Phil Rosenthal, 66, is living a life most of us only dream about, flying across the globe, sharing meals with fascinating people and savoring some of the world’s finest cuisine. It’s no surprise that his TV show, “Somebody Feed Phil,” has become a hit.
Phil Rosenthal in ‘Somebody Feed Phil’
Photo courtesy of Netflix
“I’m a very happy and lucky guy,” Rosenthal admits. “And I like staying busy.”
Between his show, a new children’s book co-authored with his daughter, a cross-country comedy tour, opening a diner in Los Angeles and promoting his latest cookbook, “Phil’s Favorites: Recipes from Friends and Family to Make at Home,” Rosenthal is indeed busy.
Since its 2018 debut, “Somebody Feed Phil” has enjoyed an eight-season run on Netflix. In 2027, the series will shift to his YouTube channel, Phil Rosenthal World, as part of a new distribution deal. Season 9 will continue to follow Rosenthal as he travels the globe, sampling local cuisine, meeting people from all walks of life and reminding viewers that we have more in common than we often realize. Although Rosenthal didn’t always consider himself a foodie, he sees food as the great connector.
“I grew up in New York, my parents both worked and we didn’t have a lot of money, so dinner was usually whatever was on sale,” he says. “My mom didn’t really have time or the temperament to be a great chef, and I didn’t have what most people call ‘flavorful’ food until I left home.”
That changed when he traveled abroad for the first time. Rosenthal remembers visiting France at 23 and eating a baguette with cheese in a park. “I thought that was the greatest thing ever,” he says with a laugh. “And I fell in love with travel.”
Rosenthal’s journey to becoming a beloved food show host was anything but linear. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater studies from Hofstra University, he moved to New York City to pursue acting.
By 1989, he had his sights set on Los Angeles, where he landed writing gigs on shows like “Coach” and “Baby Talk.” It was 1995 that marked his big breakthrough, as he created the hit sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” for which he was the showrunner and an executive producer for all nine seasons. Adding a personal touch to the show, his wife, actress Monica Horan, brought the character Amy to life on screen.
Phil Rosenthal in ‘Somebody Feed Phil’
Photo courtesy of Netflix
The Leap from Comedy to Cuisine
When “Everybody Loves Raymond” ended, Rosenthal decided to pursue his dream of hosting a food and travel show. A decade later, in the fall of 2015, his first travel documentary series, “I’ll Have What Phil’s Having,” premiered on PBS. It won the 2016 James Beard Award for best Television Program on Location.
The PBS series was short-lived, but Rosenthal reworked it, and a couple of years later “Somebody Feed Phil” was born. During the first several seasons of filming, Rosenthal would call his parents via Skype to tell them about each day’s adventure. Those calls soon became what he refers to as “the best part of the show,” although his folks were a bit mystified by the whole thing.
“When my parents first saw that I had a food and travel show, my mother said, ‘I don’t understand, you were such a picky eater when you were a kid,’ and my father said, ‘maybe it was the chef,’” Rosenthal recalls.
Lily’s Hot Chocolate at Max & Helen’s
Photo by Catherine Dzilenski
Max & Helen’s Waffle With Maple Butter
Photo by Catherine Dzilenski
Family has always been at the heart of Rosenthal’s work. His parents famously served as the real-life inspirations for the characters of Frank and Marie Barone, immortalized by actors Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts on “Everybody Loves Raymond.” His brother, Richard, serves as showrunner and executive producer on “Somebody Feed Phil.”
The diner is also a true family affair. His daughter, Lily, is often the first face guests see, while her husband, Mason Royal, leads the kitchen as head chef, bringing his creative energy to a place that’s also co-owned by celebrated chef Nancy Silverton, a friend of Rosenthal’s for more than three decades, and the recent James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award honoree.
That close-knit dynamic extends far beyond the restaurant. Rosenthal and Lily have teamed up creatively, writing two children’s books together: the 2024 release “Just Try It!” and a follow-up, “Just Try It! Someplace New!”
“Lily called me one day and said, ‘Kids love your show, and you’re good with kids — why don’t you write a children’s book?’” Rosenthal says. “And my knee-jerk reaction was, ‘Yes, if you’ll do it with me.’ It was kind of a dad trick to spend more time with my daughter.”
Their first book is based on Rosenthal’s own personal mantra: Just try it at least once; otherwise, how will you know what you like? It’s a philosophy he has passed down to his children, Lily and Ben, both of whom he enjoys traveling with. In particular, he has fond memories of a trip to Venice, Italy.
“It turns out it’s the perfect first international trip for a kid, because it’s so magical,” he says. “No cars, just boats. It’s like the ‘It’s a Small World’ ride at Disneyland, except everyone’s waving at you, and it’s Italian.”
Phil Rosenthal with daughter Lily at Max & Helen’s
Photo By Shelby Moore
Breaking Bread, Building Bonds
For Rosenthal, travel has always been about more than checking off destinations; it’s about perspective. His experiences filming “Somebody Feed Phil” have reshaped the way he sees the world, and he hopes viewers walk away with the same sense of openness he has cultivated.
“In places like Italy and Japan, kids are revered,” he says. “When I went to Japan, I saw children who were 3 or 4 years old walking around on their own, running errands. And I asked someone, ‘How is this OK?’ And they said, ‘The community looks after them.’ That stayed with me.”
Again and again, Rosenthal has seen how food can dissolve boundaries and challenge assumptions. One of his favorite examples comes from a meal in Dubai, where he sat down with a Palestinian woman.
“With my background being Jewish and hers being Palestinian, we’ve been told we’re not supposed to be friends,” he says. “Yet we bonded over food.”
Like so many moments in the show, their interaction was warm, personal and quietly powerful, centering not on politics but shared humanity.
That same sense of discovery followed Rosenthal to Vietnam, where expectations shaped by war films and news coverage quickly gave way to something entirely different.
“You expect scenes out of ‘Apocalypse Now,’ and that’s not the reality,” he says. “The people were so sweet, so welcoming, so charming, so beautiful. The country is gorgeous, the food is amazing and I can’t wait to go back.”
Outtakes from the set of ‘Somebody Feed Phil’
Photos courtesy of Richard Rosenthal
Rosenthal has also been hitting the road with a live show that brings his personal stories to life in a way fans don’t usually get to see.
“We kick things off with a highlight reel of the show, and then I come out with a moderator, someone different every night, and we just start talking,” he explains. “They ask about my life, my career, ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ and how I got into food and travel.”
Yet, he says it’s the second half of the show that makes it special: “That’s when it opens up to the audience, and, honestly, it’s my favorite part. I get to meet people, which is the best part of doing the TV show, too.”
For Rosenthal, the live format brings a different kind of energy. “I love this as much as making TV shows,” he says. “And I tell people, ‘You don’t just have to ask me questions about the show.’ I’m also great with relationship advice, kids, parents, spouses — you name it.”
Beyond television and travel, Rosenthal channels his gratitude into action through his philanthropic work, including Somebody Feed the People, an initiative of the Rosenthal Family Foundation that supports organizations making positive impacts through food, such as World Central Kitchen, Homeboy Industries and Food Forward.
“If you are as lucky as I am, you owe it to the world to leave it a little bit better than you found it,” he says. “I’ve learned that service is at the heart of everything I love — family, friends, food, travel and laughter. Those are the things that make life worth living.”