Nash Roe at St. Kilda’s Collective

7/1/2026

Nash Roe is the producer, director, runner and star of Local TV 5’s “Iowa Food Diary.” His show is about to debut its season three. He is also a 17 year old, yet to begin his senior year at Valley High School. We asked him to lunch but had to wait until after the new season shooting wrapped and he took his final exams. 

He chose St. Kilda’s Collective, a Valley Junction café in an historic car dealership. The restaurant’s owner Alex Hall was wrapping up his business in Des Moines and moving to England. The place may or may not be open when this interview is published. 

Roe said he particularly likes St. Kilda’s coffee drinks, including an Australian iced coffee with multiple shots of espresso. “Also, I like their consistent freshness. And the avocado toast is made with charred corn. No one else does that to my knowledge. It’s a great touch.”

Over non-alcoholic beverages, (Roe is 17), pastries and avocado toast, we talked about his precocious career path. How did those final exams go?

“I feel really good about them, especially chemistry and algebra.” 

Those subjects are not what one thinks of as relative to filmmaking and journalism. Does Roe have a back-up plan career wise?

“I want to stay open minded, but I am comfortable with the idea of a career in television and film. I might move more into production aspects rather than on-camera work. If I have a back-up plan, it’s probably in the culinary field. I am really impressed with DMACC’s Iowa Culinary Institute. I could see myself going that way.”

It’s hard sometimes to remember that Roe still has his entire senior year of high school ahead of him.

“Actually, I am taking early graduation. I am very lucky to be in the Valley High School district. I was able to take high school classes in middle school and to take full loads of classes rather than study hall. I only had one study hall. That way I could take 17 credits when 13 was all that were needed to stay on schedule to graduate.”

That must take a lot of family support? Talk a little about them.

“My dad is a surgeon. Mom was a health professional, too, but has transitioned into more of a full-time mom. My little sister London is awesome. She’s a high school freshman, but she is starting on Valley’s varsity softball team. She and I share a lot of food attitudes. We both like to keep open minded about new taste experiences. The only things neither of us can stand are bread sticks with cheese dip and stuffed crust pizza.”

How does a kid break into an industry that is heavily geared to the slow development of talent? Most on-camera talents grow gradually into the job.

“I started with cooking. I made videos of baking for social media. Then I entered child baking competitions, like the Iowa State Fair. I also started judging ‘kid’s division’ baking contests when I was 13. Mom was supportive, so I got more involved — with the back scene as well as with baking. Mom encouraged me apply to the Food Network, and I was accepted in their kids’ baking competition.”

How far did Roe go in that competition?

“I made it to round seven out of 10, so I had a good run. Cream puffs messed me up. But I did get invited back to Food Network for two special shows. One was a holiday show. We made reindeer cakes.”

What kind of equipment did he start with to make videos?

“I didn’t even have a video camera. I had an old Canon still camera that had a video feature. But I learned editing, coloring and synching sound and video on it.”

How did that develop into his own TV show?

“Mom helped me a lot. One thing I became aware of in California (at Food Network) was how little Californians know about Iowa and our food traditions. I wanted to spread some appreciation for the Iowa food scene, to showcase my roots. I had met some really talented people at the Iowa State Fair. That’s probably when I came up with the idea for Iowa Food Diary. I put together an episode and pitched it to Iowa PBS. They weren’t interested, so I pitched it to Local TV 5 and they were.”

And now, he’s working on season three. That alone is pretty amazing. Of all pilots pitched to network TV, less than one out of four are greenlit for production. Of those, only 30% make it to season two and of those, less than half ever have a season three, meaning Nash beat 17 to 1 odds against him. 

“Sometimes it’s hard for me to look back at the first season. The production values are so much better now, mainly because I have a videographer who does all the hard technical stuff like synching and colorizing. All I do now is cut and paste editing.”

What will season three bring?

“We go to Canteen in the Alley in Ottumwa. It’s a great diner with homemade pies and old fashioned, loose meat sandwiches. That’s an Iowa thing for sure. The diner was so popular that the city changed plans and built a parking garage over and around it. 

“Then we go to Cajun Belle in Johnston, a southeast Texas place in northwest Des Moines. And Milk & Honey, a real farm to table restaurant in an historic building on the town square in Harlan. It used to be a Ford dealership, I think. They do lots of bakery items and cakes, so I love them. 

“We went to Smitty’s tenderloin in south Des Moines. They are iconic. Pork tenderloins and loose meat sandwiches are uniquely Iowan. Then Reyes Tamales in Pleasant Hill. I thought tamales were pretty much all the same before I met him. And Arcadia in Polk City; they are another farm to table restaurant. Then we have a show with Mae Thompson of Parinda Cupcakes. She’s a cake designer from Thailand. That show was fun for me. I got to get my hands dirty. 

“Finally, we hope to air our last show of the season at the end of the Iowa State Fair. I will be out there finding stories. It might be tough to get it done in time.”

We aren’t betting against Nash. ♦

Jim Duncan is a food and art writer who has been covering the central Iowa scene for more than five decades.