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Table of Contents
Chef: Gordon Ramsay
Zoe McConnell
The Kitchen Nightmares host created a culinary empire on sharp criticism and saucy language, but at home, the father of five is “incredibly sensitive” — and working on his cursing! In his cover story for PEOPLE, Ramsay opens up about his home life and fatherhood telling PEOPLE, “the kids have brought the most emotion out of me.” Of course, it’s his tougher onscreen personality that made him a global star, one with an empire that includes four top-rated prime-time shows, 77 restaurants worldwide, seven Michelin stars, a frozen-food line and 33 books.
Service: Replacements
Stocked with the world’s largest inventory of discontinued and current tableware, crystal and silver, this is the place to turn to if your grandma’s vintage china is missing a salad plate or your wedding champagne flute took a shattering tumble. The site (there’s also an enormous showroom outside Greensboro, N.C.) sells full sets or individual pieces to complete your collection. replacements.com
Streaming Series: ‘The Bear’
Matt Dinerstein/FX; FX
In the FX show’s second season, chefs Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Sydney (Ayo Edebiri, pictured), along with their family and friends, race to turn a gritty sandwich shop into a fine-dining spot. From the performances and surprise guests to the food itself (Sydney’s omelet with Boursin and potato chips will inspire your next brunch), each episode is rich, tender and worth savoring.
Food Festival: Charleston Wine + Food
Visitors get a true taste of the South—and of the city’s diverse cuisines, wines and cocktails—with celeb-chef-led cooking classes, local culinary excursions and lively big-tent events. March 6-10
Mobile App: Flavrs
Short, TikTok-style food videos from pros (like chef Eric Ripert) and local restaurant hot spots allow users to instantly shop for ingredients or order takeout with just a few clicks. flavrs.com
Cocktail: Ranch Water
Getty
The margarita-like spritz from Texas bubbled to the top for good reasons. It’s cool and refreshing, and, with only three basic ingredients, it requires no bartending skills. To make, add 2 shots tequila and 1 shot fresh lime juice to a tall ice-filled glass. Top with sparkling water, and garnish with lime slices.
Star Foodie: Cameron Diaz
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic; Jen Causey
The “avid home cook” shares approachable recipe videos on social media for her “go-to weeknight dinners” and girls’-night gatherings—often paired with a glass of Avaline, the organic wine line she created with friend Katherine Power. “I love nachos as a concept,” says Diaz. “You can create the perfect bite.” In this spin on the game-day staple, she adds layers of rotisserie chicken, charred veggies and a tangy herb sauce but encourages everyone to “use what’s available in your fridge.”
Grocery: Korean Kimbap
Getty
Trader Joe’s heat-and-serve rolls—sautéed greens, root vegetables, pickles and braised tofu wrapped in sesame-oil-seasoned rice and seaweed—became a viral phenomenon in early September and sold out in stores. They’ll be restocked in October, so keep an eye out because the rolls won’t linger long.
Podcast: ‘Pack Your Knives’
Hosted by NBA reporters Kevin Arnovitz and Tom Haberstroh, the weekly Top Chef recaps combine fanaticism with sports-style analytics. The hosts draft fantasy teams, do quickfire play-by-plays, interview contestants and break down new food trends. spotify.com
Muffin Man: Gary Janetti
The comedy writer’s quest for the perfect blueberry muffin—chock-full of evenly distributed berries—has captivated followers, who wait for his cross-section reveals and hilariously honest reviews.
Celebrity-Owned Liquors: Papa Salt Gin
Victor Chavez/Shutterstock; Papa Salt
Margot Robbie’s gin was a big hit after its initial launch in Australia, and the brand has plans for an American expansion soon. papasaltgin.com
Celebrity-Owned Liquors: Renais Gin
Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty; Renais
“It is an ode to the sun-kissed vineyards of Chablis where my family has been making wine [for] 30 years,” said Emma Watson, who teamed up with brother Alex. renais.co.uk
Celebrity-Owned Liquors: Meili Vodka
It took seven years for Jason Momoa to make his sipping spirit a reality. “Vodka was old and tired, [so] we thought we’d dust it off a bit!” he said on Instagram. meilivodka.com
Celebrity-Owned Liquors: Gentlemen’s Cut Bourbon
“It delivers a seamless sip of honey, fresh vanilla bean and rich caramel on the palate,” said NBA star Stephen Curry. gentlemanscutbourbon.com
Theme Park: Illumination’s Minion Cafe
Universal Orlando Resort
Located within Minion Land at Universal Studios Florida, the new eatery serves a despicably cute menu. Try to resist Otto’s noodle bowl (right) with udon, porchetta, tare egg and roasted corn or a melty grilled pimento cheese with Minion-shaped tater tots.
Viral Food: Cottage Cheese
Getty
The obsession is real. With nearly 1 billion views on TikTok and new recipes popping up every day, the once-humble cottage cheese has become the most in-demand ingredient on the Internet. The protein powerhouse is spread on avocado toast, mixed into scrambled eggs and even churned into ice cream.
Space-Saving Gear: Nespresso Vertuo Pop+
Nespresso
Available in eight colors, the pod-based machine can brew five sizes of coffee, hot or with ice. $130, target.com
Space-Saving Gear: Drinkmate OmniFizz
It not only produces light, bubbly seltzer, but it can also carbonate other liquids, like juice, iced tea and wine. $120, amazon.com
Space-Saving Gear: Hamilton Beach Hand Blender
Hamilton Beach
Use it to easily blend soups, dressings and smoothies—it’s powerful enough to pulverize ice. $35, walmart.com
Space-Saving Gear: Nesting Measuring Spoons
Sur La
Made of stainless steel, they’re narrow enough to fit inside any container, including small spice jars. $22, surlatable.com
Pantry Shortcuts: Brown Rice & Quinoa Medley
Bibigo
Brown rice typically takes 45 minutes to cook, but these grains steam in the microwave in 90 seconds. $3, bibigousa.com
Pantry Shortcuts: Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles
Mila
Available with pork or plant-based meat, the springy noodles tossed in a sesame-based sauce are restaurant quality. $36 for 4, eatmila.com
Pantry Shortcuts: Good & Gather Birria Sauce
Simmer meat, veggies or tofu in this Mexican-style sauce, made with chipotle, guajillo and arbol chile peppers. $3, target.com
Pantry Shortcuts: Avocado Ranch Salad Kit
Bowery
Skip the chopping! It comes with crisp lettuce, creamy dressing, roasted pumpkin seeds and tortilla strips. $5.50, bowery.co
Pantry Shortcuts: Cheddar & Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese
The macaroni stays gooey while the cornbread crumbs keep their crunch. $11, tillamook.com
Pantry Shortcuts: Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
Scotch Boyz
The fiery spice blend, sourced from small farms in Jamaica, gets its kick from ground Scotch bonnet peppers. $13.50, scotchboyz.com
Hotel & Resort: Wildflower Farms
This nature-focused retreat in New York’s Hudson Valley serves fresh, indulgent dishes using eggs gathered from their chicken coops and ingredients picked from the on-site farm. Relax with a glass of wine on the patio, feed the animals (they also have donkeys and sheep!), and learn new skills at the cooking school. aubergeresorts.com
Cookbook: ‘The World Central Kitchen’
Francois Nel/Getty
Chef José Andrés shares stories from people affected by natural disasters and wars, as well as recipes from WCK supporters. Try Meghan Markle’s lemon olive oil cake and Michelle Obama’s breakfast tacos.
Accessory: Stanley Travel Tumbler
Stanley
The colorful, insulated cup has become the must-have accessory for keeping hydrated on the go. The 40-oz. Quencher keeps drinks cold for hours (ice even stays frozen!) and features a no-spill lid and tapered base to fit into cup holders. $45, stanley1913.com
Dessert: Doan’s Coconut Cake
Mike Coppola/WireImage; GOLDBELLY
It’s become the gift of legend. Every December, Tom Cruise sends his friends — including Angela Bassett and Miles Teller—a white chocolate and coconut Bundt cake from Doan’s Bakery in Woodland Hills, Calif. The coveted confection is now available on Goldbelly, so everyone can get a taste of the sweet treat. $126; goldbelly.com
Food Blogger: Dan Pelosi
Courtesy of Union Square & Co; Jennifer Causey
His affability and viral vodka “sawce” recipe gave @grossypelosi followers comfort (and comforting meal ideas!) during the COVID lockdown. Now his debut cookbook, Let’s Eat, showcases his family’s Italian American and Portuguese dishes. “We’re the kind of family that’s talking about dinner at lunch,” he says. “Cooking is in our DNA.”
Social Media: @cookingforlevi
Cooking for Levi
Jack Zhang prepares gourmet meals from scratch—like slow-braised oxtail and seared sea scallops—for his 2-year-old son Levi, who happily digs in, asks thoughtful questions (“Did you put yeast in this?”) and offers compliments to his chef (“It’s pretty ten-dah!”).
Pantry Essential: Graza Olive Oils
Graza
The EVOO in the green squeeze bottle is worth the hype. Made from flavorful Picual olives from Spain, Sizzle is great for cooking at high heat while Drizzle is ideal for dressings or as a final flourish. $16 and up, graza.co
Top Celebrity Cookware: Eva Longoria
The pieces in her Risa line feature gently curved handles for resting lids and are truly nonstick—foods glide right out of the pan. risakitchen.com
Top Celebrity Cookware: Stanley Tucci
David M. Benett/Hoda Davaine/Dave Benett/Getty; GreenPan
Tucci by GreenPan “is about aesthetics but also about functionality,” he said of his ceramic and stainless-steel line made in Italy. williams-sonoma.com
Top Celebrity Cookware: Tan France
Monica Schipper/Getty; Caraway
The Queer Eye expert brought fashion flair to his Caraway designs, with trendy pink blush, moss green and cream options. carawayhome.com
Top Celebrity Cookware: Selena Gomez
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty
In her second collaboration with brand Our Place, the Selena + Chef host chose shades of powdery blue and earthy taupe. fromourplace.com
Restaurant Pop-Up: Chain
Courtesy of Chain LA Restaurant
It’s one of the hardest tickets to snag in L.A. Founded by actor B.J. Novak and chef Tim Hollingsworth, the immersive dining spot serves gourmet versions of familiar chain-restaurant classics, such as the McDonald’s McRib or Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme—but made with wagyu beef. eatatchain.com
Airline: Hawaiian Airlines
Following Maui’s devastating wildfires, they coordinated a food and supply drive and pledged to donate $150,000 to local Hawaii food banks.
Organization: Fresh & Save Cubes
Zwilling
Soggy snacks are a thing of the past. A vacuum pump pulls all the air out of the stackable canisters, sealing in freshness and flavor. $13 and up, zwilling.com
Fast Food: Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen
They say the Blizzard—soft-serve ice cream blended with mix-ins—is so thick it can be tipped upside down and not spill. Whether that gravity-defying claim is true doesn’t seem to matter to DQ loyalists, who enjoy the expanding menu of seasonal flavors like pumpkin pie and snickerdoodle cookie dough.
Kitchen Gadget: SmartSharp Knife Sharpener
Faberware
Give your blade a new edge! Run a knife through the LED sharpness detector (a red light means it’s dull; a green light indicates it’s ready for use), and then pull it through the coarse sharpening grooves until it’s razor-like again. Farberware, $60, hsn.com
Celebrity Food Launches: Snoop Dogg
JC Olivera/Getty; Dr. Bombay
Named after Snoop’s NFT character, Dr. Bombay launched with seven ice cream flavors like Tropical Sherbet Swizzle, Bonus Track Brownie and Syrupy Waffle Sundaze. drbombaysnax.com
Celebrity Food Launches: Ed Sheeran
Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty; Tingly Ted
The musician created Tingly Ted’s because, “I felt like something was profoundly missing in my life, and after much soul-searching, I realized it was a proper hot sauce.” tinglyteds.com
