the Hosts of The Chew
the Hosts of The ChewQ: How has this group changed in the year you’ve been on the air?
Clinton: The biggest change that has happened is that we are all five friends off-camera. We call each other up, we text each other, we see each other for a drink outside of the show. That has definitely made the show better, the fact that we genuinely like each other and want to spend time with each other. I look forward to coming to work and that’s not been the case for me for a long time.
Q: You did a series in Spain with Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Bittman. Spanish cooking is so influential in the world today. Would you like to bring that, or any other global influences, to The Chew?
Mario: I think the Iberian Peninsula and Portuguese food isn’t really hot yet with the cooking public, but it’s going to be pretty soon. I love their kind of fantasy Catalan mind-set that people like Salvador Dalí and Picasso and Miró brought to painting. They have always lived on the vanguard. I don’t think we’ll create balls of olive oil juice here, but we’re certainly going to cook certain traditional Spanish food or even more thought-provoking modern Spanish food. But basically, The Chew is going to be about cooking at home, that’s the story. As weird as the stuff is that I bring back, I still want it to reference what people can actually do in their home.
Q: How do you feel about being the health expert on the show?
Daphne: Having struggled with my weight all throughout childhood and in a fairly health-conscious family, I came with a commitment to make health a priority and not simply losing weight and fad dieting.
I’m always looking for those ways to strip down calories and fat, always asking, “How are we going to enjoy our food and put a priority on health?” But I would never recommend artificial sweeteners or lower-grade oils just to save calories, because at the end of the day, we are trying to send a message about enjoying food.
If there is one thing I would like viewers to remember, it’s that the less processed it is, the better it is for you no matter what. Even if it’s very high fat, high calorie, very calorie dense. I would always have whole milk instead of skim, and I’ll have less of it. I would always have real sugar or real honey or maple syrup or whatever, rather than some no-cal sweetener that may or may not be a carcinogen. What we try to point you toward is things you’re going to find in your supermarket, if not already in your refrigerator, and then some creative ways to put them together that will bring more pleasure to your table in a healthy way.
Q: When you guys came on the show, you fit certain roles. How did you see yours?
Michael: Heartland food is what I like talking about because that’s how I was raised. No matter how much you evolve as a TV host or chef or -whatever, there’s always going to be a pocket for you that’s most comfortable. And the heartland has always been my pocket.
Q: What is your philosophy on cooking?
Carla: It sounds kind of mystical, but I think what this does is give power back to people to learn and then to trust their own cooking instincts. You have to start with a sense that it’s an honor to cook for people, you need to take it very seriously. Have fun, but take it seriously.
