Festive Envy: 10 Chefs To Inspire (Or Intimidate) Your Culinary Efforts This Season

If you’re like us, you’re probably looking for ways to spice up your culinary game ahead of the holiday season. That means new recipes and fresh approaches to traditional meals. Search no further, these ten savvy chefs from around the world are here to teach you their ways, showing you the ropes of everything from soul food, to French patisserie, plant-based meals and celebratory tipples.

Cedric Grolet of @cedricgrolet

One of the most successful pastry chefs in the world, French pâtissier Cedric Grolet has amassed quite the cult following on his social media channels, where he delights his followers with videos and images revolving around his craft. Best known for his reinterpretation of traditional French desserts, Grolet took his culinary fame to the next level with creations that uncannily resemble the fruits from which they’re made. White chocolate, intricate techniques and airbrushing all come together in Grolet’s expert hands to achieve an incredibly realistic and scrumptious effect. Another worthy mention? His croissants are rumoured to be some of the best in Paris, and that’s saying something.  

@cedricgrolet Grand classique ☕️ #cedricgrolet #opera #chocolatine #chocolat ♬ Future – Official Sound Studio

Carleigh Bodrug of @plantyou

We’re all aware of the benefits of following a plant-based diet by now, right? We won’t get into them, then. The thing is, making the switch to plant-based nutrition can seem daunting. All the ingredient swaps you have to make, all the dishes you have to leave behind… not so fast. Just follow creator Carleigh Bodrug, who makes delicious, fuss-free plant-based recipes for her followers. From fudgy brownies to pasta sauces and filling entrees, she whips up everything you could possibly crave. Simple and approachable, hers are recipes you can reach for at any given moment. Personally, we’re excited to try her Homemade Vegan Nutella and her Mushroom Wellington.

@plantyou COOL BEANS EP 6: Chocolate Spread made from… @Bush’s Beans CHICKPEAS. #bushsbeanspartner . You are going to be obsessed with this 5 minute protein and fiber filled luscious chocolate spread. Bush’s chickpeas are so versatile, so they’re great for adding fiber and protein to any meal. . RECIPE 1 16 oz can @bushsbeans chickpeas, drained & rinsed 4 medjool dates, pitted 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup warm water . Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth. Enjoy as a dip or on your morning toast. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. . #b#beansb#beansquadr#recipec#chickpeasp#plantbased ♬ original sound – Carleigh Bodrug – plantyou

Ryan Peters of @Peterspasta

Pennsylvania-based chef Ryan Peters has amassed almost three million followers on TikTok by doing what he knows best: making good pasta. His account is a treasure trove of aesthetically pleasing videos featuring all sorts of pasta, from traditional shapes like ravioli or fettuccini, to inventive creations like blue pasta, coffee pasta or purple Mac ‘n’ Cheese. Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, right? Peters also travels to remote, wild and unexpected locations to mix ingredients for his hand-rolled dough. Engaging and surprising, some of his most recent setting choices include college soccer fields, stadiums and Venice Beach.

@peterspasta Those people scare me #pastatiktok ♬ if you use this you love smelling stinky farts – Tik Toker

Eliya Hachem of @eliyaeats

Nutrition doesn’t have to compete with flavour, and Eliya Eats is here to prove it. A certified nutritionist who focuses on high-protein, low-calorie recipes, she makes healthy dishes that taste like heaven – and which anyone, even the clumsiest, most inexperienced cook, can easily recreate at home. She focuses mainly on desserts and breakfast foods, but you’ll find all sorts of meals on her channels. She also follows the 80/20 rule, so you’ll find a few mouth-watering comfort food recipes as well. 

@eliyaeats Obsessed with how cute these are 😍👌🏼#minibasquecheesecake #healthycheesecake #highproteincheesecake ♬ оригинальный звук – rinaskrgn

Cynthia Kenina at @grazebysin

Few preparations feel as festive as a colourful grazing table. If you’re a newbie to the trend, or if you’d just like to perfect your grazing game, check out Cynthia’s work at @grazebysin, where she illustrates, step by step, how to craft any type of board. Whether you’re more into charcuterie, sweets or healthy eats, Cynthia reveals that you can always make a deliciously put-together arrangement. Personally, we’re big fans of how she balances out sweets with salty foods, and healthy options like celery or carrot sticks with close-to-your-heart snacks like Kinder bars or cake slices. With her boards, you can’t go wrong.

@grazebysin Grazing table for baby shower, this is second table I have done for this beautiful mama to be 🥰💖 #babyshower #grazing #grazingtable #food #foodie #artist #foodartist #foodart #foodlover #foodtok #fyp #fypシ #new #viral #foryoupage #foodaroundtheworld #cheese #foodies #foodmaster #grazingboard #grazebysin #grazer ♬ sonido original – olivia

Adam Watanabe at @sushiartisan

If you ask three people to reveal their favourite food, sushi will usually be on the list. Which we can totally get behind: sushi is nutritious, fresh, versatile, convenient and, importantly, yummy. The thing is that making it yourself can get tricky, from getting the rice to the perfect point to rolling it just so, it’s not something you usually perfect on the first try. Adam the Sushi Artisan is quite the expert, though, and his visually striking, step-by-step videos are likely to inspire you not to give up. His carefully styled dishes of different geometrical sushi arrangements are truly something else.

@sushiartisan When I say I make #sushi #🍣 #sushitime #sushilover #fyp #tiktoksushi #tiktokfood #foodphotography @chefsrollofficial @mychefstalk @intergourmetfood ♬ Originalton – Hi

Jeremy Shceck at @jeremyscheck

Jeremy Scheck is a student at Cornell University who rose to TikTok acclaim during the pandemic, thanks to his at-home cooking tutorial videos, where he prepared dishes that both students and regular folks could get their hands on. His social media presence quickly grew, and Scheck has gone on to create content in different languages (English, Italian and Spanish, the latter two being his college majors), and he even added a “tipsy cooking” segment to his channel. He also offers interesting food science facts throughout several of his videos, making it the perfect channel for curious cooks.

@scheckeats It’s salad szn #caramelizedoniondip #dip #spinachandartichokedip #spinachdip #artichokedip ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

Brandon Skier at @sad_papi

The restaurant industry was hit hard in the pandemic, and some professional chefs who left the kitchen never went back. That’s the case for Brandon Skier, aka Sad Papi, a former fine dining chef with over 10 years of experience who found himself out of a job in 2020, and only then turned to social media. Two years later, he’s grown his TikTok channel to over 1.9 million followers, who he lovingly calls his “papitas”. There, he features all sorts of delicious and elegant dishes. Pay him a visit if you’re looking to recreate a restaurant-quality dish that will impress.

@sad_papi Aguachile 🇲🇽 with agua de pepino. not spa water. #tiktokfood #tiktokcooks #foodtiktok ♬ original sound – Sad_papi

Justin Sajda at @thirstywhale__

As the year winds down, we’re starting to feel more in the mood for a nice evening relaxing at home with our favourite cocktail or spirit in hand. If you’d like to jump on board, take a look at what Justin has been putting out on his channel: from traditional cocktails like margaritas and negronis, to pumpkin whiskey sours and “Clarified Zombie” cocktails, he really knows how to mix up a classy drink. He’s also entertaining and fun to watch, so you’re likely to spend hours scrolling through his feed, working up a thirst.

@thirstywhale__ CRANBERRY GIN SOUR – Nutritious and Delicious #cranberry #cranberrysauce #gin #cocktail #fallcocktail #wintercocktail #ginsour #ginandtonic #tiktok #fyp ♬ original sound – Thirsty Whale

Amaury Guichón of @amauryguichon

If his face seems familiar, that’s probably because you’ve spotted Amaury Guichón on Netflix’s School of Chocolate, where he hosts and judges a chocolate sculpture-making competition. The young French-Swiss pastry chef, who began his culinary journey at the age of 14, is known for his impressively realistic chocolate sculptures that have gained him over 17 million followers on TikTok and 10 million on Instagram. All you need is one look at any of his creations to understand why. Seriously, some of them are even functional. You may not exactly be able to recreate his delicious designs at home, but perhaps a look through his repertoire will inspire you to make some edible art of your own.

@amauryguichon Chocolate Giraffe! 🦒This 8.3ft tall 100% chocolate sculpture is my biggest creation yet. #amauryguichon #chocolate #giraffe ♬ dream river. – Woong Sun Hee