Food Network Obsessed

Olivia Culpo on Her No-Filter Family & the Prized Pizza Pan

Episode Summary

Former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo shares how her family reacted to her skyrocketing to international fame and her advice for how to respond to naysayers in your life.

Episode Notes

Former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo shares how her family reacted to her skyrocketing to international fame and her advice for how to respond to naysayers in your life. She reveals the famous fellow gym member who helped jumpstart her family reality show and what element of her family life is the scariest to share. Olivia talks about being the middle child and how the one bumper sticker on her mom’s car reflects their family values. She excitedly shares the Food Network show she was obsessed with as a child and the precious kitchen item her family fights over. Olivia shares a few of her family traditions and how they honor the feast of the seven fishes. She talks about her foray into co-founding two restaurants and why, at her core, she loves feeding people. 

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Learn More About The Culpo Sisters: https://www.tlc.com/shows/the-culpo-sisters

Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/olivia-culpo-on-her-no-filter-family-the-prized-pizza-pan

Episode Transcription

Jaymee Sire: 00:02 Hello, hello and welcome to Food Network Obsessed. This is the podcast where we dish on all things food with your favorite chefs, food influencers, and food network stars. I'm your host Jamie Sayer, and today we have a former missed universe on the podcast to talk about her reality show worthy family dynamic and favorite date night meals. She is a model actress, entrepreneur, restaurateur, and now on TLC with her new reality show, the Copo Sisters. It's Olivia Copo. Olivia, welcome to the podcast. We are so excited to have you. I know, uh, life is is very busy for you these days, so we appreciate you taking the time.

Olivia Culpo: 00:51 I would make time for anybody affiliated with the Food Network because , it's my favorite channel. It's gotten me through a lot of dark times.

Jaymee Sire: 01:00 I think. I think a lot of people can can relate to that. And, uh, we will definitely talk more about, um, food Network and your different, um, forays into the Discovery Family. But, uh, let's, let's take it back to 2012. Um, you won Miss usa, you went on to win Miss Universe. Um, take us back to that time. What was it like going from just being like a normal small town girl living in the smallest US state in Rhode Island to having this global fame and recognition? It

Olivia Culpo: 01:30 Was so crazy. I feel like there's obviously a ton of different ways to get into this industry, but for it to have happened overnight, like that was definitely a unique perspective and experience and, um, it really was something that changed my life overnight.

Jaymee Sire: 01:45 What do you remember about that moment specifically?

Olivia Culpo: 01:48 I just remember looking down and being so excited to see my family. And I remember when I won Miss usa, they announced everybody from the state of Rhode Island or the entire state of Rhode Island, please move to the left. Cause I had so many people there to support me that were so excited. And that kind of is just what I grew up with. Just a huge community. Rhode Island is very tight knit and they were so proud and I was proud to be able to experience that with people I really loved. And, um, my little tiny state.

Jaymee Sire: 02:19 Yes, absolutely. Um, I mean, for people who are not familiar with kind of the ins and outs of pageant life, give us a little peek into the hard work that goes into it. Like, what's a typical day like for you when you're leading into a pageant like that? It

Olivia Culpo: 02:32 Was a lot of work. I actually joined because I wanted to, I was not really much of a college person. I was not really into partying then. I didn't really know where I fit in. And I wanted something that would take me out of the, the be able to like get me out of those social social settings. So I did everything I did. I didn't even know how to put on makeup. I had to learn how to put on makeup. I went to an all girls school. I didn't understand clothes. I did not, I was not groomed in any way, shape or form to be good in the pageant system. So I had to kind of teach myself every single thing, the different portions of the competition. I didn't really understand. I remember sitting there with like a notebook watching them just writing down each section of the pageant. It was, it was so incredibly random. So for it to have ha uh, unfolded the way that it did was completely unanticipated.

Jaymee Sire: 03:27 What, what are some key things that you learn about yourself during that time? I

Olivia Culpo: 03:31 Think you learn a lot. It, it definitely challenges you when you, when you strive to achieve anything and you, you set a goal for yourself, you learn a lot about yourself. So I think just, you know, doing the work in any capacity unfolds a lot about yourself and, um, teaches you a lot about yourself. So I would say it was more the discipline of everything that I hadn't had in that way.

Jaymee Sire: 03:56 And you mentioned, you know, uh, a small community, but like a, a big heart with, with Rhode Island, you also come from a family of seven. How did everyone in your family react to the fame and how did it change the family dynamic?

Olivia Culpo: 04:10 It was so, it was so weird. I remember my parents being really disappointed that I had even entered the pageant. My mom and dad did not want to go to any of it. They thought it was very vain. They didn't understand why I wasn't playing the cello if I wanted to, you know, work on my stage presence, which is what I had said at the time. They didn't understand why I wasn't just pursuing the cello instead. So that was pretty interesting because eventually they did have to kind of put their feelings aside and mm-hmm. support me, which they did. I'll give them credit for that. But everybody, everybody just thought it was incredibly random. They were like, what are you doing? Are you insane, ? They they were very confused and they were like, oh God, this is so embarrassing. ,

Jaymee Sire: 04:55 They were embarrassed that you won or that you were doing it?

Olivia Culpo: 04:58 Honestly, looking back at a lot of things in my life when I was like doing, when I was doing them at the beginning, I was always made to feel embarrassed, which is something I try to remind myself even now. Like, I remember when I was doing all the pageant stuff, nobody thought it was cool until I won. And even with like influencing and all that stuff, nobody really, I got so much shit for that until people were just like, okay, alright, just let her do what she wants to do. And, you know, it affords you certain things, but it's so, it's so funny how life works in that way. So anybody listening, don't forget. If people are giving you a hard time for doing something and they don't see the end goal or the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going.

Jaymee Sire: 05:42 , I think that's a, a great reminder, a great message for everybody. We see that, that family dynamic now on full display with your new TLC series, the Copo Sisters, at what point did the idea of a reality show come about and what compelled you to wanna go for it?

Olivia Culpo: 05:59 We had been approached a number of times in our lives, honestly, because we have such a big family and there's so much going on and they're just kooky in a lot of ways. So I think it first, I think it was first, um, well it first happened organically just growing up, but when Instagram really took over, we would constantly get people saying, we need to see more of your family, we need to see more videos. And I decided that why not shop it around? And I go to the same gym as Ryan Seacrest, which is kind of funny. So I, I asked our trainer if he could ask Ryan what he thinks I should do, and Ryan made an introduction to an amazing production company that we work with very closely now. And the rest is history.

Jaymee Sire: 06:45 Wow. Um, I mean, what, what do you think of you, you kind of alluded to it, but what about your family and specifically you and your sisters, do you think like, makes for compelling television?

Olivia Culpo: 06:57 I feel like it's really hard when you're like, when you're in it to, to speak on it because it feels just mm-hmm. boastful in a way. I don't know, it just feels weird. But I will say on behalf of my sisters, especially my older sister, Aurora, she's just funny. I don't know, she's just funny. I don't, and my whole, my parents, it's the whole package. It's not just the sisters, it's my mom and dad. They're the real star of the show.

Jaymee Sire: 07:21 , they, uh, they, they just constantly seem like bewildered and, and confused by it all, which I think is like super charming and and relatable as well. Do you feel that way? Yes.

Olivia Culpo: 07:34 And they're just, they're incredibly raw and real and they have their priorities straight. It's always been family first. It's always been great gratitude first. Um, they're, they really are very special people. And then my dad is just really out there. He's just really funny. ,

Jaymee Sire: 07:53 . I mean, what, what elements of your life and family do you feel like are are kind of most nerve-wracking to, to have on display for everybody out there?

Olivia Culpo: 08:04 Well, my parents have absolutely no filter , so that is always in the back of my mind. We, I've had to remind my dad multiple times, like, dial it back. If you don't know what to say, just say you gotta go. Like, I always tell people, if you see my dad run, because he is gonna talk to you for like five hours. Like, we'll go to dinner and we'll, we'll order our, our meal and before we can order the meal, he has to know where did the person come from? Where did their parents come from? Where do they live now? Why do they get into this industry? What are they doing next? Like my dad is just a very interesting and interested person. And, um, I don't know. I, I think that growing up and even now, everybody always says that they feel like a member of our family when they're with our family for any amount of time. So the idea behind this show is just opening that up to everybody. Everybody. Mm-hmm.

Jaymee Sire: 08:55 . Um, do you feel like middle child syndrome is a thing and do you have it?

Olivia Culpo: 09:00 Yes, it's 100% a thing. I grew up smack dab in the middle. My older brother and sister are almost Irish twins. And then there's three years, then there's me and then my younger brother and sister are also almost Irish twins. So I was just like, really? I was like a little lonely island in the middle of all of them, . And I didn't really, I wasn't necessarily like the older dominant ones, but I wasn't really the younger, cute ones. So I just fell in the middle somewhere. I was regularly forgotten. Literally like places. But it's funny, like we laugh about it now,

Jaymee Sire: 09:34 wait, like home alone style. You were forgotten somewhere.

Olivia Culpo: 09:38 Like, literally like the grocery store one time Swim, swim. Like, but I, it sounds bad looking back on it, but it's just because there was so, it sounds bad if you weren't there, but it's not that bad. Yeah, I have great parents. They're absolutely wonderful. But I was truly forgotten all the time. There was just way too much going on. Yeah. Like they both worked full time. There were five kids within eight years of each other. Like five kids under eight years old. That's nuts.

Jaymee Sire: 10:08 , I mean, what are, what are some of your favorite memories from growing up with, with like this fun, crazy, chaotic life?

Olivia Culpo: 10:17 Um, honestly, I feel like everything with us did really revolve around food. Mm-hmm. , we just, food is what my mom has a bumper sticker on her car that says love people cook them yummy food. Mm-hmm. , that's like her only bumper sticker. So, I don't know. I, I feel like cooking with my siblings, making brownies, making cookies, making pancakes, the smell of fresh bacon in the morning, honestly. Watching Food Network, watching Two Fat Ladies. Do you remember that show it? It's, no, it's literally, it's was our favorite show. It's called Two Fat Ladies and it, I just looked it up. It, it, um, actually stopped. I think their last season was in 1999, which makes me feel very, very old. But,

Jaymee Sire: 11:01 Um, ,

Olivia Culpo: 11:03 I guess we would watch maybe some of the reruns too cause I was 92, but who knows. Um, but anyway, was this adorable, this adorable sisters, two ad adorable sisters that would run around on this motorcycle. But anyway, anybody listening will know and they'll be like, oh my God, I remember that

Jaymee Sire: 11:18 .

Olivia Culpo: 11:20 So that was awesome. And just, yeah, just spending time with each other, being crazy. I feel like also being from a big family and having parents that worked all the time. I, I think there were very formative experiences just with the five of us. Like just each other, with each other. Like surviving. Mm-hmm. . .

Jaymee Sire: 11:35 Yeah. . Uh, what, what are some of your favorite things that your mom cooks

Olivia Culpo: 11:42 So well, it's funny you mentioned that we have a few very, uh, coveted family rest recipes. One revolves around this pizza pan that my mom has had for like four generations now. And, um, I just made cow zones yesterday actually. We like ship it around to all of us. It's literally been, there have been five generations eating off of this pan. It makes the absolute best, best, best pizza ever. And like, croutons, cow zones, fca, um, anything like that bread. It's so interesting and it's never been washed and it is just, honestly, it's the most, probably the most coveted thing in our entire family. But besides that, um, just a lot of Italian like chicken and polenta, lasagna, lasagnas,

Jaymee Sire: 12:36 , multiple. Uh, wait, I wanna hear more about this pizza pan or this cow zone pan, cuz I definitely saw you making the cow zone in your stories last night and everybody enjoying it, uh, during the football game. Um, so like who, how do you decide like who gets to have custody of the pan at any certain time? Well,

Olivia Culpo: 12:54 I actually called the pan and it apparently fell on deaf ears because everybody, like, I called the pan to take to inherit someday.

Jaymee Sire: 13:03 Oh, you, you called dibs on it. Gotcha.

Olivia Culpo: 13:05 Yeah, exactly. And everybody forgot that has since forgotten that. So who knows what will happen and it'll be like the sisterhood of traveling

Jaymee Sire: 13:13 Pan pan

Olivia Culpo: 13:16 And Brotherhood.

Jaymee Sire: 13:17 Uh, wait, so is it an actual pan or is it like, is it like,

Olivia Culpo: 13:20 Funny enough, yeah, it's actually a roasting pan. Okay. It's jet black. It's never been washed and it's makes the absolute best carbs you've ever had

Jaymee Sire: 13:31 . Um, it sounds incredible. Um, I feel like I need to, I need one of those pans of my own, but I, I mean it's like you can't replicate that, right? Like generations, you can't, of pizza and calzones and everything.

Olivia Culpo: 13:41 I think you can try, like William Sonoma has a really good pizza stone that I love and it's the same idea. Just never wash it . And like, let's see what it looks like in literally a hundred years. Yeah, a hundred years. It might be as good as this one.

Jaymee Sire: 13:56 All right, well, well, we'll check back with you, uh, in, in a century from now, um, . But, uh, do you remember the first thing that you learned to cook?

Olivia Culpo: 14:04 Um, I think for all of us it was, it, it had to have either been pancakes, cookies, brownies, like something not good for you, obviously

Jaymee Sire: 14:14 Or very good for you obviously ,

Olivia Culpo: 14:16 Right? Yeah. I think that that was it. Oh yeah, that's true. I feel like, I don't know, aside from that, everybody needs to know how to make chicken or pasa or eggs. Like I remember eggs cuz with eggs, a fried egg in particular, you're like, gosh, how that, how do they flip this thing? Like when you're really little? So, um, that one I remember cuz eggs are trial and error and they're very, they're very fun for a little cake. So you have to figure out, how am I gonna crack this without getting shells in it?

Jaymee Sire: 14:44 . Yeah. No, I mean, and it's a, it's a very good skill to, you know, to have for the rest of your life. For sure. Yeah. Obviously like food is, is such, you know, a central part of your family and your life. I'm sure holidays are very festive in your family as well. What are some holiday traditions you guys have

Olivia Culpo: 15:02 Every holiday? I feel like there's at least five people, like pandemic or not that I just don't know. My mom just invites anybody over. It's like, she'll meet somebody like at the grocery store and be like, come over. Yeah, we're having a huge party. But, um, for, for Christmas we do the Seven Fishes for, um, I realize that for every holiday it's always like, whatever the tradition is. And then a roast, we always have a roast because I don't know, we just like them I guess. Yeah. Um, but yeah, that, that's really as far as tradition goes, um, it's just like more about the people, like the strangers that just wander in. There's always a stray animal. I love that. Always truly,

Jaymee Sire: 15:45 I've always wanted to do, um, the Fe of the Seven Fishes. For anybody that doesn't know that tradition, that Italian, very Italian tradition, what, what is it and what, what do you guys do for

Olivia Culpo: 15:54 It? Literally? Well, for our family, which I don't know as far as the origin of this tradition, but it's literally just seven versions of seafood. Seven Fishes mm-hmm. . And, um, I wish I did know the actual origin of it, but we just do it .

Jaymee Sire: 16:10 So what's your favorite, you know, fish preparation that you guys, uh, enjoy? Uh, on Christmas,

Olivia Culpo: 16:17 I, I love a cod, which is also a cod fish, like a salted cod sometimes. Sometimes it's salted, sometimes not. Um, or a filet brano, anything like that. Uh, I also love calamari, which I love shrimp. Like, we get the biggest jumbo shrimp cocktail. I love a giant shrimp cocktail. Oh wait, I forgot my, oh, my absolute favorite of our Seven Fishes Cuisines is a seafood chowder. How could I forget? Oh,

Jaymee Sire: 16:47 Okay. Yeah. Very, very Rhode Island of you as well. Very

Olivia Culpo: 16:50 Rhode Island also. It's, it's cold. Mm-hmm. . It's freezing. So you wanna have a, a nice warm

Jaymee Sire: 16:56 Soup. Ugh, that sounds so good. I mean, where, where are you gonna be celebrating Christmas, LA, Rhode Island or San Francisco? The 49ers play on Christmas Eve. What are you guys gonna do?

Olivia Culpo: 17:04 Oh, no, no, no. I will never give up Rhode Island for Christmas. That's just never happening. I mean, I absolutely love the Bay Area and I'm such a, I'm so happy about San Francisco and I absolutely love my house here in LA too. But Uhuh, I'm always in Rhode Island. I'm always with my, my family and my, my friends from childhood. And that's where I always am.

Jaymee Sire: 17:26 . Oh, uh, what, what's so special about, about Rhode Island that time of year?

Olivia Culpo: 17:32 It's just home. I think it's just home. It's all the fields. It's nostalgia. My parents are still in the same house that we were all born into. And, um, we have the same, same traditions, same actually New traditions now are like, every, every year now we're up, up until like two in the morning putting together all of Aurora's, my sister's kids toys. But,

Jaymee Sire: 17:54 Um, oh, fun. Yeah,

Olivia Culpo: 17:56 Just everything, the weather, I don't understand. I don't understand what a warm Christmas would be like, , but it sounds nice to try someday.

Jaymee Sire: 18:04 Someday. Maybe Coming up next, Olivia tells us about her two restaurants in Rhode Island and gives us a scoop on what it was like co-hosting Beat Bobby Fla. Well, speaking of Rhode Island, you co-founded two restaurants there, back 40 and Union and Maine. What made you wanna venture into the hospitality industry?

Olivia Culpo: 18:30 I think coming from, I think there's a few things there. Coming from a really big family, our, our time together was always, was always around food and always around the communion of food. Celebrating together brings you together. It's also creative and it's fulfilling and it's a sign of love for us. Food is a sign of love. We wouldn't have anybody walk in without asking if they're hungry or thirsty or feeding them. Like my mom is just always, even if you're not hungry, like she's going to force you to eat something. So that's what I always was raised in. Like, she is a true force feeder. You will not be able to leave without eating something. So that's what we grew up in. And I think I realized from a really young age, like when you walk into a restaurant, you get that same feeling. It feels like a warm hug and it feels like love, like food is love to me and to my family. And I have to say, I was thinking about that this also this morning. And I realized the other thing too is like when, when we were all really little and there were like, there were seven of us to go out to dinner was such a luxury mm-hmm. it did not happen often at all. And it was a big deal and it was so exciting. And I remember my little sister always wanted to like, go to the bathroom to see what it looked like. ,

Jaymee Sire: 19:48 It's like

Olivia Culpo: 19:48 Literally like five times. I don't know. So anyway, I think there was always this idea and it's, and it's so true. It's like, that is a luxury, that is a gift that is an awesome experience to have and to be able to do. So I think to be able to provide that for other people is kind of, it's like spreading love and joy.

Jaymee Sire: 20:07 That's awesome. Um, what, what's challenged you about those ventures so far?

Olivia Culpo: 20:13 Challenges the unknown for sure. Mm-hmm. the unknown in the quirks in the beginning. And also just understanding that it's not always an immediate success. And, um, that's really it. I, I feel so lucky though because I get to do this with my family and mm-hmm. , I trust them so much. I, I would have a whole other laundry list of concerns if I wasn't doing it with people that I truly would do anything for. And I know that they would do anything for me, you know? Cause I feel like I trust them.

Jaymee Sire: 20:43 On the flip side, what's been the the most rewarding part about, you know, owning restaurants and, and doing so, you know, back in your, in your home state?

Olivia Culpo: 20:53 Uh, I love the community that we've been able to build. I love being able to bring people together and just the idea of, um, putting, you know, being able to, to show everybody on my Instagram that maybe isn't necessarily even in Rhode Island. That Rhode Island has great food. mm-hmm.

Jaymee Sire: 21:13 . What, speaking of which, what are, what are some of your favorite things on the menus?

Olivia Culpo: 21:18 So with Union and Maine, we have our, our menu actually has been changing quite a bit. And with the back 40, this is so stupid, but I absolutely, we have a Nashville fried chicken sandwich. You just, yeah. You just can't go wrong.

Jaymee Sire: 21:35 Oh, yum.

Olivia Culpo: 21:36 Yeah. You just, you

Jaymee Sire: 21:38 Just can't, can't go wrong with a fried chicken sandwich, especially like a spicy one for sure.

Olivia Culpo: 21:41 So also, you and Maine has fresh pasta, so anything, anything in the pasta area, carb bloating at Union in Maine would be my go-to.

Jaymee Sire: 21:49 Yeah. I mean, that makes sense. Especially, you know, given your upbringing and everything, was that kind of like a, a non-negotiable thing that you wanted to have, you know, some fresh pasta on the menu?

Olivia Culpo: 22:00 Yes, definitely. It's funny though. I remember growing up we'd have, we'd have spaghetti and meatballs literally every Monday that we had. Like every Monday was just, we knew it was gonna be spaghetti and meatballs. So when I went, when I was older and people would be like, oh my God, I want spaghetti, I want spaghetti meatballs. Like, there was a period after I left my house where I was just like, I can't look at spaghetti and meatballs, but now I am. Love it . So it really did come full circle.

Jaymee Sire: 22:24 Is there spaghetti and meatballs on the menu there?

Olivia Culpo: 22:26 There's a bowling Yay. Which is similar. Okay.

Jaymee Sire: 22:29 But

Olivia Culpo: 22:29 Isn't funny that it's like, it just reminded me of Mondays who likes the Monday. Yeah. But now I love it.

Jaymee Sire: 22:34 . Yeah. No, it's sometimes it, you know, you have to have some space and some, you know, distance from things from your childhood until you can like really appreciate them. I remember, you know, my dad listened to country music all the time, so I grew up like hating country music and now I love it. You know, just like, oh no, you like it.

Olivia Culpo: 22:51 Yeah. It reminds you of being like, no, I wanna do my own thing. I don't want what you want right now.

Jaymee Sire: 22:56 Or I don't wanna listen to this in the truck. Yeah, exactly. Um, exactly. Well, your TLC show is not your first foray into the Discovery Family. You actually had the chance to guest co-host on Be Bobby Fla a few years ago on The Beauty and the Beast episode. Uh, what was that experience like for you? That

Olivia Culpo: 23:15 Was so fun. That was so, so fun. I think that was my second time actually.

Jaymee Sire: 23:20 Okay.

Olivia Culpo: 23:21 On Be Bobby Fla. I feel so lucky the amount of, I mean, I'm just obsessed with the Food Network . But

Jaymee Sire: 23:26 Anyway,

Olivia Culpo: 23:26 Yeah, it was an amazing experience. I'm always starstruck when I see anybody from the Food Network because I'm just like, I'm just such a big fan. Um, but it was awesome. I

Jaymee Sire: 23:36 Had a great day. What was, speaking of which, uh, what was it like, uh, teaming up with Scott Connet?

Olivia Culpo: 23:41 That was really fun. I remember asking him, um, actually at that, that time I hadn't been involved in any restaurants, I don't think. So I remember picking his brain and, um, really getting to know him. And he, he was so, so kind, so lovely. Um, it was so cool to see everybody up close and personal, um, making this, this delicious food. And then of course, being able to try it was also awesome.

Jaymee Sire: 24:04 Anything that surprised you? Just about, you know, like the, the production and the, the filming process of that show?

Olivia Culpo: 24:09 I was kind of surprised about the heckling, the live audience that's there. They are rather ruthless. So

Jaymee Sire: 24:18 ,

Olivia Culpo: 24:18 Um, that was kind of funny to, to, to see.

Jaymee Sire: 24:21 Yeah. I I what's your, what were your takeaways after seeing Bobby Fly Cook in person?

Olivia Culpo: 24:29 I mean, he's just so good. Mm-hmm. , he's so good. And I, and I watch the show so often. Um, and I think one of the things that he always, like, he just always shocks me that, I mean, it's so hard to beat him. And even things like, someone will come in and make like a fresh pasta from hand and then he'll do the same recipe, but he'll say, he'll know, like, I'm not gonna have enough time to make this fresh pasta dry enough, so I'm gonna go with a box pasta. And it's better. Like, he just knows, like, he always

Jaymee Sire: 24:56 Wins. He does. Who would've done? I know. Yeah. He's just, so he's, I mean, we've talked about it a lot on this podcast, but yeah, he's just so good at obviously at cooking, but also at cooking competitively because I think those are different skills and he's good at both of them, which is really, you know, annoying and frustrating for everybody that's trying to take him down. For sure.

Olivia Culpo: 25:17 I 100% agree. It's like every, it's not rigged guys. He's actually that good . Uh,

Jaymee Sire: 25:24 Yeah, that is the number one question I get all the time. Anytime one of my episodes airs, they're like, does he like, is it Rigg? Does he know about the dish ahead of time? Like, no, he doesn't know anything. He's really just really annoyingly like fabulous, uh, you know, cooking in a short timeframe. , um, do you have a favorite Food Net Current Food Network show? We know what your, your previous Food network show fave was. Do you have a, a current favorite or a current favorite personality? Current

Olivia Culpo: 25:50 Favorite. So I was on the kitchen with Jeffrey and Sonny. I absolutely love that show. Um, oh gosh, there's so many. I really, I really, and to be honest with you, there's a lot of like OGs that I'm just obsessed with. Obviously Chopped is like an absolute og. I'm absolutely obsessed with it. I remember growing up with Good Eats with Alton Brown and just being like, oh my God, this is the wackiest stuff ever that that always used to blow, blow my mind. Or Emeril, like, I still do like Bam when I'm cooking. I just did that yesterday

Jaymee Sire: 26:24 .

Olivia Culpo: 26:24 Um, and, and then Ina Garden, I'm absolutely,

Jaymee Sire: 26:28 Who

Olivia Culpo: 26:28 Doesn't, if you don't have Barefoot Contessa, you do not have those cookbooks. Like, like you gotta get those cookbooks. And if you're getting anybody a cookbook, you just have to get all the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks because she's the best.

Jaymee Sire: 26:41 She is. She is literally the best. No, we, we wanna get her on the podcast, you know? For sure. She is definitely, um, you know, a goal, a goal guest for sure. . Um, if you had a cooking show, what would, what would it be called?

Olivia Culpo: 26:55 Um, oh gosh. Well, we do have cooking Culpo. I mean, those are two seeds. Yeah. Um, a cooking cook with Culpo come cook with,

Jaymee Sire: 27:05 I don't know. I like, we'll, we'll workshop it a little bit. . Yeah.

Olivia Culpo: 27:08 We need to workshop it. What do you

Jaymee Sire: 27:09 Guys think? Listening. Let us know. Um, no, this has been so much fun. Um, we are gonna finish things off with a little rapid fire round, and then we have one final question that we ask everybody here at the end of each episode on Food Network Obsessed. So, rapid fire round, which sibling are you closest to?

Olivia Culpo: 27:26 We're all very close. I would say my older sister has gotten me through more because she knows more. And I always say that the way that I get through life is basically just learning from all of her mistakes. So because of that, I will give her today, on this day in particular, I'll say that I like her the best, but I don't always, and she gave me this cold. So actually I don't know how I feel about her .

Jaymee Sire: 27:46 All right. Well, we'll see if she, if she listens and, uh, and, and, and she's, she's

Olivia Culpo: 27:50 Upstair She can hear . Okay.

Jaymee Sire: 27:53 Uh, which Copo sister is the best cook?

Olivia Culpo: 27:56 I am

Jaymee Sire: 27:57 most elite pasta shape.

Olivia Culpo: 28:02 Oh, I like a penne. You know what, actually I take it back. I just like a standard spaghetti with an amazing bright, uh, uh, just like a, an amazing bright red tomato sauce. That's what I want. Mm.

Jaymee Sire: 28:18 You play the cello very well. What is a song that you would love to learn?

Olivia Culpo: 28:22 Learn. Well, I can pretty much play on there.

Jaymee Sire: 28:26 Oh, okay. . So what's your favorite song to play then?

Olivia Culpo: 28:29 The Elgar Cell Concerto? I don't know if you know what that one is,

Jaymee Sire: 28:33 . I I don't, but I Now I'm gonna look it up. Yeah.

Olivia Culpo: 28:37 The Elgar Cello Concerto. It's beautiful. You love it. Actually, seriously listen to it. You'll be like, oh, this is beautiful. All

Jaymee Sire: 28:43 Right. All right. Um, your favorite date night meal for you and your boyfriend? Christian McCaffrey.

Olivia Culpo: 28:49 Chicken parm love,

Jaymee Sire: 28:51 Love a chicken parm. I, and I saw your, your chicken parm sliders for game day look pretty good as well.

Olivia Culpo: 28:57 They are so good. You have to try that with the Hawaiian rules.

Jaymee Sire: 28:59 Okay. Um, I mean, I, I love all those things, so, um, you don't have to convince me too much. Um, best part of your thirties so far.

Olivia Culpo: 29:09 Um, yeah, I don't know. You know, everybody's like, everybody's like, oh, thirties are the new twenties. I'm like, grower. Like, it's, it's like, I'm still trying to figure it out. Let me get back to you.

Jaymee Sire: 29:21 Perfect. Uh, wait till 40. I mean, then, then it's, then it's a whole nother a whole nother ballgame. Exactly. Uh, your favorite red carpet moment?

Olivia Culpo: 29:30 Uh, ooh. Gosh. Oh my gosh. Favorite red carpet moment. Ugh. What is it? Uh, I remember going to the Golden Globes with, I had a signature cocktail with Mot and that was very, very fun because I absolutely love champagne. And I felt, um, I was like, why am I here? But that was why

Jaymee Sire: 29:52 . That was cool. I love that. That sounds cool. Uh, guilty pleasure. Snack.

Olivia Culpo: 29:59 I really like peanut m and ms and ice cream. Yeah. Peanut m and ms in ice cream.

Jaymee Sire: 30:04 . All right. I love it. Um, alright, so final question. This is not rapid fire and this is what would be on your menu for your perfect food day. Um, so we just wanna know, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert. Um, there are no rules, so you can travel time, travel spend, you know, absurd amounts of money. It can, you know, be prepared by anybody. Um, there are no rules. Calories don't count. Wow. Uh, we just wanna hear your ideal eating day, .

Olivia Culpo: 30:33 Okay. Uh, what time of year is it?

Jaymee Sire: 30:35 Uh, whatever you want. . Oh,

Olivia Culpo: 30:37 Okay. Okay. Um, okay. So we're gonna start out with a delicious, warm, hot cinnamon roll. Mm. Like, we're not being, we're not skimming out on the, um, icing. We're not No. And there's no raisins in it, and it's just absolutely delicious. And melting your mouth quality with coffee. And then we're going to move on to, okay. For lunch, we are going to have, we're gonna start out with caviar on Bellini's. I actually don't really like caviar, but with champagne it's like, I just feel fancy. So we're gonna do that . And you said we can ball out, so why not?

Jaymee Sire: 31:15 Yeah, we're, we're balling out. You can have whatever you want. .

Olivia Culpo: 31:17 Then we are going to have the oysters at Mat Oyster Bar in Rhode Island.

Jaymee Sire: 31:23 Mm. Yu

Olivia Culpo: 31:24 Because they're absolutely amazing. It's on an oyster farm. I, that's like, once you have oysters straight off the oyster farm, like you really can't, it's a game changer. Rhode Island, . Yeah. They just have the best. Then we're gonna have a lobster roll. Yes. Those are my other, like Rhode Island favorite. Do

Jaymee Sire: 31:38 You go hot or cold? I

Olivia Culpo: 31:39 Go hot actually. Hot.

Jaymee Sire: 31:41 Okay. Yes.

Olivia Culpo: 31:42 And then also clam cakes and chowder from Iggy's. Mm-hmm. in Rhode Island. Okay. Which is another Rhode Island classic. That will be our like afternoon snack. Yeah. And then for dinner we are going to have my mother's Langu Guian clams because it's absolutely amazing. And we are going to pair that with some lovely rose. And then for dessert. Oh, dessert. Oh my gosh. We are going to have a chocolate lava cake. I know that's kind of basic, but like, it just never gets old. For me with, um, vanilla ice cream

Jaymee Sire: 32:13 , that sounds like a, like a really fantastic food day. I would, yeah. Completely crush all of those things. So, um, and it sounds very on brand and very, um, you know, nostalgic to your, your home state of Rhode Island. So it's

Olivia Culpo: 32:26 Very coastal comfort, which is what our restaurants are. So I guess that kind of fits the bell. It's kind of sad that I didn't mention them in that, but then I would go there, I would go there the next day and have all the beef there.

Jaymee Sire: 32:36 . There you go. I think that's, it's a perfect two days of eating. So, uh, no, this has been so fun, um, chatting with you. And I cannot wait for the finale of your show. And, uh, best of luck with, uh, all of, all of your endeavors that you have coming up.

Olivia Culpo: 32:52 Thank you too.

Jaymee Sire: 32:58 You can catch new episodes of The Copo Sisters Monday Nights at nine eight Central on TLC and streaming on Discovery. Plus, make sure to follow us wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And if you enjoy today's episode, please rate and review. We love it when you do that. That's all for now. We'll catch you foodies next Friday.