Upon interviewing cooking television it-girl Eden Grinshpan, I’m not sure if I want her to cook for me or if I want to be best friends with her. Whether you recognize her for hosting Log On & Eat with Eden Grinshpan or starring in Eden Eats, both TV shows on the Cooking Channel, or just as the pretty girl that always has food in her hand, Grinshpan has a contagious personality that none of us can seem to stop watching. In honor of her making an appearance in our neck of the woods (or beaches) for the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival, M&V couldn’t resist the chance to get the scoop on everything Eden. She’ll be hosting the festival’s Chillin’ N’ Grillin’ this Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, and interview the chefs about their personal styles and food picks.
M&V: How often are you involved in food festivals, and what made you say yes to Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival?
GRINSHPAN: I have attended NYCWFF many times and I was so excited to be invited to this year’s PBWFF. I love meeting chefs and checking out new food scenes. Plus chefs are always getting inspired and switching it up, and I can’t wait to see what everyone is working on.
M&V: Whose food are you most excited to sample during the Palm Beach festival?
GRINSHPAN: Everyone’s food! Seeing chefs I know and meeting new chefs that I have been a fan of or just discovering is a very exciting experience. I can’t wait to chow down.
M&V: You’re hosting Chillin’ N’ Grillin’ and bringing the fashion aspect to Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival. Do you often merge fashion & food together?
GRINSHPAN: It’s totally fun! I love food and fashion. I say if you feel great, comfortable and sexy, than why not!
M&V: When was your interest peaked in cooking?
GRINSHPAN: I fell in love with cooking when I discovered Food Network; I was 15 years old. I would come home after school and watch hours of Barefoot Contessa, Iron Chef, Jamie Oliver and 30 Minute Meals. It really inspired me to get into the kitchen and start cooking/baking. I enrolled in culinary school right after high school and never looked back.
M&V: How did the television shows unfold?
GRINSHPAN: After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, I went backpacking through India and Southeast Asia. I spent a lot of time volunteering with different organizations and ended up staying at an orphanage for around three months. They had a beautiful café that wasn’t up and running, so I took it on as a personal project and re-opened the café. I taped the whole process and cut it into a reel, which I sent it around NYC.
M&V: If you could eat only one genre of food for the rest of your life, what would it be, and what’s your guilty pleasure of the worst possible food?
GRINSHPAN: I love Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. Fresh herbs, grilled meats and fish, flat breads, salads, eggplant, yogurt, tahini, fresh salty cheeses. I love food that is light and fresh and makes me feel good. That being said I have many guilty pleasures and always indulge (Everything in moderation.), which includes fries, potato chips, burgers, pizza, doughnuts, cheesecakes, all pastries pretty much.
M&V: How do you stay healthy?
GRINSHPAN: I love sharing. I think that when you go out to eat you shouldn’t just get your own appetizer and entree. Share three dishes between two people; this way you know you will have enough food and you will get to try more dishes on the menu. When you are doing this, try at least to make one or two of those dishes healthy and light. It’s the perfect way to not deprive yourself of anything. Also, drink lots of water and try not to scarf down all the bread on the table.
M&V: How does cooking at home differ to cooking on television?
GRINSHPAN: I love cooking to music, and I’ll definitely have a beer or a glass of wine in hand and yes, I am usually in sweats and a T-shirt with my hair in a bun.
M&V: Who are women that you’ve been inspired by or have looked up to in your career?
GRINSHPAN: Rachel Ray. She is so talented and relatable, plus she has an incredible empire around her, and she works like a rock star! I love Nigella Lawson. She is just so passionate about food and always keeps things sexy. Lastly, Martha Stewart, the baking master. I want to live in her kitchen and eat her cookies.
