Tamron Hall Says Her Son Moses, 5, Loves Cooking Together and Reveals His Favorite Dish (Exclusive)

Time in the kitchen is precious for Tamron Hall and her son, Moses. 

While speaking with PEOPLE at the inaugural Food & Wine Classic in Charleston on Sept. 27, the Tamron Hall talk show host opened up about the bond she and her 5-year-old child share. 

“He loves cooking. I think he would consider himself a chef, at least that’s what he says at home. ‘Mom, I’m a chef!’” she says.

Hall released her first cookbook, A Confident Cook with friend and James Beard Award winner Lish Steiling on Sept. 3. The book, Hall says, is a collection of recipes and stories to help beginner or nervous cooks find their footing in the kitchen.

“There’s a photo in the cookbook that was a real moment of us downstairs playing ping pong. We’re all around the table with some of the snacks that we have and the recipes in the book, but that’s a real family moment for us,” she says.

Hall says that while some five-year-olds have a “pass-the-chicken-fingers” mentality, she sees a different approach towards food from Moses. “My kid has the most sophisticated palate,” she says. 

“His favorite dish in the cookbook is the bucatini,” says Hall of her pasta with pomodoro and burrata recipe. “But I think second to our bucatini in the book, he loves curry chicken and dumplings.”

She took inspiration from her cookbook — and one of Moses’ favorite dinners — when deciding on which recipes to prepare during her cooking seminar with Sterling during the Food & Wine Classic events in Charleston: On the menu: branzino and a special blueberry galette with lime. 

“Believe it or not, he’s not even a sweets kid,” Hall says. “He likes a little [kick of] flavor. I don’t know where he gets that from because I have a sweet tooth and so does his dad [husband Steven Greener]. But anything that’s savory he dives in.” 

In August, Hall gave fans a laugh when she revealed a funny food story involving Moses.

In an Instagram video, the veteran journalist revealed the unexpected delivery she received courtesy of her son.. “A few minutes ago I was on a work call and I got a knock at the door, and it was my grocery delivery for this week,” the author said in the video, adding that she’s, “about to start crying.”

“I looked down at my groceries: My son snuck on the app — he’s 5 — my son ordered 75 yellow onions totaling nearly 90 dollars,” she revealed.

“What am I supposed to do with 75 yellow onions?” Hall asked her followers as she dug her hand through the large bag filled with onions. She then hilariously dumped the bag of onions onto the ground and exclaimed, “This is an entire bag of onions!”

Later that day, Hall shared an update on the situation she dubbed “Oniongate” — and her smart solution. In a second Instagram Reel, the Emmy winner documented that she and Moses were in the car on their way to their local food pantry. 

“Seventy-five onions, we’re going to donate them to the food pantry,” Hall shared.

“Let’s go!” Moses cheered.

While at the Food & Wine Classic, Hall — the former co-host of Today’s third hour — also shared with PEOPLE her reactions to the news that Hoda Kotb is exiting her current role at the long-running morning show.

“I understand it. I do. I understand it greatly,” Hall, 54, says. “Being a mom — being a mom who is a bit older, you want to give your child, your family as much time and love as possible.”

On Sept. 26, Kotb announced she would leave Today to spend more time with her family, but will stay in her current NBC roles until early 2025.

“I think it’s a beautiful decision and one that was not easy to make, but I’m proud of her,” says Hall.