The Voice4Chefs Podcast

EP89: Part I Chef Maricel Gentil:Celebrating Filipino Heritage from Food Channel to PBS

• ChefMichael • Season 3 • Episode 89

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In this episode of Voice4Chefs, we welcome Chef Maricel Gentile, a celebrated chef educator, and ambassador of Philippine cuisine. With roots in her grandmother's kitchen in Manila, Chef Maricel's career has spanned top restaurants in New York to founding Maricel’s Kitchen in New Jersey. She has been featured on Hulu, PBS, and the Food Network, sharing the bold flavors and stories of the Philippines. Chef Maricel discusses the influence of her grandmother on her cooking, her experiences at markets in Manila, the inspiration behind her career, her classes at Maricel's Kitchen, her cookbook and her experiences appearing on various TV shows. She also shares highlights from her cookbook and upcoming projects, emphasizing her passion for keeping Filipino cuisine authentic and accessible. Join us as we explore her journey and celebrate the rich culinary traditions of the Philippines.

 

00:00 Introduction to Chef Maricel

00:53 Connecting Through Chef Mimi Lan

02:07 Influences from Lola's Kitchen

08:00 The Authenticity of Filipino Cuisine

10:19 Chef's Table and Kamayan Feast

17:41 Memories and Mentorship

22:52 The Rising Cost of Seafood

24:34 Corporate Team Building at Maricel's Kitchen

27:32 A Picky Eater's Transformation

28:45 From Cooking Class to TV Stardom

29:14 Unexpected Opportunities and PBS

31:03 Hulu and Food Network Adventures

37:20 Family Competitions and Traditions

40:56 Korean Seafood Ambassador

43:21 The Journey of Writing a Cookbook

46:27 Future Plans and Cooking Classes

51:06 Final Thoughts and Contact Information


Contact Chef Maricel:

IG:@maricelskitchenusa

Website: https://maricelskitchen.com/ 

Facebook: maricelskitchenusa 

Youtube: @maricelskitchenusa 


Season2

Welcome Chef Steven Leung as our new cohost.

IG: themindfulwok



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Host Michael Dugan:

Welcome to Voice4Chefs. Today's guest is Chef Maricel Gentile, a celebrated chef educator, and ambassador of Philippine cuisine. Her journey began in her Lola's kitchen in Manila, and led to top restaurants in New York before funding Maricel's Kitchen in New Jersey. Featured on Hulu, PBS and the Food Network, Maricel brings the stories and bold flavors of the Philippines to life. She also founded a Philippine. Cooking school, inspiring a new generation to embrace their roots through food. Let's welcome Chef Maricel to the show.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Hello.

Host Michael Dugan:

Hi. Thanks for being with us. Thanks for taking the time. Thank you so much. Excited that you're here. We should get into it really quick. How we, connected is through my friend and your friend chef Mimi Lan. She's a Michelin trained chef out of Florida and she came and did a cooking class at your cooking school, which I thought was phenomenal. I kept telling her, I wanna meet her, I wanna meet her. I want to talk to Maricel. And we had about you. Months before and part. Oh yeah. And part of that is because of the conference in Las Vegas.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yes. Mapp?

Host Michael Dugan:

Mapp and, the women in hospitality. And to me that was the most amazing experience that I've ever been involved in with my podcast and almost with my life. Just meeting all these incredible people and through Mapp I'm a Mapp member and you're a Mapp member.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

And I am a Mapp

Host Michael Dugan:

I love Joanna James and what she's

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yeah.

Host Michael Dugan:

for women in hospitality.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Amazing lady. And the mom.

Host Michael Dugan:

And a mom Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

is amazing.

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh, Val. Val. Yeah. Val's incredible. A shout out to Mimi, Joanna, and Val before we get started too deeply. But what, has been if you look back at your life growing up. What I really wanna know is when you think about your journey starting in your grandmother's kitchen or your Lola in Manila, what

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yeah,

Host Michael Dugan:

from that still influence your cooking today

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I,

Host Michael Dugan:

teaching?

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I think it's about the authenticity of the food, she's a wonderful cook. Never went to a culinary school, but she has such flavors and the techniques. I don't know where she got all the techniques. How did she do that? And watching her inspired me it's because wow, this lady is amazing and every time she creates something it, it's just so flavorful. And also the way I learned from her is simplicity. Getting fresh seafood, getting fresh vegetables creates an amazing food. When you, you cook it with care, with love, it is it just, that is the most inspiring thing that I've seen is like how she dealt with food and how she cooked it, how she actually developed these recipes and techniques. That was amazing. She didn't have all the gadgets, I should say. So the gadget that I always remember, and to this day it's actually, I have a picture of that in my kitchen. My studio

Host Michael Dugan:

mm-hmm.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

is the stone grinder.

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh yeah, I remember you talking about that.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

It's two stones. There's a hole in the middle of that stone, and there's a wood that would turn the stone. So in the middle you drop rice, let's say rice,

Host Michael Dugan:

Okay.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

it, and then you turn the stone, it grinds it and it becomes rice flour

Host Michael Dugan:

Wow.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

in the middle. You put peanuts, you grind it to becomes peanut butter.

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh Roasted peanuts, right? Roasted,

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Roasted the flavors. All right. No processed food involved.

Host Michael Dugan:

Right.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

why it tastes so good. It's so authentic, I would

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh my gosh. And I think you, I remember reading something about traveling into different markets

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yes. With your

Host Michael Dugan:

Lola. Can you talk about that? What does it look like

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Ah,

Host Michael Dugan:

in a market?

Chef Maricel Gentile:

okay. I have to say I'm old already, so this is.

Host Michael Dugan:

Me too.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

This is, I would say 60 years ago, right? Or, 55 years ago. So by then we go to Manila Bay. All right? So we are right in the center of Manila. We have a compound there. So we go to Manila Bay and all the boats coming in early in the morning. They bring all the freshest catch shrimp, different kinds of fish. And you know what? They're all still jumping inside. No coolers. It's just the fish is still jumping, and amazing. And we would just buy. And then in our fresh markets of fresh produce, these are people that just came early in the morning, traveled from the provinces, came down to Manila and sell their goods. That's how fresh it is. And you see all those ports hanging, just got butchered early that morning.

Host Michael Dugan:

Mm-hmm.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

The flavor. I tell you, it's so different, and we also have a rest house. We have a house in the province where in, she has all different, she has rice, she had, we grow rice, we have different fruits. My gosh. She really pick it up and then we just eat it like amazing the flavors I tell you. And you know what, to this day I could still taste it.

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

It, you don't forget those flavors. So it's in me. It doesn't go away.

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh, sure. Did she have a farm or something? Did I read that

Chef Maricel Gentile:

We have, a rest house in the province and it's a big lot. So

Host Michael Dugan:

Okay.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

she tries to plant different things, but we don't stay there. We go there on weekends or

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh, okay.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

And she has a caretaker. So we go there and then it's.

Host Michael Dugan:

The Philippines are on my list. I have another friend. Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

because

Host Michael Dugan:

I interviewed another chef who's a friend of mine. She's coming that I mentioned to in Seattle. She's coming in September and I'm so excited. that's isi laureano, and I think she lives, I'm pretty sure she lives in Manila.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Oh

Host Michael Dugan:

But oh, she described a lot of things about the Philippines and

Chef Maricel Gentile:

yeah,

Host Michael Dugan:

and we travel all over the world. So I think that's gonna be on our list pretty soon.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yeah, and if you need recommendations,

Host Michael Dugan:

Okay, I will reach out. for sure.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I'll definitely tell you all the places

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah. As, we talk and follow your journey was there any defining moment that made you wanna become a chef or wanna teach cooking or

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Uhhuh, you know when I came here, I went to New York Restaurant School. All right. And the goal there is after graduation, I go back to Manila. I go to a hotel and work there. I wanna be in the hotel business, but of course I met my husband so that there goes going back to the Philippines. But my goal really is to share Filipino food. Okay. It's always been in me that. I always think like when people wanna go out for dinner, 1990, lemme talk about 1990, right? They never mentioned Filipino food. If, you were gonna go to a restaurant, what would you like to eat? Oh, let's go for Italian, let's go for Chinese. But never mentioned Filipino food. I'm so proud of my Filipino cuisine, my Filipino culture, our tradition. So of course I work my way up to the corporate world until inside me I can't stop, but not think about just do what I like to share Filipino cuisine to all people that I would be able to reach out

Host Michael Dugan:

Okay.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

because I'm proud of it. It's becoming to be a reality through my cooking studio now. I just had a cooking class the other day. Yesterday, I should say. And these people have never, ever tasted Filipino food. And then we made four dishes the first thing that they like, wow. That's all they said. They says, wow. And at that point. I figured I did my job.

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I reached my goal

Host Michael Dugan:

Wow.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

sending, making other non Filipinos taste our food. And I said to them, I am not into fusion food. Nothing against it. But for you to understand a cuisine, you really have to learn the basic.

Host Michael Dugan:

Yep.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

How do they eat this? And I even tell them when we eat spring rolls, we don't do sweet and sour sauce.

Host Michael Dugan:

Okay.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

We use vinegar, garlic, fresh garlic, and that's what you put on your, and they did it. I said, I even told them how to eat it. You have one bite. said,

Host Michael Dugan:

that.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

get a bite on top and then you pour the sugar, the garlic, and then they taste it like they says, wow.

Host Michael Dugan:

Love it.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

that's how we eat it. That's basically the most simplest egg roll you're gonna get, be eating. But that's Filipino

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah. Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

And then to top it all at the end of our class, because I do Chefs Table, I do Filipino Chefs Table.

Host Michael Dugan:

Let's explain what Chef's Table is for people listening around the world because

Chef Maricel Gentile:

oh yeah. So it's a tasting menu,

Host Michael Dugan:

Mm-hmm.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

plated menu. So for us, we do 11 dishes.

Host Michael Dugan:

Wow.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

And in fact, my tasting, I say it's not tasting because I give big portions. Filipinos are not meant to have small portions. We always eat family style loads of food. So I tell you on your sixth plate, you're like, okay, let's have a little break because they're getting so full. But I like that. So that's what we do. So once a month or twice a month, we put chef's table in our calendar. Then that's one. And we also have this kamayan feast. It's called Woodle Fight. So no exaggerated 16 foot table covered with banana leaves and all the food is all on top of it. And we make 21 dishes for you to taste.

Host Michael Dugan:

That's incredible. That is absolutely incredible. Maricel

Chef Maricel Gentile:

it is an experience so it's two things For those people who haven't experienced that and they do experience it, they feel like, wow I'm sure there's other Filipino places that could offer that, but I would say we do a good job in in, in, doing that but the second thing is. For those Filipinos who grew up in the Philippines and came here in the States to have that experience brings back so much memories. Sometimes they get teary eyed when they, oh, this is how my father made this. This is I get teary eyed just listening to their comments, and that's the best connection ever. I said, if ever. That would be my prize possession. Are those comments are, those feelings, are those emotions that gets triggered when they eat? My, my food?

Host Michael Dugan:

I have to be honest, it's also your personality. You, have this incredible, humble giving spirit that is so rare. There are a few people that I've interviewed in four years that I will Gunawan, like I said, it's one of them, but, and Chef Kirk Bachman is the president of August Escoffier Institute, in Colorado. Incredible human being and was a thrill to interview him, and there's several people like that really affected me. And the conversation we had before this interview really affected me because you're so transparent and genuine. And watching some of the clips and different videos that I did to prepare for this interview, I just couldn't believe the interactions that you had with people. And I can sense that's what keeps you going is that connection. There's a great saying by Craig Valentine he is a world champion in public speaking in Toastmasters. he says, it's not about perfection, it's about connection. And I think that is the biggest lesson we can all learn. And, you have that and it's really powerful. So I can imagine sitting there at this incredible chef's table. I just visualize being there, you know

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I hope you couldn't come. Oh,

Host Michael Dugan:

that would be amazing. I, have friends in New Jersey and I'm gonna reach out to 'em and say, they have to come see you. There's three or four already I can think of immediately.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Oh I, would love to cook for you and I want you to try our, food. It's, it gets me so excited when we talk about food.

Host Michael Dugan:

of course.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

It's, I know that it's,

Host Michael Dugan:

Mm-hmm.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

share, I want you

Host Michael Dugan:

Is so rare and so special, and I think that's why. They brought you into the food channel and PBS and Hulu because of that piece That is, it's so unique. And see, it's part of your culture too, because most of the Filipinos I meet are like that. Naturally it's just natural,

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yeah.

Host Michael Dugan:

To work at it. And, I've been like that my whole life.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

too. I, did I mention to you I like talking to you before it?

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh yeah, absolutely.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I said I connected with you all also when we first

Host Michael Dugan:

that comes from my grandmother, my Lola, like she was amazing with people and she taught me that at a very early age. I wouldn't say she was the best cook, but I would say that her passion for people and birds, that was the other one, was the birds. She loved the Audubon Society and, Birds and. taught me a lot about that. And she had a cottage in Cape Cod, and as kids we used to go up to the cottage and stay for part of the summer and cook lobster and seafood and things are the memories that rush back to me right now as we're talking because that's where the connection came from for me.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Exactly.

Host Michael Dugan:

And I'm betting it came from your grandmother and your family.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

She, hosts big parties. On her birthday in December, lemme tell him like a few days before her birthday,

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

She would get goats, chicken, Turkey, pig. And we have a, compound in Manila, right? We have a big place where we could store that, those animals.

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh my gosh.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

and they, she would feed them the best. Grass and stuff like that. So that, of course when we slaughter them, it's gonna be is so good. It's so good. You could hear squealing of the pig and stuff early in the morning. I it's all in here and it's all in here.

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I could smell it. I could picture it. I could still see it Vivid

Host Michael Dugan:

Mm-hmm.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

and I think those are the memories that make me wanna continue. On what I wanna do, like

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah. Right. Like sharing

Chef Maricel Gentile:

the food, the culture, our tradition. I say nowadays everything is so technical. Everything phone, what I always say everybody should go back to the basic,

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

simple life, simple living. If, you'll find peace. I think I just say that it's amazing. It's, true. And your husband, Paul, is into technology, he's the most techie guy ever. I don't wanna learn anything because I know my boys will take care of me.

Host Michael Dugan:

Uhhuh.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

at work, it says, even my admin would say, oh, chef, you gotta just, what? Just do it for me. I don't,

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

cook. I said I don't need to learn

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah,

Chef Maricel Gentile:

technology. I just wanna cook and share my food to everyone else,

Host Michael Dugan:

Going along in cooking, is there anyone that mentored you? Is there anyone that took you under their wing and said, I'm gonna show you this, like maybe in New York restaurants

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yeah. Working in different restaurants. All right. When I was at the St. Regis, I, I didn't really cook but I saw Chef Koons manage and teach all these people, and I feel like. Like sometimes visual just by looking at things, see if you really have the passion for cooking and stuff, by looking at it, you know how to do it already. Just, and that's what I did. And you said you travel. We travel a lot too. So every time I go to a specific place I try to go into cooking class, like in Japan,

Host Michael Dugan:

That so cool.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

it's amazing. And it was funny, we just came back from our two week cruise the Mediterranean, right? In the cruise ship I went for a French cooking class, oh my gosh, and then it's so funny, at the end of the show, I was almost trying to tell them what my, kitchen is all about. I brought my book, I gave the chef my book. It, went the other way. Now they like, they're trying to learn from me what but same thing. We, were just in Marseille last two weeks ago, and there's a place there that all the fishermen bring their fresh catch. And I said to Paul the next time we come here, I want an Airbnb so that I could cook.

Host Michael Dugan:

Uhhuh.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

This thing, and I I've tasted a lot of food and I said, I feel like I wanna do this in Barcelona. Those ink. Squid ink. Oh my God, I love it. So I came back, I already ordered my squid ink because I'm making pasta with that. I'm making risotto with it. it. I'm making everything that I've tasted in Corfu or wherever I was. I'm imitating it. I'm, just gonna try to do it. In fact, I did one I, this afternoon I did the Boullibase kind of thing

Host Michael Dugan:

I love  Boullibase.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

My chef, I said Audrey taste, her name's artists, eight artists. She says, oh my gosh, chef, this is so good. I said, and that's the first time this's. The first time I made a berries. And it was just like, it's because sometimes when you put in, you know how to taste it already. So

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah. True. You know what it's going to taste

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I was reading my book,

Host Michael Dugan:

mm-hmm.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

when I was writing my book, I should say I I'm, trying to like, you know how, what to teaspoon of salt tastes like

Host Michael Dugan:

Sure.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

It it got, I've been cooking for 50 years.

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah. Wow.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

years. It's so old like,

Host Michael Dugan:

you have a wonderful life and you should just feel good about that, honestly. it's very inspiring. Maricel.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Blessed. So blessed and thankful.

Host Michael Dugan:

But   Boullibase , you got me there because I make it with Dungeness crab here

Chef Maricel Gentile:

my God.

Host Michael Dugan:

And shrimp and scallops and halibut Muscles, Yep. My dad used to make it and funny thing, he wasn't really that great at cooking. He would. He would just do one or two things, but literally I try, I tried to teach him after coming out of cookie school. Now teaching your parents, that's the reverse, right? It's a little challenging, right? I taught my mom, and my mom loved it. My dad was like, you're not gonna tell me how to cook shrimp. I'm like, you don't just boil them. It's like you need to simmer

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yeah.

Host Michael Dugan:

delicate. And so he would just turn it on, turn the stove on, walk away. But it was still delicious, right? But I learned to perfect it, and I became like a Cioppino and Boullibase snob, I would say, because it was just about the right texture of that seafood, the right flavor combination.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

the flaking of the fish

Host Michael Dugan:

Think about Bouillabaisse here's the funny thing. It was, a poor man's fish stew.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Exactly.

Host Michael Dugan:

was created by fishermen on a boat that had

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Exactly. Yes. Yes.

Host Michael Dugan:

now we pay Fortune for that dish.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

it's per plate. That's what Tour Guide said. Yes.

Host Michael Dugan:

And I'm thinking it's crazy, but it's like that signature dish now.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Exactly that what our tour guide would say. If you're paying 20 euros on your Bouillabaisse that means it's frozen fish that they got. If you're paying 120 Euros for a plate of you got the real plate and that, this is the word, that's what French people do. They save their money for that one best Bouillabaisse that they're gonna eat. I went, oh

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah,

Chef Maricel Gentile:

that's amazing.

Host Michael Dugan:

it's interesting that you mention that 'cause I am obsessed with seafood and I live in a place where seafood. is just everywhere, but the cost has gone skyrocketing.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

just crazy.

Host Michael Dugan:

Crab here and they get it from Alaska. It's not far away, is like$89 a pound or something crazy like that. Dungeon ness is like sometimes 1499 a pound. I used to get it for 3 99.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I don't know.

Host Michael Dugan:

It was 2 99 and now it's outta control.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

you, can't get them on sale. Now. I, used to get it in the store, like Special Lobster 4.99. Now you can eat 8 99 is the cheapest that you could get. Know, and

Host Michael Dugan:

your menu goes up when you serve that seafood and people need to recognize and understand that is that's a part of whats changed.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Yeah. Yeah.

Host Michael Dugan:

go, oh, it's too expensive, but they don't understand that there's a lot that's built into the cost.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

It has gone up so much. I, was even talking to my sous chef. I said my gosh, our half trays price right now, it used to be price of the whole tray. Now same price for a whole tray is just the size, the price for the half a tray. I was like, oh my gosh. And I say people when they really like to eat they would spend the money, I would say.

Host Michael Dugan:

True. If you're passionate and dedicated I, don't even think twice anymore. I'm like, it's about the experience. And it's also about honoring the. people that create the experience. That's why I do the podcast. It's about honoring the people that create The experience.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

In my cooking studio, we do a lot of corporate team building and stuff like that, and most of the time I would ask them, what made you come to Maricel's Kitchen? They would always say, first of all, you have the best reviews. They said,

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh you do.!

Chef Maricel Gentile:

They are

Host Michael Dugan:

almost all five star and they're honest, and I'm like, that's incredible

Chef Maricel Gentile:

and then, and then the second part is we want experience now. We just don't like eating out. And after that's gone. So what they do is we, have the cooking class. I explain them everything, and it's hands on. It's really hands on. It's not a demo. Everybody's doing their mis plus and then go ahead, cook it, and then after that they're so happy with what they made and then they're gonna sit down and eat This is amazing. And of course when I cook, I talk with my hands. I give them

Host Michael Dugan:

Right.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

stories and they get entertained. So it's, a show I said Welcome to the show, not a cooking class. So that's what it is.

Host Michael Dugan:

I think it's amazing to me that you bring this, right? And you do, you have five star reviews all the way, and I've, read a few of'em and I'm just like, wow. So I'm gonna share one with you and share one with our audience and just take a step back. So this is from Lauren. I'm picking 'em at random, so here we go. This one is from Lauren Kalonovich. It says, the class was intimate and fun. Maricel and her staff made me feel comfortable in the kitchen and excited to make and eat something new. The food was delicious. All the recipes we used where authentic. She wrote a long one. We walked through each step by step with love and care. It was the best cooking class experience, and the location was clean, convenient, and beautifully decorated. Now you have to understand, I just glanced over and looked at a few of these and picked one at random, so that is pretty impressive to me.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

Host Michael Dugan:

A little bit embarassing for you maybe, but I had to share.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

I know I, try not I, love reading them

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Let's go back to my kids' classes, right?

Host Michael Dugan:

Yeah.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

And so one of the kid that came in didn't eat anything Allergic or what they think. It's and the parents are very concerned if she would be able to go along with the cooking class.'cause everything needs to be tasted and stuff. The parents just send us an a wonderful email because. Every, everything. Now she eats

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh my gosh.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

The, thing that she doesn't wanna try. Now she tries everything, even in my cooking class, right there and there. I said, sweetheart, did you try this? And oh, the parents were like, how did you do it? Because for the longest time, they're letting this kid try something. And she's no. Today they can't. Thank me enough what has gone from not tasting anything to now taste. She tastes everything. She eats everything. Parents, the first day they brought her lunch, I said, she doesn't eat lunch because we're feeding it. No, we don't think that she's gonna eat your food. Let me tell you,

Host Michael Dugan:

Wow. Wow. We

Chef Maricel Gentile:

give them a lot of food. She finishes everything

Host Michael Dugan:

Oh my gosh.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

That's why the parents were like, oh my God, what happened there?

Host Michael Dugan:

right.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

And, now she, she booked for six weeks,

Host Michael Dugan:

Hmm.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Six continuous weeks for, this, and she lights up when she comes to the kitchen, her eyes are like, okay, we're starting to cook. I love her. She's a sweetheart.

Host Michael Dugan:

That's amazing. So as, we move on, I really want to get to some of these pieces and what, I find interesting is you've been on PBS, you've been on Hulu, and you've been on the Food Channel.

Chef Maricel Gentile:

Oh my God.

Host Michael Dugan:

Can you highlight a couple of these things? What was it like and how did you connect to PBS?

Chef Maricel Gentile:

That was an interesting question. It's always interesting how I connect with these people, right? So I was driving and somebody called, of which you could answer your phone and he says. The way he said it was, would you like to be on PBS?

Host Michael Dugan:

In part two, we dive into the inspiring journey of Maricel Gentile as she transforms her love for cuisine into a vibrant career, discovering her captivating stories with Hulu. PBS that unveil the heart and soul behind her culinary passion. Stay tuned for part two.