Pastry chef Zac Young talks about how he became Sprinklemaster, his whimsical dessert creations and Halloween Baking Championship. Zac chats with host Jaymee Sire about his epic Piecaken creation, how it created a pumpkin puree shortage in New York City, and what would be in an ideal “Zacaken.” He shares his sources of creative inspiration, how he conceptualizes new and playful ideas, and what he does when he is in a creative rut. Zac shares his relationship with sweets as a child growing up in a vegan household and the treat he would always sneak on his way home from school. Jaymee and Zac indulge in their mutual love of Zac’s home state, Maine, and how it has evolved as a food destination. He shares his memories of cutting his teeth in New York City and the dessert that won over Alex Guarnaschelli. Zac gets into his favorite moments and costumes from Halloween Baking Championship, why he loves working with co-host Carla Hall, and possibly reveals his Halloween look for this year.

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Learn More About Halloween Baking Championship: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/halloween-baking-championship

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Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/zac-young-on-his-epic-piecaken-creation-halloween-baking-championship

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Vallery Lomas shares how she made the career pivot from lawyer to baking superstar. Vallery, also known as the Foodie in New York, reveals her go-to spots in the city and her definition of a “foodie.” She talks about her earliest food memories growing up in Baton Rouge and the first delightful dessert she learned to make. Vallery talks about how the recession and loss of a promised job after law school sparked her move to Paris to explore the culture and pastries. She talks about learning through failure and how the work ethic and communication skills she learned in law school have helped her as a baker. She talks about the recipes that inspired her latest cookbook, the experience of filming her own Food Network series, and what’s next for her.

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Learn More About Vallery Bakes Your Questions: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/vallery-bakes-your-questions/episodes

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Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/vallery-lomas-on-how-she-went-from-lawyer-to-full-time-baker

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Aarti Sequeira, season six winner of Food Network Star, spills the tea on motherhood, mental health and how food brings us all together. This week on Food Network Obsessed, host Jaymee Sire talks with Aarti Sequeira about how the “food memories” of our past actively shape our future. She shares what it was like growing up in Bombay and Dubai, and how the weekly fish market trips with her family sparked her lifelong journey of collecting one-of-a-kind food experiences. Aarti walks us through how she successfully transitioned beyond a career in journalism to follow her real passion: Food. She shares the correlation between food and mental health, and recounts how she overcame her own battle with postpartum depression.

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Learn More About Halloween Wars: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/halloween-wars

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Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/aarti-sequeira-opens-up-about-mental-health-and-her-journey-to-a-career-in-food

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Sabin Lomac, founder of Cousins Maine Lobster, talks about growing a single food truck to a multimillion-dollar business. Sabin talks to host Jaymee Sire about his childhood growing up with a single mom in Maine and how a nostalgic conversation with his cousin turned into a popular West Coast food truck. Sabin talks about his relationship with investor and mentor Barbara Corcoran and the challenges and rewards of scaling. He gives his best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and his passion for mentorship and philanthropy. Sabin talks about his experience hosting the Food Network Show, Grill of Victory, and the music he likes to blast on set. He gives his thoughts on the differences in grilling in the South vs. the North before revealing whether he prefers butter or mayo on his lobster roll.

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Learn More About Grill of Victory: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/grill-of-victory

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Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/sabin-lomac-on-building-a-lobster-empire-mayo-vs-butter

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Award-winning food blogger Molly Yeh talks about her life on a beet farm and the influences that inform her colorful recipes. Molly Yeh chats with host Jaymee Sire about the recipe that skyrocketed her blog to popularity after its conception in 2009 and how her life now closely resembles a romantic comedy. Molly talks about her childhood as the daughter of professional musicians and why she chose to study percussion at Julliard. She also reveals what music was playing in the delivery room when she was born and what she is currently listening to in the kitchen. She talks about the various cultures that influence her recipe development and her number-one piece of advice for aspiring food bloggers. Molly shares what her day-to-day looks like on a fifth generation beet farm and why she used to call her husband “eggboy.” She talks about her experience filming both Girl Meets Farm and Ben & Jerry’s Clash of the Cones and what she would name her own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor.

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Learn More About Girl Meets Farm: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/girl-meets-farm

Learn More About Ben & Jerry’s Clash of the Cones: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/ben-and-jerrys-clash-of-the-cones

Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/molly-yehs-advice-for-aspiring-food-bloggers

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Erica Blaire, season two winner of BBQ Brawl, talks how she utilized her experience as a criminal defense lawyer to be named Master of ’Cue. Erica, otherwise known as Blue Smoke Blaire in the pit, reveals her reaction to being chosen for Bobby Flay’s team and what she learned from him during the competition. She shares her worst barbecue disaster, ever, and how her dad’s love for barbecue and dream to open a barbecue restaurant inspired her to pursue her grilling passion. Erica talks about her career pivots from attorney to sommelier to pitmaster and how she used those skills to stay focused and win BBQ Brawl. Erica shares her hopes for the future of the food scene in her home of Dayton, Ohio and the signature items that will be on the menu for her food truck. She gives her best advice for grilling with confidence and what inspires the unique grilling recipes that she teaches on her new Food Network digital series.

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Watch Erica’s Digital Series: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/bbq-brawl-flay-v-symon/master-of-cue

Learn More About BBQ Brawl: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/bbq-brawl-flay-v-symon

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Buddy Valastro shares the story of taking over his father’s bakery at 17 and overcoming a career-threatening hand injury. He talks about how reality television flipped his family’s life upside down and skyrocketed his family bakery to becoming a household name. Buddy shares the history of Carlo’s Bakery, the humbling life lessons his father taught him, and the importance of carrying on his father’s legacy. Buddy reveals some exciting new concepts in the works for Carlo’s Bakery (did someone say cake vending machine?!) and growing the Cake Boss empire. He talks about his genuine friendship with Duff Goldman and how heated the competition gets with him on Buddy vs. Duff before giving advice to aspiring pastry chefs and his keys to success.

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Learn More About Buddy vs. Duff: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/buddy-vs-duff

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Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/buddy-valastro-on-family-business-cake-vending-machines

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This week, host Jaymee Sire talks to chef and restaurateur Cliff Crooks about his experience opening more than 20 restaurants and how the landscape of restaurants has changed over the course of his career. Chef Cliff talks about his tough love approach to mentorship, the most challenging elements of restaurant management and what he has learned over the years. Cliff reveals his favorite culinary spots and neighborhoods in his home of New York City. Cliff talks about his tough love approach on his new Food Network show, Chef Boot Camp, and how he handles the sometimes tense moments of getting struggling chefs into shape.

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Learn More About Chef Bootcamp: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/chef-boot-camp

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Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/cliff-crooks-on-brutal-honesty-dumb-luck-chef-boot-camp

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Somali cook and food journalist Hawa Hassan shares the importance of stories and the inspiration behind her award-winning cookbook. This week on Food Network Obsessed, Hawa Hassan talks to host Jaymee Sire about how her Somali roots have shaped her food perspective and the path she planned to get to where she is today. Hawa shares the process of developing her own line of sauces, influenced by traditional Somali recipes, and how that provided a springboard for her to dive into creating her cookbook, In Bibi’s Kitchen. Hawa shares the process of gathering research, recipes and photography for the cookbook and why she decided to take a maternal point of view to share the foods and dishes that remind her of home. She talks about filming her new Cooking Channel show, Spice of Life, and what spice of life personally means to her before sharing her favorite New York spots to get African cuisine.

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Learn More About Spice of Life: https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/shows/spice-of-life

Learn More About Hawa at Home: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/hawa-at-home

Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/hawa-hassan-on-creating-in-bibis-kitchen-her-spice-of-life

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This week, chef Michael Symon chats with Jaymee about his culinary career in Cleveland and how the food scene has evolved over the past two decades. He talks about how the various European influences of his childhood shaped him as a chef and the first thing he learned to make. Michael explains his “meat-centric” style of cooking, why pork is his favorite protein, and how to cook absolutely anything on the grill. Plus, Michael dishes about filming BBQ Brawl with best friend Bobby Flay, and his strategy for making a comeback after last season’s disappointing loss.

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Learn More About BBQ Brawl: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/bbq-brawl-flay-v-symon

Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/michael-symon-on-the-browns-bbq-brawl-bff-bobby-flay

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