Before you host your next dinner party, Jake Cohen wants to show you how to wow your guests. The viral chef and bestselling cookbook author serves up his brand of heat while creating unique dishes for Jake makes it easy. The new cooking show is part of A+E Networks’ partnership with Rachael Ray’s Free dining studios.

Over the course of the half-hour episodes, Cohen prepares a main course and a dessert, bringing unique takes on classic dishes rooted in the heritage of his cuisine. His approach is to keep it simple. Kicking off plates from New York’s culinary masters, Iraqi salmon and date brownies. In addition, on the menu of the next episodes, include balsamic and soy beef brisket, challah monkey bread, baked gnocchi and soupless chicken soup.

Here, Cohen explains how he brings stories of food and family to life by preparing these meals, as well as the real Rachael Ray he’s gotten to know.

What does it mean to have your first cooking series?

Jake Cohen: That’s all. It was my childhood dream. This is what I always imagined. Everyone was wondering, “How did you get into food?” » This has never been the case. I was always someone who dreamed of doing exactly what I was doing. I have the chance to live my dream every day. Making that the final piece of the puzzle, which is cooking on television. Also having the origin of wanting to do this rooted in watching Rachael Ray on TV and then asking her to support my cooks. For her to call me and say, “Hey, you should cook on TV.” We’re going to put on a show for you. There is no world where I would say no. there was no way I wouldn’t put my heart and soul into it because it’s a blessing.

Was the idea always to focus on dinner?

When I got to the table, that was the only thing. That’s what I’m doing here. It was I do this or maybe I don’t. It’s such an integral part of who I am and what I think my goal is in the food world, which is to really help people not only learn how to cook, but how to cook through that lens of food. ‘hospitality. I want to make cooking a source for people to connect with those they love. That’s how I really learned about building community as a teenager. I would host these dinners for my classmates. This is how I made friends, learned to be social, and became an adult.

You really convey a sense of where you come from and who you are through the stories you tell while preparing the food.

When it comes to people in the public eye and food, you have two options. Will you bring something to the conversation? Or are you going to add noise? There are a million shows and recipes that get it right. Anything generic or what they expect the world to like. For me, I know that one of my superpowers is to convey fundamental human elements to these stories. These anecdotes are why I cook these things. Where they come from. What’s the point in knowing how they became part of my kitchen’s culinary lexicon? It could be from traveling between different generations, traveling to many countries or it could be that I really like something.

That it connected to a story or meaning around a friend, lover, or family member that, at that moment, made sense. I want to show this to people because they will find themselves in these stories, whether they are from the same background or not. It’s the most beautiful thing about food. It’s this connector that, by creating these human elements behind these anecdotes, people from other cultures will see themselves in me and even more will see these recipes as a source of emotion rather than just a type of cuisine. It’s a huge honor. It’s also not that deep. We’re just cooking. Fully embrace cooking for those you love and do it sustainably.

You pair a main course and dessert in each episode. What made what to cook?

For me, I think one of the things is making a delicious recipe, and giving someone a delicious recipe is just the base. This is the bare minimum I have to do in my job. It’s not about making a recipe solo and calling it a day. If people come, I have to feed them. With this show, I wanted to create that structure of how you prepare these two recipes together in tandem and give you the little verbal signal that this is what you’re going to do. If you want to make it a complete meal, perfect. It’s about understanding the overall concept of how you feed people. I think what’s really missing is that we teach people how to cook, but don’t give them the basic tools to know how to host. Not in an aesthetic way, but in a logistical way. A good relationship with cooking where it does not bring stress but joy.

You are used to creating content online. What was it like filming a TV show?

It was more of a place of gratitude so I could see what that looks like. Having multiple cameras, seeing how to best highlight the food, showing off myself, when to speak and focus on the action. Juggling all these moving parts. I know these recipes work because that’s why I put my heart and soul into making them. Now it’s not just about creating them, but about how to get people to have no other thought on their mind than what I need to do immediately. It’s a fun challenge and a good little exercise to do this season. I can tell you that this is just the beginning of many fun projects to come.

What is it like working with Rachael Ray and having her support?

She’s at the top. She dreams of it. She is the icon. It’s a legend. She is Mother. Her main message was: “I came to you because I’m obsessed with who you are. You have to bring that to the show. You can’t try to be someone else when the cameras are on because it reads like that and falls apart. It is crucial to have authenticity as the foundation of the relationship you have with the viewer. This is how I approached my books, my online persona. It has always been this way. So if I didn’t do that on the show, I would be doing myself a disservice. I am someone who does his homework. I don’t let opportunities pass me by. I have a lot of friends who are big Food Network stars. I called different icons and said, “I’m doing my first cooking show. What did you do when you made yours?

I’m going through everything around this. Funny enough, this was one of the great things I received from a friend of mine who was really talking about building a relationship with your culinary team. The show’s culinary producer. I was so nervous about it. He was someone I hadn’t worked with. However, I was reminded that Rachael chose her for me because she only works with the best people. She was incredible. We had the most incredible relationships. This shows in every episode because the food looks delicious, I was able to go through these recipes and everything was perfect. So trusting the process, trusting the community members within Rachael Ray’s orbit has never failed me.

Jake Cohen/A+E Networks

His show ran for so long and resonated so much with you and so many others. What was it like getting to know him at this stage of his career?

She is someone who is truly passionate about what she does and approaches each day with so much love, connection and care. Being able to witness it up close and personal was such a privilege. I think she’s done more good in the food world than people realize, but she’s not doing it for recognition. She does this because she has very high morals. Going out and eating at a restaurant with her and seeing the passion she has for food and the respect and joy she feels celebrating other chefs is infectious. The most important thing I can say is that I dream of one day being able to pay it forward, as I have seen her do to me and many others.

Is there anything we don’t see in public that we should know about Rachael?

She is exactly what you see. That’s it. I think one thing we see, but maybe not enough, is how much she loves animals. Truly, because of the way she loves her dogs and cares so deeply about animals, I think people would fall in love with her even more. It’s like he’s spending the day with Cesar Millan. She has the same compassion for food as animals do and it’s amazing to see.

What kind of feedback has she given you on the series?

Ultimately, that’s why she chose me. She wanted my bubbly face on TV to make the recipes I know and love and tell the story I told her and tell the world and do it for a new audience who will fall in love with me the same way what.

Speaking of dinners, you posted photos on Instagram of a Yom Kippur gathering that had a crowd buzzing Fran Drescher shirt. It looked fun with fun guests like Ali Wong.

I was in Los Angeles visiting a friend. I was with Benny Blancowho I am very close to. He organized a wonderful Yom Kippur for which I cooked a lot. Ali is very kind and funny. We always have a crazy mix of friends, family and chosen family. We had everyone like my best friend from high school happened to be in LA, so I brought him. There were a few musicians. There was an actor I loved in town. It becomes this thing where if someone needs a place to party, they have a place to get a bagel and a schmear. Benny and I were fasting, so it was an intense day.

Did you have a final party and how did it go?

I’ve made a few. I made breakfast for the second gentleman and some friends at my apartment. I made homemade bagels and we had quite the appetizer spread. It was incredible and impactful. I also took a lot of vacations. I’ve had a family Thanksgiving party, a Passover party, and even a Hanukkah party. I’m throwing the craziest Hanukkah party. Every party is amazing. I treat a small, intimate table for four the same way I would treat a hundred people in the crazy apartment. They are all different experiences, but I love them equally. I love sharing my love of cooking. It can be anything, even when someone comes by on a Tuesday night, and I make a pot of pasta and we relax and catch up and it’s magical.

What do you want to tell people about hosting dinner for the upcoming holidays?

Don’t take yourself too seriously. Have fun with it. We are all clowns. It will be the best. You’re going to crush it. I say it often in the series. I believe in you. You have this. Everyone needs to put themselves forward more than them.

Jake makes it easy premiere, October 28, 10/9c, FYI