Food Network Obsessed

Iron Chef Jose Garces dishes on his run on Tournament of Champions and answers how he would feel about returning to the challenge. He reveals the personal quality that he attributes to his success in his career as a restaurateur and competitive chef. The James Beard Award winner shares how he finds inspiration in traveling and incorporates that into his diverse restaurant concepts. He reflects on his Latin roots and some of the early food memories that stuck with him. The chef opens up about his experience in culinary school, confessing that he initially enrolled because he was in need of a job. Jose discusses the moment he knew he belonged in the food industry, between his natural talent and all-consuming thoughts of food. The Philadelphia resident speaks on his efforts to support the underserved communities in Philadelphia through his non-profit organization, the Garces Foundation, and divulges his goal to take the organization to the national level. Jose shares what inspired his love for cooking competition shows and reveals his secret to succeeding on them. The Bobby’s Triple Threat competitor chats about his experience facing the culinary titans and weighs in on the potential of a future rematch with Bobby Flay.Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/jose-garces-reveals-the-secret-to-competition-showsFollow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Jose Garces on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjosegarces/Follow Jose Garces on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefjosegarcesCheck Out Jose’s Website: http://garcesgroup.com/homeLearn More About Bobby’s Triple Threat: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/bobbys-triple-threatLearn More About Tournament of Champions: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/tournament-of-champions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Viral TikTokker Owen Han reflects on his first viral video and how he found his niche as the sandwich king. He dishes on the key to capturing the perfect TikTok, from the best ASMR sounds to the importance of the first three seconds of content. The USC graduate shares that it was always his hope to work with food, for his alternate career plan was sending him down the food path as well. Owen speaks highly of his fellow food creators, shouting out a few of his biggest inspirations in the space. On that same note, he raves about the uplifting and collaborative community he’s garnered through social media. He reveals the key things he looks for in a perfect sandwich and how listeners can up their sandwich game at home. Owen remembers his passion for cooking forming at an early age, being surrounded by his Italian and Chinese heritage. Reminiscing on his childhood, Owen talks drawing inspiration from the dishes he grew up with and his hopes to ‘sandwich-fy’ them for his audience. The chef cites his biggest inspiration as his Nonna from which he learned to cook from the heart without measurements. Owen gives an inside scoop of what he hopes to tackle next and provides a sandwich suggestion for any upcoming occasions.Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/owen-han-has-a-sandwich-for-every-occasionFollow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Owen Han on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owen.han/Follow Owen Han on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@owen.hanFollow Owen Han on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@owen.hanLearn More About Dig In With: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/dig-in-with Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In honor of his new show Battle of the Decades, Jonathan Bennett reflects back on the decades that raised him. Jonathan reveals that some of his earliest food memories revolve around Campbell’s soup and Applebee’s lemonade. The actor shares what it’s like for him to witness the revival of fashion staples that he grew up with from the 80s. He shares some of the comedy movies that inspired him as a child to want to perform and ignited his passion to make people laugh. Jonathan recalls asking his father to build him a stage as opposed to a treehouse, where he would go on to perform for his family for a small entrance fee. He dishes on his high school theater career, remembering fondly how it served as a safe space for him to be himself. The 2000s icon claims that his parents always knew he’d be an actor, so they weren’t surprised when he left his liberal arts college to pursue a career in New York City. He remembers landing his first role in TV and his many Food Network hosting gigs that led him to his newest one, Battle of the Decades. He details some of his favorite aspects of his show and how the 3-round competition differs from other cooking competition shows. The host gushes on how he loves witnessing the old school and new school chefs learn from each other and how he’s hopeful the show will spark similar conversations between family members tuning in from home.Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/jonathan-bennett-wants-more-90s-musicFollow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Jonathan Bennett on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathandbennett/Follow Jonathan Bennett on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathandbennett?lang=enLearn More About Battle of the Decades: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/battle-of-the-decades Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Food critic Troy Johnson details his start in the entertainment industry from an indie-rock TV show to a San Diego Padres pre-game show. Troy reveals how he set out to conquer his fear of public speaking in college and came out of the other side with a degree in poetry. The San Diego native talks about living in the city he grew up in and how that motivates him as the San Diego Magazine chief content officer. He reflects on the pandemic’s impact on mom-and-pop restaurants and the efforts he made to support them, including hosting Instagram live interviews with the owners. Troy shares that it was in part to these conversations that he and his wife, Claire, decided to purchase the San Diego Magazine. Having covered food in San Diego for 15 years, he provides some secrets to the city’s delicious cuisine. The published writer reveals what it was like unpacking his childhood in his book, Family Outing, and how it was received. He recalls early memories of reading the dictionary front to back and using writing as a therapeutic tool. Troy dishes that he didn’t always want to be a food critic and even spent two years learning the ins and outs of cooking to perfect his reviews. He compares his reviews to his critiques as a judge on Guy’s Grocery Games, shouting out his favorite challenge on the show. He highlights his upcoming event, Del Mar Wine + Food Festival, that he hopes will lift up the local restaurants in San Diego.Follow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Troy Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heytroyjohnsonFollow Troy Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_troyjohnsonLearn More About Guy’s Grocery Games: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/guys-grocery-gamesLearn More About Beachside Brawl: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/beachside-brawl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Food blogger Meiko Temple dishes on her shift from corporate America to content creator and the skills she had to massage to take her content to the next level. The Dallas resident discusses her thought process during recipe development, leaning in to what her friends need out of food. She talks about pulling inspiration from her grandmother who taught her how to cook in her San Diego kitchen at a young age. Meiko reflects on first meeting her husband on set and shares what it’s like sharing a kitchen as two chefs. She expresses how much they’ve learned from each other between sharing techniques and competing head to head at home. The Eat the Culture founder shares what inspired her to create the organization and how she hopes to further the amplification of black creators. Meiko reveals her future goals in the industry between creating her own cookbook and expanding Eat the Culture to an in-person conference.Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/meiko-temple-corporate-america-to-content-creatorFollow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Meiko Temple on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meikoandthedishFollow Eat The Culture on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatthecultureLearn More About Meiko and The Dish: https://meikoandthedish.com/Learn More About Eat The Culture: https://eattheculture.com/Learn More About Crack an Egg With: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/crack-an-egg-with Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Content creator Samah Dada talks about the evolution of how cataloging her meals turned into a full time venture with @DadaEats. Samah describes her “accidental” cooking style and how she incorporates her plant-based lifestyle with the flavors of her Indian heritage. She talks about her most significant culinary influences and minimal approach to meals. Samah pleads for those who are bored with vegetables to stop steaming and start seasoning and why eating dinner together every night with her family made her a mindful eater. Jaymee and Samah relate to the pressure and vulnerability of sharing your life on the internet and Samah offers advice for aspiring culinary creators and cookbook authors. Follow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Samah Dada on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadaeats/Watch Samah’s Crack An Egg With Episode: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/crack-an-egg-with/episodes/crack-an-egg-with-samah-dadaFind episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/samah-dada-is-begging-you-to-season-your-veggies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chef Antonia Lofaso returns to talk all things summer and Beachside Brawl. Antonia reflects on her childhood summers in Long Island, sharing fond memories of throwing block parties and shooting off fireworks. Having lived on both coasts, Antonia shares some of the key differences between East and West Coast food. Antonia reveals how she adapts her restaurant menu to embrace the changing seasons and rotating farmer’s market offerings. She dishes on the second season of Beachside Brawl and some of her most memorable moments from Redondo Beach. Antonia shares her experience starring on Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge as the only Food Network personality. She explains the history of Barbie that she learned along the way and details working alongside HGTV stars to make the Barbie Dreamhouse a reality.Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/antonia-lofaso-on-beachside-brawl-and-barbieFollow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Antonia Lofaso on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefantonia/Learn More About Beachside Brawl: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/beachside-brawlLearn More About Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge: https://www.hgtv.com/shows/barbie-dreamhouse-challenge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Executive chef Carlos Anthony shares the details of his recent engagement and how his mentor, Brian Malarkey, helped make it happen. Carlos shares how growing up in a Hispanic home inspired his love of cooking and the techniques he uses in the kitchen. The Tucson native reflects on his hometown as he has witnessed it grow into a culinary destination. Now a San Diego resident, Carlos dishes on the phone call that sent him off to California to chase his culinary dreams. While on the topic of San Diego, he talks about meeting Brian Malarkey and joining his team at Seersucker. Since then, the two have joined forces on the Little Italy staple restaurant, Herb & Wood, and Carlos gives away the secret to an elevated dining experience. Though long time friends, Carlos jokes about defeating Brian Malarkey on Superchef Grudge Match and the ecstatic reactions he received from their staff at Herb & Wood. He unpacks his experience competing in the Tournament of Champions, sharing his excitement for the opportunity to cook alongside some of his culinary idols. He reveals what it’s like to shift gears from competitor to judge on Supermarket Stakeout.Follow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Carlos Anthony on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefcarlosanthonyLearn More About Superchef Grudge Match: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/superchef-grudge-matchLearn More About Tournament of Champions: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/tournament-of-champions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Beard Award-winning chef, southern pitmaster, restaurateur and judge on BBQ Brawl, Rodney Scott dishes on his secret sauce to success. He unpacks how his craft was born out of a middle school basketball rivalry and the weekly family tradition of cooking whole hogs that he inherited. From backyard cookouts feeding his big family to neighborhood feasts, he remembers lighting up the grill and watching people appear, like moths to a flame. Rodney passionately breaks down the meticulous, strenuous and dangerous 12-hour process of preparing the pig, explaining how he uses each of his senses to cook them to perfection. He reflects on the summer school class that inspired him to turn his passion into a profitable business that has evolved into six locations and earned several awards. Rodney reveals what makes the literal heavy lifting all worth it, cherishing the important relationships he’s built with customers, and taking their feedback to heart. He breaks down what makes BBQ a universal crowd pleaser, then dives into his time on BBQ Brawl as a Season 2 judge, and the different environmental elements the new season in California introduced. Rodney defines the three types of grillmasters and spills what it takes to become the Master of the Q. Finally he reveals the most surprising thing he’s seen on a grill, the inspiring advice he gives children and his favorite southern phrase, before detailing his perfect food day.Find episode transcripts here:  https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/rodney-scott-on-pitmaster-tips-bbq-brawlFollow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Rodney Scott on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/0aqn0jimg9gtz38/_saved/Follow Rodney Scott’s BBQ on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rodneyscottsbbqFollow Rodney Scott on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pitmasterrodneyscott/?hl=enRodney Scott’s Barbecue on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rodneyscottsbbq/Learn more about BBQ Brawl: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/bbq-brawl-flay-v-symon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chef Eddie Jackson returns to update listeners on what he’s been up to for the past few years and how his new show, Outchef’d, came about. Eddie describes what it’s like to trick home chefs into thinking they are at an audition when really, they are going to have to cook against a world-renowned chef. He reveals some of the craziest reactions on the show and what it’s really like to go out in the streets to scout for their judging panel. Eddie talks about the Food Network chef that was the most intense and competitive this season and how live music and good brews are faring at his beer garden this summer. Jaymee and Eddie share a laugh over whether Eddie is the new leading man of the network and what upcoming projects he is looking forward to. Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/eddie-jackson-is-back-with-outchefd-btsFollow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetworkFollow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesireFollow Eddie Jackson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefeddiejackson/Learn More About OutChef’d: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/outchefd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.