Picture: Selena Gomez, Instagram
It wasn’t something she imagined would happen—after all, being a multi-hyphenate actor-singer-executive producer doesn’t lend itself to much free time—but she discovered it was lot of fun, even when many of her kitchen escapades didn’t go to plan.
It’s a relatable story: With restaurants closed and evenings wide open, whipping up a random recipe during lockdown was equal parts necessity and entertaining endeavor. And while an elite percentage of people effortlessly made golden-brown sourdoughs and perfectly frosted cakes, the rest of us bungled a lot of stuff. (Don’t ask this writer about her tragic meringue incident.)
So Gomez got to thinking: maybe it would be fun to film some of this.
So she did. The result? Selena + Chef, a new show that premieres August 13 on HBO Max. Unscripted and casual, each episode features Gomez trying to make everything from matcha chocolate chip cookies to cheese soufflé as a celebrity chef coaches her over video chat. (Names include Angelo Sosa, Jon & Vinny, Candice Kumai, and Tanya Holland.) There’s confusing instructions. Missing ingredients. Smoking ovens. And, of course, delicious dishes—even with their imperfections. The series also highlights several food-related charities throughout. “Having some of the best chefs open up their kitchens to me was a humbling and fun experience. I definitely discovered I have a lot more to learn. I’m also really happy that we were able to highlight and raise money for some incredible charitable organizations,” Gomez says about the series.
Written by Elise Taylor
This article originally appeared on Vogue US.
