Hold on to your hats!  You won’t believe what I’m about to share!  You were bound to find out, sooner or later.   It’s true…I’m a cooking show junkie.    Food Network is my very “bestest most favorite” channel (Did you see Ree [the Pioneer Woman], in her debut, this weekend?).  When it comes to Food Network or cooking blogs, I will discuss the recipes with you and talk about the chefs as though they were next-door neighbors on a first name basis.  I’m just weird like that. 

So, over the summer, I discovered that the BRAVO network also airs a show called Top Chef.  In watching it, I “got to know” the competitors and always ended up rooting for Chef Fabio Viviani.  He didn’t have the same cut-throat attitude towards the game, as many of the chefs.  He was helpful and always looking out for someone else, which while it wasn’t always a great game strategy, made him so endearing.  He cracked me up and made me laugh at least once in every episode with his funny one-liners.  Plus, I love his accent AND I want to learn to make gnocchi, his signature dish.  So, it was the most fun thing ever for me to get the chance to review a new app for my iPad called Let’s Cook.  Let’s Cook is an iOS app from Bertolli and features none other than Chef Fabio!  What’s not to love?

Chef Fabio in the opening video in Let's Cook. See the handy picture menu on the right? Just scroll through the categories to get to your desired destination in the software.

I hit the App Store button on my iPad and downloaded the program with no trouble.  It took a little while to install itself, but I didn’t have to do anything to set it up, except start the download.  Technology doesn’t get much simpler than that.  The time involved for the download is due to the fact that everything is housed right on your iPad.  The entire program, including 16 step-by-step recipe tutorial videos, is housed on your device, meaning no start and stop video, waiting for it to stream.  It’s already there, so it’s smooth sailing through whatever you are using the app for in your kitchen.  There’s over five hours of imbedded cooking video!

Not only will Chef Fabio demonstrate recipes on video in full-screen HD, teach you everything you ever wanted to know about olive oil and it’s use in your kitchen, AND give you his best chef kitchen tips on video, Let’s Cook also includes over 100 recipes, courtesy of Bertolli Olive Oil.  Recipes include something from each of the categories: soups, appetizers, salads, side dishes, entrées, and desserts.  I love how simple it is to navigate and find the recipes you’re looking for and the gorgeous photos that make me want to get out in the kitchen, right now!

Once you select a category, you'll find the coordinating list of recipes, with their prep and cook times, plus number of servings. Select one and go directly to the full step-by-step recipe.

You can also create a “favorites” list, for quick access to the recipes your family enjoys the most and email the ingredients directly to your phone or other device, so you have a shopping list handy.  The photo and video quality are excellent and the audio is great, too.  Chef Fabio is engaging, entertaining and an excellent teacher.  As I began testing the app for this review, my five-year-old granddaughter climbed up into my lap and literally watched every video with me.  We would finish one video and she would immediately switch back to the index, scroll through the pictures and ,”Ooooh Grandma!  We should make this one!”  lol  Later, as I was preparing dinner, she followed me to the kitchen, carrying my iPad, giggling (She likes Chef Fabio’s accent, too.)  and watching videos on her own.

I’m really enjoying this app and I’ll bet you would, too.  You can download it from the iTunes store directly to your iPad, like I did, or to your computer to sync with your iPad, later.  It requires an iPad with iOS 4.2 or higher.

I received this app and Bertolli product samples through Blog Friendly PR, in order to test them in my own kitchen and write this review.  No monetary compensation was received and a positive review was not required.  As always, at Busy-at-Home, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.