In a culture that urges us to “move on” after loss, TV host and blogger Kelly Rizzo knew there could be a better approach. She built Comfort Club, a community where people gather, share stories, laugh, cook and rediscover joy together. From her start as a Chicago real estate agent to launching the lifestyle brand Eat Travel Rock, she’s reinvented herself with each new chapter.
The Power of Reinvention
One Sunday per month, Rizzo hosts a virtual cooking session, where the magic lies as much in conversation as in the food. People laugh, cry, trade memories and offer encouragement.
“Food is just such a natural way to provide comfort. When you’re busy cooking, it’s really hard to think about other things,” Rizzo says.
Food has been central since 2013, when she launched Eat Travel Rock, a blog and web series where she interviews musicians and chefs. Her warmth and style caught the attention of comedian and actor Bob Saget.
A mutual friend introduced them, and they married in 2018, enjoying six years together before Saget’s sudden death in 2022. The grief that followed transformed Rizzo, supported by her network.
The Gap in Support Systems
When grief hit, friends, family and online supporters rallied, offering meals, presence and messages long after the headlines faded. Hearing others’ stories of loss made her realize how fortunate she was to have a caring community around her.
“I wanted to find a way to kind of bridge that gap,” Rizzo reflects. Seeing this unmet need that so many people had, Rizzo asked herself how she could build a bigger space for people to gather, share their authentic selves and build community—and Comfort Club was born.
A Community That Sees You
Once you’ve faced loss, heartbreak or change, you’re in the club. No one asks to join, but once you do, you carry that understanding. Rizzo’s podcast and the community aren’t specifically about grief and loss; they offer a space where life’s transitions can be witnessed without judgment. Members recharge, connect, laugh and share more authentically than polite society typically allows.
“Every time somebody joins, I send a very personalized message to everybody. And I always make sure to say, ‘This is not an automated message. This is actually from me,'” Rizzo says.
There is no checklist or requirements members need to meet to join the club. It’s a supportive community open to all.
“There are a couple of members who just really wanted a great community... And they’re like, ‘I just want a great group of people to talk to and feel like I’m a part of something,'” Rizzo shares.
Shared Rituals: How Members Connect
Live Q&A
Comfort Club members gather monthly for a live Q&A where they chat about different topics such as adult friendships or survivor’s guilt. When Rizzo notices a topic has been coming up frequently in community chats, she’ll spotlight it in their Q&A, sparking resources, insights and conversation.
“Even though I’m kind of leading the group, I still feel like I’m just a member, where I’m still always just sharing my stories,” Rizzo says.
Comfort Food Sundays
One Sunday a month, Rizzo hosts a live cooking demo called “Comfort Food Sundays,” where she teaches a favorite comfort food recipe, and members cook together, eat together and share stories. “A lot of people have ‘Sunday scaries,' and this is a way to avoid that and to bring people together,” Rizzo says.
Comfort Club Live
She taps into her network for “Comfort Club Live,” where members can ask questions directly to special guests such as Katie Couric, Rabbi Steve Leder, Jana Kramer, Meghan McCain and Tiffany Louise. “When I have Katie Couric on, the fact that my Comfort Club members can actually ask her questions and talk to her and she can talk back—it’s much better than just having somebody on a podcast,” Rizzo shares.
Messages & Meetups
The community message boards and communication are constant with daily chatting, support and even in-person meetups planned by members.
“It [makes] me so happy that I actually brought people together, not only on this platform, but in real life, and created real-world connections,” Rizzo beams.
Podcast: Comfort Food 2.0, A New Chapter
Rizzo has been inspired by the community she’s built with Comfort Club, and she’s bringing that energy into a new season of her podcast Comfort Food. Moving away from celebrity interviews with guests like John Mayer, John Stamos and Candace Cameron Bure, the show now embraces spontaneous, topic-driven conversations.
“Instead of interviews with celebrity guests, it’ll just be more conversations and off the cuff,” Rizzo says. Each episode starts with a theme or question, sometimes featuring solo reflections and other times a guest whose perspective fits naturally. It’s a clear example of Rizzo’s invention—always seeking growth, connection and evolution.
What began as a Sunday dinner in Rizzo’s kitchen has grown into a larger space where comfort is created, and everyone has a seat at the table. Rizzo’s story reminds us that community isn’t just built—it’s practiced, meal by meal, moment by moment. Through heartfelt conversation or virtual dinners, she and her members show that life’s toughest season can still hold joy, connection and even celebration.
3 Lessons From Comfort Club
Grief isn’t linear. Rizzo discovered (and experts like Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and Brené Brown back her up) that grief is not linear. Good days and bad days come in waves. That’s normal; there is no “right” way to grieve.
Community is how we get through life. Grief needs to be witnessed to heal. In a world that tells us to “move on,” staying still and being present is radical.
Rituals regulate. Simple, shared rituals, like cooking together, pull us out of rumination and back into our bodies.
Image courtesy of Comfort Club
This article was first published in the January/February 2026 issue of SUCCESS® magazine. Get your copy here.
