September 12, 2022

Drexel to host book signing with Brian Baumgartner, actor who played Kevin on 'The Office'

The writer is promoting his new work, "Seriously Good Chili," which includes 177 recipes and exclusive tutorials

By Brian A. Saunders
PhillyVoice Staff

Brian Baumgartner, the actor most notable for his role as Kevin Malone on the hit television sitcom "The Office," is coming to Philadelphia to promote his new cookbook "Seriously Good Chili."

An autograph signing will be held in the Barnes & Noble on Drexel University's campus at 3250 Chestnut St. on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. until noon.

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The cookbook has 177 of the world's best chili recipes that were handpicked by Baumgartner and some of his celebrity friends, as well as chefs, fans, social media influencers and restaurant owners.

Brian Baumgartner (aka Kevin from The Office) is coming to Philly this weekend to promote his new chili cookbook and that is just *chef's kiss* pic.twitter.com/UBEPg5HX4e
— Stephanie Farr (@FarFarrAway) September 12, 2022

The cookbook features exclusive content, including tutorial videos, a bonus recipe of Kevin's chili from "The Office" and a behind-the-scenes look at the infamous chili scene.

In season five of the sitcom during the episode "Casual Friday," Kevin brings in a pot of his family chili, a recipe he said had been passed down for generations. He then hilariously dropped the pot on the ground and tried his best to scoop it back in to serve to his co-workers. The clumsy scene has become a meme of its own, commonly used in pop culture and sports references.

On an episode of the "Office Ladies" podcast with Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, Baumgartner discussed the scene and noted it was only shot in one take. He said that whenever people come up to him in public, they usually have something to say related to the chili drop.

"There are two types of people that come up to me," he said. "There are some who say, 'Oh my god, that is so hilarious, I love it.' And then there are people who are like, 'I can't watch it; it breaks my heart. I feel so bad for Kevin.' I think the truth is it's somewhere in the middle. I think there's some physical comedy with a heartbreaking moment. I never imagined that one moment that was shot alone with nobody else around would become what it has today."

Baumgartner takes his chili seriously, he partnered with Bush's Beans for National Chili Day in 2020 and created a recipe with the company, as well as special gifs and stickers for social media.

"Seriously Good Chili" is not Baumgartner's first book, he released the New York Times Best Seller "Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral history of The Office" in 2021.

There won't be any chili spilled on Saturday, but Baumgartner wants fans to come to hang out with the self-proclaimed chili aficionado.