0:04
This is how you make the wings.
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0:04
Are you [ __ ] kidding me? They're dry.
0:09
How many weeks did you cook them for?
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They're [ __ ] disgusting.
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That's me thinking this is a properly cooked [ __ ] chicken wing.
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This is the worst kitchen in America.
0:21
Hey, what's up guys and welcome back to Hot Ones.
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You're probably confused.
0:23
You are watching First We Feast, but after watching Mr.
0:26
Ramsay tear into the cold dry wings served on the show, Sean called me up and asked me to make the wings for my own appearance, which is kind of like cleaning the gun for your own execution.
0:35
But if we're going to do this, we might as well do it right.
0:36
So, to keep the wings crispy and moist on their journey from Soho to Midtown, I decided to go with a low temperature frying method that more closely resembles confit.
0:44
First, the wings are fried at 225° F for about 20 minutes, then removed, allowed to drain, refrigerated overnight, and fried again.
0:53
This time at 400° F for 10 minutes.
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This yields the crispiest, juiciest wings I've ever tasted, and they should stay that way long after they've been doused poisonous sauce.
1:01
There we go, two dozen ultra-crispy wings ready for transport.
1:05
Let's go see if I've got what it takes to be a hot one.
1:13
Hey, what's going on everybody?
1:13
For First We Feast, I'm Sean Evans and you're watching Hot Ones.
1:16
It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
1:19
And today we're joined by Andrew Rea.
1:22
You know him from his extremely popular cooking channel Binging with Babish, where he whips up iconic dishes inspired by TV and film.
1:27
He also has a new cookbook on the way.
1:29
It's called Binging with Babish: 100 Recipes Recreated from Your Favorite TV Shows and Movies, with a forward from Jon Favreau and a blurb by me.
1:37
Andrew Rea, welcome to the show.
1:39
Thanks for having me, man.
1:40
Typically, we ask guests how they handle their heat, but I think with you, it's only fair that we ask, is there a TV or movie scene that involves hot sauce that you think is the best of all time?
1:51
Not hot sauce per se, but um from uh The Simpsons, uh Homer Simpson tries to tangle with something called the Guatemalan Insanity Pepper, which is a pepper that looks like I remember this. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
2:03
So, so he he drinks a candle to protect his mouth from the spicy stuff, but it still goes in his stomach, it still messes him up.
2:09
Uh but I thought that was a brilliant tactic to just coat your mouth in wax.
2:14
I wish I could do something like that. Mhm. Mhm.
2:35
That's some interesting flavors going on there. That's fun.
2:42
So, it's clear that you're a massive film and TV buff.
2:43
I know that the Frasier obsession runs deep, and it's impossible to visit your apartment these days without catching a screening of Into the Spider-Verse.
2:51
Pound for pound, what do you think is the best TV or film in regards to food references? Oh, it's got to be Chef.
3:00
That was one of the earliest episodes I ever did was pasta ai la olio from Chef, and then he came on my show, and we did chocolate lava cakes, and I've also done the Cubano sandwiches, which were unbelievable, this mojo marinated pork.
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But more than just all the beautiful food in that movie, it's about the the togetherness and the uniting power that food can have.
3:22
And it's a movie that really loves food more than most movies about food.
3:27
That and Big Night, which is just like it's just food paradise.
3:32
And then, of course, another fascinating byproduct of your channel is that it serves as a litmus test for some of the most passionate cult fan bases on the internet.
3:40
When you think back on the videos that you've done, do any stand out?
3:43
It seems like SpongeBob stuff always floats to the top. Oh, yeah.
3:46
Anything with SpongeBob in the title is going to trend, it's going to skyrocket because it has a gigantic fervent fan base of which I am one.
3:54
I grew up watching SpongeBob.
3:56
It's an old enough show that I was like 11 when that show came out, I think.
4:00
This is where fandom lives is in the food from fiction.
4:05
And sometimes fandom, especially when you're doing these deep dive pop culture references, I imagine that you sometimes get fact-checked by nerds who are super into this stuff.
4:14
Have you ever been in hot water with fans of a particular movie or TV show?
4:18
Not really from the fans.
4:18
I get more in hot water with foodies.
4:23
People who, you know, say, "Oh, you didn't make that pizza right."
4:25
Or you didn't do this right.
4:27
Like people have a lot to say about what I did wrong.
4:30
And you know, I I I try to make it as instructional as possible, but I'm learning along with the audience.
4:34
Like this is a learning experience for both of us.
4:41
Skinny habanero hot sauce, does that mean it's like low-calorie? What's the deal? Okay, I'm sorry.
4:46
I'm not trying to [ __ ] on your brands here. No, go ahead. I deserve it.
4:50
It's just funny that's skinny habanero hot sauce.
4:52
All hot sauce is pretty skinny.
4:55
So, when I see Hot Ones fans in the wild, there are certain questions that I can reasonably count on.
4:59
You know, people are like, "What's the best interview ever? How's your butt hole?"
5:03
You know, those things I can count on.
5:05
So, here on this wing, I think it's important to hit you with some of the Binging with Babish FAQs.
5:08
Which video is the most difficult to make?
5:13
Probably the second episode ever, which was Timpano. 14-hour process, right? Yeah. Wow. How'd you know that?
5:21
You always know all the all these crazy little factoids.
5:23
And wow, I just got a dizzy spell. That was weird.
5:25
Are you I shouldn't have done that.
5:27
Now I just Now I just I'm I already heard the when I said that.
5:31
Yes, 14 hours spent making Timpano, which is I call it a big kinky lasagna.
5:37
It's like 10 different layers of pasta and meatballs and eggs and cheese and sauce and all them kinds of good stuff.
5:45
It's from Big Night and I'm never going to make it again. I promise.
5:48
What's the most you've ever dropped trying to get rare ingredients for an expensive meal?
5:54
Okay, that's probably Red Dead Redemption which is more recent.
5:58
I dressed up like a cowboy and I ordered bear meat actual genuine as they said free range bear meat.
6:07
But that episode clocked in at least a thousand dollars for the costume and for the exotic meats and for the tent and for the damage I did to my car trying to drive a Audi A4 in the middle of the woods.
6:25
Everybody always says this is the tastiest one. Let's see.
6:29
Well, now you can know for sure. Mhm. That was good.
6:35
So, as we touched on you recreate dishes from TV and movies and I know that that comes from a genuine place of curiosity.
6:41
Well, here I think that it's only right that we do one that's inspired by a spicy scene.
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We did some research and there's one that I think that we can do right here at this table and easy.
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Are you familiar with the wake-up juice from Back to the Future 3? 3, yes. Back to the Future 3.
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When Doc Brown he does one shot, passes out and then they whip up some wake-up juice to wake him up.
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Boom, Andrew you always know these little factoids.
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So, let's bring out the mise en place. Oh my god.
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Is that your new catchphrase?
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I'm stealing it from you. Oh my god.
7:16
How about Chris with the forearm strength to bring this out? Wow, yeah. How much is this? It's not easy. Yeah, that's no joke. I can lift it. I'm sitting, okay?
7:26
So, what I think is easy about this is it just involves like dumping stuff into a glass, right?
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going to be the one of the easiest recreations.
7:33
So, they just kind of poured it in with reckless abandon.
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Pickle juice and hot sauce at the same time if I remember correctly.
7:39
I might be getting this wrong. I'm sorry.
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All right, some nice hot sauce, pickle juice. There we go. Oh, nice noises. You guys getting that? Little ASMR.
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Little ploppy ASMR for you. There you go. All right.
7:58
Moonshine, I think was next.
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Definitely poured in what looked to me like Bloody Mary mix, but they obviously didn't have that in 18 1885. Uh-oh. Did I get that right? Give that a little mix.
8:11
All right, that looks right.
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Like that looks like the right color and consistency.
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It's got stuff floating in it. look that bad.
8:17
It kind of looks like a luxe Bloody Mary.
8:19
Yeah, except with no vodka.
8:19
Does anybody have any vodka?
8:21
Oh, wait, there's whiskey in there. What am I saying?
8:23
Yeah, we got to stay true to the art. After you, Sean. All right.
8:30
I don't care what else you This is definitely some wake-up juice.
8:34
Yeah, let's see what's going on here.
8:36
Hit that wake-up juice, Sean.
8:37
to chuck the whole thing real quick.
8:43
The best part, without a doubt, is the classic hot sauce.
8:53
Before you made it your full-time career making Homer Simpson's moon waffles, I know that you worked as a graphic artist.
8:59
You know, sometimes when people talk about taking that leap, they always give the advice as if it should be some sort of reckless decision.
9:06
Like you should just say like, "Fuck it." and jump.
9:10
Yeah, I think for the vast majority of people making ballsy but measured decisions is the way to go. I did.
9:17
And I think about it all the time.
9:19
Like I look back, I was reckless.
9:20
I quit my job, I sold all my [ __ ] I went to New York, like had four roommates, tried to make You know, and I look back on it and obviously things worked out pretty good, but I look back on that all the time and I'm like, "That was [ __ ] stupid."
9:32
You know, like there's a lot of balls that had to bounce my way in order for me to just break even on it and for it to make sense.
9:39
When I moved here, I sold my car with no job.
9:41
I my car I got $2,000 for it and I used, you know, 1,500 of that for 1 month's rent in some [ __ ] in Park Slope and I think that if you really believe in yourself and what you're doing, there's going to be a moment where you're like, this is a big risk, but this is the one that that, you know, could potentially change everything.
10:00
So, just keep an eye out for it and you know, be cautious, but ballsy. Be crazy.
10:11
Los calientes, does that does that translate to the hots?
10:15
ones hot ones Los calientes Oh, okay. I get it. I get it.
10:21
I took 7 years of Spanish and that's didn't absorb any of it. Wow, that's good.
10:36
Gee willikers, where do I buy this?
10:38
Whatever you want, Andrew. I got you, bro.
10:40
Well, you already sent me a couple of these bottles for Christmas, so thank you.
10:43
I got more of them for you today. Mhm. Okay. All right, Andrew.
10:47
I have a little bit of a surprise for you on this wing. All right.
10:51
So, we reached out to a few of our mutual internet friends and asked them if they have any questions for you, Andrew Rea. All right.
10:58
So, here is a new segment that we're calling YouTubers ask other YouTubers questions. That's a good guess. Okay.
11:05
It's a segment that we're calling questions from famous YouTubers that we both know.
11:09
So, what we're going to do is we are going to show you on the monitor.
11:15
Up first, we have Hot Ones alum and friend of the brand and he has a very important question for you, okay? Okay.
11:22
Hey, all right, real quick.
11:22
I want to know what the number one most underrated kitchen gadget is and the number one most overrated. That's a great question.
11:30
Thank you, Marques Brownlee.
11:31
The most underrated is a cutting board.
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A big [ __ ] off cutting board. Like 24 by 18. Like, you know, huge.
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Big work surface that you can just own.
11:41
And you know, if you're chopping carrots, they're not rolling off and rolling under the fridge and disappearing for the rest of your life.
11:48
And the most overrated kitchen gadget is the one that does it all or the one that does it all for you.
11:53
Because it never comes out as something that you as good as something that you do yourself.
11:59
Some gadget that you smack on to make it chop onions.
12:01
It's never going to chop onions as well as you could or as quickly as you could if you just practice a little bit.
12:06
Once you get good at it, you're going to be way faster than some toy that is trying to do it for you.
12:11
All right, up next we have our buddy Brad Leone who was actually driving down the highway, pulled over on a truck stop so that he could hit you with this one. Thanks, Brad.
12:25
Hey Sean, calling in from a Massachusetts truck stop.
12:26
Got a question for old Babi while he's uh sweating the bean bag off eating those hot ones you're giving him. Um yeah, Babi.
12:32
So, with uh you know, with your global reach using YouTube, what positive what positive effects do you want to have on the viewers, huh?
12:44
My end game is the same as yours, Brad, which is to get people cooking.
12:46
Like you know, he entertains as he informs.
12:49
And that's like the best thing that you could possibly do on YouTube.
12:54
It's something that has utility, something that entertains, and something that's that inspires.
12:58
And that's exactly what he does and that's exactly what I want to do.
13:02
I want to get people cooking.
13:03
All right, one more for you, Andrew. And this is from Rhett.
13:05
Hey, Rhett and Link who uh is actually taking a break from his vacation just to hit you with this question.
13:11
god, it looks like he's got a beautiful ocean behind him. Hey Andrew, it's Rhett.
13:15
I trust that you are not embarrassing yourself yet.
13:16
Um my one piece of advice for getting through this is to absorb the energy of one wing to overcome the next wing.
13:24
And by the time you make it to the end, you will have presumably absorbed all the energy of all the wings. That's the key.
13:30
Uh and the one question I have for you is, what is the one question that you get asked most often that you hate answering? You're welcome. Good luck and Godspeed.
13:45
That's a question from a guy who's been famous for a long time.
13:47
Like that um it's got to be what does Binging with Babish mean?
13:52
Uh cuz I have answered it a billion times and we'll answer it we'll answer it here hopefully for I'll do it. I'll do it for you. You hate answering it.
14:00
You know where You know where Babish is from?
14:02
He's a niche character from The West Wing. You're absolutely right.
14:05
How many episodes of The West Wing? Three. Eight. [ __ ] Mhm. It's good.
14:19
I'm not giving you guys anything to go dun dun for except for that one when we did the first sauce.
14:26
Recently did an episode of The Burger Show with our friend Alvin where you attempted to pass mustard as a line cook at his restaurant The Usual.
14:32
Do you have a newfound respect for line cooks having gone through that experience?
14:37
No, because I already had a lot of respect for line cooks going through that experience.
14:40
It takes a certain kind of person to work in a professional kitchen and I have nothing but admiration for it because it eludes me.
14:49
I I I definitely do deflect the the title of chef because I have not earned it.
14:53
I am a home cook that has a camera and knows how to shoot things very well.
14:59
I will say that I'm a way better editor than I am a cook.
15:03
So I make things look good and I make it seem like it's easy, but I'm I'm I'm I'm not a chef.
15:07
I don't deserve that title.
15:13
Next up we got Trinidad Scorpion. Ooh.
15:17
Okay, that's the first one that's got a little bit of heat to it. That's fun. All right. I'm so the bomb. Oh my god.
15:25
Well, don't get ahead of yourself. Okay, sorry.
15:26
Don't get ahead of yourself.
15:26
Don't psych yourself out.
15:28
We have other stuff to contend with. Here we go.
15:31
So, I don't think I'm being off base when I say you're a man who enjoys the finer things in life.
15:35
I know that you're at your most comfortable when you have a glass full of the Glenfiddich or a gold Daytona on your wrist or the rumble of a V8 engine beneath your loins.
15:47
You messing with the bag? What's in the bag?
15:50
So, I have I have a couple tricks here.
15:52
And remember how I talked about Homer Simpson lighting a uh or drinking a candle?
15:57
Well, I have this candle from a sex shop. So, you know it's good. And oh. There we go.
16:05
I'm just going to get that melting cuz I have every intention of pouring some wax on my tongue to protect me from this [ __ ] Genius. What's up? I've tried that before.
16:14
My buddy in college, like everybody like everybody's roommate in college had a bottle of that kicking around in his fridge.
16:19
And I touched some with a toothpick and and I I I ran outside and like sh- sprayed my mouth with with a hose. I was young.
16:27
I was being theatrical, but uh it was it was it was garbage. welcome to my world.
16:33
So, I'm uh I like how you're like, "I was young. I was being theatrical."
16:35
And then now you're lighting a candle.
16:37
Like you like you've grown up. say I changed.
16:42
What's the best whiskey to call to a bartender when they ask you what you want in your old fashioned?
16:47
Um because of how widely available it is and because it's uh it makes great cocktails, but I do sip it on its own.
16:55
Angel's Envy is one of my favorites.
16:57
Very complex, but simple and sweet.
16:57
So, it's a great American whiskey and I absolutely adore it both on its own and in cocktails for sure.
17:05
Yeah, I'm ready to move on, but I want to protect my tongue from this [ __ ] Okay.
17:09
So, I'm going to Where'd my little spoon go? Can I just have it? Oh, here it is.
17:13
So, I'm going to do I'm going to take a page out of Homer Simpson's book.
17:15
First, I'm going to put a little bit on my skin like I've been a bad boy.
17:21
See what that feels like. Okay.
17:24
But I mean I feel disciplined.
17:25
And um This is taking a turn.
17:31
You guys said you wanted to try new things.
17:33
That's what I'm here for.
17:35
I like this cuz you know you always do dishes from TV and film. It's in my beard. All right.
17:55
So wax to coat the throat. Okay.
18:00
All right, let's see what happens. Is this cheating?
18:02
Are people going to call me out for cheat This honestly It's unique.
18:05
It's never happened before. just swallowed it. Like it's gone.
18:06
So And it might not help you.
18:10
I don't think it's going to just drinking wax out of this sex candle and then eating the bomb challenge.
18:13
You know, like you know, like if somebody's in the comments right now being like, "That's cheating."
18:17
Like Sean, you're making it sound weird when you say it like that.
18:28
All right, [ __ ] that [ __ ] Ah. Ah. It's gross. Tastes bad.
18:35
But no, no, you're You're eating more. All right. Proper mouth, yeah? Mhm. Oh, [ __ ] the bomb. That stuff is vile. Ah. Ah. Bringing back memories?
18:59
Yeah, of college and then trying to impress my friends at Whoa, did I just hiccup?
19:03
I haven't hiccuped in like 7 years. So I'm hiccuping.
19:06
I swear I haven't hiccuped in like 7 years. This is This is for me. Are you crying?
19:15
Listen, I'm not immune to it, you know.
19:20
I'm just in here battling through.
19:22
That is so exciting That's so exciting for me.
19:27
I haven't hiccuped hiccuped in so long. This is so cool.
19:30
I'm in not I'm not in control of it.
19:34
It's so exciting, anyway.
19:37
Well, speaking of exciting, you know, I think one of your most underrated projects, in my opinion, is Bedtime with Binging with Babish. Yeah.
19:45
Where you would use your calming, soothing voice. [ __ ] me.
19:48
You would just read stories from public domain and help put people to sleep. Ah.
19:55
You're making me feel so much better about myself right now. Something happened.
19:57
Oh, no, did you touch your eyes?
19:59
No, but can I get a napkin? I did.
20:01
I got some sauce in the eye. Oh, no.
20:04
Let's take 5-minute break. Yeah.
20:08
Oh, [ __ ] that [ __ ] man.
20:11
Uh, my mouth feels like it's swelling up. Uh-oh. Who has my EpiPen? I'm kidding. I think.
20:20
OH, I THINK OH, [ __ ] AH.
20:29
DOM, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE?
20:33
GUYS, can you guys chill for a second?
20:35
We're going to swap the audio.
20:41
So, now you want me to read bedtime stories or some [ __ ] So, I've pulled a passage from The Velveteen Rabbit. We have an ASMR mic. Oh, okay. Bedtime with Babish. Ah. I'm a professional. I can do this. Sorry.
21:11
Good evening and welcome to bedtime with Babish.
21:18
This evening upon Hot Ones, I'll be reading a passage from The Velveteen Rabbit by Hans Flörkenstocken.
21:27
There once was a velveteen rabbit and in the beginning he was really splendid.
21:32
His coat was spotted brown and white.
21:32
He had real thread whiskers and his ears were lined with pink satin.
21:40
There were other things in the stocking, nuts and oranges and a toy engine and chocolate almonds and a clockwork mouse and then there was a great rustling of tissue paper and unwrapping of parcels and in the excitement of looking at all the new presents, the velveteen rabbit was forgotten. All right.
22:10
Next up, you ready for this?
22:12
Yeah, the chocolate plague. You barrel on. Puckerbutt.
22:24
Pucker Puckerbutt Pepper Company. That's fun.
22:28
So, you have a very close distinctly YouTube connection with your fans and there are a million stupid articles out there about like how to build a YouTube audience with like optimizing analytics and SEO keywords or whatever.
22:39
Do you have any real practical advice when it comes to how to build and energize a loyal fan base? Uh sorry.
22:51
I feel like you get carte blanche on on burps here.
22:54
You can just do what I feel like I feel like um the advice so many people come up and you know, like how do I grow my channel?
23:03
Brands come and ask, you know, how do we grow our channel?
23:07
And the advice that I want to give but never do is you need to make something really [ __ ] good.
23:14
Especially nowadays, the world is so cluttered with so much content.
23:19
And it's amazing anybody can reach millions of people with their cell phone if they do and say the right thing. But that's the key.
23:28
You got to do and say the right thing.
23:29
And that could mean the right thing for the audience or that could mean the right thing for yourself.
23:37
I hope the mic picked up that weird body sound. Did you hear that? It's like Come on. Give me a proper dab. I want a Sean-like dab. There we go. It's a Sean-like dab. Ow.
23:53
[ __ ] my stomach hurts more than my mouth, honestly.
23:56
That's actually a worse place to be. I've been there. I got I got a eye rash. My lips are on fire.
24:02
Like I would rather be completely smoked out in the face than have my stomach doing backflips. Yeah. Oh, okay. All right, here we go. Cheers. Cheers. All right, Andrew Rae.
24:17
Here we are at the end of our spicy chicken wing journey.
24:21
Long overdue if you ask me.
24:21
And I think it's been so special that we should immortalize it forever and ever.
24:30
How do you suggest we do that, Sean?
24:31
Well, we talked about it beforehand. Yes, we did.
24:34
But now is the moment of truth.
24:34
There is no turning back.
24:39
Are you ready to do this?
24:40
I'm so happy that I was able to finish the wings, honestly. Let's do this. Come on. Okay.
24:44
Uh Randy over in legal, can you look into this camera or this camera and say we are not responsible or liable for anything that happens here. Dear Randy of Redlight. Hey, how are you?
24:59
My name is Binging with Babish.
25:01
I do not hold you responsible for any horrible infection that I get right now for getting tattooed amidst these wings.
25:11
And I don't hold you responsible for anything really.
25:12
You can do whatever you want to me right now.
25:15
All right, let's bring in Chris from Blackfish Tattoo. It's about to go down.
25:25
Here's to you, the internet.
25:27
You're why this is happening.
25:29
Yeah, lean a little closer. All right, perfect.
25:33
It's got This ain't my first rodeo. Oh, it's hot, though. The balm is sadistic.
25:46
That stuff just wants to hurt you.
25:48
So, it's like a it's like a Mac-10 or or pornography.
25:50
There's no artistic value to it.
25:57
I have to cough really bad, but Go ahead. All right.
26:03
Holy [ __ ] time flies when you're having fun. Here.
26:07
Have some Have some of the real stuff. I'll chase it. There you go.
26:11
Yeah, chase that milk whiskey. Like men do. As men do.
26:18
What's the name Does this uh [ __ ] have a name?
26:21
You get to name the chicken.
26:24
All right, the chicken's name is Drew. I like that.
26:27
All right, Drew the chicken from here on out. You hear that, Chris?
26:32
Oh, what are you guys doing this weekend? Any plans?
26:38
It's so thin, it's going to blend in with my hair. so now we're done. Here it goes. Oh, it's perfect. Oh my god.
26:45
Look at the lines on that. So thin. And so straight. I'm sorry. Look at this.
26:57
Look, I can make it squawk.
27:00
And it is a thing of beauty and look at you, Andrew, pulling out all the stops.
27:06
And now there's nothing left to do but roll out the red carpet for you, my friend.
27:09
This camera, this camera, this camera.
27:11
Let the people know what you have going on in your life.
27:14
Hey guys, my name is Andrew Rea.
27:14
I make a channel called Binging with Babish and my new cookbook drops October 22nd.
27:17
You can check it out at bingingwithbabish. com/cookbook.
27:23
You can pre-order it there. Yeah, that's it.
27:26
Thank you so much for having me, SEAN. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB, ANDREW. GOOD JOB. DUDE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
27:36
It's a good tattoo with the Oh, it's good stuff. It's fine.
27:41
This is going to wash off in a few days, right?
27:47
Hey, what's going on, Hot Ones fans?
27:49
This is Sean Evans checking in to say thank you so much for watching today's episode.
27:52
And if you're going to be in Chicago this weekend, good news. We'll be there, too.
27:56
Hot Ones is showing up big at ComplexCon July 20th and 21st in Chicago doing a live episode with Juice WRLD and then all weekend long in the First We Feast zone slinging wings, slinging sauces, slinging merch. Don't miss it.
28:11
July 20th and 21st in Chicago. We'll see you there.