Chef Jordan Andino Reveals What It's Really Like to Cook for the Kardashians

Jordan Andino’s love of food started early. At the age of 9, his family moved from Toronto, Canada, to Manhattan Beach, California, and it was then — yes, at 9 years old — that Andino began his culinary career. He started by working with his dad in fine restaurants and eventually graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

Now, Andino hosts his own show, Late Nite Eats, on the Cooking Channel and has cooked for The French Laundry, Jean-Georges and even the Kardashian family. We recently got the chance to chat with Andino and get a peek inside his fridge.

SheKnows: Tell us a little bit about what’s in your fridge.

Jordan Andino: A bottle of white wine, Sriracha, fresh minced garlic sitting in olive oil, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise and eggs.

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Image: Courtesy Of Jordan Andino.

SK: What about your freezer?

JA: Ice, frozen premade and portioned turkey burgers, mixed frozen berries and, of course, beer mugs.

SK: Are there any items you always make sure to keep in stock?

JA: Something that I always keep on hand is Nesquik. I’ve been a lifelong fan, and so it’s a staple in my pantry. Whether I’m whipping up some champorado or blending fresh, delicious smoothies, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate its great taste and wholesome milk goodness into my cooking.

SK: What’s your go-to healthy snack?

JA: It’s ever-evolving. When I’m not filming, my healthy snack is an acai bowl with granola, strawberries and banana. When I’m filming, I love eating roasted cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and/or broccoli.

SK: Can you give us an example of one of your favorite weeknight meals?

JA: Best weeknight meal would be moules-frites, or steamed mussels with fries. These dishes are affordable, easy, delicious and relatively healthy. Most importantly, they’re quick to shop for and quick to make.

SK: What would you consider the ultimate comfort food?

JA: Nothing says comfort like mac and cheese. The best kind is when it’s freshly made with lots of gooey cheesiness, which makes for the most comforting of flavors and feelings.

SK: Any foods you absolutely can’t stand?

JA: Only one thing…. birthday cake and frosting. Like, the classic chocolate or white/yellow cake bread with traditional frosting…. ew.

SK: Obviously, you love Filipino food, but which country’s cuisine (other than the Philippines) is your favorite and why?

JA: Italian, closely followed by Spanish cuisine. Both cultures cook with love and foster large family gatherings around food, which I think is the most important part of cooking.

SK: If you could only use one small kitchen appliance (microwave, blender, slow cooker, etc.) for an entire month, which one would you choose?

JA: Blender. I don’t believe in microwaves, and I love being able to purée things quickly and easily.

SK: What’s the strangest food you have ever eaten?

JA: Balut — [which means] "fermented duck embryo" from the Philippines.

SK: Would you eat it again?

JA: Thanks, but no thanks!

SK: You went to Cornell, and I grew up right outside of Ithaca so I have to ask, is Wegmans truly the greatest grocery store in the U.S.? In my opinion, it totally is.

JA: Wegmans is a culture — nay, a lifestyle. I personally believe that simply reducing Wegmans to “grocery store” is heresy. If you haven’t been to Wegmans, I’d almost liken it to the Disney World of grocery stores — the happiest place on Earth (for food and stuff)!

SK: You’ve also cooked for one of the most famous families — the Kardashians. What was that like? What did you cook for them?

JA: It was an incredible experience and something I’d love to do again. They are an amazingly tight-knit family that hustles harder than anybody I’ve ever seen. Even with all their fame and fortune, they are so down-to-earth and quite gracious. They get a bad reputation for absolutely no reason!

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