Global megastar Selena Gomez takes the next step in her culinary adventure as she heads out of her home kitchen and into the professional kitchens of some of LA’s hottest restaurants in Selena + Restaurant, premiering Thursday, 31 October, on Food Network Africa. Gomez will be accompanied by best friend, Raquelle Stevens, as her cooking skills are put to the test by the best in the business.
Over six episodes, chefs Shirley Chung, Keith Corbin, Stephanie Izard, Andrew & Michelle Muñoz, Wolfgang Puck and Marcel Vigneron will teach and test Selena to see how quickly she can learn the ropes with the ultimate goal of creating a dish good enough to make each restaurant’s menu. Each chef will also highlight a charity that is meaningful to them during each episode, with all of the featured non-profits receiving a donation to further their cause.
“After cooking mostly virtually from my kitchen with some of the best chefs for the last four years, I was thrilled to step into their world,” said Gomez. “You’ll have to see if being in person helped my skills at all.”
In the premiere episode, Selena and Raquelle head to Chef Wolfgang Puck‘s restaurant, CUT Steakhouse, in Beverly Hills. Thrown straight into the fire, Selena must pass an initial test and master one of Wolfgang’s classic dishes before creating her take on a spicy seafood dish in a bid to have it placed on the menu. Then, it’s off to the kitchen of Los Angeles Dumpling Queen Shirley Chung, who welcomes Selena into her restaurant, Ms Chi, where the two make a fusion version of a beloved dish from Selena’s childhood. Selena, Raquelle and Shirley fold dumplings and dance around the kitchen as Selena attempts to deliver a dish good enough to make the menu. Additional excursions include Hollywood hotspot Lemon Grove with Chef Marcel Vigneron; Texas BBQ at Moo’s Craft Barbecue with Andrew and Michelle Muñoz; a visit with Chef Stephanie Izard at her restaurant Girl & the Goat, and a stop at California soul food restaurant, Alta, with Chef Keith Corbin.
“Selena’s culinary journey has riveted viewers from day one as she has elevated her kitchen skills on her Emmy-nominated series, Selena + Chef,” said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. “Now, out of the comfort of her home kitchen, but with her best friend for support, Selena’s graduation to the big leagues offers a natural progression of her culinary education as this superstar shows what she can do in a restaurant environment.”
Selena Gomez is one of the most globally and culturally celebrated artists, actors, producers, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists of her generation. As a GRAMMY-nominated recording artist, Gomez has sold more than 210 million singles worldwide and has over 45 billion global streams. As a producer, she has produced the hit Netflix series 13 Reasons Why; and the lauded Netflix docu-series Living Undocumented. Currently, Selena executive produces and stars in the critically acclaimed Hulu series Only Murders in the Building opposite comedy legends Steve Martin and Martin Short. Gomez received a Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy Series as well as a SAG Award nomination for Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series. In addition, last year she became only the second Latina to receive an Emmy nomination for executive producing a comedy series. In 2019, Gomez launched her beauty line Rare Beauty. As part of the partnership, Gomez announced the Rare Impact Fund, pledging to raise $100 million for mental health services for individuals in underserved communities. Selena + Restaurant is produced by Gomez for July Moon Productions, along with executive producers Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman on behalf of Sony Pictures Television’s The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC), showrunner Shauna Minoprio, and Melissa Stokes.
