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. Want to Watch? → Spotify → YouTube Want to Listen? → Spotify → Apple → Amazon → RedCircle 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 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy