UNEXPECTED DRAMA: Why Craig Melvin’s mother caused a family “DEBATE” that left him so confused
Aside from dishing breaking news and hot topics as a beloved TODAY anchor, Craig Melvin will jump at any chance to rave over his mother’s macaroni and cheese recipe — a comfort dish that’s become a cherished staple in the Melvin household.
As a member of the TODAY family, Melvin has built a reputation not only as a sharp journalist but also as one who often invites viewers into his personal life. Whether he’s chatting about parenting alongside his wife Lindsay Czarniak, looking back on his childhood in South Carolina, or regaling bespoke holiday traditions, Melvin often brings his roots into the conversation. One of the most beloved topics? His mother’s must-try macaroni and cheese.
“This is the official side dish of our family,” Melvin explained after sharing the recipe with TODAY in 2018. “It’s the stuff of legend.”
If there is one thing that defines the coziness and comfort of a Melvin family holiday, it’s a bubbling dish of macaroni and cheese served straight from the oven and heart.
Craig Melvin’s mom’s mac and cheese sounds downright delicious
Craig Melvin on TODAY on Friday, November 15, 2024.
Photo: Nathan Congleton/NBC
After Southern Living stopped by the Melvin household for a December 2023 interview, Betty Jo Melvin opened the door with the TODAY anchor behind her, both eager to chat about their favorite dish for the holidays: Betty Jo’s mac and cheese.
“And how does that go about?” the interviewer asked. “Is [the recipe] really precise?”
“She can’t tell you how it goes about, ’cause—” Melvin began with a smile before his mother knowingly hushed him.
“No, it’s not precise,” Betty Jo explained. “You know, I’m from the South.”
As is the case for many iconic chefs and comfort food icons, Betty Jo plays it fast and loose when whipping up the cherished dish. The recipe is a work of Melvin family magic and guesswork, but the bottom line is nonetheless mouth-watering: cheese, more cheese, still more cheese, and plenty of butter.
“A lot of butter, a lot of milk,” Melvin listed off before turning to his mother. “Where did you learn it from?”
“Part of it was from my momma, I loved my mom’s mac and cheese,” Betty Jo revealed.
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Melvin said.
“But I changed [it], I added some things,” Betty added. “Because she only used milk, cheese, one kind of cheese. I use different kinds of cheese.”
Betty Jo and Melvin explained that she typically includes five or six different types of cheese, typically a sharp variety. And one of the cheeses is a bit of a hot topic in the Melvin household. Is it six cheeses, or five cheeses and a cheese substitute?
“She also uses Velveeta,” Melvin revealed, adding to the list of gooey recipe inclusions. “Which technically isn’t a cheese.”
“I like Velveeta,” Betty Jo shrugged before pivoting to the most important part of the recipe (write this down!).
“Mac and cheese does not taste good without butter,” Betty Jo concluded. “I’ve gone places and they have not put enough butter, and I’ve told them.”
Savannah Guthrie asked for Craig Melvin for his mom’s macaroni and cheese recipe
Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin on TODAY on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.
Photo: Nathan Congleton/NBC
Nowadays, Betty Jo’s mac and cheese is hailed far and wide; Melvin got to share his mother’s mac and cheese with his fellow TODAY coanchors during a November 2021 episode. In honor of celebrating TODAY Friendsgiving, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Carson Daly, and Melvin all brought a family recipe to the function, leading Betty Jo’s macaroni and cheese to land on a nationally televised table.
“Betty Jo Melvin, that is her famous mac and cheese. It’s six different cheeses,” Melvin informed the group as they dug in. “One of them is Velveeta, so there’s a debate every year about whether that’s actually, you know, a cheese.”
After tasting Betty Jo’s macaroni and cheese, the TODAY anchors instantly understood the hype.
“Can we trade recipes after this?” Guthrie asked after enjoying a savory bite. While Betty Jo is usually left to her own (imprecise) devices in the kitchen, she graced TODAY with an official recipe to spread the love to the masses.
Check out the complete step-by-step macaroni and cheese recipe, here, and make sure you bring enough butter.
