Welcome to Cheese Heaven | Michael's Fancy Tater Tots Melt Everyone's Brain (and Mouth)

This week on Chewed Up, Michael Symon turns back the clock to his Lola restaurant days with a nostalgic yet over-the-top snack: Loaded Tater Tots with Cheese Fondue. What starts as a simple "Monday Appetizer Day" turns into a glorious kitchen free-for-all — molten Gruyère cheese, bubbling oil, and a conversation that veers from caffeine armpit experiments to culinary redemption stories. Carla Hall recounts her grandmother's ghostly intervention in a soul food recipe crisis, while Clinton Kelly battles sleep deprivation and scalding cheese.

The trio dive into the science of pâte à choux, the quirks of farm-fresh eggs, and the art of not losing your mind in November. Between the laughter, burns, and butter, they serve up a reminder that life (and food) is better when you keep it messy — and molten.

👉 Grab the full recipe + more at: www.chewedupshow.com/recipes

Keywords

Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Chewed Up, cheese fondue, homemade tater tots, Lola restaurant, Midwestern comfort food, frying tips, fondue recipe, winter recipes, comfort food podcast, Frontgate, All-Clad, Hedley & Bennett, Blues Hog, Casamara Club

Timestamps

00:00 – Michael confesses his love for melted cheese

01:00 – The crew talks sleep, aging, and grumpiness

04:00 – Michael starts the fondue and reveals his secret garlic trick

06:00 – Carla recalls the caffeine spray incident

10:00 – The art of pâte à choux (and Clinton's cream puff phase)

14:00 – Farm-fresh egg facts from Clinton

16:00 – Carla's "hot water cornbread redemption" story

20:00 – Frying tips: how to keep your oil clean

23:00 – The trio debates winter blues and hobbies

30:00 – Liz's cocktail set gets a shoutout

33:00 – Clinton scalds his uvula

34:00 – Fan Giveaway winner announced

🙌 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

Frontgate → Elegant home décor, furniture, and Michael Symon's barware collection. frontgate.com

All-Clad → The gold standard of professional cookware. allclad.com

Hedley & Bennett → Premium aprons, knives, and kitchen tools for chefs and home cooks. hedleyandbennett.com

Blues Hog BBQ → Award-winning sauces and rubs — "Stay Saucy." blueshog.com

Casamara Club → Elevated, botanical sodas for your next mocktail moment. casamaraclub.com

Kitchen Designed by Anthony Carrino → https://anthonycarrino.com

Produced by Simple Alien → https://www.simplealien.com/

Camera, Audio and Crew provided by TV Boy → https://tvboynyc.com/

About Chewed Up

Three lifestyle icons reunite with zero filter, strong opinions, and even stronger flavors. Clinton Kelly, Carla Hall, and Michael Symon are back in the kitchen with comedy, comfort food, and unfiltered conversation — served loud. Episodes drop 3x a week:

• Monday – Appetizers
• Wednesday – Mains
• Friday – Desserts
• Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss a bite.

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Fan Giveaway

Every episode we pick one lucky subscriber for a fan giveaway.

This week's Giveaway: The Frontgate Cocktail Set from Liz Symon's collection.

Want in?

👉 Subscribe and sign up here: https://chewedupshow.com/fangiveaway

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