Ever wonder what the biggest food stars and chefs eat in their free time — when they're paying? Find out on The Best Thing I Ever Ate! It's the ultimate guide to the country's most-amazing meals, eats and treats as told by the pros who spend their lives obsessing over food.
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The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Top 5 Highlights 7 Videos
Behold the best pizzas, burgers and more top food picks from the show.
Take a Bite Out of These Best Things 26 Photos
Find your favorite flavors with the most-popular recipes from CookingChannelTV.com.
The Best Of The Best Thing
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The Sweetest Things
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Episodes
See Episode GuideBetter with Booze
Whether it's on the side or cooked right in, the bold flavors of booze bring new levels of terrific taste. Alex Guarnaschelli guzzles down beer-battered cheese curds in Chicago while Jason Smith devours boozy bourbon balls in Kentucky. Plus, in Wisconsin, Elena Besser proclaims her love for chicken Parmesan with vodka sauce.
Ooey Gooey Goodness
These favorite dishes are literally oozing with cheesy and creamy goodness. Andrew Zimmern pulls apart a melty meatball parmigiana hero in Portland, Ore. Antonia Lofaso finds a super-soft creme brulee doughnut in Washington, D.C., while Anne Burell heads to the city of sin for a breakfast sandwich packed with ooey, gooey deliciousness.
Crazy Creations
Don't be fooled, these one-of-a-kind concoctions and zany mashups are real-deal delicious. Jeff Mauro enjoys a unique caramel-corn pastry treat in Chicago, and Ali Khan gives the low-down on jambalaya served on a stick in Austin, Texas. Plus, Alex Guarnaschelli heads to California for an unforgettable sandwich experience.
Fried and Gone to Heaven
Some fried food is so crispy, so crunchy and so incredible that you feel like you've died and gone to heaven. Jeff Mauro heads to Proxi in Chicago for a food frenzy with the most-unique version of street corn ever imagined. Simon Majumdar takes his taste buds to the next level with a crispy pork shank at Salo-Salo Grill in West Covina, Calif., and Ali Khan keeps it old-school with a phenomenal fried hot chicken sammy from Tumble 22 in Austin, Texas.
Better with Booze
Whether it's on the side or cooked right in, the bold flavors of booze bring new levels of terrific taste. Alex Guarnaschelli guzzles down beer-battered cheese curds in Chicago while Jason Smith devours boozy bourbon balls in Kentucky. Plus, in Wisconsin, Elena Besser proclaims her love for chicken Parmesan with vodka sauce.
Ooey Gooey Goodness
These favorite dishes are literally oozing with cheesy and creamy goodness. Andrew Zimmern pulls apart a melty meatball parmigiana hero in Portland, Ore. Antonia Lofaso finds a super-soft creme brulee doughnut in Washington, D.C., while Anne Burell heads to the city of sin for a breakfast sandwich packed with ooey, gooey deliciousness.
Crazy Creations
Don't be fooled, these one-of-a-kind concoctions and zany mashups are real-deal delicious. Jeff Mauro enjoys a unique caramel-corn pastry treat in Chicago, and Ali Khan gives the low-down on jambalaya served on a stick in Austin, Texas. Plus, Alex Guarnaschelli heads to California for an unforgettable sandwich experience.
Hometown Favorites
There's no place like home, there's no place like home ... at least according to Giada, Alton, Ina, and Emeril. They're among the Food Network favorites who reveal the best thing they've ever eaten in their hometowns, from a savory West Coast burger to an out-of-this-world Southern-style hot dog, not to mention the pasta, pizza and Portuguese soup in between.
Crunchy
What do onion rings, corn fritters, egg rolls and caramel corn have in common? They all make the same sound ... "CRUNCH!" And they are just a few of the best crispy foods Duff, Claire Robinson, Brian Boitano and others have ever eaten! From bowling alleys to movie theaters, find out where that delicious sound is coming from!
Dallas
We're in Dallas to show you some of the hottest spots in town. Barbecue is big in Texas, and the brisket at North Main BBQ bowls us over with its world-famous brisket. Fried chicken is one of our favorite foods so you bet we went to Babe's to satisfy our crunchy cravings. And for those of you with a sweet tooth, we find some of the best desserts in Dallas, from the Pecan Ball at Café Pacific to the classic fruitcake at Collins bakery. It's time to dig in to Dallas!
Sweet Tooth
You don't have to be a kid to want the delicious sugary sweets that Bobby, Claire, Rocco and others are talking about -- from fruit filled homemade Pop Tarts to PB&J doughnuts, rich Chocolate Mousse, and tangy Tangerine Creamsicles. And you don't need your parents' permission to eat them!
All American
Guy Fieri, Michael Symon, Alton Brown and Bobby Flay are just a few of the star spangled chefs wavin' a flag for their favorite All American dish. We're talkin' sauced-up BBQ Fried Chicken, a Hot Dog with 50 topping choices, an Apple Pie smothered in salted caramel, and a sandwich so gloriously over-the-top it can only be American!
As Good as Mom's
Food stars including Wolfgang Puck, Curtis Stone and Andrew Zimmern pay homage to their moms, as they reveal favorite dishes that remind them of their mother's cooking. From sweet delicious macaroons and decadent melt-in-your-mouth blintzes, to spicy chili rellenos ... these dishes and more are comforting, scrumptious, and almost ... As Good As Mom's.
Obsessions
Find out what Giada will do for just one more bite of Lemon-Scallion Dungeness Crab, how many spicy Buffalo Wings Aaron McCargo Jr. can eat in a day! Chefs including Bobby Flay and Tyler Florence reveal dishes that have become their obsessions.
Culinary Revolutions
There's no denying that some foods have revolutionized the culinary game while making stomachs happy. Scott Conant gives new meaning to an old favorite with an updated take on classic potato tots. Jernard Wells devours a delectable dish of salt and pepper calamari in Atlanta, while Tregaye Fraser changes the game forever with the Belly Benedict.
Best I Ever Drank
Shakers are shakin', ice is clinkin', and soda is flowin' as bartenders across the country serve Michael Symon, Claire Robinson, Duff, Ted, Tyler and others their favorite drinks in this special episode. From Gin Blossoms to Chocolate Sodas, Grapefruit Margaritas to Herbacious Mojitos, these are just a few of the things that Food Network stars say are "The Best Thing I Ever ... Drank!
Street Food
Gone are the days of the roach coach! These food trucks and roadside stands have Tyler Florence, Sunny Anderson and Gail Simmons heading for the streets, to savor a Waffle of Massive Deliciousness, an ice cream called the Salty Pimp, buttery snails on a stick and more! Find out who's behind the wheel and delivering the fastest, fresh treats to your favorite food personalities.
Ice Creamy
Alton screams, Duff screams, they all scream for ice cream! We've got the scoop on the coolest creamiest treats around. From a delectable homemade fudge-smothered vanilla sundae to a torte de gelato that will change your life and the best ice cream sandwich on the planet!
Eggstraordinary
Truffled egg toast, Reuben Egg Rolls, Foot High Lemon Meringue Pie and Strawberry Souffle are just a few of the EGGstraordinary dishes Gail Simmons, Alton Brown, Robert Irvine and others are EGGcited to talk about in this EGGceptional episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate!
Wake Up Call
Food Network stars reveal foods they love to start their day with. From Giada and Wicked Spicy Hot Chocolate, to Bobby Flay's love for Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast, to Duff Goldman's favorite huevos fiesta and more.
Asian Sensations
Take your taste buds on a trip to the Far East with a list of America's best Asian dishes. Martha Stewart shares a perfect meaty powerhouse in New York City. Alex Guarnaschelli uncovers a heavy-hitting pork bun in Minneapolis, and Wolfgang Puck reveals where he gets his favorite crispy Asian dish.
Desert Island Dish
Mayday! Mayday! The chefs and foodies are stranded on a desert island with nothing but an appetite, and they're sharing the one dish they simply can't live without. Duff Goldman turns to an irresistible doughnut from Baltimore's Paradise Donuts, Alex Guarnaschelli brings along her must-have paella from Black Bull in Chicago, and Wolfgang Puck chooses one dessert above all others from Angelini Osteria in Los Angeles.
Mess Hall
Grab some napkins because things are about to get messy in the best way possible. Alex Guarnaschelli travels to Washington, D.C., for a beer-battered burger sure to leave a mark. Then Antonia Lofaso visits Los Angeles to let loose on the fattest sub sandwich ever imagined while Duff Goldman heads to Arkansas for a deliciously sloppy mess that can't be missed.
Livin' Large
Size does matter on these colossal portions that are sure to break the plate. Geoffrey Zakarian visits the heart of New York City for chocolate bread pudding too gigantic to comprehend. Simon Majumdar conquers a behemoth burger in sunny Southern California while Beau MacMillan visits Charleston, S.C., for a life-changing fried chicken platter.
Sensational Surprises
These unexpected and delicious food finds are no longer a secret. Robert Irvine is in for the surprise of his life with one-of-a-kind dumplings in Philadelphia. Geoffrey Zakarian is left stunned and speechless by a tropical sundae in New York while Ali Khan uncovers marvelous Mexican food in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Livin' Large
Size does matter on these colossal portions that are sure to break the plate. Geoffrey Zakarian visits the heart of New York City for chocolate bread pudding too gigantic to comprehend. Simon Majumdar conquers a behemoth burger in sunny Southern California while Beau MacMillan visits Charleston, S.C., for a life-changing fried chicken platter.
