We’re still over the moon about Katie’s reunion with her former TODAY show colleague Al Roker, who dropped by her apartment to whip up this delicious chili recipe from his new cookbook, Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By. But food wasn’t the only thing on their minds, and these old pals had plenty to catch up on.

The conversation took a personal turn as they talked about Roker’s new book. It came about thanks to a conversation with his daughter Courtney Roker Laga — a professional chef and the co-author of the cookbook — who introduced the idea (and made a big announcement) while everyone’s favorite meteorologist was laid up in the hospital during the dramatic health scare in which he “almost died.”

“No big secret, a year and a half ago I was really sick,” Roker shares. “I was in a hospital bed, and Courtney — I think trying to give me something to hold on to — said two things. She goes, ‘I think we should do a cookbook, and I’m pregnant.'”

Courtney’s daughter, Sky, was born in July 2023, and Roker told Katie he’s absolutely over the moon about being a grandfather. He’s also thrilled that the family’s latest addition already seems to share their passion for enjoying great food.

“Even as a little almost-toddler, she has a very sophisticated palate,” Roker says. “She likes savory and sour more than she does sweet. In fact, when she was about seven months old, I gave her a lemon and she just kept sucking on it.”

Roker asked about Katie’s new grandson, Jay, and the pair bonded about research that’s shown grandparents who spend more time with their grandkids might actually live longer. Katie’s time with Jay is limited, since her daughter Ellie lives in Los Angeles (although she did get to have a wonderful visit with them recently). “Does that mean I need to move to LA?” Katie asked. Roker’s response: “You’ll have to move to LA, that’s all there is to it — or move them here, one or the other.”

Things took a more serious turn as Katie asked about Roker’s health. As TODAY fans will remember, the weatherman has dealt with blood clots and knee surgery, causing him to miss being on the air for long stretches before making a triumphant return at the start of 2023. But his wellness has been a concern for years, dating back to when he had gastric bypass surgery in 2002, when he and Katie were still working together on the NBC morning show.

Today, Roker says his overall health is “really good,” and that his hospitalization helped him understand how to better prioritize the people who mater in his life: “The good thing about something like that is it really does give you a laser focus on what’s important and who’s important, right? And all those other things can fall away, so that you concentrate on [your well-being].”

Watch more of their heartfelt chat in the video above — and if you want more Roker (and who doesn’t?), we’ve got the full recipe for his chili and cornbread.