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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Best Savory Flavors
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The Sweetest Things
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Episodes
See Episode GuideLayers of Goodness
Get ready to pile it on thick as we're talking layers of goodness that are stacked to the ceiling. We take a trip to Chicago where we meet up with Jeff Mauro to discover all the magic colors hidden inside the Rainbow Cake. We find Monti Carlo over in Seattle cutting right to the middle of a plantain lasagna. And we indulge in every delectable layer of Geoffrey Zakarian's grasshopper dessert.
Simply Irresistible
A perfectly roasted chicken, sticky buns laden with sweet delicious caramel, and succulent seafood in a sauce that's "off the hook" -- find out why Guy, Bobby, Duff and others say these dishes and more are Simply Irresistible.
Guilty Pleasures
It's so bad it's good! With dishes like a mountainous 24-layer chocolate cake, and a succulent steak stuffed with golden fried oysters, or a pile of crispy duck fat fries smothered in cheese and gravy, it's no surprise Food Network stars including Michael Symon, Sunny Anderson and Claire Robinson are torn between guilt ... and pleasure.
Appetizers
They may be small in size but they're big on flavor! We're talking appetizers -- from classic crispy calamari to French onion soup in the form of a dumpling! Find out what tasty morsels stars like Ted Allen, Bobby Flay and Duff say are the best way to start a meal.
Finger Food
Alton Brown, Gail Simmons, Alex Guarnaschelli and others are throwin' down the cutlery and reaching for their best ever finger foods -- from roasted toasted ravioli and crispy fried pickles to sacrilegious but oh so delicious bacon wrapped Matzo Balls!
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!
Yummy in the Middle
It's that ooey-gooey goodness in the middle that we just can't get enough of, so we're heading straight to the middle of things to see what greatness awaits. Jeff Mauro indulges in a 100-layer vanilla creme doughnut that's full of surprises. Antonia Lofaso cracks the yolk on ricotta and egg ravioli in Los Angeles, and Chef Lee Anne Wong heads to Hawaii for a unique and irresistible quesadilla that packs a powerful punch.
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.
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!
Miami
We are headed to Miami for a little fun in the sun and some truly epic eats. We're trying it all, from stone crabs at Joe's, to the lamb shank at Sardinia. The piping hot oven at Fratelli La Bufala is turning out pillowy calzones, while the folks at Ola are cooling off with a nice and icy pear granita. And don't let the fabulous physiques of Miami Beach fool you, this city loves their sweets. With a trifecta of treats at Michaels Genuine and the chocolate peanut butter s'more from Prime 112, Miami has some of the best desserts around.
Chocolate
Whether it's melting in a souffle, wrapped around creme brulee, poured over chicken or baked into a cookie that defies all chocolate logic -- this is definitely chocolate at its best! Food Network stars including Alton, Duff, Tyler Florence and Claire Robinson unwrap their favorite chocolate delights, just in time for Valentine's Day.
Messy
A burger smothered in slaw, a lasagna sandwich, bread oozing with sweet decadent chocolate ... these are just a few of the dishes Andrew Zimmern, Duff, Alton Brown and others say are delicious, gooey, sloppy and best of all ... messy!
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.
Trigger Foods
We're losing all control and giving in to ultimate food cravings. Geoffrey Zakarian starts things off like never before with the most juicy and succulent roast chicken from New York City. Jonathon Sawyer takes it to the next level with a cheesy, crunchy, gravy-drenched delight known as poutine. And nothing can compare to the excitement in Duff Goldman's eyes when he's back in Baltimore slinging back some single-fry oysters.
Personal Favorites
For years, they've shared their cooking secrets. Now eight popular Food Network personalities open up about what's on their plates when they're not the ones behind the stove. In this half-hour special, they'll reveal their favorite foods, tell us where they go to get them, and explain why each qualifies as THE BEST THING I EVER ATE.
Best Meal Deal
You don't have to sacrifice incredible food experiences in order to save a buck! Antonia Lofaso keeps her wallet full with irresistible Mexican munchies in Venice Beach, Calif., Duff Goldman saves a ton as he takes on the enormous Orca Platter in Washington, D.C., and Ali Khan gets incredible bang for his buck with a one-of-a-kind meal in Des Moines, Iowa, that you have to see to believe.
Life Changers
We're revealing all the unforgettable dishes that changed our lives. Alex Guarnaschelli names the dish that resulted in her being born, and Fanny Slater explains why she wouldn't get married without catfish and grits. Chef Jonathon Sawyer discusses how one dish changed the lives of over 200 inmates, while cake ace Duff Goldman talks about the slice of pie that makes him weak in the knees.
Voted 'Most Popular'
We're sharing seven of the most popular go-to dishes from restaurants across the country. Jason Smith takes us down south to an irresistible ice cream shop, while Bobby Flay reveals his secret neighborhood joint. Chef Beau MacMillan keeps it simple with his favorite salad, and Katie Lee admits that a nontraditional grilled pizza is her ultimate favorite.
Stacked
With layers upon layers stacked with flavor and ingredients, these favorite dishes seem too good to be true. Wolfgang Puck gushes about an unimaginable seafood platter at Cassia in Los Angeles. Down south in New Orleans, monstrous pulled pork nachos from Kingfish have Marc Murphy stunned, and Katie Lee unveils a massive sandwich that will overload your taste buds at Anna's Deli in Sarasota, Fla.
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.
High Steaks
We're paying tribute to the best styles, cuts and steakhouses serving up the best steaks. Chef Jonathon Sawyer takes us on a trip to Dayton for a ribeye cut so incredibly, it's fit for a king. Jaynard Wells travels down to Atlanta for the best of both worlds -- the sea and land -- in a surf-and-turf combo of steak and shrimp. And Duff Goldman drools over a butter steak that melts in your mouth ... like butter!
Voted 'Most Popular'
We're sharing seven of the most popular go-to dishes from restaurants across the country. Jason Smith takes us down south to an irresistible ice cream shop, while Bobby Flay reveals his secret neighborhood joint. Chef Beau MacMillan keeps it simple with his favorite salad, and Katie Lee admits that a nontraditional grilled pizza is her ultimate favorite.
Stacked
With layers upon layers stacked with flavor and ingredients, these favorite dishes seem too good to be true. Wolfgang Puck gushes about an unimaginable seafood platter at Cassia in Los Angeles. Down south in New Orleans, monstrous pulled pork nachos from Kingfish have Marc Murphy stunned, and Katie Lee unveils a massive sandwich that will overload your taste buds at Anna's Deli in Sarasota, Fla.
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.
High Steaks
We're paying tribute to the best styles, cuts and steakhouses serving up the best steaks. Chef Jonathon Sawyer takes us on a trip to Dayton for a ribeye cut so incredibly, it's fit for a king. Jaynard Wells travels down to Atlanta for the best of both worlds -- the sea and land -- in a surf-and-turf combo of steak and shrimp. And Duff Goldman drools over a butter steak that melts in your mouth ... like butter!
Off-the-Menu
Shhhhh … it's a secret, unique dish made just for you! Feel like a regular as chefs and food lovers let you in on can't-miss dishes that aren't found on any menu. Covertly share a special request for salted caramel ice cream with Tabitha Brown in New York, follow John Henson's advice to skip the salad and whisper an order for the special Caesar fries instead in Washington, D.C., and get in line early with Duff Goldman in Los Angeles to snag the hottest and crunchiest bagel in America.
