Selena + Chef on HBO Max: Ideas Parents Can Steal for Cooking with Kids

When Selena + Chef premiered on HBO Max on August 13, 2020, the world was in quarantine, and so was the show. Selena Gomez cooked in her own kitchen while a different professional chef coached her over video from theirs.

She began with almost no cooking skills, and her grandparents and friends pitched in as helpers. Mistakes happened, including an oven fire, and nobody treated them as a big deal.

The show also gave back. Each episode, $10,000 went to a charity chosen by the guest chef, and by late 2021 the series had raised $400,000 for 26 nonprofits.

That mix of patience, teamwork, and purpose makes the show a useful model for cooking with kids.

Below, you’ll find what parents can borrow, three dishes from the show to try together, and tips for running your own family cooking night.

Why the show works as a family-cooking template

Nobody is expected to be good yet. Selena started as a beginner, and the show leans into the mistakes. In season one she opened her oven to a fire, and the show treated it as part of the fun. Kids cook better when a burnt edge or a lopsided omelet isn’t a big deal.

It’s a team job. In the first episode, Selena was quarantined with her grandparents and two close friends, and her housemates pitched in as sous-chefs. Giving every person in the kitchen a job is the same idea as handing each kid a task.

Every episode gives back. Each episode, the show donated $10,000 to a charity chosen by the guest chef. By the time season four was announced in November 2021, HBO Max said the series had raised $400,000 for 26 nonprofits, including World Central Kitchen, Feeding America, and Baby2Baby.

It’s an easy way to start a conversation with kids about why people cook for others.

Three dishes from the show to try with kids

These are the dishes the show featured. The kid-friendly steps below are general kitchen tips, not the chefs’ instructions, so follow each chef’s actual recipe for amounts and timing.

1. French omelette (inspired by Ludo Lefebvre, season one)

Eggs are a good first ingredient. Kids can crack eggs into a bowl (fish out any shell together) and whisk. An adult should handle the hot pan.

Makes: 1 omelette | Time: about 10 minutes

What you’ll need

• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• A pinch of salt
• Shredded cheese or chopped chives (optional)
• A small non-stick skillet (8-inch)
• A bowl, a fork or whisk, and a heat-safe spatula

Steps

1. Crack and whisk. Kid job: Crack the eggs into the bowl. If any shell falls in, scoop it out with a larger piece of shell. Add the salt and whisk until the mixture is one color with no streaks of white.
2. Heat the pan. Adult job: Set the skillet over medium-low heat and melt the butter until it foams but doesn’t brown.
3. Cook gently. Adult job: Pour in the eggs. Stir constantly with the spatula, shaking the pan lightly, until the eggs form small soft curds and are just barely set on top, about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Shape. Adult job: Take the pan off the heat. Tilt it and use the spatula to fold one side of the eggs over the center, then roll the omelette toward the edge of the pan.
5. Serve. Slide it onto a plate seam side down. Kid job: Sprinkle on cheese or chives if you’re using them.

2. Chicken adobo with jasmine rice (Jordan Andino, season two).

The episode centers on Filipino cooking. Kids can rinse the rice, measure ingredients, and stir. Adults handle the raw chicken and the stove. It’s also an easy way to introduce a cuisine they may not eat often.

Serves: 4 | Time: about 50 minutes

What you’ll need

For the chicken

• 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup white or cane vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
• A large, deep skillet or pot with a lid

For the rice

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
• 2 1/4 cups water
• A saucepan with a lid

Steps

1. Rinse the rice. Kid job: Put the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, swirl, and pour off the cloudy water. Repeat 3 to 4 times until the water is mostly clear. Drain well.
2. Mix the sauce. Kid job: Measure the soy sauce, vinegar, and water into a bowl and stir in the brown sugar if using.
3. Start the chicken. Adult job: Put the chicken, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns in the skillet. Pour the sauce over everything. Wash your hands with soap after touching raw chicken.
4. Simmer. Adult job: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway.
5. Cook the rice. In the saucepan, combine the rinsed rice and 2 1/4 cups water. Adult job: Bring to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to the lowest setting for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 more minutes. Kid job: Fluff with a fork.
6. Reduce the sauce. Adult job: Take the lid off the chicken, raise the heat to medium, and cook 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
7. Check the chicken. Adult job: The thickest piece should read 165°F (74°C) on a meat thermometer. Remove the bay leaves.
8. Serve. Spoon the chicken and sauce over the rice.

Note: Adobo is tangy and salty. For kids who prefer milder food, serve extra rice with the sauce.

3. Homemade dog biscuits (inspired by Nyesha Arrington, season one)

In her episode, Selena also makes home-cooked doggy biscuits. If you have a family dog, it’s a low-pressure project where kids can roll, cut, and shape.

Makes: about 20 small biscuits | Time: about 40 minutes

What you’ll need

• 2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (check the label: it must not contain xylitol)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup water, plus a splash more if needed
• A baking sheet lined with parchment paper
• A rolling pin and a small cookie cutter

Steps

1. Heat the oven. Adult job: Preheat to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix. Kid job: In a large bowl, stir the flour, peanut butter, egg, and water until a stiff dough forms. If it’s too dry, add water a teaspoon at a time.
3. Roll. Kid job: Dust the counter with flour and roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Cut. Kid job: Cut shapes and place them on the baking sheet.
5. Bake. Adult job: Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until firm and lightly golden.
6. Cool. Let them cool completely on the pan before giving one to your dog. They firm up as they cool.

Notes: Treats should be a small part of a dog’s diet. Don’t add onion, garlic, raisins, chocolate, or anything sweetened with xylitol, and check with your vet if your dog has allergies or a special diet.

A quick word on knives

Selena began the show without basic knife skills, and learning them is a thread through the series. With kids:

• Start with a kid-safe nylon knife and soft foods like bananas, mushrooms, or cooked potatoes.
• Teach the “claw” hand: fingertips tucked back, knuckles forward.
• Keep a damp towel under the cutting board so it doesn’t slide.
• Keep sharp chef’s knives for adults.

Related: 15 Picky Eater Lunch Box Ideas with Foods Your Kid Already Likes

How to run your own “Selena + Chef” night

1. Pick One Dish and Read the Recipe Together First

Choose one of the three dishes above instead of trying to cook a full menu. A single dish keeps the night from feeling rushed.

Before anyone touches an ingredient, sit down and read the recipe out loud together. This gives kids a preview of what’s coming and lets them ask questions while nothing is hot. It also gets older kids practicing reading directions in order.

A few things to do during the read-through:

• Ask kids to find the ingredients in the kitchen and set them out.
• Point out which steps are marked for kids and which are for adults.
• Talk through anything unfamiliar, like “simmer” or “fold,” so it isn’t new in the middle of cooking.
• Check for allergies and for foods anyone won’t eat before you start.

2. Give Each Person a Job, So Nobody Is Just Watching

On the show, Selena’s grandparents and friends pitched in while she cooked, so everyone in the room had something to do. Copy that. A kid with a task stays interested, and a kid with nothing to do tends to wander off or get underfoot.

Match jobs to age and skill:

• Younger kids: rinse rice, stir cold ingredients, crack eggs, sprinkle toppings, set the table.
• Older kids: measure ingredients, read the next step aloud, whisk, roll dough, watch the timer.
• Adults: anything involving the stove, hot pans, the oven, or raw chicken.

Rotate jobs if more than one kid wants the same one.

3. Cook Slowly

Part of what made the show easy to follow is that nobody rushed. The chef explained each step and Selena took her time.

At home, slow cooking means:

• Starting earlier than you think you need to, so there’s no deadline.
• Setting out and measuring ingredients before you turn on the heat.
• Doing one step at a time and letting kids finish it before moving to the next.
• Skipping the “hurry up” voice. A child who’s afraid of being told off will cook more carefully than one who’s having fun, but a rushed child tends to make more mistakes.

4. Expect a Mess, and Maybe a Burnt Thing

In season one, Selena opened her oven to find a fire, and the show treated it as part of the story. That’s a good attitude to bring to your own kitchen.

Set expectations before you start:

• Flour on the floor, shell in the eggs, and a lopsided shape are all fine.
• If something burns, talk about what happened (too hot, too long, not enough stirring) and what to try next time. Then eat what’s still good or make toast.
• Keep paper towels and a damp cloth within reach.
• Leave time for cleanup, and make it a job too.

One real safety note: a mess is fine, but fire isn’t a joke. Keep kids away from hot pans and the oven door, and keep a lid nearby to smother a small pan fire.

5. Pick a Cause You Care About and Talk About How Food Can Help Others

Every episode of Selena + Chef ended with a $10,000 donation to a charity the guest chef picked. Charities named through the show include World Central Kitchen, Feeding America, and Baby2Baby.

You don’t have to donate $10,000 to do something similar. A few ways to bring the idea home:

• Look up a food-related charity together and read what it does.
• Choose a small amount from the family’s money, or from kids’ savings if they want to, and let them decide where it goes.
• Donate a few pantry items to a local food bank.
• Cook an extra portion of your dish and share it with a neighbor.

Even a short conversation about why some families go without meals, and what people do about it, gives the cooking a purpose beyond dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions