- Dallas Jenkins praises BYU Creamery's ice cream during filming in Utah.
- Jenkins highlights the warm reception and community support for "The Chosen."
- BYU Creamery's recent expansion doubled customer traffic, enhancing community engagement.
PROVO — The BYU creamery has a new fan.
It's Dallas Jenkins.
While filming the seventh and final season of "The Chosen" in Goshen, Jenkins took a moment to reflect on what his time in Utah has meant to him.
"Every time I come here, I feel so welcomed," Jenkins said.
"There's something very warm about (the Goshen set). Even just landing on the plane, there's usually people who in the airport will stop me and tell me how much the show means to them. ... It's very clear that Utah loves 'The Chosen' and wants us here," he said.
Jenkins also mentioned that during his time spent working in Utah, he's found some of his favorite restaurants and ice cream spots in the country.
"I'm going to not allow anyone to disagree with me on this," he said. "The BYU Creamery is the primary place. The milk here is amazing."
He added, "And then Black Sheep Cafe, best restaurant."
Joe Tiapson, director of performance and strategy with BYU Dining Services, said it was "awesome" to hear Jenkins name the BYU Creamery ice cream as one of his favorites.
"We love to hear that kind of feedback from the community," he added. "It's such a treat when we can introduce new friends and people outside of BYU to the BYU Creamery."
The Creamery has built a long-standing reputation for its ice cream and other dairy products, drawing fans ranging from politicians to leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Tiapson said.
It's a memorable spot for many because of the diligent process Creamery chefs go through perfecting each new ice cream flavor, texture, color and name, Tiapson explained. "We want it done right, and we want it done well every time."
In January, the Creamery on Ninth underwent a sweeping makeover, expanding to accommodate the crowds that regularly packed the store. The changes have helped the beloved ice cream spot better serve students and the wider community, generating double the customer traffic.
"We just love engagement with the community, and we love the positive feedback and just that we're able to help people break bread together and have a great experience," said Tiapson. "We're glad that lots of memories are being created at the Creamery."
'The Chosen' and Utah
Filming for "The Chosen" Season 7 is split between a set in Midlothian, Texas, and the set in Goshen — a small town on the southwest edge of Utah County.
Construction on the Utah replica of Jerusalem began in 2010. The set, which is officially called the Motion Picture Studio South Campus, is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
With permission from the church, "The Chosen" has rented the set for filming since Season 2.
After spending three weeks in Goshen in June, cast and crew will return to Texas to complete filming the final season, which runs through September, totaling 90 days on set between Utah and Texas.
Last week, the cast of "The Chosen" wrapped filming in Utah and said goodbye to the set.
"Thank you Utah and goodbye," wrote Abe Bueno Jallad, who plays Big James. "The last six years of filming this show over the incredible landscapes has impacted my life in ways only my eyes will be able to tell."
And Giavani Cairo, who plays Thaddeus, wrote, "Thank you Utah. You've been our home away from home for seven years and yesterday was our last day. As painful as it is to say goodbye, I'm forever grateful for the memories you've given us."
