Andrew Douglas Rea (born: September 2, 1987),[1] also known online as Babish, is an American YouTuber, chef, and filmmaker[2] who runs the YouTube channel Babish Culinary Universe (formerly known as Binging with Babish and bgfilms). Based in New York City, New York, he is known for recreating various recipes featured in popular movies, television shows, and video games.[3]
Personal Life[]
Andrew Douglas Rea was born on September 2, 1987, and grew up in Rochester, New York.[4] As a young boy, his mother, who died when he was 11, taught him how to cook cookies and stew. He later said that that was where his love of cooking started as cooking became a means of connecting with his mother and honoring her memory.[4][5] In college, he debated on whether to pursue cooking or filmmaking — his two passions — and eventually chose the latter. He graduated with a film degree from Hofstra University and began working professionally as a visual effects artist.[6]
In 2014, Rea married his high school sweetheart; however, they divorced in 2017. [7] Rea announced his engagement with Babish Culinary Universe producer Jess Opon in an Instagram post on May 13, 2021. [8]The two were married in Binging with Babish episode 9 Million Subscriber Special by comedian and Universal Life Church-ordained minister Joel McHale.[9] In an October 2023 Reddit post, Rea confirmed that he and Jess Opon had split up in the summer of 2022.[10]
History[]
Rea created his YouTube channel on August 22, 2006.[11] The channel was named after his favourite character from the political drama The West Wing,[12] the fictional White House Counsel Oliver Babish.[3] Three videos unrelated to cooking were uploaded to the account by Rea, the first in February 2007, titled Water-Proof Trailer, the second in April 2007, titled 300 - Army Of Darkness, and the third in April 2010, titled Miracle Blade Test. Following a marriage break-up, work troubles, and a bout of depression, Rea ended up living with a friend in Queens, New York. In February 2016, he bought $4,000 worth of camera equipment, including a new camera and lighting equipment, on his credit card with the intention of doing freelance work.[6][12] After realising that the kitchen was the only place with enough space in their apartment, he "set up a tripod, started recording, and made a smoothie." However, the tripod's placement cut off his face — which went on to become his signature filming style.[12]
He then began thinking of making his own cookery show without the polish of television where the chef was also making the dish for the first time. Soon after, an episode of the sitcom Parks and Recreation came on the television.[12] In the episode, the character of Chris Traeger, played by Rob Lowe, introduces a gourmet turkey burger with papaya chutney and black truffle aioli in a cook-off competition with a bog-standard hamburger. Rea then wondered what that would taste like and made his best effort to "replicate it as painstakingly as I could."[6][12] Rea then uploaded his video to Reddit, calling it Binging with Babish after his Reddit handle, where it garnered a couple thousand views and enthusiastic responses. Shortly after, Rea decided to make another video where he baked an Italian pasta dish known as a timpano from the 1996 film Big Night. From there on, Rea began devoting more and more time to his videos, which later included recreations of food from video games, which he uploaded to his channel.[6]
Content[]
The channel mainly focuses on reverse-engineering food recipes from television shows or films, with added dry humor and being filmed at a fast pace. Binging with Babish usually comes in two formats: the original, literal one from a certain TV show/film and Rea's own interpretation/improved version of said recipe.
Aside from it, Rea also uploads "Basics with Babish", a series of videos about cooking basics. While he shows his picture in his channel's profile pictures Rea rarely shows his face in his actual content: in most of his videos, he is filmed from the torso down.
Rea has featured in various other channels, namely Bon Appetit, Cocktail Chemistry, You Suck at Cooking, etc.
As of September 4, 2020, Binging with Babish became the Babish Culinary Universe or the BCU. Due to sponsorships, new additions to "Team Babish", as well as support and growth from the subscribers, the BCU was born, and with that, the intent to introduce new shows. One of these new shows is "Stump Sohla" with Sohla El-Waylly. "Stump Sohla" is a game-show-style series where a wheel is spun and on this wheel, there are various spins on whatever dish Sohla must make. Whether it be setting it on fire or a time period, she must try to do it or be "stumped".
Aside from YouTube, he also has live stream sessions and has three side projects: Bedtime with Babish (a podcast series where he reads popular prose and poetries), Bangers with Babish (a set of playlist containing songs used in his videos), and Being with Babish (a serial where the Binging with Babish crew goes outside the kitchen and to various communities on a culinary trip).
Current Uploads[]
- Binging with Babish
- Basics with Babish
- Basics with Babish Livestreams
- Bedtime with Babish
- Being with Babish
- Stump Sohla
- Botched By Babish[13]
- Pruébalo[14]
- Anime/Arcade with Alvin Zhou
Other Media[]
Aside from YouTube, he authored a cookbook titled "Eat What You Watch: A Cookbook for Movie Lovers", which featured his recreations of foods from popular movies.
Quotes[]
- "I never prepare. So when I screw up, you can see the pitfalls."[12]
- "I think that cooking can be a wonderful way to honor someone, to honor their legacy, and to feel closer to them when they’re gone. We have a very emotional and personal connection with foods. We all do, depending on what we grew up with. And so, whenever I make chocolate chip cookies, I feel closer to my mom because she taught me how to make my first. They may have been off the back of a Nestle Tollhouse bag, but they were the best in the world to me."[5]
Trivia[]
- Rea learned cooking from his mother, who passed away when he was 11 years old.
- It was revealed that Rea is allergic to bananas; he mentioned that he once went into anaphylaxis because of this.
- In a video, he revealed that he struggles from depression and anxiety.
- Rea was briefly married during the early years of his channel but, later revealed in a Reddit AMA that the relationship did not work out.
- In May 2021, Rea announced his engagement with BCU producer Jess Opon on Instagram.[15] They were married in the 9 Million Subscriber video by comedian and minister Joel McHale.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WNMatxr7BE
- ↑ https://twitter.com/bingingwbabish
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.eater.com/2017/5/5/15537754/binging-with-babish-youtube-series
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.mashed.com/288607/the-untold-truth-of-andrew-rea/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshweiss/2019/10/21/binging-with-babish-creator-dishes-on-new-cookbook-chilling-with-jon-favreau-and-our-fascination-with-food-in-media/?sh=50e816cd35b5
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 https://www.newsweek.com/binging-babish-cooking-show-food-tv-movies-youtube-628020
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WNMatxr7BE&ab_channel=WIRED
- ↑ https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/bingingwithbabish/2572736795729750415
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGPqK_hHA28
- ↑ https://reddit.com/r/bingingwithbabish/s/PKOJVRSsVd
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/user/bgfilms/about
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/may/01/andrew-rea-the-youtube-chef-cooking-up-a-storm
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEL5i38GFd8
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIjdwDr9xA8&t
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CO0MnwaDGmP/
