Wayne Catalano. (Coady Photography)
‘Cookin Wit Cat’: Trainer and Chef Wayne Catalano
Darren Rogers/Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Ky.– Trainer Wayne Catalano has built a large social media presence in the past few years posting his cooking videos. Now, in part 1 of a special series of Thanksgiving Day recipes, Catalano shares his simple recipe for a baked mac and cheese.
“This one is a really good one and it comes with a special touch from my wife, Renee, that she suggested,” Catalano said. “There are a million recipes out there to make macaroni and cheese. But what you do with it after you make it in the pot makes this one unique.
“Mix up the macaroni and cheese however you want to do it. I like to add a bunch of different cheeses but it’s really whatever you have in the fridge. Throw it all in there with the seasonings and such. When I made this for the first time, I was on the road in Kentucky while my wife was back in Chicago and didn’t have an oven.
So, my wife told me, ‘Just throw it on the grill.’ It turned out great. Even if you have an oven, it’ll save some space if you’re cooking all the rest of the Thanksgiving stuff and you can get some smoky flavor. I just took my pot off the stove after all the cheese melted and put it on the grill and closed the lid. I just checked on it until all the cheese started to bubble and it was ready to go.”
How popular has Catalano’s cooking become? He has a 2-year-old in his barn named Cookn Wit Catman who debuted Oct. 29 at Churchill Downs and is on schedule to run again in the coming weeks.
Chef Catalno demonstrates his recipe for Stir Fry Shrimp and Broccoli. Click here to sire on X.
On Sunday, Nov. 19 Catalano will share his second recipe for his Thanksgiving dinner.
“I never expected these videos to be as popular as they are,” Catalano joked. “Now I’m ready for a cookoff with Bobby Flay.”
Fans can follow along with Catalano’s cooking and his horses on X at @CATRacingStable.
