The Show That Became the Longest-Running Live Broadcast Cooking Show on Earth

It all started as a Google Hangout.

In November 2013, a D&D group—formed through friendships made at the east coast convention Otakon—began to drift. Life got busy, and weekly commitments to Dungeons & Dragons became harder to maintain. But even as the dice gathered dust, one thing remained: the need to gather, talk, and do something together.

Tim (Kevin Spicy) was the first to suggest it:

"In lieu of D&D, who would like to watch me cook a thing?"

And so, the D&D crew pivoted from rolling crits to stirring pots. Once a week, they gathered online, casually video chatting while making dinner in their own kitchens.

Then, in 2015, Twitch launched the #Creative category. Suddenly, streaming wasn’t just for gaming—it was for creating. After TwitchCon 2015, the crew saw an opportunity: why not take their casual cooking hangouts and turn them into a real, interactive show?

On December 4, 2015, the very first episode of Cooking With Heat aired on Twitch. The recipe? Pizza.

The Evolution of a Show

At first, Cooking With Heat was scrappy. A single MacBook Pro camera captured the action from the kitchen. Then came StoveCam and CounterCam, added through mobile phones, offering new perspectives.

The stream was still running entirely through Google Hangouts, with zero graphics assistance—except for the thumbnails we used for YouTube and the stream title cards. Even more ridiculous? The show’s production computer sat two rooms away from the kitchen.

That all changed when Elli (elliface) reached out to Twitch streamer StronkGamer for some actual stream graphics. Suddenly, Cooking With Heat had branding. A cohesive look. And every month, the production quality kept improving—more cameras, better layouts, and a more polished show.

Then, in July 2016, everything leveled up. Elli moved to a new apartment with a huge orange-y kitchen—perfect for a cooking show.

From there, the show expanded:

• More cameras

• More scenes

• Better software

• Higher-quality equipment

By January 2017, we started inviting guest hosts to join us, engaging with chat, asking us questions, and yes—kicking out trolls. Our PH16 community wasn’t just watching; they were helping shape the show, contributing recipe ideas, and keeping the creativity flowing.

New Faces, New Kitchens, and the Future of CWH

In 2021, Cooking With Heat welcomed a new chef, joystikNik, bringing fresh perspectives (and fresh food) to the stream.

For the next three years, the show ran from a dedicated kitchen space—until summer 2024, when we made the big move to Lancaster, PA. No more landlords, no more limitations. Now, we’re in a space we can build to suit the show.

Right now, the CWH kitchen is under construction, with new storage and upgraded tech to make the show more interactive than ever. What does that mean?

• ✨ An 18” disco ball

• 💡 Completely chat-interactive lighting (yes, even the overhead lights)

• 🚀 More storage, more space, and more ways to engage

The best part? We’re still growing. We’re still cooking. And we’re still the longest-running live broadcast cooking show on Earth.

So, grab a seat at the counter. We’ll bring the heat. 🍳🔥