The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Kathy Hilton explains why she never skips cooking on Christmas

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ star Kathy Hilton is dishing on her cooking traitions and why she insists on cooking every year for Christmas.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, published on December 25, 2025, Kathy was asked if she cooked every Christmas, to which she replied:

“Yes, always. Because we want to have that turkey the next day.”

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum also said that food and cooking helped her family come together during difficult times.

It was a tradition she had heard from her family, one that was particularly popular around the Holidays.

Cooking, when it came to the holidays, she said, was more about the thought than what one put in their mouth.

Cooking Christmas dinner made a vibe that she "loved," Kathy said. She added that she actually didn’t cook much all year, but at Christmas she manned up because it felt meaningful and intimate to her.

More details on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kathy Hilton’s holiday traditions

Kathy’s Christmas traditions were not ones to end quickly. Her celebrations stretched across multiple days, so she and her close ones could extract as much fun as they could during their time together. 

She revealed that they did not open their presents until Christmas night, because, according to her, if all gifts were opened on Christmas morning, there would not be anything else to look forward to after that.

Kathy celebrates the holidays with her husband, Richard, their three children – Nicky, Paris, and Barron – and their eight grandchildren.  

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star preferred following the same mantra when it came to designing the menu as well. 

Their Christmas meal included dishes like slow-cooked turkey, mashed potatoes, green peas, and yams with marshmallows. 

While reflecting on meal preparation, Kathy admitted to overseeing things minutely. She confessed that she ensured certain staples were cooked precisely to her liking. 

“I’m a control freak with the mashed potatoes,” she said. 

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star threw an over-the-top Christmas party at her Bel-Air home on December 15, 2025.

The gathering had a low-key vibe and guests noshed on treats (like a menu created in partnership with the Cheesecake Factory, one of Kathy’s all-time favorite spots).

Kathy added that she worked alongside her private chef and the cooking staff of The Cheesecake Factory.

They entered the kitchen together and whipped up a dish that wasn't only unique, but also had sentimental value.

The menu included specials such as the Famous Factory Meatloaf. In addition, guests dined on chicken madeira, Cajun salmon, honey roasted carrots and Chinese chicken salad.

The guests devoured crispy rice cakes with crab, mini ahi poke nachos and stuffed mushrooms for appetizers.

Of all the dishes served, the one that garnered the most accolades was The Cheesecake Factory’s baked brie with truffle-honey butter.

Kathy mentioned that she had a bunch of different flavored cheesecake that surprised her husband.

Lineup included red velvet cheesecake, salted caramel cheesecake, key lime cheese cakes and cookie dough lover’s cheesecake with pecans.

“No holiday party is complete without a cheesecake moment,” Kathy expressed.

But to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, Christmas was an opportunity for a more laidback and low-key festivity where she embraced tradition but didn’t cook like it was some sort of chore.

Stay tuned for more updates.