Chef, restaurateur, and Food Network fan-favorite Jet Tila returns to the pod for a catch-up on everything from family life to building a career that spans restaurants, television, cookbooks, and teaching. 

Jet dives into the new season of Ready Jet Cook, breaking down the philosophy behind fast, flavor-packed cooking and why teaching the “why” behind techniques is just as important as the recipes themselves. He shares what keeps him coming back to competition shows, and how he approaches pressure in the kitchen after years of competing. Plus, later on, Jet turns the tables on Jaymee to ask her about her perfect food day. 

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Pitmaster and restaurateur Rashad Jones joins the pod to talk about his journey from backyard barbecue obsession to building Big Lee's Barbecue into a barbecue destination. Rashad shares the Thanksgiving meal that sparked it all, the legacy of Uncle Leon, and how hospitality became the foundation of everything he does. 

He also opens up about his “renegade barbecue” style, the Food Network recipes that mean the most to him, and his return to BBQ Brawl - this time as a judge. Plus, Rashad breaks down what makes great barbecue, the pressure of competition, and his ultimate barbecue side dish Mount Rushmore. 

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Chef, restaurateur, and Food Network favorite Esther Choi returns to the pod to catch up on a massive new chapter of life: Motherhood. Esther opens up about her debut cookbook, and her new Food Network YouTube series, Cooking with Choi.  

Esther dives into her upcoming cookbook, Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother, why kimchi was non-negotiable for the book, and what readers can expect from the recipes. Plus, she talks about finally getting to live out a lifelong dream: teaching people how to cook on screen with her new series Cooking with Choi. 

And later, Esther breaks down the chaos of co-hosting 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, what it’s like surviving 36 straight hours on set, why chefs are lining up to compete in one of Food Network’s toughest competitions, and what really separates the last chef standing from everyone else 

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Chef Kenny Gilbert joins the pod to talk about his impressive run on this season of Tournament of Champions, from the pressure of the randomizer to cooking in one of the most intense competition formats on TV. He shares how he prepares for the unpredictable nature of TOC, why blind judging raises the stakes, and how he approaches each round with a “swim your race” mentality. 

Kenny also takes us back to his early days in the kitchen, from cooking out of a Betty Crocker cookbook as a kid to preparing his first full Thanksgiving dinner at just 11 years old. 

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Zoha Malik, the creator behind Bake With Zoha, joins the pod to talk about being named to Food Network’s Hot List and how a weekend baking hobby turned into one of the most popular dessert accounts on the internet. She shares how teaching herself baking from scratch shaped her approach to recipes, why understanding the “why” behind baking matters, and how a single viral brownie video helped kickstart her community.  

Zoha also dives into the cultural influences behind her desserts, from growing up in Pakistan surrounded by family meals and cardamom-infused sweets to blending nostalgic flavors with classic American baking.  

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Bryan Ford joins the pod to talk about judging Food Network’s new competition series Ultimate Baking Championship and what it was like watching some of the most skilled pastry chefs in the country go head-to-head. He shares why blind judging raises the stakes, what separates technically perfect baking from something truly special, and how storytelling plays a role even in the most precise desserts. 

Plus, Bryan opens up about opening Diljan Bakery in Brooklyn, exploring Afghan baking traditions, and how his self-taught path helped shape the way he approaches both baking and business today. 

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Chef Kaleena Bliss joins the pod ahead of her return to Tournament of Champions, and she breaks down what it’s really like to step back into one of the most intense kitchens on television. She talks about the adrenaline of competition cooking, the chaos of the randomizer, and why sometimes the only way to survive the TOC arena is to black out and cook on instinct. 

Plus, she opens up about how kitchen culture has changed over the years, what makes someone a true badass in the industry now, and why the community she found through Tournament of Champions has become one of the most meaningful parts of her career. 

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Duff Goldman returns to the pod for his third appearance, officially earning Food Network Obsessed royalty status. He catches up with Jaymee on life at home, getting ready to become a dad of two, and why he’s embraced his unexpected role on the internet as the guy giving calm, rational dad advice.  

Duff also dives into his newest Food Network series Ultimate Baking Championship, where sixteen elite pastry chefs compete in one of the most technically demanding baking competitions the network has ever done. Plus, after years of strong opinions, Duff finally sets the record straight on cupcakes… and whether he actually hates them as much as he says he does. 

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Lorenzo Espada, known online as Eat With Zo, joins the pod to talk about landing on Food Network’s 2026 Hot List and the full-circle moment of being recognized by the network he grew up watching. He shares how cooking with his grandmothers shaped his love of food, and how selling food out of his college dorm helped spark the idea that eventually became his “Somethin’ Outta Nothin’” philosophy. 

Lorenzo also dives into the viral crab cake biscuit video that changed everything, how social media helped transform his private dining hustle into a full-time career, and why making cooking fun and approachable is the heart of his content. 

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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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