Padma Lakshmi, Wylie Dufresne, and Michael Cimarusti Got Lunch with Us at Don Angie in NYC.

The Infatuation
The InfatuationMay 8, 2026

Why It Matters

America's Culinary Cup showcases authentic culinary talent, driving viewer engagement and potentially elevating participating chefs’ restaurants and broader food trends.

Key Takeaways

  • America's Culinary Cup emphasizes pure cooking skill, avoiding gimmicks.
  • Hosts highlight chefs' chemistry, fostering friendly, competitive atmosphere.
  • Padma Lakshmi offers encyclopedic world‑cuisine insights during tasting.
  • Chefs aim to improve New York‑style pizza daily.
  • Series premieres Wednesday evenings on CBS, inviting audience participation.

Summary

The video captures a lunch at Don Angie in New York City with host Padma Lakshmi and chefs Wylie Dufresne and Michael Cimarusti, where they promote the upcoming television series America's Culinary Cup.

The chefs explain that the competition will eschew typical reality‑TV tricks, focusing instead on pure cooking ability and letting the best “chops” win. Their banter highlights a strong chemistry, a shared obsession with perfecting New York‑style pizza, and light‑hearted debates such as pineapple on pizza.

Padma’s encyclopedic knowledge of world cuisines provides context for each bite, while Dufresne remarks, “We’re always trying to make better pizza tomorrow than we did yesterday,” and Cimarusti quips he’d eat pineapple if the other chef made it.

By positioning the series as a skill‑driven contest aired Wednesday evenings on CBS, the producers aim to attract food‑savvy viewers, boost the profiles of participating chefs, and influence dining trends across the city.

Original Description

Catch Padma, Wylie, & Michael in America's Culinary Cup airing Wednesdays on CBS & Paramount+
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