Michael Symon’s big, boisterous laugh has been part of the Food Network’s soundtrack since 1998, when he made his first appearances on Sara Moulton’s Cooking Live and the competition show Ready, Set, Cook before stepping into a role as one of the rotating guest hosts for Melting Pot. Since then, he’s made thousands of hours of culinary programming for the network across shows including multiple iterations of Iron Chef, Beat Bobby Flay, 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, and dozens of others, as well as 1,227 episodes of The Chew on ABC, and now the thrice-weekly talk show Chewed Up, which he founded with fellow Chew alumni Clinton Kelly and Carla Hall. Symon has nine cookbooks to his credit — beginning with 2009’s Michael Symon’s Live to Cook and most recently, Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out, in 2025 — and four restaurants across Ohio, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
The same year Symon stepped into the TV spotlight, Food & Wine added the Cleveland chef to its 10th class of Best New Chefs with a mini-profile wherein he extolled the virtues of cooking in his hometown (“Customers are open-minded.”), his cooking origins (“After I blew out my arm wrestling in high school, I knew I couldn’t get a college sports scholarship, so I started working at restaurants for money”), and the “bomb” on his menu at his restaurant Lola (“potpie with a filling of shrimp and escargot”).
Herb-Crusted Walleye with Lobster Pierogi was the first of many bold, hearty, Midwestern recipes by way of the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe that Symon has shared with F&W over the past few decades. Hearty mains like Pork Cheek and Black-Eyed Pea Chili, Greek-Style Pork Spareribs with Grilled Lemons, and Polish Boy Kielbasa Sandwiches flex next to Creamed Corn With Bacon, Smoked Brisket Sandwiches with Pickled Vegetables, and gooey arancini.
In his earlier F&W features, Symon defined himself as a “porketarian,” saying he couldn’t get enough of the meat. In his 20s, Symon was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which he now manages in part with a diet designed to potentially reduce inflammation by avoiding his particular triggers. His more recent cookbooks under the Fix It With Food rubric bring more vegetables and poultry and less red meat and dairy to the fore while still packing plenty of oomph. Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa Salad is a soul- and stomach-satisfying main, while Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts, and Anchovies, and Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill, and Feta round out a joyful, meat-free meal.
Find your new game day favorite (may we suggest Mojito Jell-O Shots with White Rum and Fresh Mint?), get inspired at the grill, or just get a Symon-sized blast of happiness the next time dinner duty falls to you.
01 of 21
Spicy Sriracha Chicken Wings
In 2008, F&W tapped the avid football fan to share recipes from his massive annual Super Bowl feast — and yes, he noted the irony of his beloved Cleveland Browns never having made it to the big game. Symon’s crisp chicken wings seasoned with coriander, cumin, and cinnamon, and tossed in buttery Sriracha-lime sauce, are worth their own cheering section.
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02 of 21
Pork Cheek and Black-Eyed Pea Chili
Slow-cooker chili also scored big on Symon’s table. Black-eyed peas, bacon, chipotle, and amber beer play perfectly with pork cheek (or shoulder, if need be) and smoked paprika, cumin, a slew of peppers, and a pop of cinnamon — especially when teamed up with a rich brown ale.
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03 of 21
Spicy 50/50 Burgers
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Carson Downing / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
It’s not a Michael Symon recipe if it’s not bursting at the seams with flavor, but mixing seasonings into ground beef can make the cook up tough. Symon balances ground chuck with an equal amount of hot Italian sausage for juicy, zingy burgers topped lavishly with Monterey Jack.
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04 of 21
Grilled Chicken Thigh and Cucumber Salad
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Styling by Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek
Symon declares himself a “thigh guy,” saying that. “It has the deepest flavor of all chicken cuts.” That holds true on the grill, where the meat remains tender and juicy, an ideal amp-up for a refreshing salad of cucumbers, onions, chiles, and chopped mint.
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05 of 21
Lamb Chops with Fresh Herb Yogurt
Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
In his book Symon Says Live to Cook, the chef shares a few tips for maximizing the joys of tender cuts like lamb by giving the exterior a hard sear over high heat. Lemon, mint, dill, and garlic in a tangy herby yogurt sauce give this fast meal an extra jolt of joy.
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06 of 21
Arugula Salad with Olives, Feta, and Dill
Symon frequently leans into Greek pantry items and produce to add extra depth to simple recipes. Here, he tosses arugula with chopped fresh dill, briny Greek feta cheese, and kalamata olives, then finishes the salad with extra-virgin Greek olive oil, which he says has a pure flavor.
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07 of 21
Mojito Jell-O Shots with White Rum and Fresh Mint
This is not your frat house shot of neon Jell-O and grain alcohol — the man is a swanky James Beard Award winner after all. Rather, Symon concocts a refreshing mojito and stirs unflavored gelatin into the mint-and-lime-spiced rum drink to mold a pinky-up version of the party classic.
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08 of 21
Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Hot tip: If you’re hosting, make a double batch of these brown butter and crème fraîche mashed potatoes and save half for yourself in the fridge. That bowl is not making it around the table a second time. Hold back a little brown butter to drizzle on the potatoes just before serving — or to serve on any side that could use some extra whoa.
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09 of 21
Cider-Glazed Turkey with Lager Gravy
At turkey time, Symon bypasses the wet brine, saying that it makes the meat rubbery. He prefers an overnight salt, then glazes it with cider-and-sage butter and serves it with beer-spiked gravy.
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10 of 21
Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa Salad
This hearty vegetarian main is a marvel of vegetables, grains, fruit, and herbs all in its own edible dish. Symon fills roasted delicata squash halves with quinoa, apple, golden raisins, arugula, and herbs for a dish that will delight omnivores and veg-forward diners alike. Swap out the honey with another sweetener and it’s your new vegan flex.
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11 of 21
Creamed Corn with Bacon
Cobs bring the backbone of a flavorful stock for the creamed corn of your dreams. Symon’s colorful side takes on a little tang from sour cream and a bright kick from lime zest.
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12 of 21
Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin
Blanched chard and sautéed leeks are a one-two veggie punch, cooked until just tender in a two-cheese sauce of Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Symon adds a pinch of nutmeg to underscore the savory depths. Make it a day ahead and bake it to serve bubbling at the table.
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13 of 21
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts, and Anchovies
A dressing of anchovies, capers, shallots, mustard, and honey and a generous addition of toasted walnuts bring Symon’s roasted brussels sprouts to icon status. Brace to be asked to bring this side to every function for the rest of your life.
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14 of 21
Michael Symon’s Arancini
Get over your fear of frying and embrace Symon’s brilliant cocktail snack of make-ahead risotto, filled with mozzarella, then breaded and pan-browned a la minute to get a perfect, crunchy crust.
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15 of 21
Grilled Lamb Ribs with Quick Preserved Lemons
Symon, who grew up in a Greek and Sicilian family, is an unabashed fan of lamb. He seasons ribs with oregano and coriander before a long, slow stint on a covered grill and serves them with tangy, quick-preserved lemons.
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16 of 21
Smoked Brisket Sandwiches with Pickled Vegetables
Unlike most long-cooked briskets, Symon’s is a same-day affair, smoked over wood chips and coal for a few hours, then sliced thin and served with whatever pickled vegetables you have on hand. Keep the leftovers around for up to three days and smile every time you step up to the fridge.
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17 of 21
Symon’s Polish Boy Kielbasa Sandwiches
There may be no more essentially Michael Symon recipe than golden kielbasa, crunchy cabbage slaw, and french fries piled into toasted rolls with a tangy mustard barbecue sauce in homage to the Cleveland butcher shops of his youth and another local staple, Stadium Mustard. (Symon is such a fan of the condiment, he’s now a collaborator in POP Mustards.)
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18 of 21
Cracklings with Smoked Paprika
Pork rinds and cracklings are a glorious way to add crunch to a meal, and Symon finds that adding jalapeño and coriander seeds to the braising liquid further hypes the flavor along with a dusting of smoked paprika once they’re puffed. You could keep these for up to three days. Don’t count on having anything left but shards on the plate after the first serving.
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19 of 21
Greek-Style Pork Spareribs with Grilled Lemons
Fire up a grill for the whole duration of the rib cook, and start them in the oven before finishing on the grate, or just skip the flames entirely. Symon glazes the rack with honey, and serves them with charred lemon and a handful of oregano.
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20 of 21
Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill, and Feta
“This salad is a nod to my mom and my Greek heritage,” Symon explains, adding dill — a common herb in the canon — along with fresh notes of mint and basil that complement crisp cucumber, tangy feta, and chunks of heirloom tomatoes.
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21 of 21
Cavatelli with Venison Bolognese
Symon created this gorgeously gamey recipe for his father-in-law, an avid hunter. “I’m always looking for ways to cook up his fantastic venison in the fall and winter.” In place of the standard Bolognese combo of beef, veal, and pork, the venison gives this sumptuous sauce some extra depth atop toothsome cavatelli.
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