This profile of Katherine Feltis is part of Street Meet, FLEETSTREET’s series, where we meet up with trailblazers and thought leaders to deliver unique insight and inspiration into issues we all care about.
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If you’ve ever watched Katherine Feltis and her husband Randy on TikTok and thought, “Why can’t my partner whip up French onion soup or short rib with mashed potatoes whenever I have a craving?” Trust me – same. The duo behind @KatherineWants has turned those dreamy gourmet date-night meals into viral videos that are equal parts delicious and entertaining. And now, they’re bringing that magic to your kitchen with their new cookbook Katherine Wants, Randy Cooks: The Ultimate Date Night Cookbook (Victory Belt Publishing, 2025).
I caught up with Feltis to chat about the cookbook, how TikTok played a role in their success, and, honestly, how my partner and I can be more like them in the kitchen.
Lentil, feta and parsley salad recipe by Katherine Feltis.
FLEETSTREET: Can you tell me a bit about how you got started on social media?
Katherine Feltis: “As you may know, Randy is a chef, so he was cooking every meal for us [during the pandemic]. Every. Single Day. No matter how crazy my requests were. Because [for us] the lockdown was a time to indulge and make our own experiences fun. Then we thought, why not do meals virtually with our friends and family during the pandemic. So, we held an online cooking class for Randy’s brother’s company Christmas party and started sharing our recipes on Instagram. That got us thinking: how can we turn this into something? It blossomed into the brand most of you know and love, Katherine Wants.
“We started filming all the recipes Randy was cooking at home and putting them on TikTok and Instagram. The videos quickly took off, and our followers kept requesting more recipes and wanting to see what I would ask for next. Since the initial video, we’ve shared thousands of recipes with over a million followers across our platforms. And [our followers] continue to grow like we never could’ve imagined.”
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FS: How did you and Randy meet?
KF: “Our love story began at a little restaurant called Oscar’s. Randy was the chef and owner, and I was a bartender. For our first date, we went to Randy’s condo for a movie night. He had a bottle of Veuve, M&Ms, shrimp cocktail and oysters. And he put on Fight Club. Let’s say we didn’t watch Fight Club until we got back together much later. It was flirtatious, hot and spicy, but it didn’t last very long because, honestly, we were young and dumb.
“Fast-forward 15 years later: We were both freshly divorced, living down the street from each other. I thought I needed to jump on this fast. So, that’s exactly what I did. I slid into Randy’s DMs on Instagram, asking him where in town he had his car serviced. It worked. He gave me a contact and asked if I needed a ride. We didn’t want this opportunity to pass us by again; we were both ready and wanted the same thing. Just like that, our old flame rekindled hotter and stronger than ever.”
FS: What can people expect to see in your book?
KF: “The cookbook takes you through the stages of a relationship. It’s a culinary adventure for two. There is a combination of modern and classic dishes that are impressive yet achievable.
“Randy has taken restaurant dishes and made them attainable and simple to execute in a home kitchen, along with tips and tricks to help along the way.”
FS: How has social media played a pivotal role in your career?
KF: “Katherine Wants has brought so much attention to our two restaurants in Barrie, Ont., The Farmhouse and Salty Blonde Bagel Bar. We have new visitors from all over the world because of what they have seen on Katherine Wants. It’s amazing.
“It’s also allowed us to spend more time at home raising our three children, Cash, Livvie and Romee, because we shoot everything at home for the most part.”
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FS: How have you dealt with trolls on TikTok?
KF: “We don’t give much attention to negativity but we’ve always been amazed at how our followers come to our defence.”
FS: What’s your favourite recipe in your book?
KF: “Oscar’s Smoked Salmon. It’s my love language. Randy’s would definitely be the ribeye with peppercorn sauce. He’s a true meat lover.”