Foodgasm with Ashley Simone

Ashley Simone brings a flirtacious tone to the proceedings in Foodgasm

Get ready to reach climax with Foodgasm, a saucy series hosted by a former circus dancer turned chef

It almost goes without saying that there’s not exactly a shortage of cooking shows littering the television landscape nowadays, so for one to make any sort of impact as a web series, it’s really got to stand out.

Good thing, then, that Ashley Simone makes an absolutely unforgettable first impression as the hostess of Foodgasm.

Simone, who holds a degree in culinary arts from the Illinois Institute of Art — Chicago, follows in the footsteps of former OSS employee Julia Child as an onscreen chef with a unique background, having done some time as a dancer with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus.

Her theatrical training comes in handy with Foodgasm, however, which often feels like it’s fallen through a time warp from the middle of the 20th century into the present.

Foodgasm Promises a Little Fun, a Little Flirt and a Lot of Food

Given its title, it should come as no surprise that Foodgasm, while possessing a retro feel, isn’t exactly taken from the Norman Rockwell playbook. The series is described on its website as “a little bit naughty, a little bit nice, and has a feel of the 1940s,” possibly because Simone’s look falls somewhere between Lucille Ball and a Vargas-sketched pinup girl.

The food, however, is decidedly contemporary, with past episodes featuring such delicacies as blackened catfish with mango salad, grilled pizza with gluten-free crust, and a vegan bisteeya.

Although Simone is making an impact online, that doesn’t mean she isn’t interested in taking Foodgasm to the next level. In an interview with Windy City Times, the hostess admitted, “I would love to have the show on a cable network. I would like to have different segments with ‘Foodgasm Travels’ or ‘Foodgasm Lite.’ There are many ideas for the show to grow. I also plan to have a catering company in addition to the show. We could have Foodgasm parties!”

Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.