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This Thanksgiving, we’re bringing you inspiration from a group of talented female chefs who are putting a fresh spin on holiday traditions at some of the most iconic hotels. Each chef shares a recipe that’s uniquely hers—from savory sides to classic desserts, they offer dishes that bring warmth, creativity, and a touch of decadence to your Thanksgiving table. Try Executive Chef Emily Brubaker’s Roast Honeynut Squash with Pepitas Pistou for a flavorful seasonal side, or embrace a family classic with Chef Kimberly Backman’s Sausage Stuffing. For dessert, choose from the Pumpkin Crunch by Chef Jenn Evetushick, a perfect pumpkin-coffee cake hybrid, or Apple Pie from Signia by Hilton Atlanta’s pastry team, a simple and nostalgic treat inspired by family traditions. And if you’re feeling adventurous, Chef Kareena Dennis’s Maple Bacon Macarons bring a sophisticated, savory twist to a French classic. Each dish is crafted to make your holiday memorable, easy, and delicious.
Chef Emily Brubaker – Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Emily Brubaker is the new Executive Chef at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. With over twenty years of experience in the culinary industry, she brings organization, extensive knowledge, refined techniques, and a deep passion for food to her role. Throughout her career, Emily has worn many hats—from Executive Chef to Lead Sales Representative to Corporate Chef. Her diverse roles and responsibilities highlight her ability to navigate both the kitchen and the boardroom. This season, she shares her recipe for Roast Honeynut Squash with Pepitas Pistou, Dried Cranberries, and Herb Goat Cheese, a dish she feels “elevates the humble squash but is also easy to prep.”
Roast Honeynut Squash with Pepitas Pistou, Dried Cranberries, and Herb Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
For the Squash:
3 honeynut squash (found at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or farmers' markets)
¼ cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
For the Pepitas Pistou:
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup toasted pepitas
½ bunch parsley
2 cloves garlic
Salt, to taste
For Plating:
Tahini, as needed
Pomegranate molasses, as needed
Dried cranberries, as needed
Herb goat cheese (such as Boursin), as needed
Micro mustard greens (optional)
Instructions:
Prepare the Squash: Preheat oven to 375°F. Halve each squash, remove seeds, and toss with olive oil and salt. Lay the squash halves face down on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until tender.
Make the Pepitas Pistou: In a blender, combine olive oil, toasted pepitas, parsley, and garlic. Blend until finely combined but not completely smooth. Season with salt to taste.
Plate the Dish: Arrange roasted honeynut squash on a serving platter. Drizzle with pistou, tahini, and pomegranate molasses. Crumble herb goat cheese over the squash and sprinkle dried cranberries on top. Garnish with micro mustard greens, if desired.
Chef Kimberly Backman – Omni Tucson National Resort
Kimberly Backman, Executive Sous Chef at Omni Tucson National Resort, brings her Southern California roots and culinary expertise to Thanksgiving with her family favorite, Sausage Stuffing. Growing up cooking with her dad, this stuffing holds sentimental value for Chef Kimberly: “It just doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving if I don’t make this dish!”
Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 lb fatty sausage (Italian preferred)
2 lbs toasted, day-old bread cubes (2-inch cuts)
2 qt chicken stock
1 qt small-dice mirepoix (onions, celery, carrots)
½ cup chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped sage
2 tbsp chopped thyme
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ lb butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
In a skillet over medium heat, melt a few tablespoons of butter. Add sausage and cook until halfway done.
Add mirepoix and garlic; cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine sausage mixture with bread cubes, stock, herbs, and remaining butter.
Transfer to a buttered casserole dish. Dot with butter and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Chef Daniella Lea-Rada and Team – Signia by Hilton Atlanta
Signia by Hilton Atlanta is delighted to share its special Apple Pie recipe, a favorite offered at the hotel’s Friendship Market. Developed by the hotel’s all-female pastry team—Executive Pastry Chef Daniella Lea-Rada, Pastry Chef Yoon Choi, and Pastry Sous Chef Ahisha Day—this recipe was crafted under the guidance of Ahisha’s grandmother. They appreciate its simplicity, saying, “The idea is not to complicate things but to make it easy and beautiful.” Best served with local vanilla ice cream or soft whipped cream, this apple pie celebrates the baking traditions of Ahisha’s Georgia roots, where family recipes are lovingly inspired by her grandmother’s kitchen.
Apple Pie
Ingredients:
For the Filling:
½ cup white sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 cups thinly sliced apples
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Pie Dough:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6–8 tablespoons ice water
Instructions:
Prepare the Dough: In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles sand. Gradually add ice water, mixing until dough forms. Roll out on a floured surface, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate.
Make the Filling: In a small bowl, combine half the white sugar with cornstarch and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix apples with remaining sugars, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Transfer apple mixture to a pot and cook on low until softened. Add cornstarch mixture, cooking until thickened.
Assemble and Bake: Roll out dough to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Fill with apple mixture and top with a second crust. Bake until golden brown.
Chef Jenn Evetushick – Hilton Denver City Center
Chef Jenn Evetushick, Executive Chef at Hilton Denver City Center, brings a lifetime of culinary passion and experience, having worked from private catering in Maui to leading kitchens in top hotels. With an impressive journey that began at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, she’s honed her skills under celebrated chefs and grown through diverse roles in the industry. This Thanksgiving, Chef Jenn shares her special Pumpkin Crunch recipe, a delightful blend of pumpkin pie and coffee cake. “Pumpkin Crunch is a twist and combination of two of my classic favorites—pumpkin pie and coffee cake. With so much going on around the holidays, I utilize canned pumpkin and a boxed spice cake to simplify my baking. This makes it even easier to get your little kids involved,” she says.
Pumpkin Crunch
Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
4 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 box spice cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup melted butter
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
Sprinkle dry spice cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Do not stir.
Melt butter, reserving 1 tablespoon. In a separate bowl, mix chopped pecans with reserved butter and brown sugar. Sprinkle over the cake mix.
Drizzle remaining butter evenly over the cake.
Bake for 40–50 minutes, covering with foil if browning too quickly. Cool on a rack, refrigerate to set.
Chef Kareena Dennis – The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel
Kareena Dennis, Pastry Chef at The Roosevelt New Orleans, is a rising star known for her imaginative approach to pastry. Specializing in stunning chocolate sculptures and inventive flavors, she offers her Maple Bacon Macarons this holiday—a creative, savory-sweet twist that turns a classic French dessert into a Thanksgiving showstopper.
Maple Bacon MacaronsYields approximately 50 macarons
Ingredients:
For the Shells:
250g powdered sugar
250g almond flour
85g egg whites
250g sugar
110g water
83g egg whites
Food coloring (optional)
For the Bacon Buttercream:
2 cups chopped, cooked bacon
1 batch of buttercream (use your preferred recipe)
For the Bacon Jam Filling:
680g diced bacon
180ml strongly brewed coffee
120ml cider vinegar
105g dark brown sugar
60ml maple syrup
Instructions:
Prepare the Shells:
Sift powdered sugar and almond flour together. Mix in the first portion of egg whites and add food coloring if desired.
Place the second portion of egg whites (83g) in a mixing bowl with a whip attachment.
In a saucepan, heat sugar and water to a soft-ball stage (240°F). When the syrup reaches 235°F, begin whipping the egg whites until fluffy but not stiff.
Gradually pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites while continuing to whip on high speed until the meringue reaches full volume and feels warm to the touch.
Fold a quarter of the meringue into the almond flour mixture. Then fold in the rest, releasing enough air from the batter until it flows like lava.
Pipe the batter into half-dollar-sized rounds on a baking sheet. Tap the bottom of the tray to remove any large air bubbles.
Bake at 310°F on low fan for 12–15 minutes.
Prepare the Bacon Buttercream:
Fold the chopped, cooked bacon into your prepared buttercream. Set aside.
Prepare the Bacon Jam Filling:
In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until the fat renders and it becomes lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet.
Add onions and garlic to the skillet, cooking until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.
Add coffee, vinegar, brown sugar, and maple syrup, bringing the mixture to a boil. Stir, scraping up any browned bits.
Add the cooked bacon back in, reduce the heat to a bare simmer, and cook uncovered until the liquid evaporates and turns syrupy, about 1 to 1½ hours.
Let the mixture cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
Assemble the Macarons:
Pipe a ring of bacon buttercream around the edge of one macaron shell.
Fill the center with a small amount of bacon jam, then top with a second shell to create a sandwich.
Whatever you make, wishing you a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!