Celebrity Spotlight: Meet Todd Wilbur, Food Detective

Have you ever wondered what’s in your favorite restaurant dishes? Todd Wilbur has made a career out of uncovering the ingredients behind America’s most popular foods. The author of Top Secret Recipes has shown that secret ingredients and family recipes are no match for him! He’s committed to bringing great copycat recipes of the world’s favorite foods to the masses.

We’re thrilled to have Todd joining us at the Capital Home Show, September 19-21, 2014. Don’t miss him as he shows you what makes McDonald’s special sauce so special, and lets you in on the ingredients that go into Mrs. Field’s sensational cookies. Make sure to bring your appetite; you might be asked to taste test some of Todd’s creations – will you be able to tell the difference between the famous dish and its copy? But first, let’s get to know the man behind the apron! 

Meet Todd Wilbur

Name: Todd Wilbur
Facebook: Todd Wilbur
Twitter: @ToddWilbur

Marketplace Events (MPE): How many books have you published?

• Todd Wilbur (TW): “10, with a new one coming out fall 2015.”

MPE: What three items do you always keep in your pockets?

• TW: “Chap stick – I live in Las Vegas and it is always dry. And a dollar bill with a sharp edge for measuring food in a restaurant.”

MPE: What was your first job?

• TW: “Worked for my parents at a plant nursery that they owned – and helping people out to their car – I’m a big gardener to this day and grow my own herbs.”

MPE: How were you discovered?

• TW: “Wrote a book in 1993 called Top Secret Ingredients – it was more like a pamphlet. Printed 10,000 copies, and then I was asked to be on Live With Regis and Kathy Lee and could not keep the book stocked after the appearance – a USA Today article and more followed.”

MPE: Most memorable career moment to date?

• TW: “That first show with Regis and Kathy Lee – and four years later in 1997 when my first restaurant book came out, and then my interview on Oprah.”

MPE: What famous figure inspires your career?

• TW: “The show Sherlock – food detective – like the way he thinks.”

MPE: Any embarrassing on-the-job moments you’d like to share?

• TW: “On one of our shows we were cloning Dipping Dots. I needed liquid nitrogen and told a doctor that I had warts and needed to do the application at home. The doctor made me drop my pants in the office and I was not wearing underwear that day and it was caught on camera. Embarrassing!”

MPE: What’s your personal mantra?

• TW: “Try to find the humor in everything.” 

MPE: What is the most challenging part of your job?

• TW: “Trying to find out how to clone the food before the dish I’m cloning goes bad – time is my challenge.” 

MPE: What is your favorite design or garden-related phone app?

• TW: “Always a camera for taking pictures of food and the Facebook app.” 

MPE: What do you like to cook when you are home?

• TW: “BBQ – smoked foods – right now I’m working on a book and that is what I’m making - smoker and grill are my favorite tools at the moment.” 

MPE: What is your most popular cloned recipe?

• TW: “KFC coleslaw recipe - very easy to make - #1 searched recipe on the website.” 

MPE: Is there anything you haven’t cloned yet?

• TW: “Bush’s Baked Beans.” 

MPE: What’s the craziest clone request you’ve gotten?

• TW: “People have asked me to clone a recipe from a remote restaurant or a closed restaurant, and dog food...” 

Todd will be appearing at the Capital Home Show on Friday and Saturday, so make sure to check him out! Learn how to make your favorite foods at home and more. Grab your tickets online now to get the best deals. We can't wait to see you at the show!