Family dinners are 'Blue Bloods' tradition that chef Paul Wahlberg embraces
Chef and co-founder of Wahlburgers says family gatherings remind him of his childhood
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As "Blue Bloods" says goodbye to its television audience on Friday evening after 14 seasons, the Reagan family will gather for one final on-screen feast, as has become customary over the years.
While the fictional family with a long lineage of service to the New York City Police Department congregates at patriarch Frank Reagan's dinner table, the real-life brother of one of the show's stars will commemorate the sendoff the best way he knows how: with a recipe.
Chef Paul Wahlberg is founder and co-owner of Wahlburgers. He's also the eldest brother of actor Donny Wahlberg, who plays Danny Reagan in "Blue Bloods" and co-owns the Wahlburgers restaurant chain with Paul and fellow thespian Mark Wahlberg.
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In a partnership between Wahlburgers and "Blue Bloods," Paul Wahlberg cooks dishes corresponding to the show's Sunday dinners in each new episode.
"That iconic Sunday dinner that they do, that was such a big part of our lives growing up," Wahlberg told Fox News Digital. "So, when they presented it to us, it was a great opportunity for us to really walk down that memory lane, but also to celebrate such an iconic show."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sunday dinners are a normal occurrence in "Blue Bloods." (Eric Liebowitz/CBS via Getty Images)
For Friday's series finale, Wahlberg prepared a smorgasbord with stromboli, cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, pulled pork, mixed sandwiches, chicken wings and cold antipasto.
Among the meals Wahlberg has made for what's billed as the "family recipe series" are a roast beef, a flank steak, pork chops and lasagna.
"Those were the dishes that we would have growing up as kids," Wahlberg said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Family dinners at the Wahlberg house were "usually some sort of roast or maybe a lasagna or something like that."
Paul Wahlberg poses with his smorgasbord created for the series finale of "Blue Bloods." (Wahlburgers)
"What was always great about it was, you knew what the leftovers were going to be over the next several days, which was always sometimes more exciting than what we were having," Wahlberg recalled.
He said he remembers that everything was closed on Sundays when he was a kid — so family dinner was always the great unifier, noting that the "world has gotten way more complicated for people" today.
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But he harkened back to the family dinners.
"Just the simple joy of having a meal with your family is such a great thing," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}That's also the inspiration behind Wahlburgers, which opened its first location in Wahlberg's home state of Massachusetts in 2011.
Donnie Wahlberg, Paul Wahlberg and Mark Wahlberg (left to right) launched Wahlburgers in 2011. Paul Wahlberg said burgers are his "go-to food." (Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic)
Wahlberg said he "grew up eating burgers," calling it his "go-to food." When the concept for Wahlburgers came about, much of the menu "was based on the things that we grew up with."
"We wanted to give everybody a great American-style burger experience," Wahlberg said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"That was the goal."
"We wanted to give everybody a great American-style burger experience."
His personal favorite – and the top-selling menu item at Wahlburgers – is the Our Burger.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"That classic American-style burger, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions," Wahlberg said, describing its ingredients. "You know, we've got our government cheese on there to remind us where we came from. And then we've got the Wahl Sauce on there."
Burgers aside, his favorite holiday meal to make is turkey.
"Turkey with all the trimmings," he added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wahlberg said turkey is his favorite holiday meal. (iStock)
As his life has evolved, his cooking techniques have changed, Wahlberg said, but he prefers a holiday feast like the ones his parents used to prepare.
Gravy from scratch, homemade cranberry sauce, apple cider, butternut squash, wax turnip and Jell-O with fruit cocktail come to mind.
"I'm very traditional," he said.
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These days, his favorite meals to cook are for his kids.
"What my kids like, that's what I like to make," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}And he still gets excited talking about holiday gatherings as a communal experience, like spending Thanksgiving or Christmas with his in-laws for the first time.
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"When someone exposes you to their tradition, it's such a great thing and you get to be part of it," he said. "It's like you're in the club."