Evan Jake Cohen

Braising short ribs and can seem long, complicated and too involved for the novice home cook. Not so, according to Edi and the Wolf’s chef/owner Edi Frauneder. He shows Playboy senior editor Jeremy Repanich the simple steps to follow to cook this crowdpleasing dish that’s perfect to prepare during the dark, cold days of winter. He serves his short rib with some sweet potato puree, grilled radicchio, pickled shallots and, in honor of his homeland, a glass of the Austrian red wine Braufränkisch.

Scott Conant of Scarpetta and Chopped fame, shows Playboy senior editor Jeremy Repanich how to make a simple, but delicious pasta dish, featuring heirloom tomatoes and burrata. Conant also talks about what inspired him to make his style of Italian food, what he thinks of molecular gastronomy and why he's not obsessed with authenticity. 

Ethiopian-born, Swedish-raised Chef Marcus Samuelsson shows Playboy senior editor Jeremy Repanich the secret to making delicious Uncle T’s Meatballs from his new restaurant Streetbird, which he serves with red sauce and toasted bread.

Fabian von Hauske of Contra in New York City is one of America’s best young chefs. But even the best make mistakes every once in a while. When first opening Contra in 2013, the then 23-year-old von Hauske was experimenting with ice cream bases and messed up a batch. However, he found that while he hadn’t made a good ice cream base, he’d made a great mousse and since then he’s turned that mistake into a staple of his culinary repertoire. It’s a valuable lesson in how embracing experimentation in the kitchen can lead to cool new discoveries.

To make this dessert, von Hauske combines that mousse with a crumbly topping inspired by Alegria, an amaranth-based bar he ate growing up as a kid in Mexico City. Then he serves it to Playboy senior editor Jeremy Repanich with a lemon-yogurt sorbet that adds an acidic high note to an earthy dessert.

Chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson shows Playboy senior editor Jeremy Repanich the secrets to making piri piri prawns from the Afro-Asian infused Cecil restaurant in Harlem. Served with yam flapjacks and savory piri piri sauce with shaved green apples, watch and learn how Johnson creates the signature dish.