From Octopus, to Boyfriends, to Odd Restaurant Choices, Everything’s on the Table in SELENA + CHEF

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede With the HBO Max series SELENA + CHEF debuting Thursday on Crave, Selena Gomez was asked to name the most difficult dish that she has mastered so far. “The most challenging, probably, was the octopus, just because I really, really didn’t like that,” Gomez said. “It was a whole process that I’m okay never doing again in my life.” Chef Antonia Lofaso chimed in, “The octopus loves you.” To which Gomez added, “Oh, you know what? I’m honoured. But it was delicious, Bill, I will say that.” The idea for SELENA + CHEF came about in a very straight-forward way: Just like millions of others around the world, Gomez – the now 28-year-old American actress, singer, and producer who has been famous since her pre-teens – was stuck at home during the pandemic. She decided this would be the perfect time to try and improve her cooking skills, because as she explained, “I love cooking, I just don’t know how to do it all the time.” Of course, when average people want to learn how to cook, they’ll look for tips online, read books, or consult with friends. But with access to world-class chefs to personally help her out, why would Selena Gomez need to go through all that? Chefs such as Ludo Lefebvre (episode one), Lofaso (episode two), and Candice Kumai (episode three) get hooked up remotely to coach Gomez through the preparation of everything from cheese souffles to seafood tostada. When Gomez needs some extra hands, she has her grandparents and two quarantine pals on hand, but the chefs aren’t physically there to help Gomez when things go sideways, which leads to many funny moments. There are also some amusing asides when the conversation drifts away from cooking. At one point in the first episode, Ludo comments, “I can judge a good cook by the way they cook eggs.” Gomez replies, “Yeah? Tell me how to find a good boyfriend. What’s the good judge there?” Gomez’s past celebrity boyfriends include Justin Bieber, Nick Jonas, and The Weeknd. Ludo, who is from France, goes on to explain that he wouldn’t recommend French people to Gomez, because “we’re too crazy.” The second episode is when the octopus makes an appearance, and Gomez tells a hilarious anecdote about an arguably inappropriate restaurant chain where her father used to take her when she was little. The first three episodes of SELENA + CHEF are debuting simultaneously on Thursday (there are 10 episodes in total). Gomez was asked if she was reluctant to invite cameras into her home, because her fans might be scouring the background, looking for clues about her life. “As much as I enjoy my position, I definitely try to keep more of a private life,” Gomez said. “But this was different for me. I was actually really excited, because I had just moved into my home (in the Los Angeles area). That’s my new kitchen in the show. Basically I hadn’t officially moved in yet, and it just didn’t feel like my home yet, so I felt very comfortable. And yeah, I think fans … well, I can post a picture of the ground, and my fans will try to dissect what that meant. So that’s going to happen, no matter what.” There is a downside, however, to learning how to cook better than she used to, according to Gomez. “You know, it’s hard for me to cook pasta now, because I know what real pasta should taste like,” the Texas native said. “Y’all spoiled me, basically.” billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv