Cooking Channel Talents' Holiday Playlists

We asked our chefs and hosts what songs they'll be playing during the holidays, because cooking and entertaining this season won't be nearly as fun with silent nights.

Bobby Deen

I’m a big jazz fan and there’s a wonderful jazz artist named Grant Green who does really wonderful jazz guitar. My wife is from Venezuela, so there is definitely Latin influence in the music in our house. I'm a big fan of Buena Vista Social Club. And for holiday music I love Elvis Presley's Christmas stuff.  

Chuck Hughes

I love Christmas. I love everything about it. I just can't get into the songs. My family is all about the classics. They're into Frank Sinatra. Then I'll throw in some Zeppelin. I’ll toss in some CCR and stuff like that. But in my house around Christmastime, it’s all about, you know, Ella Fitzgerald — just classic, timeless music that’s for the whole family.

G. Garvin

Let’s just say, if you haven’t, download Black Violin. They do the most-incredible songs, some of which are covers — everything from Michael Jackson’s "Beat It" to U2. Then The Roots, Frank Sinatra, James Brown and, believe it or not, Swing Out Sister is one of my favorite bands.

Debi + Gabriele

(Debi): We play a lot of salsa, jazz, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian music.

 

(Gabriele): But for the most part, old music. We obviously like modern Latin jazz and stuff, but we listen to a ton of music from the '50s and the '60s. You know, old orchestras and, obviously, Dizzy Gillespie and big band jives.

 

Mo Rocca

Well, I love the Carpenters. And then I’ll just listen to Barbra Streisand sing "Jingle Bells" on a loop because it goes to this crazy manic place that I can only hope is what heaven is –– because she just keeps changing keys and going higher and higher.

Kelsey Nixon

That changes frequently. So for the holidays, it’s the Carpenters. Huge Carpenters fan. I like a band called the Hush Sound –– they’re very poppy and fun. And then I’ll say Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake ... I’m sort of a sucker for the top 40. And Cat Power.

Tiffani Thiessen

We’re usually Sirius Radio fans, where we put on the traditional holiday channel, but it’s usually in competition with cartoons, with the little ones.