A Very Special Christmas Eve | Blue Crab Spaghetti with Rocco DiSpirito
Christmas Eve is not for half-measures — and this episode proves it. Clinton Kelly, Carla Hall, and Michael Symon welcome longtime friend and Italian cooking legend Rocco DiSpirito for a loud, nostalgic, seafood-forward celebration of Christmas Eve traditions. The conversation dives into Feast of the Seven Fishes lore, growing up Italian-American, learning to cook on early Food Network, and why certain dishes are reserved for exactly one night a year. Rocco walks the crew through his family's iconic blue crab pasta — a slow-simmered, shell-infused sauce that delivers deep ocean flavor without chunks of seafood in sight. Along the way, the group debates kitchen gadgets that should disappear forever, breaks down holiday hosting nightmares, plays Chew It or Screw It, and shares why Christmas Eve was always the real party. The episode ends with a stunning, old-world fruit and nut table runner — proof that the table itself can be part of the tradition. This is not weeknight food. This is memory-making food. 👉 Grab the full recipe + more at: www.chewedupshow.com/recipes ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 — Air fryer opinions immediately get dangerous 01:45 — Why Christmas Eve was always the real party 03:00 — Rocco DiSpirito enters (and the nostalgia hits) 08:10 — Breaking down the Feast of the Seven Fishes 11:00 — Blushing crab shells = flavor 15:20 — Chew It or Screw It: holiday edition 21:30 — Deglazing, vermouth, and why heat matters 27:40 — Angel hair pasta danger zone 31:10 — Why this pasta isn't about chunks of seafood 35:30 — Holiday hosting problem-solving 39:00 — Kitchen gadgets that should disappear 44:20 — Rocco's Christmas Eve fruit & nut table runner 50:30 — Fan giveaway winner 53:00 — Final bites + Christmas wishes 🙌 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Frontgate → Premium home, kitchen, and entertaining essentials https://www.frontgate.com Señorita → Non-alcoholic, full-flavored THC margarita made with real juice and organic agave https://www.senoritadrinks.com/discount/CHEWEDUP20 Caraway → Non-toxic cookware with even heating and easy cleanup https://carawayhome.com/chewedup Canopy by Hilton → A lifestyle hotel brand offering a local-first experience https://www.hilton.com/en/canopy 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. New Episodes Drop 3x a Week: Monday – Appetizers Wednesday – Mains Friday – Desserts Want to Watch? Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/3Z9NDuHH7XP03FXQIhHlQ3 YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@ChewedUpShow Want to Listen? Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/3Z9NDuHH7XP03FXQIhHlQ3 Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chewed-up/id1840993910 Amazon → https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1fc5d229-459b-4334-8970-ce0d6f925982/chewed-up RedCircle → https://redcircle.com/shows/c42dbec1-e576-4927-acc7-f22e988c1a81 🎁 Fan Giveaway Every episode, one lucky subscriber wins. This Week's Giveaway: Caraway Knife Set + Utensil Set Want in? 👉 Subscribe and sign up here: https://chewedupshow.com/fangiveaway Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy