In a sneak peek of Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays, which premieres on Thursday on Food Network, chef Alex Guarnaschelli taught the Only Murders in the Building star how to make mozzarella sticks.
“You want to drop the mozzarella sticks in?” Guarnaschelli asked Gomez at the start of the clip above.
“Sure! Should I do it with this?” Gomez asked as she held tongs.
Guarnaschelli wasn’t convinced that was the best utensil and asked, “Hmm do you have like a spider?”
Clearly confused, Gomez couldn’t find one, so they opted for a strainer that worked just fine instead.
The Food Network chef then demonstrated how to drop the mozzarella sticks in hot oil. “Super easy. You can fry like three or four at a time,” she added as Gomez put some breaded cheese sticks in the pot.
But it was clear Gomez put more than four in the pot. “How’s that coming out?” Guarnaschelli asked as she realized the mixup. She then added, wide-eyed: “You put them all in?”
“Oh was I not supposed to?” Gomez said.
Guarnaschelli laughed it off, “No, they’ll be fine. Just stir.”
The pair began cracking up at Gomez’s mistake as they moved on to the next task: making a dish with the tomato sauce.
“Pop it on the platter. I like a little bed of cheese for these bad boys,” Guarnaschelli said. She then asked the “Single Soon” singer to take the mozzarella sticks out of the pot.
As Gomez used the strainer to take them out, they all clearly burst open while in the oil and were oozing out melty cheese. “They kind of look crazy but…” Gomez said.
Guarnaschelli jumped as Gomez brought the hot sticks to the platter. She then jokingly did the sign of the cross, signifying how wacky she thought the appetizers looked. After another deep breath, she feigned praying as Gomez called back from the fryer.
“Oh no!” she said as the sticks fell apart in the oil. Guarnaschelli closed out the clip with reassuring words, “They look perfect.”
During the superstar’s Food Network four-part special, Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays, beginning Thursday, Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, Gomez will learn the secrets to holiday hosting from four different celebrity chefs.
Along with Guarnaschelli, Michael Symon, Claudette Zepeda and Eric Adjepong will each join Gomez for an episode.
Gomez will learn how to make roast beef and creamy mashed potatoes from Guarnaschelli (in addition to the mozzarella sticks) — and classic steak and lobster from Symon. The actress will also learn how to make Christmas tamales from Zepeda, and Adjepong will teach Gomez how to make shrimp and banana grits and a South African dish known as malva pudding to ring in the New Year.
“The holidays have always meant so much to me,” Gomez said in a statement. “It was an honor to have these amazing chefs in my kitchen to introduce some of their favorite foods and what makes the holidays special for them.”
In addition to the chefs, friends and family will make appearances throughout the special, including Gomez’s best friend Raquelle Stevens, who will be learning to cook alongside the actress, as well as Gomez’s grandparents, Papa and Nana, and her sister, Gracie.
Selena + Chef first aired on HBO Max, now known as Max.
At first, the star virtually called on famous chefs to help teach her how to cook. Later, Gordon Ramsay made an appearance on the show as the first in-person guest to give Gomez a helping hand.
Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays premieres Thursday, Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network. It will also be available to stream on Max.
