“Heart of Home” TV Show Looking for Local Kitchens to Remodel

There may be a newly remodeled kitchen in your future.

American Kitchen Company (AKC) of Concord has entered into an agreement with KRON 4 to produce six kitchen-remodel reality shows. Now, they are beginning the process of determining just whose kitchen will be remodeled. At least two of those kitchens are expected to come from the Concord– Pleasant Hill-Walnut Creek communities, assuming they can find a home in need. That shouldn’t be a problem if the right quality of applications come in.

“Heart of the Home” is a show conceptualized by Kyle McClay, a partner in American Kitchen Company.  About six months ago, he presented the idea to KRON 4. After going through legal and financial scrutiny with them, McClay says they are going full speed ahead.

“Heart of the Home” will be a show similar in format to the former ABC’s “Extreme Makeover” reality show that aired for nine seasons starting in 2003. The theme of the show is to help hard luck cases with kitchen remodels.

“We believe there is a story to tell about the Bay Area. It is such a beautiful place to live, but with the housing competition, locals are being driven out of their communities. I do not want to see that happen here. I think that to have good communities, you need to have rooted families,” McClay stated. McClay says that they are not looking for homes where somebody wants to fix it up just to sell it. “We are looking for somebody who has maybe fallen on some hard times and just needs a little bit of encouragement and a kind act to get them through a tough time. Maybe it’s a disabled person, somebody who needs help and doesn’t have the means to solve the problem.”

There should be no shortage of finding such cases in some of the East Bay communities, especially in places like Oakland where outside buyers are driving local housing pricing up. Those
that can no longer afford to stay in their community nor afford to remodel are being forced out.
“I feel like I have a solution to that problem. I would like to use the expertise that we have acquired over the years and showcase those skills while helping out a few of these people.  We need to find these people. We want people to submit their stories to us. We are looking for stories of their grandmothers, or of somebody in need who has fallen on tough times within the Bay Area communities that we serve.”

With the first show scheduled to begin at the end of May, there is much to do in the meantime. Once the storied applications start coming in, they will be reviewed for their appeal to the heart. Of those, AKC will meet with them and review their kitchen to learn more about their situation. “We will explain what we can do for them. If it is a good fit, we will remodel their kitchen. In order to be considered for this, you have to have a story that fits our story. We specialize in kitchen remodels. I can’t tell you how many homes I’ve been in where literally the cooktop doesn’t work. That is not a functional kitchen. If you can’t cook, it’s just not a home. It sounds so simple, but a beautiful kitchen, with a functional oven, and a nice environment where people want to come visit and enjoy a Sunday together… we feel this small act will have a ripple effect on these families.”
McClay realizes he’s not solving world hunger but believes these little acts of kindness will have a big positive effect in a community. During April, it will be a mad rush to choose two homes to be remodeled. American Kitchen Company is funding each remodeling project and expects to complete each one in as little as four days by doubling his crew and working 12-hour shifts.
They anticipate East Bay communities to be the likely area where the right cases will be found. McClay will host the show. He is no stranger to the camera. He performs in his own TV commercials and hosts a video home improvement tips column on Thursdays on Claycord.com called “Bay Area Home Improvement.” To be selected you will need to fill out an online application on at www.KRON4.com which will ask you to provide some personal information. The information is used solely for the use of the program and will not be shared with any other third party. Applicants must also submit a signed filming release for it to be accepted. Applicants will be selected based on the urgency of need, and availability of material, labor, and time.
McClay has been in the East Bay for six years. He now calls Concord his home. We run TV ads from Napa to Palo Alto. My warehouse is by Costco, my kids go to school in Concord. I am a big believer in Concord, I would like to see a local family win this. I see a huge upside in the economy here.” McClay says he grew up in a low-income household with a poor diet, which is what helped inspire this project.
“Some of these people need help. Our business is really growing. We’ve done very well. It’s one of those things that feels right. It makes sense to help them out,” McClay says. “The kitchen
is the ‘heart of the home’. If you don’t have the kitchen, it’s hard to have a home.”

Enter your application/essay are review the complete contest rules go to  www.kron4.com/heart.

updated 4/22/2018