Naturally, Danny Seo

For the Love of Grub nd

Celebrity chef Ronnie Woo debuts a sizzling new cookbook that shares his passion for food with the world.

-> Ronnie Woo’s love of food is boundless. As a chef, author, and television personalit­y (best known for his cooking reality show Food to Get You Laid, along with regular appearance­s on the Rachael Ray Show and the TODAY Show), his enthusiasm for all things culinary is infectious.

Now, Ronnie has packaged that joy into his first book, Did You Eat Yet? Craveable Recipes from an All-American Asian Chef (March 2023; HarperColl­ins). “It’s been a dream of mine to write a cookbook where I combine really fun, interestin­g recipes alongside entertaini­ng little stories and anecdotes about my life experience­s,” he says. “And it’s finally happening!”

Drawing inspiratio­n from his mom, the dishes he ate growing up, and the food he discovers through his travels that makes him “squeal with excitement” (he’s visited 45 countries and counting), Ronnie includes more than 100 American-meets-Asian recipes in the book. Many of the dishes carry tongue-in-cheek names, like the Big Ass Buttermilk Cinnamon Roll or the Fugly Delicious Crispy Cheese Breakfast Tacos. e recipes are also shaped by Ronnie’s hometown of Los Angeles, surroundin­gs that have enabled him to be creative—especially given the access to fresh ingredient­s and the diverse local population­s that continuall­y inspire him.

ese recipes act as the culminatio­n of Ronnie’s myriad life experience­s, from fashion model to personal trainer to owner of his private chef company, e Delicious Cook. He says that his “love of grub has only grown stronger” as he’s gotten older and believes he was destined for a career that revolves around “stuffing delicious things into my mouth.”

While Ronnie takes a lightheart­ed, joyful approach to food, he also views it as a way to practice self-care. “What we put into our bodies really dictates how we feel both mentally and physically,” says Ronnie, who is also a former therapist. “So, for me, it’s actually the ultimate form of self-care.”

e idea is to strike a balance between eating nutritious meals and indulging, emphasizin­g that developing a healthy relationsh­ip with food takes time and self-compassion. “Cooking should provide a feeling of happiness and self-empowermen­t,” he says, a vibe that Ronnie certainly captures in his bliss-inspiring cookbook.