Calcutta, June 7 :    Calcutta, June 7:  Tea with the Governor, masala chai with the locals, a brush past the Howrah flower market, machher jhol - all with a Bengali boy in front of the camera and a three-time Emmy-winner behind it. Calcutta's food, culture, history and people will feature as three episodes of a 26-part programme being shot now in the city, called My India with Ranjan Dey. Mumbai, Goa, Cochin and Hyderabad have already been covered in what will be 30-minute shows for the US network PBS (Public Broadcast Service). But this is not just another cookery show. 'I wanted to make a show to promote India in all its diversity. There are too many myths about India... People think Indians get on an elephant, go hunt some tigers before office... India is no longer a poor country... There are world-class facilities here that need to be highlighted,' feels Dey, a San Francisco-based restaurateur and businessman. So, things like the Nizam's jewels in Hyderabad, Unani medicine and Calcutta's colonial heritage will all feature in the episodes. In Mumbai, Dey even managed a caper on camera, escaping a mango bazaar hidden under a pile of luscious Alphonso. Having arrived in Calcutta on Thursday night, bandh-day shooting was restricted to The Oberoi Grand, where executive sous chef Bali joined Dey in front of the camera to demonstrate dishes like grilled lobster and fish. Bangali dishes like bekti machher jhol, aloo and kumro chochchori were also included. Alan K. Walker, director of photography for such smash-hits as Cosby, The Golden Girls and Alf, with 18 Emmy nominations under his belt, is directing the series, while Ranjan plays host. The camera crew is from Mumbai, including director of photography Punkaj Prakaash. 'I am not a world traveller... I thought I would have to come here and teach the crew everything, but they just instinctively know what I want, despite a small language barrier. I would come back here to work any day...' smiles the veteran Walker. Tea forms a large part of the Calcutta segment, with auction houses, tea-tasting and masala chai all packed into the agenda. Jalebis and singaras will share screen space with the Kalighat mandir and traditional massages. 'This show is more about the culture that inspires the cuisine,' says associate producer Lisa Dowda. While Indian food is a hot favourite in the United States, most people dread cooking it at home, says Dey. So, the entrepreneur launched a range of combination masala, New World Spices, including concoctions like Sweet and Tangy Mango Soup Masala, Bombay Saffron Rice Blend and Calcutta Lemon Mustard Fish Curry. 'It is possible to make a quick Indian meal, and this will increase its accessibility,' adds Dey, who started his career 'peeling potatoes and onions' at The Park while he was in Class IX at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Fort William. After a course in hotel management, he worked with Maurya Sheraton in Delhi, before moving to Hong Kong for a 12-year stint and finally, San Francisco in 1987, where he set up an Indian restaurant called New Delhi. Walker, who bagged Emmys for his work on The Golden Girls, the 1980 Winter Olympics and Cosby, joined the production team through executive producer Anthony Tiano, who has a long history in television in the US. There have been concerns regarding the safety of working in India at the moment, but Walker has told his colleagues that there is no way he is going back now. 'I would rather shoot myself in the head than miss going to the Taj Mahal,' he laughs. Agra is the next stop, with Jaipur and Delhi to complete the month-long schedule.