Ep 9. With My Hands

With My Hands is the ninth episode of season one of the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate. In this episode, the hosts share their favorite dishes that they enjoy eating with their hands. From finger-licking barbecued ribs to savory tacos, the show highlights the best foods that one must eat without utensils.

The episode kicks off with Iron Chef Cat Cora showcasing her favorite childhood memory of eating a succulent BBQ chicken with her hands. She explains how the messy, saucy dish taught her how to appreciate the deliciousness of food. Following this, Chris Cosentino, the chef-owner of San Francisco’s Cockscomb, shares his love for the crispy oxtail boulettes from New Orleans and tells the audience how the delicious dish was worth getting his hands dirty.

Next up is the famous chef Alton Brown, who introduces the audience to an irresistible dish of Kenyan chicken with chapati. He vividly describes how he loves to devour the dish like a true Kenyan, using his hands and scooping up the sauce with the buttery chapati. Aarti Sequeira, the host of Aarti Party, then showcases her favorite Indian savory snack, bhel puri, which is known for its sweet, tangy, and spicy flavor. She tells the audience how the dish holds a special place in her heart and reminds her of her childhood memories with her grandmother.

The episode then shifts to another famous chef, Alex Guarnaschelli of New York’s Butter and Iron Chef, who highlights her favorite meaty indulgence of beef ribs from Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City. She shares how the mouthwatering ribs deserve to be eaten with bare hands to get the full experience of the tender and juicy meat. The show then moves on to a distinct Mexican cuisine as Roger Mooking, a chef and TV host, introduces the audience to the flavorful world of tacos al pastor. He explains how the dish is meant to be held with both hands and savored like a true Mexican.

The show then moves to Bangkok, Thailand, and invites Chef Jet Tila to share his favorite Thai street food, khao soi. He declares this noodle soup dish as one of the best things he ever ate and shares with the audience how eating khao soi with chopsticks or any utensils would be a disgrace. The episode then takes the audience to Chef Richard Blais of Trail Blais and Top Chef, who shows his love for the crispy, Louisiana-style po' boys. He tells the audience how he enjoys the crunchy texture of the bread combined with the juicy shrimp filling.

The final segment of the episode is by Duff Goldman, a famous pastry chef, and owner of Charm City Cakes. He shares his sweet tooth indulgence of the classic dessert apple pie. He shares how eating apple pie with hands takes him back to the classic Americana, and how the flaky crust and cinnamon spice filling transport him to his happy place.

The episode concludes with a montage of the delicious dishes highlighted throughout the episode, emphasizing the fact that some of the best foods are meant to be enjoyed with the hands. The hosts encourage the audience to step outside their comfort zone, get their hands dirty, and fully immerse themselves in the deliciousness of the food.