Business is gradual in Hollywood proper now with the writers and actors on strike, however that hasn’t slowed down Jonathan Bennett.
Bennett has two packages airing on Food Network over the following couple of months, which permits the charismatic host to do on display screen what comparatively few get the chance to do — be himself.
He’s having a good time, and viewers are reaping all of the rewards.
The first manufacturing he is internet hosting is Battle of the Decades, a brand new collection by which cooks of various many years companion up to create one thing edible (elevated!) with dishes and devices of the time.
It’s an ideal match for Bennett, who has been firmly planted in fashionable tradition since his breakout roll in Mean Girls in 2004, starring with Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and a number of others who’ve been influencing the business ever since.
Bennett referenced Taylor Swift, who, at a latest live performance, stated one thing to the impact that as tiring because it appears to do reveals 5 or 6 nights every week, you do not get exhausted as a result of she’s lastly reached the purpose in her profession she’s been working so laborious to obtain.
That sentiment rings house for Bennett. “I’ve labored my entire life to entertain folks and to make them snort and give them a manner to flip off their brains and simply watch enjoyable TV.
“To get to go and do that every day and then also get paid for it is, like, the coolest thing in the world.” Getting paid to be your self is an enviable place, and he agrees. “It’s the best job ever,” Bennett confirms.
Bennett loves the nostalgic really feel of Battle of the Decades, “where you really go back in time with the crazy cooking ingredients that we make these chefs use,” notably due to its laid-back manufacturing values.
“The show feels looser and more off the cuff than I’ve ever seen on Food Network, but it still has that familiar competition feel to it,” Bennett stated.
On different productions, he feels that loads of what makes a present particular falls to the slicing room flooring, which supplies Battle of the Decades a contemporary really feel, and Bennett confirms that though there’s a construction to the collection, it is not filmed the identical manner twice.
“It just makes me excited to shoot the next season because now that I know we can put all that stuff in, we’ll turn it up.”
Battle of the Decades Season 1 Episode 1 featured six competing cooks and judges, Antonia Lofaso and her daughter Xea Myers and visitor star Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Using moussaka, bacon, Go-GURT, and the Magic Bullet blender, the partnered cooks labored collectively to craft their first dish whereas Bennett entertained and saved the dialog flowing.
As “a huge Seinfeld fan,” Bennett’s favourite episode airs tonight, as Wayne Knight takes the crew again in time to 1994 when the cooks joke about their various reminiscences of the ’90s as they use the enduring George Foreman Grill to create elevated dishes out of fashionable meals from the last decade: muffin tops, hen breasts, ranch dressing, and Lucky Charms.
Then, new faculty and old style cooks alike find out how tough it’s to recreate the viral “accordion potato” meals pattern, and judges Kathy Fang and her father, Peter Fang, use a basic beef Wellington to decide which chef prevails.
This specific episode beats shut to Bennett’s coronary heart.
“I grew up utilizing a George Foreman grill. It’s my favourite cooking system. I used it each single day. And so to deliver out the George [of Seinfeld], the George Foreman grill, and then have to use muffin tops due to the Seinfeld episode The Muffin Tops, they’ve to use these two issues to create a dish.
“It’s just hilarious because one of my favorite parts is when one of the new school chefs doesn’t know how to turn on the George Foreman grill because they’ve never seen one before. And that’s where you get all the comedy of the show to see the generational gap between these two contestants.”
How the cooks work collectively has additionally been stunning.
“It’s humorous as a result of loads of instances you suppose the brand new faculty chef goes to strive to do one thing model new and out of the field. But loads of instances, we realized that the brand new faculty chef is sticking with extra of the classics, and it is the old-school cooks which can be really pushing the envelope.
“So I guess it’s that old adage — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And so when you have classic dishes, like Beef Bourguignon, or, you know, chicken waffles, like, don’t mess with the classics. Just give them a good classic.”
The generational hole between the cooks appears to be pushing them in several instructions, which works properly throughout the format of the present. That format additionally contains references to the many years in query.
“It’s enjoyable. Even the questions they put in between every business break to deliver you again to that 12 months. There are so many enjoyable issues that make this present completely different and enjoyable, and contemporary. I feel individuals are going to actually reply to it.
Bennett, who used the Magic Bullet rising up to make protein shakes hope these conversations go each methods, that children can study from their dad and mom and dad and mom can take a look at viral content material their children are into, too.
“I can’t wait for that moment when the kid says oh my gosh, Mom, how do you not know what an accordion potato is? It’s all over TikTok.”
Full disclosure, I did not know what an accordion potato was, so I’m already studying from the mere existence of Battle of the Decades. Bennett laughed. “Yeah, I didn’t either until we shot the show.”
He’s additionally enthusiastic about an upcoming episode that includes Olympic swimmer Greg Louganis.
“I mean, what a fun time because they have to use Wheaties because he was on the Wheaties box, coffee, and a fruit roll-up that just takes us back to the year 1984. Just having Greg Louganis on the show and talking about what 1984 was like. It’s just such a fun nostalgic episode.”
Bennett stated watching the cooks craft a meal from these components within the Easy Bake Oven was simply hilarious. “Who would have thought years ago when you’re playing with the Easy Bake Oven that it would be on Food Network as one of the items in a challenge?”
You may suppose Bennett’s acquired his arms full with Battle of the Decades, however you would be lacking the mark. He will once more be internet hosting Halloween Wars, premiering on September 17.
Bennett hosted from 2016 to 2020, and he is thrilled to return.
“They were doing different formats because of what was going on in the world. And then, you know, they called and said, ‘Do you want to come back to the show,’ and I obviously jumped at the chance because it’s such a fun show to get to do, and it’s just become such a staple of people’s lives in October.”
When I first requested about his private attachment to Halloween, Bennett admitted that whereas he enjoys holidays, he spends a lot time selling them for varied productions that he is normally burned out and would not have a good time.
As the dialog continued, I sensed that even round the clock promotion would not cease him from having fun with the vacation.
“This past year, for Halloween, I got to dress up as Elphaba from Wicked, which is my favorite musical. I got to go as the green witch and made my husband dress up as Fiyero. So I think that was my favorite Halloween in a long time. But we did the Act One costumes, so this year, I think I have to do the Act Two costumes.”
“Well, like Elphaba says, [singing] ‘something has changed within me.’ I think coming back to Halloween wars has reignited my passion for Halloween.”
Bennett thinks followers will take pleasure in Halloween Wars Season 13, which brings again a fan-favorite. “The greatest factor for fortunate Season 13 of Halloween Wars is that the pumpkins are again, and that was one thing the followers had been actually lacking from the earlier seasons.
“But we now have the pumpkins again, we now have the pumpkin carvers, and we’re going again to slightly bit extra of the unique format of the present in some ways with the host and the judges and then additionally holding it contemporary with new stuff on the present, the place we now have alternative ways of eliminating the groups this season.
“So it’ll have a really familiar feel to it but also have fresh ideas in that in that familiar feel.”
The pumpkins could also be again however do not anticipate Bennett to strive his hand at carving. “I’m the worst. I’m horrible. I’m horrible at carving pumpkins. However, the pumpkin carvers will at all times have a particular place in my coronary heart not solely due to the magic work that they do on these pumpkins however as a result of I met my husband selling Halloween Wars.
“I met him selling Halloween wars with a pumpkin Carver. One of our pumpkin carvers and I went on James’s present, Celebrity Page, to promote the season finale of Halloween Wars.
“So I will always associate and have a love for pumpkin carving. Because without taking a pumpkin carver on TV to promote the show, I wouldn’t have met my husband.”
If that is not a terrific motive to return to Halloween Wars, I do not know what’s.
“I will always have a special place in my heart for Halloween and Halloween wars because it’s literally the reason I fell in love.” Swoon.
He might additionally not do any of this with out your assist. “It goes again to what I stated, when you’re fortunate sufficient to receives a commission simply to be you, it is the most effective job on the planet.
“I’m so grateful to the Food Network fans because they really have been so supportive of me and embrace me and to see all the comments online and feel the excitement that I’m back on the network is overwhelming and heartwarming.”
You can proceed exhibiting your assist by testing each reveals. Let’s carry our love for meals and Halloween in our pockets for the following couple of months!
Battle of the Decades premiered on Wednesday, August 16, and is accessible to watch now on Discovery+, and a brand new episode premieres on Food Network tonight at 10/9c.
Halloween Wars Season 13 premieres on September 17, so you will have a couple of weeks of concurrent programming with Jonathan Bennett as your gracious host.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a workers author and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of tv and movie with anybody who will pay attention. Follow her on Twitter and e mail her right here at TV Fanatic.
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