september / october 2005:

From gefilte to Gazpacho
With his own show and legions of adoring fans, 25-year-old Dave Lieberman is the Food Network’s new rising star. by Tina Barry


ow does a Yale graduate with a barely-minted degree in Political Science become the next hot young chef on the Food Network? For Dave Lieberman, the student-cum-celebrity chef and cookbook author, it took passion for the kitchen, more than a pinch of confidence, and one lucky break.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I graduated,” says the 25-year-old, “but then I got swept up in everything.” “Everything” began with Campus Cuisine, the public access program he hosted at Yale. With friends serving as assistants, Lieberman created shows that spoke directly to the needs of his peers: How to blend the perfect smoothie using fruit from the cafeteria was a hit. One segment entitled “Cooking for the Hook-Up,” focused on romantic meals for two.

Amanda Hesser, the New York Times food writer, heard of the program and contacted Lieberman. Her story, “Dude, Where’s my Spice Grinder?” about Lieberman and the growing interest of young adults in stylish cooking and dining, attracted network attention.

“Amanda’s story was totally my big break. No question,” says Lieberman. It was in his family’s suburban Philadelphia kitchen, or kitchens (they kept kosher, so there were two) that he learned to shop inexpensively and prepare meals that were not just delicious, but served as a special time for his family to connect.

“My father is an active and creative cook,” says Lieberman. “He makes every meal enjoyable.”

In April, the boyishly handsome, blue-eyed chef became the youngest host on the Food Network when Good Deal with Dave Lieberman made its debut. In the same month, Hyperion published Young & Hungry: More than 100 Recipes for Cooking Fresh and Affordable Food for Everyone, the first in a two-cookbook deal.

Because he’s intimate with the “we like to party but we won’t serve potato chips” twenty-something mindset, he builds the show and cookbook around social occasions like “Casual Sit-Downs,” “Dinner for Two” and “The BBQ.” Each recipe is easy to prepare and utilizes economical ingredients found in the supermarket.

Good Deal has been popular with Gen-Xers who see Lieberman as one of their own and, to his surprise, the show appeals to men and women of all ages. Part of the success is Lieberman’s ad hoc delivery carried over from his Campus Cuisine days. The rest, Lieberman credits to the material: “Everyone has busy lives,” he says. “If they want to entertain, it’s important to do it with style and ease. That’s what the show is about.”

Lieberman is also developing a Web-based program for the Food Network that is scheduled to premiere soon. “I’ll travel all over the country finding the latest culinary trends like exotic cocktails, deviled eggs, that sort of thing,” he says.

While he wouldn’t comment on the status of his love life, the chef, whose looks landed him in this year’s People Magazine’s “50 Hottest Bachelors” issue says: “I get mail from all kinds of people, but knowing that the ladies out there think well of me sure is nice.”


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