Chrissy Teigen isn't fancy. Or at least that's what she tells a room of journalists and influencers as she explains her latest venture: a partnership with Smirnoff Vodka. “I like to think that Smirnoff and I don’t pretend to be anything we’re not. And we don’t need all the frills and the fanciness. Sometimes we can just wear a towel,” she says. Mind you, Teigen says all of this while looking absolutely flawless in a pink pantsuit situation that most of us fellow “un-frilly” people could never pull off. But, the group nods along knowingly, because it’s true. Teigen is known for being real.
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She is open about her everyday problems with her social media followers, dishes about her recurring cooking adventures with her family (sharing tips along the way), and she is a girl after our own hearts when it comes to chain restaurants and fast food. (If her Bloomin’ Onion lesson wasn’t proof enough, see below for more.)
Which is why it didn't seem strange in the slightest that on a bright Thursday afternoon, Chrissy Teigen offered the group a round of cocktails before 3pm. (We all obliged.) Before she showed us her famous Smirnoff No. 21 vodka soda (which she jokingly referred to as an extremely difficult cocktail to make), I sat down for an exclusive interview with the Cravings author to talk about one of her favourite subjects: food.
She told Refinery29 about her top fast food spots, an unpopular food opinion, and perhaps most importantly her thoughts on pineapple pizza. Check out the interview below and get her vodka soda recipe, which we will now forever call "The Chrissy."
We know you like vodka, but have you tried a rosé forty? And are you on team rosé?
Oh my god, no. No! Oh, no, I don’t think that sounds [good], it actually makes me sick thinking about it.
Oh my god, no. No! Oh, no, I don’t think that sounds [good], it actually makes me sick thinking about it.
So not team rosé?
Actually, I don’t [like it]. I like the taste of it, but I don’t feel great [after I drink it]. I’ve never been good with Champagne, rosé, or brown alcohol.
Actually, I don’t [like it]. I like the taste of it, but I don’t feel great [after I drink it]. I’ve never been good with Champagne, rosé, or brown alcohol.
What are your favourite and least favourite fast food chains?
Obviously Taco Bell, McDonald’s always a classic. I’m gonna go ahead and say Shake Shack over In-N-Out. Bottom: oh god, let’s see, that’s tough because there are a lot of middle ones I love. I love Wendy’s. I love Chick-fil-A, I do think Chick-Fil-A is slightly overrated, though. Especially cuz they won’t just like fucking put the shit on the burger for you. Like, my god, put it on the fucking burger. So that’s why it loses points for me.
Obviously Taco Bell, McDonald’s always a classic. I’m gonna go ahead and say Shake Shack over In-N-Out. Bottom: oh god, let’s see, that’s tough because there are a lot of middle ones I love. I love Wendy’s. I love Chick-fil-A, I do think Chick-Fil-A is slightly overrated, though. Especially cuz they won’t just like fucking put the shit on the burger for you. Like, my god, put it on the fucking burger. So that’s why it loses points for me.
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Was it Chili’s you were just talking about on Twitter?
Applebee’s! I still like all these places though is the problem. I feel like there are good things at every bad restaurant so that’s really tough for me. Unless I’m going to say Rallies. Listen, I’ve seen 10,000 Sonic commercials and I’ve never fuckin’ seen a Sonic in my life.
Applebee’s! I still like all these places though is the problem. I feel like there are good things at every bad restaurant so that’s really tough for me. Unless I’m going to say Rallies. Listen, I’ve seen 10,000 Sonic commercials and I’ve never fuckin’ seen a Sonic in my life.
Are there any foods you really don’t like or refuse to eat?
There are flavours that I don’t love. I don’t love capers, I don’t love fennel. Aside from that, that’s kind of it. I’m not a big innards person, like even if it’s fried and delicious I’m not doing liver or bone marrow. I don’t need to pretend that I have taste.
There are flavours that I don’t love. I don’t love capers, I don’t love fennel. Aside from that, that’s kind of it. I’m not a big innards person, like even if it’s fried and delicious I’m not doing liver or bone marrow. I don’t need to pretend that I have taste.
Do you have a favourite weird food combo that other people judge you for? (For example, I like Hot Cheetos and cream cheese.)
Oh, that sounds amazing. I love everything bagels and peppercinis together. And butter. Everything bagel toasted with butter, sprinkled with peppercinis. I love that. When I was pregnant, I really loved whole milk and rare steak. That was like my jam.
Oh, that sounds amazing. I love everything bagels and peppercinis together. And butter. Everything bagel toasted with butter, sprinkled with peppercinis. I love that. When I was pregnant, I really loved whole milk and rare steak. That was like my jam.
What's your go-to "drunchie" food and your favourite hangover food?
Ramen and ramen. Ramen and pho, I’ll say. Pho is like an amazing hangover cure and then ramen for like that milky Tonkotsu very porky broth.
Ramen and ramen. Ramen and pho, I’ll say. Pho is like an amazing hangover cure and then ramen for like that milky Tonkotsu very porky broth.
Do you have any favourite celebrity chefs?
Oh god yeah, I love Eric Ripert, Mario Batali, god, I have a million, I look up to these people so, so much. Michael Symon, there are so many because I think these people are so incredible. What they do is so difficult and I can’t imagine, you know, working the line and being in the kitchen so, Giada De Laurentiis, Padma [Lakshmi], basically everybody.
Oh god yeah, I love Eric Ripert, Mario Batali, god, I have a million, I look up to these people so, so much. Michael Symon, there are so many because I think these people are so incredible. What they do is so difficult and I can’t imagine, you know, working the line and being in the kitchen so, Giada De Laurentiis, Padma [Lakshmi], basically everybody.
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We’re obsessed with Ina [Garten] at our office.
Ina, I love. Absolutely adore Ina. Ina has the most like foolproof recipes. Her recipes have been tested so many times so you just know that you’re always going to get something good out of it. Paula Deen, Tyler Florence has really well-tested recipes. Alton Brown. So many! Sorry, there’s so many!
Ina, I love. Absolutely adore Ina. Ina has the most like foolproof recipes. Her recipes have been tested so many times so you just know that you’re always going to get something good out of it. Paula Deen, Tyler Florence has really well-tested recipes. Alton Brown. So many! Sorry, there’s so many!
Do you drink coffee? If, so how do you take it?
I’m not a coffee drinker. Caffeine makes me very shaky and I get a little nauseous from it. I LOVE the taste of it though. I love, love, love a vanilla latte, super milky, super creamy. I love a mocha, I love a Frappuccino, I love a green tea Frapp, but I cannot actually have the coffee, coffee part.
I’m not a coffee drinker. Caffeine makes me very shaky and I get a little nauseous from it. I LOVE the taste of it though. I love, love, love a vanilla latte, super milky, super creamy. I love a mocha, I love a Frappuccino, I love a green tea Frapp, but I cannot actually have the coffee, coffee part.
Did you try the Unicorn Frappuccino?
I tried to get it the other day. We walked in and they said it was sold out. I just don’t get this whole adults liking unicorns thing. I’m tired of adults liking unicorns, I’m tired of adults liking vampires, I’m tired of adults liking zombies. It’s just, it’s getting to be too much for me. It’s like we’re so sad in this world today that we like need to see glitter and sparkles as adults.
I tried to get it the other day. We walked in and they said it was sold out. I just don’t get this whole adults liking unicorns thing. I’m tired of adults liking unicorns, I’m tired of adults liking vampires, I’m tired of adults liking zombies. It’s just, it’s getting to be too much for me. It’s like we’re so sad in this world today that we like need to see glitter and sparkles as adults.
Are you for or against pineapple on pizza?
I love pineapple on pizza. I have no shame about it, either. I obviously feel like it should be paired with Canadian bacon, ideally, but I think the best part about a pizza is you can do whatever you want with it and it doesn’t make it any less of a pizza. You just get to enjoy it. It’s not like putting ketchup on a steak or something. A pizza is what you love on dough with sauce and cheese. I happen to love pineapple. I happen to love it on a pizza. I actually do love pepperoni, jalapeño, and pineapple, as well. I think anyone else [who is against it] is just like jumping on the bandwagon of hating it. They’re like, “Ugh, I’m supposed to hate this, so…”
I love pineapple on pizza. I have no shame about it, either. I obviously feel like it should be paired with Canadian bacon, ideally, but I think the best part about a pizza is you can do whatever you want with it and it doesn’t make it any less of a pizza. You just get to enjoy it. It’s not like putting ketchup on a steak or something. A pizza is what you love on dough with sauce and cheese. I happen to love pineapple. I happen to love it on a pizza. I actually do love pepperoni, jalapeño, and pineapple, as well. I think anyone else [who is against it] is just like jumping on the bandwagon of hating it. They’re like, “Ugh, I’m supposed to hate this, so…”
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Is there anything you really wouldn’t want to see on a pizza?
You know what’s weird is I really hate sun-dried tomatoes. I really do not like a sun-dried tomato, but I’ll put anything else on a pizza: like eggs. I’m not a big olive person because of the whole caper aversion, anything like that, but anything kinda goes for a pizza. A pizza is whatever you want it to be. That’s the best part of pizza.
You know what’s weird is I really hate sun-dried tomatoes. I really do not like a sun-dried tomato, but I’ll put anything else on a pizza: like eggs. I’m not a big olive person because of the whole caper aversion, anything like that, but anything kinda goes for a pizza. A pizza is whatever you want it to be. That’s the best part of pizza.
Donald Trump has a button where every time he presses it he gets a Coke brought to him by a butler. What would your food be?
If I had a button for something, it would be my mom’s branzino. I swear to god, if you watch my Snapchat she brings it to me every single night. I have one whole fish every night, covered in garlic and olive oil, stuffed with lemons and rosemary. And I eat it every single night. So I go, “Mom! Guess what time it is?” And she gets all sad and she goes: “Fish timeeee.” Cuz she knows she has to finely mince the garlic, which takes forever.
If I had a button for something, it would be my mom’s branzino. I swear to god, if you watch my Snapchat she brings it to me every single night. I have one whole fish every night, covered in garlic and olive oil, stuffed with lemons and rosemary. And I eat it every single night. So I go, “Mom! Guess what time it is?” And she gets all sad and she goes: “Fish timeeee.” Cuz she knows she has to finely mince the garlic, which takes forever.
If there was a cocktail called the Chrissy — and maybe there already is — what would be in it?
I like really simple, simple cocktails, cuz I am getting older, I’m a bit prone to not feeling as great as I used to feel if I overindulge, which I always say now my smartest move is really knowing how to pace it, but I really love a Smirnoff 21 vodka soda. Like I really do love very simple, very clean. And I love that it’s so versatile that I’m able to, if I’m feeling fancy, I can put a splash of pineapple or something, but listen, am I gonna get a shaker in my kitchen and shake shit up? Absolutely not, no.
I like really simple, simple cocktails, cuz I am getting older, I’m a bit prone to not feeling as great as I used to feel if I overindulge, which I always say now my smartest move is really knowing how to pace it, but I really love a Smirnoff 21 vodka soda. Like I really do love very simple, very clean. And I love that it’s so versatile that I’m able to, if I’m feeling fancy, I can put a splash of pineapple or something, but listen, am I gonna get a shaker in my kitchen and shake shit up? Absolutely not, no.
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Chrissy Teigen's Vodka Soda
Serves 1
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Smirnoff No. 21
3 oz. soda
1 1/2 oz. Smirnoff No. 21
3 oz. soda
Directions
Garnish it yourself.
Garnish it yourself.
Smirnoff is a brand partner of R29. This article was edited and condensed for clarity.