Don’t Panic
Pantry

Made with Chef Noah Galuten

A YouTube series that helps people create meals with ingredients they already have sitting on their shelves.

AT-A-GLANCE

YouTube Series
130+ Episodes
Sponsorships
Streaming Partnerships

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Born during the pandemic as a livestream with Noah and his wife, comedian Iliza Shlesinger, Don’t Panic Pantry set out to help people shelter at home, limit grocery trips, and learn to cook with what they had.

Noah partnered with filmmaker Benjamin Leavitt to evolve this homespun concept into a weekly YouTube series that was fun, loose, and unpretentious. They expanded the format, brought on guests, got more adventurous with the recipes, and built a loyal following of home cooks.

LEAN PRODUCTION

For over two years, Don’t Panic Pantry released an episode every Monday without fail. But the secret to this remarkable consistency wasn’t a full-time team working year round. To maximize efficiency, once each quarter, Ben and Noah would plan and prep all the recipes and batch-shoot a dozen episodes in an intensive week of production, creating enough content for the next several months. 

The crew was small – a necessity for social native filmmaking – and could often be heard conversing with the host or reaching into frame to try out whatever he had cooked up.

“We were nimble by design, which allowed us to minimize the need to stop and start, and maintain a fun and playful energy throughout the day.” 

BENJAMIN LEAVITT, CO-CREATOR, DIRECTOR

IMPACT

With over 130 episodes, Don't Panic Pantry has built a dedicated audience that returns week after week for new recipes. Its unpretentious approach empowers people to cook delicious food without fancy ingredients – proving anyone can prepare meals they actually want to eat with what's already in their kitchen.

The show’s success:

  • attracted sponsors, like Spindrift, Zojirushi, Tastemade, and Le Creuset who wanted to piggy back off of the organic following of the series

  • led to a two season distribution deal with Tastemade, significantly expanding the show’s reach to new viewers on streaming

  • built a partnerships with Washington Dairy Board that saw Ben and Noah take the show on the road

  • inspired the development of multiple series of social and streaming that are currently in production – set to premiere on the Tasted YouTube channel this spring.

Beyond metrics, the show's impact is evident in viewer feedback, with fans consistently praising how the series has transformed their approach to everyday cooking.

The companion cookbook published by AA Knopf has further extended the brand's influence, solidifying Don't Panic Pantry as more than just a YouTube series, but a culinary movement that continues to grow.

CREDITS

Creator

Ben Leavitt & Noah Galuten

Director

Ben Leavitt

Editors

Ben Leavitt, David Yager-Reisen, Daniel Card

Graphics

Jordan Husmann

Music

Ray Suen