Hailee Catalano’s videos—which include scouring a farmer’s market for husk cherries, building a two-foot-long sandwich, and plating turnips—aren’t manufactured to grab attention. If you scroll through her TikToks, you’ll find that the genre’s gimmicks—pulsating music, aggressively quirky commentary, and dudes in tank tops—are noticeably absent. And yet, more than 2 million people are following Hailee’s every meal.
Of those 2 million people, many watch because Hailee—a culinary school graduate and former line cook at Chicago’s Cellar Door Provisions—is a badass in the kitchen. With a soft, sincere voice and an arsenal of well-trained culinary techniques pouring into each of her videos, Hailee is the epitome of quiet confidence.
Some watch so they can make Hailee’s food. Unsurprisingly, she makes this easy: On Hailee’s website, you can find the recipe for any dish she’s made on camera. If you’re new to Hailee, allow me to recommend some entry points: Garlic Scape Chimichurri, Zucchini Stuffed Shells, Homemade Cavatelli and Pesto, Fig Tart.
I watch Hailee’s videos because they’re honest. Take her “coconut brown butter banana bread” video for example. Yes, the bread—like all her other food—threads the needle between beautiful and approachable. And yes, I did immediately send it to my girlfriend with the message “we make?” But the most memorable component of the video is Hailee plainly narrating how she initially struggled to break into food media. She doesn’t reveal anything overly dramatic, she just puts it out there.
Recently, we caught up with Hailee to learn more about the food that inspires her, the video she still hasn’t nailed, and why she loves olive oil and ice cream so much.
Paul: With so much food content out there, there’s a million outlets you could draw inspiration from. What’s the first place you turn to when you need an idea for a new recipe?
Hailee: I tend to turn to what produce is in season and go from there! I like to pick out a seasonal ingredient/ingredients that I want to feature and then brainstorm dishes based on what I’m in the mood to eat, favorite childhood dishes, or fun twists on classics!
In your spaghet video, you mentioned that you learned about the drink (a Miller High Life topped with Aperol) while cooking in Chicago. Are there any other restaurant snacks/drinks you still keep in your back pocket?
I did! Another drink I still have often is just sparkling water with any sort of bitters, and lemon. I would always have an upset stomach after a night cooking on the line from tasting so many things over and over, so a bartender made that for me one night and it helped sooo much! As far as snacks, it usually was just combining any weird combo of things in my mise en place.
Your dishes always plate very well. How do you go about choosing the right plate or bowl for the dish you’re making? What are some other things you consider while plating?
Thank you! I always try to think of how I would want someone to eat the dish, so I like to plate things in a way that would encourage people to get “the perfect bite”. I also always consider contrasting colors and textures. I think there is an elegance in simplicity as well.
Your love for a sandwich at the beach is well-documented, but I’d love to know about your chip preference. What’s your go-to chip (doesn’t have to be potato) and what do you like about it?
Haha yes! I definitely go through chip phases, but lately, [Lay’s] Kettle Cooked Maui Onion has been my go-to. They are savory while also being a touch sweet, which I love with a sub that has a good amount of red wine vinegar. It's a nice balance!
You’ve shared a few videos of ice cream topped with olive oil. Why does this combo work so well?
To me, it works so well because it’s kind of one of those guiding the lily things. Ice cream and olive oil are some of my favorite things, so them together kinda just make the other one even better. Also, the slight acidity in olive oil pairs great with creamy, rich ice cream.
While all of your food looks fantastic, I’m sure—like everybody else—you mess up occasionally. Are there any of your videos that were—for some reason—particularly challenging or messy?
While I don’t do it often, anytime I cook steak for a video, it’s so hard to capture the shots while still cooking the steak to the temp I want. All the basting gets everything, including my phone/filming equipment, all greasy and it's really a mess. I’ve decided from now on, I only do steak videos if I have someone helping me film (meaning [my partner] Chuck).
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