Foodie's Paradise With Arroe Collins

It wasn’t long before Debbie Wilson-Berment discovered that the kitchen was where she wanted to be. As a young girl growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, she would often help her mother, Alma, an accomplished and award-winning chef, prepare family meals, as well as dishes for her mother’s catering clients. By the time she was 16, Wilson-Berment, who is known professionally as Chef Sagajo, had clients of her own and a steady stream of requests for the beautiful special occasion cakes she made.  You’ll find more than just sweet treats (but you can find those, too) in Chef Sagajo’s first cookbook, THE SAGAJO EXPERIENCE: Recipes for Lifestyle & Entertaining (Virago Global Publishing, February 14, 2024). She goes beyond a cookbook, showing you how to create moments, not just meals—a feeling she learned from her mother and continued with her family. You will find page after page of easy-to-follow, yet elegant, recipes, but she extends her culinary canvas beyond the plate. She offers suggestions about other ingredients that make meals memorable, such as the settings you choose, the stemware you use, the flowers you display, the styles (formal or informal) you create, the wines you select and, most importantly, the people you choose to gather around the table. She provides an amazing smorgasbord of delicious menu ideas (with accompanying recipes) for some of life’s more common gatherings, such as family dinner, lunch (or tapas) with friends, breakfast in bed and those special occasions when you pull out all the stops with a menu that includes beef brisket, whole roasted red snapper, roasted duck, spatchcock chicken and Chilean sea bass. You can also find tips on food and wine pairings and a helpful “In My Pantry” guide, which lists all the ingredients that you will need.  Her recipes and tips for entertaining are easy to follow whether you are a seasoned chef or an aspiring cook. Beautiful, eye-catching photos throughout the book bring the meals to life, as well as the family and friends who gather around her table, including her husband, grandchildren and three children, Sasha, Gabrielle and Jonathan. (Her children are the inspiration behind her professional name and brand. Sagajo--pronounced sah-ga-joe—is an acronym from the first two initials of each of her children’s names.) Since that early start in her mother’s kitchen, Chef Sagajo has gone on to a successful career as a private chef, a pastry chef, a culinary educator and now, an author. Her dishes reflect the rich Caribbean flavors of her early roots along with the cooking traditions she learned while training at top culinary programs in the United States. She calls her style Caribbean meets Mediterranean. She hopes her recipes will inspire others to gather, entertain with joy and adopt an approach to life that has long guided her personal and professional path: “Life is meant to taste and celebrate.” 

All bets are off as Food Network's test kitchen opens up its doors late night in the new eight-episode series Wildcard Kitchen, where fan-favorite chefs put their money where their mouth is during a high-stakes culinary card game. In each episode, host Eric Adjepong takes over the test kitchen after hours with an exclusive invitation for three chefs to bring $5,000 to play across three hands of his underground culinary poker game. The competitors, who all know each other well, have scores to settle and personal stakes to lose as they battle to create dishes based on the cards they are dealt and bet using their own instincts and cold hard cash. The luck of the draw determines the dishes and cooking time, while wildcards deal unpredictable challenges into the mix that test the chefs like never before. From surf-and-turf with peanut butter to live crab with kimchi, anything can happen in Wildcard Kitchen as mystery guest judges use blind taste tests to determine who walks away the high roller with bragging rights and cash from their fellow chefs. Wildcard Kitchen premiered Tuesday, March 12th at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network. "Wildcard Kitchen makes viewers feel like they are behind-the-scenes for an exclusive late-night poker game with their favorite chefs," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. "The competition and good-natured trash talk is fierce, funny and unlike anything Food Network has offered."

Enter National Geographic’s 50 States, 1000 Eats: Where to Go, When to Go, What to Eat, What to Drink by legendary editor, writer, photographer, and speaker  Joe Yogerst. Joe gives you many diverse recommendations in the United States and Canada.  Included are the can’t-miss restaurants; as-seen-on-tv food trucks, diners, and cafes; and delicious regional delicacies. There’s fascinating food history and expert travel tips for where to stay and things to do and see while on the foodie trail. And of course there are hundreds of mouthwatering images from NatGeo.

Getting Grilled with Curtis Stone focuses on the intersection of food and culture. Filmed and recorded at Chef Curtis Stone's 60-acre ranch in Malibu Canyon, guests from the world of film, television, music and sports will cook alongside Curtis while also discussing everything from current events to memories of family meals and favorite dining experiences. Sunny Side Up Productions, the chef's production company that brought "In the Spirit with Lindsay and Curtis," "Cooking with Curtis," and "Travel, Cook, Repeat" to HSN+, is behind this production, alongside executive producer and three-time Emmy winner Rob K. Silverstein. Guests have included Sebastin Maniscalco, Teri Hatcher, Akbar Gbajabiamila, Brian Austin Green & Sharna Burgess, Lindsay Price, Chelsea Peretti and Joel McHale. New episodes stream every Sunday.

Women’s Pizza Month in March coincides with Women’s History Month, which is no accident because female pizzaiolas (pizza makers for those of you who don’t know) are changing lives and changing the pizza world. One of the foremost pizza experts is Christy Alia, founder of Women’s Pizza Month. She is sharing ways to celebrate Women’s Pizza Month, including ideas and tips for hosting a DIY pizza party. She’ll also be announcing how she’s supporting the next generation of pizza pioneers, with a scholarship program available to five aspiring women pizza makers!

For the first time ever, agave spirits (made from Mexico’s agave plant such as tequila and mezcal) will outsell vodka in U.S. bars this year, becoming the #1 selling liquor category. And sales for Mezcal in particular, (often referred to as tequila’s smokier cousin) have soared, making it the fastest-growing spirit in North America. According to a new research report about the skyrocketing growth of mezcal, part of its popularity is due to consumers’ fascination with Mexican cuisine and culture. Others note that more and more people are developing an appreciation for premium artisanal spirits and are drawn to mezcal’s unique flavor profile. Whatever the reason, the hottest bars and restaurants across the country now feature mezcal cocktails on their menus. Previously viewed as an up-and-coming spirit, mezcal has gone mainstream and 2024 is poised to be its biggest year yet.

The internet famous The Body Coach's bestselling author Joe Wicks is back with FEEL GOOD IN 15 (on sale February 13). With 10 years of experience of helping people get fit, strong, healthy and happy, Joe has developed some of the best practices and shows how just 15 minutes a day can make all the difference. This is the feel-good way to bring some joy, energy and happiness into your life by doing the simple things well - all you need is 15 minutes. Simple, nutritious 15-minute recipes, awesome, mood-boosting 15-minute home workouts, quick health hacks and 15-minute small daily wins. Joe has over 12 million social media followers - including 4.5 million Facebook followers, 4.5 million Instagram followers and nearly 350 million views of his videos on YouTube.

Many people blame sugar cravings on lack of willpower rather than accept that sugar is highly addictive - even more so than cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol! The problem isn’t just dessert, but the fact that sugar is everywhere! It’s unsurprising that many people struggle to eliminate it from their diets. In the new book – Sugarless - Dr. Avena provides a compelling narrative about how processed foods with refined sugar can wreak havoc on one’s health. However, her goal goes beyond raising the alarm - she offers a practical plan that doesn't require going cold turkey.

Superhot spicy peppers are on fire lately - but while most experiment with heat, others live their lives in pursuit of fire. SUPERHOT is a wild ride into the Spicy World of Pepper People – the self-proclaimed chili heads who have taken the chili pill and want to find out how deep the rabbit hole goes. This 10-part series goes deep into a subculture fueled by spice: from the elite growers who strive to create new superhots to the chili eaters who chase the endorphin rush of consuming them. Along the way, one legendary chili head sets out on a quest to answer the spiciest of questions: is there a pepper that can challenge the world’s hottest?When you conjure an image of who is likely to be at the top of the competitive chili eating heap, you probably wouldn’t imagine Shahina Waseem. But for 10 years now she has dominated the field, taking all comers and never losing a bout. Known as the “UK Chilli Queen,” Shahina has set her sights on an unfathomable goal: 100 straight competitive chili eating competition wins. Superhot joins Shahina as she climbs that mountain. Can she establish herself as the Greatest of All Time?

You're probably tired of asking the same old question, "What should we make for dessert?" The answer is simple—cocktails! In Liquid Dessert, professional bartender and mixologist Bryan Paiement invites you to join him on a trip around the world to discover cocktails inspired by the best desserts on the planet.Liquid Dessert is not your average cocktail or dessert book but a unique combination of the two. Traditional desserts, though delicious, can be heavy and overwhelming after a big meal. Or you may be wavering on whether or not to have another beverage or dessert—now it doesn't have to be one or the other!From cocktails-inspired favorites like Bananas Foster or Cannoli, whether you're a fan of rich, decadent chocolate or you have more of a citrusy-tart palate, the simple-to-follow recipes in Liquid Dessert have you covered, no matter your craving.

When it comes to successful, enjoyable home cooking, starting with the right kitchen equipment is every bit as important as following a good recipe. Think about all the ways that your equipment can make or break your experience in the kitchen. A skillet that heats unevenly might leave you with nothing to show for your efforts but a scorched mess. An ice cream maker that turns out soupy frozen desserts might have you swearing off home-made ice cream forever. On the other hand, tools that work as they’re intended make your life easier and your time in the kitchen more rewarding. A sharp vegetable peeler breezes through tough squash skin; a good coffee maker extracts the perfect balance of flavors from coffee beans; an absorbent dish towel makes cleaning up after yourself just that much less tedious. America’s Test Kitchen’s Kitchen Gear book is a manual for your entire kitchen. ATK’s kitchen equipment experts Lisa McManus and Hannah Crowley, (hosts of ATK’s popular Gear Heads YouTube show), share everything they’ve learned during their decades of hands-on equipment testing, from buying dos and don’ts to maintenance and cleaning tips to stories from their own experiences.

Today, more and more people are turning to herbs for flavor, nutrition, healing, and inspiration; last year alone, the global market for herbal medicines peaked at more than $125 billion. With demand for natural remedies growing, National Geographic now offers a user-friendly guide to the ever-growing selection of herbal remedies. Written by the executive director of the American Herbalists Guild, this guide showcases 100 different herbs, featuring their history, appearance, therapeutic uses, kitchen and garden tips, and more.

Everyone’s favorite time of the year – Christmas – is fast approaching! The bestselling The Booze & Vinyl series (nearly 200,000 copies in print) finds its holiday cheer in an irresistible new volume mixing beloved Christmas albums with merry drink pairings. A Booze & Vinyl Christmas (Running Press; October 2023), by award-winning food and drinks writer André Darlington, features 40 curated Christmas albums, from the 1940s to the present, complete with two inspired cocktails for the A side and B side. From The Nutcracker and A Charlie Brown Christmas to Bing Crosby and Kelly Clarkson, this book is the perfect companion for this year’s ugly sweater and tree trimming gatherings.

Board-certified preventive medicine physician, Emmy® Award-winning producer, and self-described “wellness crusader,” Michael Crupain, MD, MPH, brings us an essential cookbook, with 75+ recipes that focus on the five food groups to keep you living longer—without sacrificing flavor or favorites. The Power Five: Essential Foods for Optimum Health is In many ways, the culmination of a life dedicated to medicine and cooking. First in medical school, he staged at David Bouley's Austrian restaurant, The Danube; with pastry chef Walter Luque from Palma; and spent transformative time cooking with Silvestro Silvestori at The Awaiting Table Cookery School in Puglia, Italy. As a result, Dr. Crupain presents a book grounded in food expertise and medical knowledge. In The Power Five, he puts the five essential foods for living longer—fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, seafood, and nuts and seeds—to work in 75 recipes that maximize taste, texture, and flavor, championing the idea that eating and living healthier no longer feels like work. Each chapter delves into the science and nutritional information in a playful, at times humorous way, making it easy to digest why each of these foods is essential and powerful. The subsequent recipes are weeknight accessible and sophisticated, ranging from 100-Layer Eggplant Parmigiana to Sumac Semi-Cured Slow Roasted Steelhead Trout, Miso Creamed Corn, and a crowd favorite—Lasagna Bread! But you don’t have to give up beloved treats to live to a long life. Dr. Crupain includes chapters on meats and sweets, and guidance on how to eat them—but less often—underpinning Michael’s belief in balance and practicality.

What is it about the garden that suits it to literary murder? Perhaps it is the poisonous plants, sharp tools, shady corners, and ready-made burial sites that make gardens a mainstay in the mystery genre. Perhaps it is the gardeners (and writers) themselves, with their “natural malice toward weeds, rodents, and other garden undesirables. Rare is the gardener who can approach a slug without homicidal intent.” No matter the motive, gardening and writing are enduringly linked. In her new book, New York Times Best-Selling author Marta McDowell explores this deeply rooted connection between gardens, writers, and mystery novels in Gardening Can Be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, And Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers

You'll never look at a restaurant meal the same way again. As you've probably noticed, much recent food- and restaurant related media has focused on previously unheralded, unsung kitchen and farm workers, and on related issues such as immigration, operating expenses, and sustainable sourcing. Perhaps you've covered some of these topics yourself. In THE DISH, author Andrew Friedman-who's been reporting and broadcasting about chefs and kitchen culture for nearly 25 years-stitches together all these threads by profiling the key restaurant and farm employees whose lives and work culminate in a single dish at an independent Chicago restaurant. Told in real time during a dinner service, the book tracks one dish (a deceptively simple composition of aged strip loin, tomato, and sorrel) at Wherewithall restaurant from the moment it's ordered by the guests at a table to when it's completed and presented to them. During the intervening hour, as elements of the dish are prepared, cooked, and brought together on the plate, we meet the people who made the dish possible. Friedman, who refers to himself a "chef writer" rather than a "food writer" recognizes the shift in industry and media culture the book represents: "Like many authors and journalists, for years I almost exclusively profiled chefs," he says. "It's long past time that we also recognize and celebrate the others-in and out of restaurants-who make crucial contributions every day."

Elizabeth Poett is a seventh-generation cattle rancher and the host and star of the cooking and lifestyle show Ranch to Table, one of the founding shows of Magnolia Network, with its fourth season releasing on Max, discovery+ and Magnolia Network on October 1st, 2023. Elizabeth was born and raised on Rancho San Julian, her family's historic 14,000-acre cattle ranch on California's Central Coast. In 2007, Elizabeth started Rancho San Julian Beef, a business selling her family's ranch-raised, grass-fed beef directly to chefs and consumers. Her meats quickly became popular with California cooks and local chefs and have been served at restaurants across California. Elizabeth also is the author of the blog The Ranch Table and hosts a number of Ranch Table events throughout the year-cooking workshops, educational events, and intimate farm-to-table meals. More information about THE RANCH TABLE book tour can be found at TheRanchTable.com.

The creator of National Geographic's popular Blue Zones franchise brings readers a beautifully illustrated and informative guide to the blue zones-the places on Earth where people live the longest-including lessons learned, top longevity foods, and the "Power 9" behaviors to help you live to 100-plus a surprising new blue zone. National Geographic Explorer and best-selling author Dan Buettner has traveled the globe to uncover the best strategies for longevity, which he found in the blue zones: places around the world where higher percentages of people enjoy remarkably long, full lives. In The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer, Buettner returns to Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula; and Loma Linda, California to check in on the super-agers living in the blue zones and interprets the not-so-secret sauce of purpose, faith, community, down-time, natural movement, and plant-based eating that has powered as many as 10 additional years of healthy living in these regions. And Buettner reveals an all-new blue zone-the first man-made blue zone yet explored. Throughout his two decades of research, Buettner has worked with some of National Geographic's top photographers-including David McLain and Gianluca Cola-to document the healthy habits of the world's long

One of the most recognized faces in the culinary world, celebrity chef Graham Elliot is the youngest chef in the U.S. to receive four stars from a major publication. For ten seasons, he starred in Fox’s MasterChef and MasterChef Junior (both alongside Chef Gordon Ramsay) before becoming a judge in the hit series Top Chef on Bravo. He even has his own day named after him – September 19th was proclaimed Graham Elliot Day in the city of Chicago. Now, Chef Graham Elliot can be seen as a judge/mentor on the popular PBS series The Great American Recipe, now in its second season. The Great American Recipe highlights the tastes and traditions across the U.S., capturing the roots of America’s diverse cuisine. The series mixes comradery with competition, revealing the personal stories behind family recipes that have been passed down through generations. Chef Graham Elliot can discuss what makes the show unique, as well as the latest culinary trends hitting restaurants across the U.S., and offer simple, but unique, ideas for summer barbecues and picnics.

Shot On-Location in Los Angeles, the Epicenter of Food Truck Culture, Eight-Episode Season Premieres Sunday, June 18th at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network For the first time in the show's history, The Great Food Truck Race is pitting industry pros against talented up-and-coming rookies in a David vs. Goliath battle of the best food on wheels. Hosted by Tyler Florence, nine teams from across the country with specialties ranging from Jamaican tacos to modern Pakistani street food to elevated vegan dishes must prove their culinary expertise, marketing savvy and selling skills in action-packed challenges to beat their rivals and stay in the race. Los Angeles has long led the food truck movement, and this season's action takes place right in the center of the industry's booming business. Kicking off with all nine teams showcasing a dish that defines their business, the race then hits the baseball field to serve Little League players and their families with a visit from LA Dodgers player Mookie Betts. Other challenges include using Chef Antonia Lofaso's well-known restaurant dishes as inspiration for their own menus, creating social media content to draw crowds and cooking for guest judges Chef Jet Tila, Chef Joe Sasto and last season's winner, Señoreata's Evanice Holz. All the action culminates in a head-to-head finale where only one team is awarded a life-changing $50,000 grand prize.