Where Ree Drummond Actually Films Pioneer Woman (It's Not At Her House)
It's easy to assume that "The Pioneer Woman" cooking show is filmed at Ree Drummond's actual house. In almost every episode, you see glimpses of her life on the ranch and shots of her family eating the food she just prepared on the show. But while the kitchen that she's always cooking in looks very lived-in, the celebrity chef actually resides elsewhere. The set isn't a Food Network sound stage, but it is in a separate building located on Drummond's property.
"The Lodge," as Drummond calls it on The Pioneer Woman blog, used to be the family's guest house, but in 2011, it became the filming location for her TV show, and now it's also home to the Pioneer Woman office, prop room, and prep space. If your illusion of Drummond's home life has been shattered, don't worry; The episodes where Drummond hosts house parties are still authentic. She shared that The Lodge isn't strictly for business, as she often hosts large family dinners and other gatherings there.
Why Ree Drummond doesn't film at her house
When Food Network was filming the pilot episode of "The Pioneer Woman" in 2011, Ree Drummond had a say in where it would be. Because her kids were often running around the house at the time, she suggested The Lodge. "It worked so well as a set that my production team and I just decided to keep filming there," Drummond explains on her blog.
Though her kids are now grown, Drummond says she still prefers filming at The Lodge. "Working there also allows me to 'go home' at the end of the day and plop on the sofa!" says Drummond, and since The Lodge is located on her ranch, she has an extremely short commute to work. Its proximity to her house even made it possible for "The Pioneer Woman" to continue filming through the 2020 quarantine, according to Decider. At the time, Drummond's children acted as cameramen, adding to the homestyle appeal of the show.
The house from The Pioneer Woman is open to the public
Since it isn't filmed in Ree Drummond's private residence, the house used on "The Pioneer Woman" is open to the public. Thanks to the popularity of the show, Drummond's husband Ladd proposed that they turn The Lodge into another "Pioneer Woman" fan destination. At this point, the "Pioneer Woman" store and restaurant were already getting a lot of out-of-town visitors, but Drummond still had her doubts. Because the ranch, and by extension, The Lodge, is 18 miles away from the nearest major city, she wasn't sure people would actually make the trip, but her husband ended up being right.
Though fans can't visit The Lodge while Drummond is filming her show, they can get a behind-the-scenes tour. The Lodge is open for several months out of the year according to a set schedule, but to enter, fans must buy a ticket in person from The Mercantile, Drummond's restaurant and store in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. It would certainly be a trek, but worth it if you're desperate to see Drummond's not-quite-home kitchen, but genuine filming location.