Bon apétit! E! is cooking up a culinary treat for Canadians with the scrumptious new series PLAYING WITH FIRE, airing Sundays at10 p.m. ET beginningMarch 17, following new episodes of KOURTNEY & KIM TAKE MIAMI.
From elegant dining, to the stressful pastry kitchen, to buzz-worthy dinner parties, viewers get an exclusive look inside the lives of Anna Boiardi, heir to the Chef Boyardee brand, along with Julie Elkind, Executive Pastry Chef of BLT Restaurants, and nightlife food entrepreneurs and identical twins, Derek and Daniel Koch.
Additionally, E! host Leah Miller gets up close and personal with the star ofPLAYING WITH FIRE, Anna Boiardi, in the 30-minute, exclusive original specialCOOKING WITH ANNA BOIARDI. Airing Sunday, April 14 at 11 p.m. ET, the cookbook author, Chef Boyardee heiress, and brand ambassador visits Miller in her Toronto home for an intimate kitchen chat and cooking demonstration. Boiardi shares her feelings on protecting the Boyardee legacy and preserving her family’s memories for future generations, all while showing Miller tips on how to modernize classic Italian recipes for today’s on-the-go-lifestyle.
New York City, known for its most delicious food selections, from haute cuisine to traditional dishes, brings together the most talented movers and shakers of the food business in PLAYING WITH FIRE (Sunday, March 17 at 10 p.m. ET). The six-episode, one-hour series features a very successful and creative bunch including the Italian-born Anna Boiardi; Julie Elkind, a pastry chef extraordinaire with a little edge to go along with her sweet touch; Candice Kumai, a former model and TOP CHEF competitor who aims to keep food connoisseurs waistlines trim with her calorie-conscious cuisine; and handsome nightlife impresarios-turned-food-entrepreneurs Derek and Daniel Koch.
Celebrity guest appearances include actress Jennifer Esposito (BLUE BLOODS), who lives with Celiac disease and has committed herself to advocating for those in her position by cooking gluten-free food, as well as celebrity Chef/Restaurateur Todd English, known for his restaurants called Olives located in Boston and Las Vegas.
Anna Boiardi was born in Piacenza, Italy and is the granddaughter and niece of the founders of the Chef Boyardee company. Boiardi hosts in-demand dinner parties at the home she shares with her lawyer husband and young son. She’s a brand ambassador for the company, and wrote a cookbook, Delicious Memories, comprised of authentic Italian recipes inspired by her early experiences of cooking with her mother and grandmother.
Julie Elkind is a 25-year-old pastry chef extraordinaire and accomplished kick-boxer who was voted to the top of Zagat’s list of 30 Under 30 Hot Chefs in New York. Julie lives with her aspiring actor boyfriend Kyle, whose casual approach to life sometimes clashes with her perfectionist ways.
Candice Kumai, known as the “Stiletto Chef,” was a “cheftestant” on TOP CHEF, where her culinary skills quickly won over those who assumed this former model was just a pretty face. Since then, she has written best-selling cookbooks, made numerous TV appearances, and established herself as an advocate of healthy eating.
Daniel and Derek Koch are identical twins who started off as models but quickly transitioned to the New York food scene. Making a name for themselves with their boutique events and hospitality company, Dual Groupe, they are now growing their business to include restaurant ownership, such as Toy at the Gansevoort Hotel in New York’s Meatpacking district.
