Watch Awkwafina Make Friendsgiving Dishes With Chef Brooke Williamson In This Hilarious Cookalong
This Friendsgiving season, things might be a little more different for many of us, especially with the vicious pandemic still active. Our gatherings may be much smaller if they even happen at all, and many of us will have to rely on our own two hands in case that top chef friend isn’t coming this year.
For those stressing over such a feat, the cavalry’s arrived.
Awkwafina is teaming up with lauded chef Brook Williamson, in a partnership with Chase Sapphire, to create a Friendsgiving-themed cook along.
The pair will be tackling dishes like cheesy souffle potatoes with mushroom gravy and a spicy pomegranate mezcal margarita.
“There’s this kind of emphasis lately with staying indoors while still exploring what’s possible for trying to make those connections with the outer world. And we really can’t do that nowadays without a system,” Awkwafina told Foodbeast.
While an artist of many talents, Awkwafina admits she’s not the best in the kitchen.
“My relationship with food and cooking was not a great one,” she laughed.
“I was raised by my Chinese grandma, who pretty much dominated the kitchen and wouldn’t let me cook because she thought I would mess everything up.”
Fans of Awkwafina’s Comedy Central series Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens may remember a scene where Nora and Cousin Edmund were making dumplings. Nora, played by Awkwafina, was failing pretty terribly at stuffing and folding the dumplings.
Awkwafina revealed to us this actually happened growing up. Once, her grandmother even had to scold her for eating a dumpling raw in front of guests. ”I love food. I love all kinds of foods. I’m not a picky eater.”
“Last [Friendsgiving], I’m going to be honest, I ordered 500 Korean fried chicken wings out of pure laziness,” she admitted. “Friendsgiving, I think, is always better than a normal family Thanksgiving, it’s a little bit looser. It’s a little less formal, which is nice about it.”
Sure many of us won’t be able to spend Friendsgiving, or even Thanksgiving, with our loved ones due to current circumstances.
That doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal with digital media assistance and celebrate with them regardless.
“The best thing I learned from Chef Brook from our Friendsgiving is that she said something really interesting: ‘Cooking is knowing what you like in outside places and duplicating them with your own items. You can recreate it at home and add more of what you like.’
Before parting ways, I asked Awkwafina if there was any bit of culinary advice she could give us from her experiences.
“Definitely don’t add seltzer to an alcohol shaker because that’s an explosion.”
Check out the hilarious digital cook along in the video above. Maybe it’ll spark some culinary inspirations, perhaps it’ll calm your nerves this holiday season, or maybe it’ll just make you laugh. Stay safe out there, everyone.
