Adding some spice: Peruvian, Italian culture influences Franco Noriega with new cooking show

It’s taken years for Franco Noriega’s dreams to come to fruition.

The New York-based chef always dreamt of having his own cooking show.

For nearly three years, he and his crew worked on the idea for what is now “Hot Dish with Franco,” which airs on the Food Network.

It is also streaming on Max.

“We’ve been talking about this show for a while,” Noriega says during a recent interview. “We landed on this idea of showing people how to cook easy recipes. Because I live in New York, and I’m always on the run, I don’t like to be home and cook for hours. People really enjoy recipes that are quick and delicious.”

In each of the six-half hour episodes, Noriega shares personal heartfelt stories of his Peruvian and Italian roots as he prepares delicious dishes with his signature flare for flavor.

From quick and easy weeknight meals to brunch and classic Latin dishes with a twist, all of his food is easy, accessible and brings people together.

“Delicious food has always been central in my life, as some of my favorite memories have been in the kitchen eating and cooking with my family and traveling across the world enjoying fantastic meals,” Noriega says. “Now, I’m thrilled to share my favorite recipes and lifelong passion for cooking with Food Network viewers.”

Throughout the season, Noriega takes viewers on a culinary journey, sprinkling in tidbits of his Latin American and Italian background along with cooking tips and tricks.

His recipes strike a balance between authentic and eclectic, ranging from arepas with melted cheese and chorizo to vegetable ceviche, and to deconstructed tiramisu.

Adding some spice: Peruvian, Italian culture influences Franco Noriega with new cooking show

In the first episode, Noriega recreates the meal that made him fall in love with New York City. He puts his own twist on steak frites with a bright green chimichurri, and fluffy and crunchy twice baked potato wedges.

A brown butter lemon sauce and crispy Parmesan chips make his Crispy Parmesan Lemon Asparagus the perfect side.

“We are thrilled to welcome Franco Noriega to Food Network’s ‘In the Kitchen’ programming lineup,” says Betsy Ayala, head of content, food, Warner Bros. Discovery. “Franco’s approachable culinary expertise and effortless, inviting style will encourage audiences to try a wide range of new recipes made from simple ingredients that create dishes with bold flavors.”

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Noriega’s culinary journey began at a young age.

Influenced by the vibrant and diverse culinary landscape of his homeland, he developed an insatiable curiosity for cooking and a deep appreciation for fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Guided by his mother’s Italian heritage and his own creative instincts, Noriega’s culinary skills flourished, ultimately leading him to study at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan.

After honing his culinary craft in renowned kitchens across Europe, Noriega opened his first restaurant, Baby Brasa. Noriega’s innovative approach to traditional Peruvian cuisine, focusing on organic and sustainable ingredients, showcased his commitment to delivering both flavor and nutrition.

Noriega says before he had his New York-based restaurants – Baby Brasa, Tivoli Trattoria and Fellini Coffee – cooking was meditative.

Today, he finds himself always changing the menus at each of them.

“Sometimes it’s a complete overhaul,” he says. “Usually it’s small, little tweaks to the menu. Take for instance the quinoa salad and I added a few new ingredients and with the Peruvian flavor added, it takes the culinary exploration to another level.”

Filming the six episodes was a great experience.

Noriega had no problem in front of the camera, as he used his modeling experience to help navigate the hours of production.

“The biggest obstacle was not being able to eat when the food was ready,” he says with a laugh.

As the series continues to air the rest of the six episodes, Noriega has one goal.

“I really want people to be introduced to a lot of new ingredients,” he says. “Sometimes people are scared to try new things. Within this show, we are showing the audience to not be afraid to experiment with recipes.”

New shows air weekly on Saturday on the Food Network and then stream on Max.