choose to dine. It will explore a wide array of dining options, restaurant reviews and cooking demonstrations from the region’s top chefs, plus tips on how to stay fit and healthy.

“Billy and Jenny are uniquely qualified to bring sports fans a relevant review of restaurants, cooking, and nutrition options with a sports theme. Their passion for the perfect appetizer, dish or dessert will bring fans ideas on what to eat before, during or after a game,” said Joseph Maar, NESN’s Vice President of Programming & Production, Executive Producer. “We’re thrilled to partner with them to create a show at the intersection of New England sports and dining.”

Co-host Billy Costa commented, “After close to 20 years of doing food television in New England, I’ve come to realize that dining out is like a major sporting event. It’s the same passion and Jenny and I will bring you the play-by-play.”

Co-host and co-producer Jenny Johnson remarked, “We are thrilled to be partnering with the powerhouse that is NESN and honored to continue to promote the restaurant and hospitality industry. In addition to tapping into the world of star chefs and athletes, we look forward to keeping our devoted viewers a part of the show.”

About Billy and Jenny
Billy Costa is an Emmy award-winning and popular radio personality with KISS 108-FM in Boston. He serves as co-host of The Matty in the Morning Show and hosts the KISS Top 30 Countdown. He is also the host of High School Quiz Show on WGBH. He created and hosted TV Diner on NECN and has been a part of food television for 20 years.

Jenny Johnson is an Emmy award-winning executive producer, entertainment and lifestyle television personality, based in Boston. She was the executive producer and co-host of TV Diner and entertainment reporter for NECN for the past 8 years and regional host of Comcast Newsmakers.

About NESN
NESN has consistently been one of the top-rated regional sports networks in the country with award-winning Red Sox and Bruins coverage. The network is delivered to over 4 million homes throughout the six-state New England region and an additional 5 million homes nationally as NESN National. Forbes Magazine recently ranked NESN as the 8th Most Valuable Sports Business Brand in the world. NESN.com, the network’s online sports news service, is one of the most visited regional sports network websites in the country. NESN also produces a number of distinctive programs under its umbrella Original NESN Entertainment (ONE). NESN is owned by Fenway Sports Group (owners of the Boston Red Sox) and Delaware North (owners of the Boston Bruins).