Behind the Scenes: Going on The Today Show & What I Cooked Last Week

What it was really like going on The Today Show, chopped salad tostadas with avocado and dill, Mom’s meatloaf

Hi everyone,

Hope you had a great week! Last Thursday, I went on The Today Show, which has always been a dream of mine. (You can watch the segment here 🥰.) Right after getting laid off in December 2022, I made a vision board for Maxi’s Kitchen, and alongside publishing a cookbook, one of the goals I put on there was appearing on The Today Show. I grew up watching it with my mom (she still watches every morning!), and I’ve always been such a fan.

So when a few months ago, my publisher told me they had booked me for the show, I was beyond excited. It also felt like such a meaningful way to wrap up this whole cookbook marketing chapter.

Below, I’m sharing all the behind-the-scenes details, from how I prepared for going on national TV and the stress-management technique that really helped me, to what it actually felt like being on the show.

Such a special morning!

First, here’s a recipe for chopped salad tostadas with avocado and dill that I recently made. Every bite is bright and fresh, with a satisfying crunch from the tostada. The salad gets finished with lots of fresh dill and a homemade lemon dressing that ties everything together. It’s one of those recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

As always, my cookbook Maxi’s Kitchen is now available for purchase at your local bookstore or online:

Thank you so much for your support 🤍

What I Cooked Last Week! ↓

Chopped Salad Tostadas with Avocado and Dill

In my book, salad and tostadas were meant to be together. The avocado adds the perfect creaminess to balance all the crunch.

Chopped Salad Tostadas With Avocado And Dill

48.5KB ∙ PDF file

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You can download the PDF recipe above and watch the video here :)

Behind the Scenes of My Today Show Segment

I flew out to New York last Monday so I’d have a few days to settle in before the show. They told me ahead of time that we’d be doing a cooking demo of my mom’s Benihana-inspired chicken fried rice, and then on Tuesday they sent over more details about how the segment itself would work. The Today Show has an incredible culinary team that handles all the prep and sets up the stations so we can partially cook the recipe on air. Since the segment is only about four to five minutes long, you have to move very quickly.

The week leading up to the show, I started feeling nervous. I’d already done three broadcast TV segments during my book tour, but national television felt like a much bigger deal. I kept having crazy worries, like what if the bridge shuts down on the way there and I get stuck in traffic. I was constantly replaying the segment in my head and imagining every possible scenario. At the same time, I also felt genuinely excited and deep down I knew I’d do a good job.

Something within me has always been drawn to TV. In college, I reported on campus news and interned at KTVU Channel 2 News near my hometown. At one point, I even considered becoming a news anchor, but I never felt enough of a pull toward news itself. Being on TV talking about food and cooking felt like the perfect fit, though definitely not something I could’ve predicted when I was first starting out in my career.

Once I knew how the demo would be structured, I practiced with my friend Adam. We set up a fake cooking demo in my kitchen and did a full dry run as if I were live on air. After practicing, I felt much more relaxed.

Practice segment with Adam the day before the real thing 😁

Doug also reminded me of something neuroscientist Andrew Huberman says: nerves are just a readiness to perform. I listened to one of his podcast episodes about stress management, and he talked about the physiological sigh, a breathing technique that quickly calms your nervous system. You take a deep inhale, sip in a little more air, then exhale slowly for longer than you inhaled. Even just a few rounds can noticeably slow your heart rate. I practiced it and found it surprisingly effective. Even while imagining myself on set and feeling nervous, I could physically feel my body calming down. It’s a helpful technique before anything stressful, whether it’s a presentation, job interview, or even a date.

In the days before the show, I really tried to stick to my routine: journaling, meditating, yoga, and morning workouts. Yoga especially helped calm my mind. I cared so much about doing well that I wanted to prepare myself mentally as much as possible.