Hailee Catalano Interview — CafeHailee Interview TikTok

Hailee Catalano’s movies—which embrace scouring a farmer’s marketplace for husk cherries, constructing a two-foot-long sandwich, and plating turnips—aren’t manufactured to seize consideration. In case you scroll by means of her TikToks, you’ll discover that the style’s gimmicks—pulsating music, aggressively quirky commentary, and dudes in tank tops—are noticeably absent. And but, greater than 2 million individuals are following Hailee’s each meal.

Of these 2 million individuals, many watch as a result of Hailee—a culinary college graduate and former line cook dinner at Chicago’s Cellar Door Provisions—is a badass within the kitchen. With a mushy, honest voice and an arsenal of well-trained culinary strategies pouring into every of her movies, Hailee is the epitome of quiet confidence.

Hailee in the kitchen — Hailee within the kitchen

Photograph by Some Shelly Pictures

Some watch to allow them to make Hailee’s meals. Unsurprisingly, she makes this straightforward: On Hailee’s web site, you could find the recipe for any dish she’s made on digital camera. In case you’re new to Hailee, enable me to advocate some entry factors: Garlic Scape Chimichurri, Zucchini Stuffed Shells, Do-it-yourself Cavatelli and Pesto, Fig Tart.

I watch Hailee’s movies as a result of they’re sincere. Take her “coconut brown butter banana bread” video for instance. Sure, the bread—like all her different meals—threads the needle between stunning and approachable. And sure, I did instantly ship it to my girlfriend with the message “we make?” However essentially the most memorable element of the video is Hailee plainly narrating how she initially struggled to interrupt into meals media. She doesn’t reveal something overly dramatic, she simply places it on the market.

Lately, we caught up with Hailee to be taught extra in regards to the meals that conjures up her, the video she nonetheless hasn’t nailed, and why she loves olive oil and ice cream a lot.

Paul: With a lot meals content material on the market, there’s 1,000,000 retailers you may draw inspiration from. What’s the primary place you flip to once you want an thought for a brand new recipe?

Hailee: I have a tendency to show to what produce is in season and go from there! I like to select a seasonal ingredient/substances that I wish to characteristic after which brainstorm dishes based mostly on what I’m within the temper to eat, favourite childhood dishes, or enjoyable twists on classics!

In your spaghet video, you talked about that you simply discovered in regards to the drink (a Miller Excessive Life topped with Aperol) whereas cooking in Chicago. Are there another restaurant snacks/drinks you continue to preserve in your again pocket?

I did! One other drink I nonetheless have typically is simply glowing water with any form of bitters, and lemon. I might all the time have an upset abdomen after an evening cooking on the road from tasting so many issues time and again, so a bartender made that for me one evening and it helped sooo a lot! So far as snacks, it often was simply combining any bizarre combo of issues in my mise en place.

Your dishes all the time plate very properly. How do you go about choosing the proper plate or bowl for the dish you’re making? What are another stuff you think about whereas plating?

Thanks! I all the time attempt to think about how I might need somebody to eat the dish, so I wish to plate issues in a method that may encourage individuals to get “the right chunk”. I additionally all the time think about contrasting colours and textures. I believe there may be an magnificence in simplicity as properly.

Your love for a sandwich on the seashore is well-documented, however I’d like to learn about your chip desire. What’s your go-to chip (doesn’t need to be potato) and what do you want about it?

Haha sure! I undoubtedly undergo chip phases, however currently, [Lay’s] Kettle Cooked Maui Onion has been my go-to. They’re savory whereas additionally being a contact candy, which I really like with a sub that has quantity of pink wine vinegar. It is a good steadiness!

You’ve shared a couple of movies of ice cream topped with olive oil. Why does this combo work so properly?

To me, it really works so properly as a result of it’s sort of a type of guiding the lily issues. Ice cream and olive oil are a few of my favourite issues, so them collectively kinda simply make the opposite one even higher. Additionally, the slight acidity in olive oil pairs nice with creamy, wealthy ice cream.

Whereas your entire meals appears implausible, I’m positive—like everyone else—you mess up often. Are there any of your movies that had been—for some cause—notably difficult or messy?

Whereas I don’t do it typically, anytime I cook dinner steak for a video, it’s so arduous to seize the photographs whereas nonetheless cooking the steak to the temp I need. All of the basting will get all the pieces, together with my telephone/filming tools, all greasy and it is actually a multitude. I’ve determined any longer, I solely do steak movies if I’ve somebody serving to me movie (which means [my partner] Chuck).