TikTok LIVE and Food Network are launching a livestreamed cooking series that pairs TikTok creators with Food Network chefs, the companies announced. The series debuts on July 8, broadcasting across the @foodnetwork, @tiktok, and @tiktoklive_us accounts.

The inaugural episode, “TikTok LIVE x Food Network Presents: Tomato Season,” pairs Food Network personality Antonia Lofaso with TikTok creator Jose El Cook. Lofaso, a Tournament of Champions winner, owns several Los Angeles restaurants, including Black Market Liquor Bar and Scopa Italian Roots, and will next appear on Food Network’s Kitchen Undercover, premiering July 28. Jose El Cook has built his TikTok following on high-energy cooking videos under the mantra “I make sure YOU CAN COOK NOW,” and also shares recipes through his Substack.

The hour-long livestream will walk through tomato-based dishes from appetizers to mains, with viewers voting in polls, submitting questions in the chat, and sending food-themed gifts. The format follows the Future of Flavor LIVE event TikTok and Food Network held earlier this year, and the companies plan additional episodes pairing creators with other Food Network chefs.

The launch lands as social media cooks increasingly compete with television-trained chefs for culinary authority online. According to Tubefilter, YouTube creator Nick DiGiovanni built a large enough following through his cooking content to land his own Food Network show, and creator Guga has drawn millions of views for competitive cooking videos on YouTube. “MasterChef Brazil” aired an edition of the competition built entirely around creators, a sign that food-focused entertainment franchises are drawing directly from social platforms for talent.

The tie-up also sits next to TikTok’s commercial push in food and beverage. Brands including PepsiCo and Mars have used TikTok Shop to launch new products aimed at younger consumers, and TikTok Shop’s food category lead has said the platform is compressing the pipeline from viral content trend to product on shelves.

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