E!: Have you ever had an “aha” moment where you think, “Wow, we’re really changing lives?”
AP: I’m in touch with some of the heroes via Instagram and we’ll just check in every once in a while, just to see how they’re doing. And to see them, not necessarily replicating a dish that we made together, but just to see that they’re in the kitchen more, for me, there’s something really powerful about that. Like, that’s made me a little emotional, where it’s like, “Oh, yeah, like you really like sparked something there,” you know? And I was able to be part of that moment of discovery for them where they realize how important food actually is in their lives, not just in taking care of themselves, but also their families and how they show their love. It’s like a love language.
E!: Speaking of food, has there ever been someone that really surprised you with their cooking abilities?
AP: I try to come in with as little information as possible other than severe food allergies or things that they really hate. I try to just stay open-minded. Whenever I go in with preconceived notions, I’m always wrong. I kind of just ask open-ended questions and I take their lead on it. I know it’s very frustrating for producers, because sometimes I’m like, “Oh, we’re definitely doing Thai food this week,” and then I speak to the person and it’s sort of like, “No, I want to get into French cuisine.” So it’s like the wild, wild West; we’re constantly shifting things and changing around.
And I know it can be frustrating. But at the same time, we have to figure out how we can best serve the hero. It not only makes good TV, but this is a human being’s journey. They’re not somebody who had aspirations to be on television. We want to be impactful in such a short amount of time and make it meaningful for them. I want them to remember it with fondness, not a random restaurant that I picked.