‘That’s hot’ takes on a whole new meaning when Paris Hilton enters the kitchen on Aug. 4 for her new Netflix series Cooking With Paris. Ahead of the show’s Aug. 4 debut, we talked with the famed socialite about the show’s origins, her love of cooking, and what she wants to produce next.
Where did you get your love of cooking?
My earliest memories as a little girl were sitting in the kitchen with my mom during the holidays and cooking with her. I’ve always loved food and as a naturally creative person, I found my love for cooking.
What was the genesis of Cooking With Paris?
It started with the lasagna video that I posted on YouTube during quarantine that went viral. It was just a fun video that I filmed at home during quarantine where I didn’t take anything too seriously and I had no idea that it would take off like that. I started getting calls about putting together the show and the rest is history!
Do you feel like your cooking skills actually improved over the course of the series?
Definitely. I learned to cook so many things that I’ve never cooked before. lt was a lot of fun to learn all of these new skills, try new recipes and to bond with my friends.
What would you say your most successful dish was?
Our choices were all so delicious. I think one of my favorites was the frittata I made with Kim. I’ve made it for my fiancé a few times since then. It’s the perfect meal to cook for brunch on the weekends when we are at home.
That episode seemed like a special one. How was it for you to reunite in the kitchen with Kim and just have a chat and make breakfast?
It was so much fun to be together and try this new recipe we both had never cooked before. We’ve been friends since we were little girls, so to find time to just hang out, catch up and make this amazing meal together was awesome.
What was it like working as an executive producer on the show?
I love being in front of the camera but being behind the scenes for this show was really special. I enjoyed working together with the whole team and coming up with different ideas and being very creative. The whole process was great from start to finish and I can’t wait for everyone to see the final product.
After the very poignant and revealing tone of your documentary, did it feel good to get back to this more lighthearted territory?
Yes, it did. I have a lot of important stories I want to tell, but I love to have fun, make people laugh and not take myself too seriously. Going forward, I’m going to produce shows that are going to be both serious and lighthearted, because I think that duality is important to me and my fans and audiences that are going to watch.
Do you get a sense that over the years people have a better understanding of the difference between the humorous side of your persona and the shyer, more down-to-Earth person you actually are?
Yes. I think my fans who have grown up with me definitely understand the different sides of me, especially since the documentary and can appreciate it. But there are people who don’t follow me as closely who probably don’t understand. One of my goals now is to open up more and show my more authentic side to the broader world. It’s hard to do that because I’m really guarded and a shy person, but I’m trying my best.
Cooking With Paris debuts Aug. 4.
