plated
through food, CLEO TV chefs SHARE stories of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Together, they offer a delightful exploration of cultures and flavor. CLEO TV has carefully curated their recipes. We invite you to explore the offerings...try something new, or a twist on an old favorite. You won't be disappointed.
FOOD IS CULTURE AND CULTURE IS EVERYTHING
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
chef bren hererra takes us around the world with flavors from the mediterranEan, france and india
Pan Seared Branzino with Champagne Beurre Blanc and Truffle Foam with Roasted Fennel
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WHETHER IT'S WIND DOWN WEEKEND OR A SEXY DINNER FOR TWO...WE GOT YOU!
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CHAMPAGNE BEURRE
PAN SEARED BRANZINO
ROASTED FENNEL
HERE'S A TASTE
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CHAMPAGNE BEURRE BLANC IS A FRENCH BUTTER SAUCE MADE OF CHAMPAGNE (OR SPARKLING WINE), SHALLOTS, VINEGAR AND BUTTER
BRANZINO IS A MEDITERRANEAN WHITE FISH THAT IS POPULAR FOR ITS MILD, SWEET FLAVOR
FENNEL IS ACTUALLY A FLAVORFUL HERB THAT IS EATEN AS A VEGETABLE. 60% OF FENNEL COMES FROM INDIA
CHICAGO BORN AND MISSISSIPPI RAISED JERNARD WELLS DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM HIS SOUTHERN ROOTS AND WORLDWIDE EXPERIENCES. READ MORE ABOUT CHEF JERNARD HERE
"SOUL FOOD IS AMERICAN CUISINE" CHEF JERNARD
BREN HERRERA WAS BORN IN CUBA AND LOVES TO INCORPORATE HER LATIN HERITAGE ALONG WITH INFLUENCES FROM HER TRAVELS AROUND THE WORLD. READ MORE ABOUT CHEF BREN HERE
RAISED IN NYC, JJ JOHNSON FUSES HIS AFRO PUERTO RICAN ROOTS WITH FLAVORS FROM WEST AFRICA, ASIA AND THE AMERICAS. READ MORE ABOUT CHEF JJ HERE
CELEBRITY MOM EVELYN BRAXTON WEARS MANY HATS, BUT SHE DEFINITELY LETS US KNOW THAT SHE CAN ALSO HOLD IT DOWN IN THE KITCHEN. READ MORE ABOUT MS E HERE
AWARD WINNING SINGER/ TV STAR TAMAR BRAXTON HAS MADE HER MARK IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. NOW SHE WANTS TO DO THE SAME IN THE KITCHEN! READ MORE ABOUT TAMAR HERE
FIND YOUR FLAVOR
Step-by-step guides to dishes that celebrate heritage, spice, and souL
NEW SOUL KITCHEN WITH CHEF JERNARD
COOKING SESSIONS WITH TAMAR AND MS E.
JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ
CULTURE KITCHEN WITH BREN HERRERA
NEW SOUL KITCHEN RECIPES
COOKING SESSIONS RECIPES
JUST EATS RECIPES
CULTURE KITCHEN RECIPES
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GO TO THE RECIPE
RECIPES+CHEFS+COCKTAILS
through food, CLEO TV chefs SHARE stories of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Together, they offer a delightful exploration of cultures and flavors. CLEO TV has carefully curated their recipes. We invite you to explore the offerings...try something new, or a twist on an old favorite. You won't be disappointed.
Chef JJ is joined by brown butter supper club chef and culinary Creative Director courtnee futch-brinson. JJ prepares a brunch menu that includes these rich, Crème brûlée style french toast sticks.
CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST STICKS
FRENCH TOAST
In France, French Toast is called pain perdu...or lost bread, referring to traditional method of rescuing stale or "lost" bread by soaking it in a custard mixture and frying it.
VANILLA BEAN PASTE
Vanilla bean paste is a combination of vanilla extract and vanilla bean powder. Despite the name, it's more like a syrup and not thick like paste.
BRIOCHE
Brioche is a Viennoiserie that originated from the French. Viennoiseries are yeast leavened dough products that are a meeting point between bread and pastry.
NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX WITH CHEF JERNARD
NEW SOUL KITCHEN REMIX RECIPES
CHEF BREN
A graduate of the University of Virginia with a background in corporate law, Bren brings both strategic insight and creative vision to her work as a mediapersonality, entrepreneur, and community leader. Whether in the kitchen, oncamera, or in the community, she is driven by a mission to uplift culture, empower people, and create meaningful, lasting impact. Bren was born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Washington D.C.
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QUOTE FROM BREN ABOUT HER PHILOSOPHY ON COOKING AND FOOD
Bren Herrera is an award-winning celebrity chef, TV host, producer, cookbook author, and cultural storyteller whose work sits at the intersection of food, heritage, and community impact. A proud Afro-Caribbean woman of Cuban and Jamaican descent, Bren has built a dynamic career spanning nearly two decades in television, culinary arts, and public speaking. Multilingual and globally inspired, Bren has traveled to more than 37 countries, using food as her lens to explore culture, connection, and identity. These international experiences deeply inform her culinary approach, which blends global technique with the soulful, layered flavors of the diaspora. She is the host and producer of Culture Kitchen on CLEO TV/TV One,where she brings global flavors and deeply personal narratives to life, celebrating the richness of the diaspora through food. Her work has been featured on major national platforms including The Today Show, Good Morning America, the Food Network, the Hallmark Channel, among many other others, and she has collaborated with some of the world’s most renowned chefs.
Beyond the screen, Bren is the founder of the Bren Herrera Foundation, a501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to serving underserved and marginalized communities in Washington, DC and beyond. Through its signature program, Bren + Friends Serve DC, the foundation has provided over 12,000 chef-prepared meals to individuals experiencing food insecurity—delivered with dignity, care, and human connection. The foundation continues to expand its impact through year-round programming, including youth culinary education, community outreach initiatives, and large-scale service events.
Chef JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award–winning chef, TV personality, author, and cultural tastemaker known for redefining Afro-Latino and global Black cuisines through a contemporary lens. Most recently, he was named to the TIME 2026 Closers list, a prestigious honor recognizing 18 extraordinary Black leaders working to close the racial equity gap and create a more just future. Celebrated for his boundary-pushing approach to food of the African diaspora, JJ is the founder of FIELDTRIP, a community-rooted rice bowl shop that champions rice as a global heritage grain. FIELDTRIP has expanded across New York City, including one coming soon to JFK airport, as well as internationally, with a location at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas. He is also the founder of The Cookout, an event celebrating Black culture, food, music, and community. JJ’s culinary voice has reached millions on television, including as host of Cleo TV’s “Just Eats with Chef JJ”. He’s appeared on Max’s “Selena + Chef,” Netflix’s “Street Food,” and the Food Network, among others, and is frequently called upon to speak at the intersection of food, culture, and equity. A classically trained chef, JJ sharpened his skills in New York City kitchens and abroad in Ghana, India and more. His cuisine celebrates the vibrant complexity of the African diaspora, while embracing sustainability, local sourcing, and food justice. JJ is also a founding partner in Wonder, Marc Lore’s delivery-first food platform, where he continues to innovate at scale. JJ’s debut cookbook, Between Harlem and Heaven, co-authored with Alexander Smalls and Veronica Chambers, won the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook. In 2023, he released his second book, The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table, which was named one of the New York Times "Best Cookbooks of 2023.” A passionate advocate for equity in the food system, JJ works with organizations such as Rethink Food, using his platform to address hunger, promote sustainability, and support mentorship. His leadership has earned him accolades from the James Beard Foundation, Esquire (Best New Restaurant, FIELDTRIP, and The Cecil), the National Restaurant Association Power List, Eater’s New Guard, Forbes 30 Under 30, and Zagat’s 30 Under 30.
QUOTE FROM JJ ABOUT HIS PHILOSOPHY ON COOKING AND FOOD
Chef Jernard Wells is an award-winning celebrity chef, bestselling cookbook author of Southern Inspired, dynamic television host of Savor the City on TV One, New Soul Kitchen, and New Soul Kitchen Remix, known for bringing bold Southern flavors on Cleo TV, heartfelt storytelling, and vibrant culture to audiences nationwide. Celebrated as “The Chef of Love,” he has built a powerful brand rooted in food, family, and community, while also serving as the visionary restaurateur behind Cornbread and Butter by Chef Jernard Wells, where elevated Southern cuisine meets warm hospitality and unforgettable dining experiences.
QUOTE FROM JERNARD ABOUT HIS PHILOSOPHY ON COOKING AND FOOD
Smoked Manhattan Old Fashion
Recipe Courtesy of Bren Herrera
Ingredients: A smoking device, whiskey 4 oz whiskey (bourbon or rye) 1 oz. sweet vermouth 2 dashes of walnut bitters oak chips (follow instructions according to smoker) cherry chips (follow instructions according to smoker) large cube or cubes of ice (block of ice that fits into a whisky glass)
Place your large ice blocks into the rock’s glasses. In a separate mixing glass, combine the whisky and sweet vermouth. Stir with separate ice for about 15–20 seconds until well-chilled. Strain the mixture into your rocks glass over the large ice block. Place your store-bought smoker (smoking hat or lid) directly on top of the glass. Fill the smoker's chamber with wood chips. Ignite them using a torch until they begin to ember and release smoke into the glass. Let the smoke sit inside the glass for 20–30 seconds to coat the surface of the drink and the ice. Remove the smoker lid to allow excess smoke to dissipate and enjoy immediately while the aroma and taste are at their freshest.
Cut three wheels of lemon into bite-sized pieces. Cut two additional wheels of lemon and set aside for garnish. Add the honey, simple syrup, lemon juice, and crushed ice to a shaker and shake until the shaker gets icy cold. Pour the mixture into a glass ¾ of the way full, then top each glass with 1 cup of ginger beer. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of thyme.
Ginger Beer Honey Lemon Mocktail
Recipe Courtesy of Jernard Wells
Ingredients: 1 small lemon sliced 1 16oz ginger beer 4 oz. fresh lemon juice 4 oz. simple syrup 2 oz. honey 2 cups crushed ice 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Place all ingredients in a shaker and shake until the shaker feels frosty and cold. Pour the drink into glasses and garnish with a slice of Granny Smith apples.
Green Orchard Blossom
Ingredients: 1 cup crushed ice 3 oz. sour apple liquor 6 oz. vodka 1/2 tbs simple syrup 1 oz. fresh lemon juice 2 thin slices of Granny Smith apple 2 5 0z. coupe or martini glasses
Yields 1-2 servings
Place a martini or coupe glasses in the freezer for 15 minutes before starting. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with large ice cubes. Pour the vodka, both liqueurs, and the pineapple juice into the shaker. Seal the shaker and shake hard for 10–15 seconds. Use a fine-mesh strainer to pour the mixture into your chilled glasses. Garnish: edible flowers and pineapples (optional)
Bren's French Martini
Ingredients: 4 oz. vodka 4 oz pineapple juice (fresh or pressed creates the best foam) 1 oz. blackberry liqueur 1 oz. rspberry liqueur edible flowers and sliced pineapple for garnish
Make sure all ingredients are chilled. Using 2 champagne glasses. Pour equal amounts of mango juice, grenadine, and rum into a chilled glass. Give it a quick stir to make sure all ingredients are mixed. Pour in the champagne and serve.
Rum Mango Mimosa
Ingredients: 4 oz mango juice (chilled) 2 tbs grenadine (chilled) 3 oz of rum (chilled) 4 oz of Champagne (chilled)
Mango Mimosa
Ingredients: 1 scoop mango sorbet per flute (store-bought or homemade) 4–5 oz chilled Champagne (brut/ extra brut since sorbet is sweet) edible flowers, a fresh mint sprig, or a thin slice of fresh mango (optional for garnish)
Recipe Courtesy of JJ Johnson
Yields 1 serving
Place a champagne flute in the freezer for 10–15 minutes before serving to keep the sorbet from melting too quickly. Place one large or two small scoops of mango sorbet into the bottom of the chilled flute. Slowly pour the chilled champagne over the sorbet. The mixture will foam up as the bubbles react with the sorbet, so pour slowly. Add an edible flower, a sprig of fresh mint, or a mango slice to the rim. Serve immediately with a stirrer so guests can mix the sorbet as it melts.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the reposado tequila, cream of coconut, lime juice, and triple sec. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds until the mixture is well- chilled and creamy. Fill your glasses with fresh ice and strain the margarita into them. Top with a lime wedge and a sprinkle of extra coconut if desired.
Coconut Margarita
Ingredients: 4 oz Reposado tequila 2 oz cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez) 2 oz fresh lime juice 1 oz triple sec ice as needed toasted shredded coconut and lime wedges (optional for garnish)
Recipe Courtesy of Jeff Mourneau
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