.: Charmed’ Star Holly Marie Combs Learned to Cook ‘for Survival’ Because Actors ‘Are Infants’ :.

'I pretty much became Piper in real life,' said Combs of her 'Charmed' character after becoming 'semi-retired' and opening two restaurants with her husband.

As Holly Marie Combs took a step back from acting to spend more time with her family, she had to adjust to everyday tasks like cooking.

During this weekend's 90s Con in Tampa, Fla. — which went on in compliance with certain SAG-AFTRA guidelines amid the ongoing union strikes — Combs said that since she's become "semi-retired," she's found herself cooking and co-running a family restaurant business.

"I pretty much became Piper in real life," she said, referring to her Charmed character, a chef who eventually opened a restaurant called Halliwell's after years of running her own nightclub, P3, with her sisters.

"My husband and I have two restaurants, so I'm carrying plates, refilling glasses, yelling at people for breaking things," added Combs. "I don't know how it happened, it truly wasn't by design."

In 2019, she married restaurateur Mike Ryan after three years together. Combs also shares sons Finley, 19, Riley Edward, 16, and 14-year-old Kelley James with ex-husband David Donoho.

Also like Piper, Combs said she "started cooking" when she became a mother and started putting acting to the side. "There's too many children to feed, it's expensive to go out, so I had to start cooking for them," she said.

"And there's no catering trucks anymore. People don't understand — as actors, we are infants. You don't dress yourself, you don't know how to do your own hair, you definitely don't know how to do your own makeup, and you never cook for yourself. There is breakfast, lunch and, usually, sometimes, dinner [on set]."

Combs continued, "So yeah, I've had to learn how to cook for my children for survival. And then I married a guy who is a cook, and it got ugly. He's very competitive, and anything I make, he has to make better. So, now I'm just like, 'Go, go ahead. The kitchen is all yours'... So, it's worked out well for me."

The House of Halliwell podcast host said that meatballs are a staple in her home that she makes "way too much [of] all the time," reasoning that it's an Italian tradition.

"I do meatballs for them every Sunday. They're completely ungrateful," said Combs of her boys.

She was joined for Sunday's panel by her Charmed onscreen sister Rose McGowan. The show ran for eight seasons on The WB from 1998 to 2006, following the witchy adventures of the three Halliwell sisters.

Combs starred as Piper Halliwell, originally the middle sister, while McGowan joined in Season 4 as the long-lost youngest half-sister Paige, who was added to the show following the death of oldest sister Prue (Shannen Doherty) in the prior season.

Doherty left after reported issues on set with costar Alyssa Milano, who played original youngest sister Phoebe. Kaley Cuoco joined the eighth and final season as witch-in-training Billie Jenkins.
Charmed is available to stream on Prime Video and Peacock.