Watch Take Home Chef

Take Home Chef is a cooking show that aired on TLC from 2005-2008, featuring Australian chef Curtis Stone. In each episode, Stone would surprise a shopper in a grocery store and ask to accompany them home to prepare a meal with their ingredients. The show begins with Stone introducing himself to an unsuspecting shopper in the supermarket. He often uses a cheesy pick-up line to grab their attention before revealing that he is a professional chef and offering to cook them dinner in their own home. If the shopper agrees, they head back to their house to get things started.

Once at the shopper's home, Stone takes over the kitchen and gets to work, often incorporating the shopper's own ingredients into the dishes he prepares. He frequently asks the homeowner questions about their preferences and cooking styles in order to tailor the meal to their tastes. Stone's charismatic personality is on full display as he whips up a storm in the kitchen, chatting and joking with the homeowner as he cooks.

Throughout the show, Stone shares tips and tricks for cooking with viewers, demonstrating techniques that can be easily replicated at home. He also incorporates nutritional information into his meals, often highlighting the health benefits of particular ingredients or cooking methods.

As the meal comes together, Stone sets a beautifully decorated table and invites the shopper to sit down and enjoy the fruits of their labor together. The show ends with the homeowner gushing over how surprised and delighted they are with the meal, and Stone bidding them farewell until the next time he surprises someone in the supermarket.

Take Home Chef was a hugely popular show during its run, with viewers tuning in each week to see who Stone would surprise next and what delicious meal he would prepare. The show's format was unique for its time, combining elements of cooking and reality TV to create a charming and entertaining series. Stone's easygoing personality and skill in the kitchen made him a fan favorite, and the show remains a beloved classic among cooking enthusiasts.

Take Home Chef is a series that ran for 2 seasons (135 episodes) between May 15, 2006 and on TLC