Food Network Obsessed

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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Learn More about BBQ Brawl: HERE 

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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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• Follow Esther on Instagram: HERE 
• Learn More about Cooking with Choi: HERE 
• Learn More about Food Network 24 in 24: HERE 

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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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• Follow Kenny on Instagram: HERE 
• Learn More about Tournament of Champions: HERE

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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.  

• Follow Food Network on Instagram: HERE 
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• Follow Zoha on Instagram: HERE 
• Learn More about Food Network Hot List: HERE

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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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Learn More about Ultimate Baking Championship: HERE 

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