Paris Hilton's name is synonymous with her luxurious lifestyle. (After all, this is the woman who went viral for building a $325,000 "puppy mansion" for her pets.) For the heiress, channeling her socialite nature is a formula that works — at first glance Look, her new show Cooking With Paris seems to be an extension of the brand. The show was filmed at her palatial home in Beverly Hills. Hilton cooks with utensils like "gleaming Swarovski crystal-covered spatulas." But beneath the surface of this series' fever dream lies a surprising truth about Hilton.
For each episode, Hilton invites a different celebrity friend to learn how to make a new dish. She makes French toast with Kim Kardashian West; ravioli with Demi Lovato. Although she wears lace gloves no matter what food she handles, one thing is clear: Despite Hilton's decadent lifestyle, her taste in food is simple. A preference for haute couture doesn't necessarily imply a love of haute cuisine; in fact, Hilton's tastes border on basic, displaying a love of comfort food.
To get a better sense of Hilton's diverse culinary palates, Buster asked her some tough food questions. Here's what Hilton had to say about Red Bull, Vanilla Honey, and why she's marrying french fries.
You're on the road DJing about 250 days a year. What’s your go-to staple food?
I brought Lucky Charms cereal because it wasn’t available in many countries. I love those s'mores granola bars.
Prefer Quaker Chewy?
Yes, I like those. I like to keep vanilla honey with me because I like to pour it in when I drink coffee or tea.
What do you like to eat or drink before a show? Do you have drinks with you at the DJ booth?
I don’t like to eat a big meal before a show, I’ll be jumping around and not feeling full. So I usually like to eat something healthy, like watermelon or cherries. Then I like to drink Red Bull, which is yellow and passion fruit flavored. It gives me a lot of energy.
I didn't even know Red Bull came in different flavors.
I hate classic flavors. You have to try that [passion fruit].
I can! Obviously you've traveled around the world. What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a country you’ve visited?
I think the best is Italy. It has everything there: pasta, sauces, truffles, cheese, everything they make.
Which restaurant do you go to most often when in Italy?
There are many of them. I love going to Cipriani in Milan, and they also have [Cipriani] in New York. That's one of my favorite restaurants.
Of all the dishes you made on the show, which one was your favorite?
I tried making McDonald's fries and they tasted great. And the fluffy frittata that Kim [Kardashian West] and I made together. In fact, I make brunch for my fiancé almost every weekend now. We love it.
How do you fine-tune the recipe?
I don’t use regular buttercream, I use this vanilla almond [cream]. It makes it so sweet and tastes like this fluffy dessert.
What do you always cook for your fiancé (or previous lover) when you first try to impress them?
My lasagna, 100%. It was like the only thing I knew how to cook before the show. This was the first meal I cooked for my fiancé after a month of dating. I made this for him, his mom, and his whole family when we traveled together for Christmas and everyone loved it.
Who taught you the lasagna recipe?
This is my grandmother's recipe. [I] changed it a little bit, but my mom taught me that.
What's the best dinner party you've ever been to?
My mom throws the best dinner parties. She just loves entertaining at home. She always has these beautiful table settings and such a fun, eclectic crowd.
When you think back, what was the best crowd she ever had?
We had a lot of fun nights, but I just loved being with my family. I was always traveling so much that I didn’t have much time to spend with my family. So when it came to my mom, her sister, my sister and all the cousins; we were a really fun family. It was really special to me that we all came together.
Who is the best cook in the family?
I.
People claim that oysters are an aphrodisiac. What food or drink puts you in a good mood?
I hate oysters. [They are] so disgusting, they taste like slime. I love strawberries and whipped cream.
Marry, fuck, kill: pizza, french fries, bagels?
I would marry French fries [because] my name is Paris. I don’t really “F” anything.
This is a metaphorical question.
[I guess] pizza.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity .
