Food Network Obsessed

Michael Tchao joins the pod to talk about how his unexpected landing on Food Network’s 2026 Hot List was a true full-circle moment. He shares how teaching a total kitchen “noob” helped him find his voice as an educator, and why experimenting in public is at the heart of his content. 

Michael also dives into his recent trip to Japan, where he documented a family preserving a centuries-old charcoal craft that burns hotter, cleaner, and more intentionally than standard briquettes. From patience in the kiln to patience in content creation, he reflects on slowing down, focusing on quality over quantity, and building a brand rooted in curiosity, clarity, and value. 

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Alessandra Ciuffo joins the pod to talk about being on Food Network’s “Hot List” and winning Guy’s Grocery Games at just 15 years old. She opens up about why social media wasn’t always part of the plan, and how documenting every single day of culinary school helped her truly “find her culinary voice”. She also shares why teaching people how to cook matters, how she balances classical training with nonna intuition, and why midnight pasta might just be the ultimate comfort food. 

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Chef Mei Lin returns to the pod to talk about her Beverly Hills restaurant 88 Club, where nostalgic Chinese flavors meet a moody dining room and serious vibes. She shares how dishes like shrimp toast and Namu chicken connect to her childhood and why this chapter of her cooking feels more personal and unapologetic than ever. 

Mei also dives into festival cooking, Lunar New Year collaborations, and the energy of live food events before opening up about her newest role as a judge on Tournament of Champions. She talks blind judging, missing the adrenaline of competing, and how social media trends are starting to show up on competition plates. 

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HGTV stars Jenny and Dave Marrs join the pod to talk about season seven of Fixer to Fabulous. They open up about filming real life (mistakes and all), how Bentonville has changed since season one, and why authenticity is at the core of everything they do. 

The couple also dives into farm life and how growing their own food reshaped their relationship with meals and local farmers. Their love of Italy comes up too, especially the country’s deep-rooted food traditions, long meals, and hospitality-first lifestyle that now inspires both their cooking and their home designs. 

They share why the kitchen table is the true heart of their home, how antique pieces bring soul into modern spaces, and why craftsmanship still matters.  

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• Learn More about Fixer to Fabulous: HERE 

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Designer, author, and TV host Bobby Berk joins the pod to talk about the unexpected ways food and family shape the spaces we live in. He opens up about how his upbringing influenced his design philosophy, why kitchens are always the emotional center of a home, and how comfort (both visual and emotional) guides every project he touches. 

Bobby also shares what he’s learned from years in front of the camera, the balance between function and feeling, and why creating welcoming spaces isn’t all that different from cooking a great meal. Plus: thoughtful design splurges, the power of small details, and what “home” really means at this stage of his life. 

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