‘SNL at Home’: Kenan Thompson’s David Ortiz Returns for ‘Big Dominican Lunch’ Cooking Show

SNL debuted the second of its “at-home” specials on Saturday night due to the writers and comedians remaining in quarantine. The COVID-19 outbreak has taken away their time at the studio, as well as the fans in attendance, but the show had to continue. Cast member Kenan Thompson, in particular, had several roles throughout the evening, including a sequence in which he portrayed former Boston Red Sox star, David Ortiz.

Thompson headed to the kitchen for a brief skit in which he was trying to cook a “big Dominican lunch.” He wore a Boston Red Sox apron to show that he was taking on the role of Ortiz once again. His kitchen island was covered with peppers, limes, tomatoes and other items from the garden. Although he didn’t actually use any of these fruits and vegetables during the cooking show.

“Now you may be saying to yourself, ‘Big Papi, how you gonna make a big Dominican lunch when it’s quarantine,’” Thompson said during the skit “‘You can’t get things like Mofongo, Habichuela Con Bistec, Camarones Con Pimientos Frita, and you can barely find any Wasakaka Con Queso Frito.’ That’s why you need to improvise, man.”

“Ortiz” then explained that he was going to make a very simple dish with things found around the house. He listed several various items that are in his kitchen. This included seven different types of meat, monkey paws, and the tongue of a dolphin.

In order to properly cook his big Dominican lunch, Thompson needed to find the best accessory. He relied on a massive pot that he bought from his cousin, Big Bunny. He was not referring to Kevin Hart’s character in Fool’s Gold. Once Thompson bought the pot, he threw all of the ingredients in it and cooked the meal. That as far as he took the tutorial.

“Watching Big Papi cook on #SNLatHome reminds me that Kenan Thompson is the reason I ordered mofongo the first time I had Puerto Rican food,” one SNL fan wrote on Twitter after watching the cooking show. There were many that appreciated the return of the Ortiz and only hoped that he would provide more cooking tutorials in the future.

“If #SNLAtHome has taught me anything this week is that Kenan Thompson makes #SNL that much better. Key cast member, clutch like Big Papi, always delivers when is at the plate,” another viewer added. Thompson has been on SNL since 2003 and has appeared in 342 episodes. Many other cast members have come and gone, but he has remained. This longevity is very important to those viewers that love his impressions of Ortiz, Steve Harvey, and many other celebrities.

With the coronavirus continuing, it’s expected that SNL will be relying on the “at-home” episodes for weeks to come. The writers and comedians will have to continue finding ways to entertain viewers while remaining at home. Whether they can do so is unknown, but fans are hoping that Thompson continues to be heavily involved.