Chef Michael Jenkins joins Jaymee to talk about his festive return to Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown and how he channels calm in the chaos of high-pressure TV kitchens. He shares the pivotal moments that shaped his culinary journey from discovering food through wrestling and travel to training under Alex Guarnaschelli at Butter. Michael also breaks down his modern American style, the dish that best represents him, and why holiday cooking brings out both nostalgia and big creative swings. 

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• Learn More about Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Showdown: HERE 

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Actor and host Oliver Hudson joins the podcast to kick off the holiday season and share the heart-warming (and hilarious) stories behind his family’s legendary Christmas traditions. From Kurt Russell’s unforgettable sleigh-track illusion to Goldie Hawn’s famous biscuits and gravy. 

Oliver opens up about stepping into his first-ever hosting role for Gingerbread Land: The Biggest Little Holiday Competition, Food Network and Magnolia Network’s newest holiday spectacle. He reflects on the creativity and emotion behind the builds, the surprising depth of the contestants’ stories, and why this show feels like “a big, cozy hug in TV form.” 

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• Learn More about Gingerbread Land: The Biggest Little Holiday Competition: HERE

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TV personality and Bachelor in Paradise alum Wells Adams joins Jaymee to talk about his new Food Network role hosting Sweet Empire: Winter Wars, where sugar, teamwork, and big personalities collide. He shares how his radio roots shaped his hosting style, the lessons he’s learned from judges Jacques Torres and Yolanda Gampp, and why dessert competitions might just have more drama than dating. 

Wells also opens up about life with wife Sarah Hyland, the tacos that sparked their romance, and his newfound love of all things sweet, from Michelin-level desserts to his mom’s “nuclear dip.” 

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• Learn More about Sweet Empire: HERE

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Chef and multisensory mastermind Jozef Youssef joins Jaymee to talk about transforming food into emotion through his immersive dining studio, Kitchen Theory. He shares how science, storytelling, and a little curiosity turned him into one of the most innovative voices in modern gastronomy. 

Then Jozef takes us behind the scenes of Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking Season Two, where he returns as a judge alongside Carla Hall and the Phelps twins. He dishes on the magic of filming inside the Great Hall, what makes a dessert truly enchanted, and why sound might be the most powerful ingredient of all. 

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• Learn More about Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking Chapter Two : HERE 

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Chef and James Beard–nominated baker Kareem “Mr. Bake” Queeman joins Jaymee to share the story behind his iconic banana pudding and the Harlem roots that shaped his nostalgic, heartfelt desserts. He opens up about using baking as both therapy and storytelling, and what it meant to make history as the first Black man nominated in the Pastry Chef/Baker category. 

Next Kareem reflects on his Food Network journey, from sharing his story on Dig In With to competing on Beat Bobby Flay. Plus the lessons, laughs, and dance breaks along the way. 

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• Learn More about Dig in With : HERE 

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Chef, restaurateur, and Top Chef Masters champ Rick Bayless joins Jaymee to talk about the mission that’s guided his kitchens for decades: celebrating regional Mexican cuisine through technique, nuance, and joy. He shares the “why” behind signature sauces and masa, and how insisting on real control over sourcing and recipes helped turn Tortas Frontera into an airport game-changer. 

Then Rick previews his turn in the judge’s chair on Bobby’s Triple Threat and what he looks for first. He talks about how risk pays off only when rooted in skill, and the advice he’d give any chef walking into that kitchen. Rick also reflects on his day-one Iron Chef America duel with Bobby Flay, what he learned from that battle, and wraps with rapid-fire favorites from go-to chiles to perfect street bites. 

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• Learn More about Bobby’s Triple Threat : HERE

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Chef, author, and fashion icon Marcus Samuelsson joins Jaymee to talk about identity, style, and the journey that took him from Ethiopia to Sweden to New York. Marcus shares how his grandmother’s handmade clothes and early sneaker love shaped his look, why Harlem feels like home, and the global experiences (France, Switzerland, Japan, Singapore) that taught him to mix discipline with street-food soul.  

Then it’s competition time as Marcus previews his rare turn from judge to gladiator on Alex vs. America: Alex vs. Chopped Judges, facing Alex Guarnaschelli alongside Maneet Chauhan and Scott Conant. He breaks down how judging thousands of dishes informed his strategy under the clock, what people underestimate about Alex, and the camaraderie among long-time Chopped colleagues. Marcus also reflects on Bobby’s Triple Threat, why competing keeps him sharp, and shares rapid-fire favorites… from bucket hats to a cocktail that blends sake, aquavit, champagne, and honey.  

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• Learn More about Bobby’s Triple Threat : HERE 
• Learn More About Alex vs. America: HERE  

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Food Network star Zac Young returns to the pod to catch up with Jaymee to talk about the 10-year anniversary of his viral PieCaken creation, from humble beginnings to holiday tradition, and why it still surprises him every year. He dishes on Sprinkletown, his shop that balances playful creativity with customer favorites, and how his love of pastry unexpectedly translates into home renovation projects. 

Then it’s all things Halloween as Zac previews Season 11 of Halloween Baking Championship. He teases the haunted mansion set, outrageous costumes, and the new twist that forces bakers to “bake for their lives.” Zac also shares behind-the-scenes stories with fellow judges Carla Hall, Stephanie Boswell, and host John Henson. Rapid fire covers everything from his biggest fear to Broadway dream roles, guilty-pleasure snacks, and which childhood treat he wishes would return.  

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• Learn More about Halloween Baking Championship : HERE 

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HGTV star Jasmine Roth joins Jaymee to talk about family, food, and the new season of Help! I Wrecked My House. Jasmine shares how her move from California to Utah has reshaped both her design style and her family’s kitchen routines, from baby-led weaning to her husband Brett’s famous smoked chimichurri salmon. 

She dishes on her foodie favorites (eggplant parm, college entertaining, and coffee bars) plus her dream kitchen design for Bobby Flay. Jasmine also teases Season 5’s biggest wrecks, creative budget hacks, and why this season feels more personal than ever. 

Rapid fire covers everything from lumber vs. bread to dinosaur bones, and Jasmine wraps with her perfect food day. 

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• Learn More Help! I Wrecked My House: HERE

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Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja makes her Food Network Obsessed debut to talk about her Italian and Indonesian roots and building her NYC restaurants Shuka and Shukette into vibrant, herb-forward destinations. She shares why she calls her food a “Middle Eastern party,” what it means to celebrate community through flavor, and how recognition like her James Beard nomination shaped her journey. Ayesha opens up about her unconventional path from law firm assistant to culinary school student, with pit stops dreaming of DJing and even dealing diamonds. And of course, Ayesha dishes on stepping into her biggest role yet… becoming the newest Titan on Bobby’s Triple Threat. From Bobby Flay’s surprise phone call at the gym, to training sessions at Food Network Kitchen, to the surreal moment of seeing her face on the giant posters in New York City, Ayesha shares the nerves, joy, and validation of taking her seat on the Titan couch.  

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• Learn More Bobby Flay’s Triple Threat: HERE 

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