Andrew Rea facts for kids

Andrew Douglas Rea (born September 2, 1987), also known as Babish, is an American YouTuber, cook, and author. He is famous for starting the YouTube channel Babish Culinary Universe. He also creates and hosts its popular shows, Binging with Babish and Basics with Babish. Andrew Rea has written three cookbooks based on his shows. He has also appeared as a guest on many other TV programs and online shows.

Early Life and Cooking Beginnings

Andrew Rea was born on September 2, 1987, in Mendon, New York. He grew up in Rochester, New York. He has an older brother, David, who has appeared in one of his videos. His nephew, Christopher, also appeared in a video as a younger version of Andrew.

Andrew's mother taught him how to cook when he was young. She taught him to make dishes like stew and cookies. After she passed away when he was 11, he started cooking again. He would make stews to feel closer to her. In 2009, Andrew graduated from Hofstra University. He studied Film Studies there. Later, he worked as a visual effects artist.

Andrew Rea's YouTube Journey

Andrew Rea created his Binging with Babish YouTube channel on August 21, 2006. The name "Babish" was inspired by a character from the TV show The West Wing. Before Binging with Babish, he uploaded a few other videos.

In 2016, Andrew was feeling down. He decided to buy camera equipment to start filming again. His kitchen was the only space big enough in his small apartment. He filmed himself making a smoothie. The camera angle cut off his face, which became his unique filming style. He then thought about starting an online cooking show.

How Binging with Babish Started

The first episode of Binging with Babish came out on February 10, 2016. It was inspired by a burger cook-off episode from the TV show Parks and Recreation. As his channel grew, he asked his friend Sawyer Carter Jacobs to become his business partner.

Basics with Babish and Channel Growth

Andrew noticed that some viewers just wanted cooking tips. They didn't always care about the themed content. On October 11, 2017, he launched Basics With Babish. This new series teaches basic recipes for people learning to cook at home.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, more people cooked at home. Andrew's subscriber count grew from 5 million to 8 million in just a few months. To keep up, he started making two videos a week. He sometimes worked up to 90 hours a week. He kept this busy schedule for about a year and a half.

Working with Other Creators

Working so much made Andrew very tired. His viewership slowed down, and he felt sad. His viewers noticed and left supportive comments. His partner, Jess Opon, and his business partner helped him. They encouraged him to work fewer hours. He listened to their advice and went back to one video a week. He also started the Babish Culinary Universe. This allowed other talented chefs to create content for the channel. These collaborators include Sohla El-Waylly, Alvin Zhou, Kendall Beach, and Rick Martinez.

Cookbooks and Cookware

Andrew Rea has written several cookbooks based on his shows. His first cookbook, Eat What You Watch, came out in 2017. It has recipes from the first season of Binging with Babish. His second book, Binging with Babish, was published in 2019. It includes 100 recipes from different seasons. This book became a New York Times Best Seller. A third cookbook, with recipes from Basics with Babish, was released in October 2023.

In 2021, Andrew announced he would launch his own line of cookware. He wanted to create high-quality kitchen tools that everyday cooks could afford. The line includes Babish-branded knives, bowls, measuring spoons, and other basic kitchen items.

Personal Life

Andrew Rea was married in 2014, but he and his wife divorced in 2017. He announced his engagement to Jess Opon, a producer for Babish Culinary Universe, in May 2021. They were married in a Binging with Babish episode by comedian Joel McHale. In October 2023, Andrew shared that he and Jess Opon had separated in the summer of 2022.

Andrew has mentioned in his YouTube videos that he is allergic to bananas.

Appearances in Online Shows

Andrew Rea has appeared in many online shows.

Appearances on Television

Andrew Rea has also been a guest on several television shows.