Khloe Kardashian’s New Jewish Sidekick on ‘Kocktails With Khloe’

Via video screenshot
Via video screenshot
Jewish chef Sharone Hakman is spicing it up on ‘Kocktails with Khloe.’

Last Wednesday, Khloe Kardashian’s new TV show, Kocktails With Khloe premiered on FYI channel. It’s basically a variety talk show featuring games and a culinary twist. Among her first day guests were Kendall Jenner, Brandi Glanville, Kym Whitley, Aisha Tyler and the surprise appearance of Snoop Dogg at the end of the show. Right after the airing of the 22-minute show, it has already gained contrasting opinions on the internet. But aside from the show’s format, almost everyone was intrigued with Khloe’s good looking chef sidekick.

Khloe Kardashian’s New Jewish Sidekick on ‘Kocktails With Khloe'[/tweetthis]

Khloe’s new co-host is Sharone Hakman, an Orthodox Jew who left his financial planning career to become a chef. The 32-year-old family man and father of two grew up in Los Angeles and went to Yeshiva. He is the grandson of Jewish migrants who came to the U.S. from Poland to escape the Holocaust during the Second World War.

Before his corporate career could even last, Hakman realized that it was not his passion. After every day of stressful work at the office, he cited that he often found himself cooking to relieve stress. After taking a leave, several visits to Israel, and taking restaurant apprenticeships in Italy, he eventually developed that desire for culinary arts.

Another source of inspiration and cooking talent is his bubbe (grandmother). In an interview, he reminisced how he felt comfortable with her cooking. And this element of comfort according to him is often the lacking “ingredient” even by the best of restaurants today.

As Hakman accounts “She was that bubbe who never left the kitchen. Shabbat was always special. There was something about my grandmother making the gefilte fish from scratch, and smelling the matzah ball soup, and feeling that comfort. So many restaurants are cutting edge, but I never want to come back. What’s that X-factor as to why? It all comes down to comfort. It’s what you want to come back to. That was the best lesson my grandmother taught me.”

Hakman’s stint with the entertainment industry started when he joined the cooking competition Master Chef. After which, he started his barbecue sauce brand which is now marketed across the U.S. He also owns a catering service company. But starting up a restaurant business is not yet appealing for him arguing that he still enjoys what he is currently doing.

And when asked of his favorite food, the new celebrity chef responds that it’s his grandmother’s jelly doughnuts. As he describes it “Safta’s sufganiyot. She makes them from scratch and fries them à la minute. They are dangerous.”

Resources

Follow the Conversation on Twitter