Selena Gomez decided to spend some of her quarantine period becoming a better cook. But she's learning the celebrity way.
In "Selena + Chef," now streaming on HBO Max, the recording artist and actor takes virtual tutorials from culinary superstars in her home's brand-new kitchen that would easily earn Martha Stewart's seal of approval.
But the big surprise here isn't that the room looks like you could eat off the floor. It's the fact that she's more charming and comfortable than other food hosts with years of experience. You won't have to be among her 62 million Twitter followers to be won over by the way she dotes on her grandparents, gags while chopping up octopus and cracks jokes about her love life.
"I just thought this was something lighthearted I could do, because I was really getting down," Gomez said this month during a Zoom interview with TV critics. "There's more important things going on right now, but this was an opportunity to make something that could make people smile. I hope they're going to laugh, because I look like a fool."
Maybe. But jumping on a red-hot pastime is nothing short of genius.
"Cooking during this time has really been a source of relief for a lot of people's anxieties, depression and boredom," said Antonia Lofaso, a Los Angeles-based author and restaurant owner who served as one of Gomez's instructors. "Every time I turn on my phone, it's like someone I know is making a bagel or some sourdough."
Gomez has been open about her own battle with depression. She has been lauded by the medical profession for advancing the public's understanding of mental illness.
"I think there's a lot of blessing in the breaking, if that makes sense," said Gomez, who turned 28 last month. "It's not easy for anyone to be walking through what we're going through right now, especially people with mental health issues. I just try to keep my mind positive. I've learned so much about myself."
She's also learned how to whip up a French omelet without a pro at her side to take over when the going gets rough. That's part of the series' appeal.
"I try not to, but a lot of times when I'm teaching, I'll take over the dish," Lofaso said, at one point, addressing Gomez directly during their teleconference. "I couldn't slide in there and cut the octopus for you or scoop out the calamari. You did everything on your own and I think that was an empowering moment for you. It's the same for anyone watching. If you have ingredients and you're listening to what the master chef is telling you, you're going to do it yourself, as well."
As impressive as Gomez's culinary skills have become, don't expect her to abandon showbiz to open her own cafe anytime soon. The actor announced this month that she will star in and executive-produce the Hulu comedy "Only Murders in the Building," featuring Steve Martin and Martin Short. It will be her first scripted TV series since "Wizards of Waverly Place."
As for her recording career, the voice behind such hits as "Good for You" and "Lose You to Love Me" is relegated these days to singing along with the radio when the cameras were off.
Or were they?
"At night I was creeped out by them," she said. "I was like, 'Are these still on?' I watch too many scary movies."
Neal Justin • 612-673-7431 •
Njustin@startribune.com Twitter: @nealjustin
