How Demi Lovato Followed Selena Gomez's Lead With An Instagram Cooking Show
Proving that their talent extends far beyond singing and songwriting, Demi Lovato has debuted a new venture on Instagram. The first episode of "Cooking With Demi" premiered on the platform on July 24, 2024, and two subsequent episodes were released in the following weeks. Per the caption, the show is an opportunity for Lovato to hone their culinary skills (according to the star's Instagram bio, Lovato goes by they/them/she/her pronouns) and "find freedom and joy again with food." Lovato's show follows in the footsteps of their one-time friend Selena Gomez, who's experienced success with her own culinary pursuits.
Gomez's HBO Max series "Selena + Chef" began during the coronavirus quarantine and continued running for four seasons (in case you're curious, here's what boyfriend Benny Blanco says are Selena Gomez's best dishes). Gomez is still immersed in the culinary realm thanks to a new show, "Selena + Restaurant," which features the multi-hyphenate star joining forces with notable LA chefs, including Stephanie Izard and Wolfgang Puck. While the pair are reportedly no longer close, it's possible that Lovato was tempted to try their hand at a cooking show after seeing Gomez's success. It should be noted, however, that nowhere — not even in the show's first episode — has Lovato cited Gomez's influence in the creation of "Cooking With Demi."
What might have inspired Lovato to launch a cooking show?
As for the inspiration behind "Cooking With Demi," social media captions may provide some insight. In the show's second episode posted to Instagram, Demi Lovato says they've been "finding so much comfort and joy" while cooking, seemingly alluding to the singer's past experience with eating disorders. You may remember that Lovato was embroiled in a fro-yo controversy when they criticized a frozen yogurt shop for insensitivity due to the placement of reduced-calorie foods, which the shop claimed catered to people with certain dietary conditions. Despite past struggles, Lovato's joy is definitely apparent in the third "Cooking With Demi" episode, which features a Marry Me Chicken recipe in honor of the star's engagement to fellow songwriter Jordan Lutes. Lovato shows that there may be more to the recipe than just a clever name, as Marry Me Chicken is rumored to be so good that it could elicit a marriage proposal.
The decision to launch their own cooking show could also stem from how engaging this content is on social media. According to a presentation from MAGNA Media Trials, 51% of social media users prefer watching content that features recipes as compared to other types (such as product reviews or tutorials). And with hundreds of millions of Instagram followers, you can certainly add "influencer" to Lovato's many professional designations. While Lovato describes her cooking show as a "not-so official series" on Instagram, they have been uploading videos consistently, which is good news for the platform's foodies.