Wherever she goes, the place instantly turns into her own personal runway—the grocery aisle is no exception. Sure, fashion editorials have been done countless times with grocery stores as backdrop, but when Paris Hilton—hailed as the “OG Influencer”—does it, it will still be riveting, and relevant. In a nutshell, this woman hasn’t lost her touch.
Undoubtedly her penchant to make heads turn remains intact no matter what she does, and this includes her recent project, a Netflix original called Cooking With Paris.
I watched it like I would when I’m in the mood for a “feel-good” show to pass the time. With the world being in short supply of good news these days, anything that comes as a slight reprieve from the dumpster fire that is 2020 until present—something, anything—I’ll take it.
Seeing Paris cook up culinary magic with her guest stars (who acted as her sous-chefs) was entertaining, and not without its lessons or takeaways. Apart from learning a new word Sliving—slaying and living my best life in one, which she has already trademarked—these are the other things I picked up from Paris that were pretty cute and fun to take note of:
Dress to the Nines
Leave it to Paris to show us a thing or two about dressing up for the occasion. But she doesn’t stop there. Everything from the mask, gloves, down to the theme—she’s thought it through. Have fun dressing up the way you want. Don’t let getting your face covered up in a mask and shield stop you from donning that favorite dress, even if it’s as simple as running errands. Also, there’s always time for a costume change.
Presentation is Everything
From dressing up her dogs on Christmas, to matching the setting to the cuisine on Italian night or Taco Tuesday, don’t limit your ideas on your clothes alone. Go all out and have fun while you’re at it.
Make It Your Own
How you set things up boils down to how you want to express yourself. If she wants bling not just on her cookware but also on her turkey, there will be bling. If she wants more than a drizzle of glitter on her cannolis, her onion rings gilded in gold, she’ll cover the whole thing and no one can stop her. The point? Paris wants it that way because that’s what she likes and we should do the same too.
The More The Merrier
Staying cooped up at home is no reason not to be able to enjoy a hearty, sliving dish—that’s what the kitchen is for. Slaving in the kitchen won’t feel like such if you’re there cooking up a storm with your close friends and family. Just have a backup plan when things go south, especially if you’re a rebel in the kitchen like Paris.
Cooking is Fun
Yes I’m stating the obvious, but it has to be said. Sometimes we’re so caught up in trying to get things done and get them done right, we forget the fun of it. Take it from Paris: never lose sight of your childlike enthusiasm. In between the blunders, she’s clearly having fun. So next time you’re cooking, remember to enjoy the end results of your hard work; do your happy dance after you’ve eaten something so good (which I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who has a dance); and most of all, if you mess up, just laugh it up.
I personally have had my moments where I couldn’t find my way in the kitchen, much less the grocery (I mean, who hasn’t?). So in the pilot episode when she asked “What do chives look like?” I laughed because I felt that. But like her, and the few who are really really trying, we’re not a lost cause at all. Me? I’ve improved, and I’m…reliable in the kitchen, I declare somewhat apprehensively. I haven’t devoted my time learning the intricacies of the culinary world, but to quote Paris, “I love cooking. But I’m not a trained chef, and I’m not trying to be.”
So whether you’re a huge fan, not at all, or just really indifferent, you’ll still give in, watch the show and come to the conclusion: take away the glitter and the fashion, she’s just like us in the kitchen—lost, confused, yet not entirely helpless. And if all else fails, winging it helps.