Danny Freeman Brings Heart, Heritage, and Humor to the Table With 'Italianish'

Danny Freeman is a former lawyer turned viral TikTok star, cookbook author, and beloved pasta influencer known for his vibrant, hands-on approach to cooking. With his signature rainbow-colored pasta and joyful energy in the kitchen, Danny has built a devoted following on TikTok and Instagram under the handle @DannyLovesPasta, where he shares everything from colorful pasta-making techniques to clever Italian-American twists on traditional recipes. His videos have earned him over a million followers and more than a billion views, transforming him into one of the most recognizable faces in the modern pasta world.

Danny’s first cookbook, Danny Loves Pasta, is a celebration of creativity and accessibility in the kitchen. Inspired by his viral content, the book teaches readers how to make their own fresh, hand-crafted, and colorful pasta at home—no special equipment required. Using natural ingredients like spinach, beets, turmeric, and butterfly pea flowers, Danny shows how to transform everyday dough into pasta that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious.

Now, in his second cookbook, Italianish: Modern Twists on Classic Italian Flavors (DK, August 2025), Danny broadens his focus beyond pasta to reinvent over 100 classic Italian-American dishes. From weekday-friendly meals to impressive dishes for entertaining, Italianish reflects Danny’s mission: to make cooking joyful, approachable, and just a little unexpected.

EDGE sat down with Danny to chat about the new book:

EDGE: Please introduce yourself. 

DF: Hello! My name is Danny Freeman. I'm a cookbook author, chef, content creator, dad, and former lawyer.

EDGE: What first sparked your interest in creating food content on TikTok and Instagram?

DF: I was really inspired by my grandmother, who was an amazing cook. She was Italian American and just loved to cook all the classics. I grew up surrounded by all the food that she made. In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, my first daughter was born. My husband and I were holed up, not seeing anyone. Since I couldn't go home for Christmas, I decided to make all the traditional Christmas foods that we enjoyed as kids. We always went to my grandmother's house, and she would make fresh pasta. That year, I decided to make some for my husband, Steve, and me for Christmas.

EDGE: Did you have a background in food, media, or was this a completely new creative outlet for you?

DF: I didn't have any background in social media or video editing, so all of that was very new to me. I had to learn a lot as I was going. My background in food was shaped by being part of a family of cooks and food lovers, and by growing up in that environment.

EDGE: As an LGBTQ creator, how does your identity influence your approach to food and storytelling?

DF: When I first started making content online, I was really nervous to put myself out there. I was nervous just to show my face. My first videos were just me making food with my hands, but once I started sharing more about who I am, why I started creating content, and what I enjoy about cooking, that's when people started responding more. I realized that people wanted to know the person behind the camera, so they felt connected. I always try to incorporate my life into my content, even though it is about the food. Now my husband and I have two daughters, and our family is an important part of my life. Now, most of the cooking I do is for toddlers. Now it all flows organically, and I am much more comfortable creating content and talking. 

EDGE: What inspired your new cookbook, Italianish?

DF: Well, it was inspired by both my own upbringing and my life as a parent. My first cookbook, Danny Loves Pasta, was all about fresh pasta and making beautiful fresh pasta, which I love to do. But after my second daughter was born, it became very difficult to find the time to do anything for myself. She was a very colicky baby, and we were not sleeping at all. So, I cooked a different way. I was cooking more just to have something to eat. I was cooking more for quick meals, but I was also thinking a lot about the food that I ate as a kid. I thought, what I going to do for my kids now? Am I going to cook the same things I ate? Am I going to form new traditions for them? All of that was happening and I was thinking a lot about how I could take the Italian American food that I grew up loving and eating and make it work for our lives now where I don't have a lot of time. Also, toddlers can be very picky with what they eat, and my daughter loves pasta. I love to cook, but I don't want to make the same thing every night, and I also don't want to expend a lot of energy trying something new. And then my daughter does not eat any of it. So I was thinking about how I could take the flavors that I know she likes. She likes meatballs, she likes red sauce, she likes all of that. How can I make it in new ways? How can I make a chicken and vegetable dish that's like a one pop version? How can I make a meatball dish that's not exactly the same as we have every single night? All of that was really forming my head. And when I started to work on this cookbook, I thought about all the Italian food that I like, but now in this new way I'm making it. So that's why I call it Italianish because it's definitely based in traditional Italian dishes, Italian American dishes, but with a modern twist.

EDGE: Are there any recipes that have a particularly personal or nostalgic connection for you?

DF: One of the recipes that I've been making for a long time is the Eggplant Parmesan dish. My husband's a vegetarian. He's been a vegetarian since he was a kid. When I first brought him home to my family at Christmas, almost 20 years ago, I told them that he's a vegetarian, and both my grandmother and mom expressed love through food. They wanted to make food that he would eat, so they made eggplant parm for him. That became a meaningful thing to me that they would go out of their way to make a separate dish for him, and then they would make it every year. I learned how to make it on the first Valentine's Day that we were living together. I got the recipe from my mom, and I made it in secret. I used my neighbor's stove and then I sent Steve to the store to get something, and while he was gone, I set it all up and surprised him. So, eggplant parm has always been a meaningful dish to me. Since it is a time-consuming dish, for this cookbook I created a version of it called Eggplant Parm Rollatini. I use many traditional eggplant parmesan flavors, but this is a faster version that requires less pan frying and sautéing. 

EDGE: What’s one ingredient you can’t live without—and one you think is overrated?

DF: Well, of course, olive oil I couldn't live without because I use it in almost everything, including desserts. The one that I really love is Pecorino Romano cheese. I feel like after talking with a lot of people, especially in Italian households, you either grew up in a Parmesan family or a Pecorino family, and we always had Pecorino. We were always dusting it on everything. Every dish gets a dusting of it. One thing I think is overrated is tinned fish, which is my personal preference. I know they're kind of having a moment. They're very trendy. There is one recipe in the book that uses sardines, but I really don't love eating that type of food. My older daughter is a huge seafood lover, so I do actually cook with it sometimes for her, but I will always pass on tin fish. 

EDGE: How do you hope readers feel when they cook from your book?

DF: With my cooking, especially with the fresh pasta, it's colorful, vibrant, and fun. I've tried to incorporate that into this book, which is more of a traditional cookbook featuring a variety of appetizers, salads, desserts, main courses, and some quick weeknight meals. In the introduction, I wrote that I believe cooking can be fun, even if you just cook a meal for your family, which can bring you a lot of contentment. I want people to feel these recipes are usable in their everyday lives, but also joyful, fun, and different. I tried to come up with ideas that people haven't seen before or put twists on things that maybe they haven't thought of. We should all try to bring something new to the kitchen. 

EDGE: What advice would you give to queer creators trying to find their voice in culinary media?

DF: I think it could be difficult to break through in culinary spaces online because there's so much food content out there. There are numerous food content creators, and then there are people who post recipe videos or create one-off content that goes viral. If you are a queer content creator trying to break in, I think it's crucial to develop your own voice and showcase your personality, so it's more than just the food. The food is important because that's what many people watch the videos for, but if you bring your whole self, they will get hooked on you. Nothing beats great food except a wonderful personality. Whether you're sharing your life story or creating funny videos, make it something unique. That's what people will latch on to.

EDGE: If you were stranded on a desert island with just one drag queen and one kitchen tool, who and what would you pick?

DF: For the kitchen tool, I would pick a good chef's knife. I feel like I could start a fire, but if my husband were with me, he could because he was an Eagle Scout. But a good chef's knife can do wonders in the kitchen. So many great choices, but I would pick Jinx Monsoon because she's not only funny but also a good performer and a great singer, which would help keep me entertained. Plus, I know we would have a good time together. 

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/777062/italianish-by-danny-freeman/