Chef and restauranteur Franco Noriega has landed his own cooking show at Food Network, “Hot Dish with Franco.”
If you’re familiar with Noriega from his shirtless appearances on talk shows and clips shared on social media, you’ll get the double entendre reference here, as he’s widely known as the “naked Peruvian chef.”
The half-hour daytime show will premiere Sept. 30 at 12 p.m. on Food Network.
In each of the six-half hour episodes, you’ll watch the chef share “personal heartfelt stories of his Peruvian and Italian roots as he prepares delicious dishes with his signature flare for flavor.”
Per Food Network’s description for the series: “Throughout the season, Franco takes viewers on a culinary journey, sprinkling in tidbits of his Latin American and Italian background along with cooking tips and tricks. His recipes strike a balance between authentic and eclectic, ranging from Arepas with Melted Cheese and Chorizo to Vegetable Ceviche, and to Deconstructed Tiramisu. On the premiere, Franco recreates the meal that made him fall in love with New York City. He puts his own twist on steak frites with a bright green Chimichurri and fluffy and crunchy twice baked potato wedges. A brown butter lemon sauce and crispy parmesan chips make his Crispy Parmesan Lemon Asparagus the perfect side. And an ooey gooey Lava Chocolate Chip cookie is the perfect sweet surprise-inside dessert.”
“Hot Dish with Franco” is produced by Big Fish Entertainment for Food Network.
Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Noriega’s studied at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan, where he later opened his first restaurant, Baby Brasa.
“We are thrilled to welcome Franco Noriega to Food Network’s ‘In the Kitchen’ programming lineup,” Betsy Ayala, Warner Bros. Discovery’s head of food content, said. “Franco’s approachable culinary expertise and effortless, inviting style will encourage audiences to try a wide range of new recipes made from simple ingredients that create dishes with bold flavors.”
Added Noriega: “Delicious food has always been central in my life as some of my favorite memories have been in the kitchen eating and cooking with my family and traveling across the world enjoying fantastic meals. Now, I’m thrilled to share my favorite recipes and lifelong passion for cooking with Food Network viewers.”
