Rashad Jiles Is Using Food to Understand the World
In this episode of Odejuma, Harry sits down with Rashad Jiles, known across social media as 'rashadeatstheworld.' Rashad traces his journey from flight attendant to culinary storyteller and how a pandemic that grounded everyone gave him permission to finally land somewhere true to himself. He talks about the family table that shaped his palate, the losses that quietly reshaped his creative work, and what it actually means to use food to understand the world. He keeps it real about burnout, staying inspired, and what it looks like to build something that actually feels like you.
Connect with Rashad on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rashadeatstheworld/
Connect with Harry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harryitie
For more information on Harry, visit: https://www.harryitie.com/
Transcript
Hi, my name is Harry and welcome to Odejuma.
Speaker A:Odejuma is an ishakiri farewell that loosely translates to till tomorrow.
Speaker A:But for me, I look at it as a promise that there is so much more in life to look forward to.
Speaker A:And this interview driven storytelling podcast is rooted in that promise.
Speaker A:So as you take the time to listen, I want you to feel that as we go deeper with folks from across the Black diaspora, exploring the adventures, resilience, joy, and the ordinary moments that change their lives, that you would have a good, hearty laugh or you find something to sit with.
Speaker A:Because there's power in the stories of everyday people.
Speaker A:And these stories are worth telling.
Speaker A:Hey, y', all, how's it going?
Speaker A:Welcome to another episode of Odejuma.
Speaker A:I'm super excited about the episode today.
Speaker A:I have one of my favorite content creators right here in the building.
Speaker A:Well, not in the building, but in the virtual building.
Speaker A:But I have Rashad from Rashad, it's the World.
Speaker A:How are you?
Speaker A:You, Rashad?
Speaker B:I'm doing good.
Speaker B:How are you?
Speaker A:I'm doing really good.
Speaker A:I'm doing pretty fine.
Speaker A:It's been a very nice day today.
Speaker A:The weather is pretty nice, so I'm happy living in Minnesota, the weather is so unpredictable.
Speaker A:But, yeah, I am really excited to be diving right in to talk to you about your journey.
Speaker A:It's been very inspirational.
Speaker A:So I'm very excited to, you know, have this conversation.
Speaker A:But I want to start off with your name.
Speaker A:Rashad Eats the World.
Speaker A:What's the inspiration behind Rashad Eats the World?
Speaker B:Well, I used to be a flight attendant, and I wanted to start some sort of.
Speaker B:Some sort of.
Speaker B:Some sort of blog, some sort of social channel where I was, like, taking pictures and telling people about all the food that I ate on my layovers.
Speaker B: tarted it, it was like it was: Speaker B:So it started in that way where I was just posting pictures from all the places I traveled to, and then it turned into me cooking because I couldn't go anywhere.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And how was.
Speaker A:How did that evolve into the person?
Speaker A:How did I.
Speaker A:How did that evolve into the personality that we know now on social media that we see?
Speaker A:What did that transition look like from flight attendant to now someone who's a chef, who's.
Speaker A:Who's kind of, like, respected, and when it comes to, like, food and everything that comes with it?
Speaker B:Well, the.
Speaker B:When I first started, it was something that was just kind of like a hobby, somewhat of a passion project just to Kind of tie two worlds together.
Speaker B:I've always been a big fan of food.
Speaker B:I've always been able to cook for myself.
Speaker B:But my dad is a retired chef, and my brother was a chef, and I, like, wanted nothing to do with the kitchen, like, in a professional setting.
Speaker B:So I was just, you know, cooking on home and cooking at home, and it started to, like, take off, and people were really interested, and they're like, well, what are you cooking?
Speaker B:You know, the views started coming, the likes started coming.
Speaker B:I said, hey, this can be a thing.
Speaker B:And then it got to a point where my schedule as a flight attendant and Rashadi's the world, like, I started catering, they started to conflict, and I was like, well, if I look at the bigger picture, you know, where.
Speaker B:Where do I want to end up?
Speaker B:Do I want to retire as a flight attendant or as a chef personality?
Speaker B:So I took that deep dive, and I, like.
Speaker B:I learned a lot about cooking in, like, the chef industry kind of out of survival.
Speaker B:I met people in the food industry in Houston, and I needed to make money.
Speaker B:And they're like, we need hands.
Speaker B:We need.
Speaker B:I just need someone to assist me on this.
Speaker B:This catering or this private dinner.
Speaker B:So I went just to make money, and I learned so much from it, and I started to apply it to my own things, and then here we are today.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's pretty.
Speaker A:That's pretty impressive.
Speaker A:And because you've.
Speaker A:You showed a bunch of things in your response currently about, you know, your father.
Speaker A:Your father was what, you know, was a chef, your brother was a chef.
Speaker A:Can I assume that you got the love of cooking from, you know, your family?
Speaker A:And also just demonstrate a little bit more about your background as we even dive right into unpacking, where your love of food came from?
Speaker B:I've always had a love for food with my dad.
Speaker B:Being a chef, a lot of people think that, well, you must have been cooking for cooking with your dad, or, you know, he probably used to cook these crazy, extravagant meals.
Speaker B:But working in the restaurant industry, it's, like, very draining.
Speaker B:So when my dad would come home, he would call and say, well, what do you want from the restaurant?
Speaker B:And as a kid, I wanted chicken tenders and fries.
Speaker B:And then, you know, going to work with my dad, it wasn't like.
Speaker B:It wasn't like a dream going to.
Speaker A:Work with my dad.
Speaker B:He was like, okay, I need you to wash these dishes.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Take out this trash.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Go clean out the bar.
Speaker B:Like, that's what it was like.
Speaker B:So I was like, I didn't want to do that.
Speaker B:But my mom, on the other hand, she was a foodie, and, like, she had a love for cooking shows and cookbooks, and, like, that was our thing.
Speaker B:Like, on a Sunday, we would sit and cooking shows every morning.
Speaker B:She would always be experimenting with recipes from cookbooks.
Speaker B:And so that's a really great.
Speaker B:Came from.
Speaker B:And then when I moved into more of a professional setting, and that's where I started to rely on my dad, I'm like, okay, well, how do I do this?
Speaker A:Yeah, that's pretty cool.
Speaker A:That's pretty.
Speaker A:That's pretty cool to hear.
Speaker A:And, you know, speaking of your love for cookbooks, with your mom, you had that connection, and now you also have your own cookbook out.
Speaker A:So it kind of like, you know, the full circle, you know, if I could say.
Speaker A:So how did I feel?
Speaker A:How does that feel like for you?
Speaker A:Did you get to share your cookbook with your mom?
Speaker B:So, unfortunately, I didn't get to share my cookbook with my mom.
Speaker B: She passed away in: Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B: In: Speaker B:And those are, like, two of my big inspirations when it comes to food.
Speaker B:My brother was always, like, encouraging me.
Speaker B:So again, I said I didn't want to do it.
Speaker B:And when I came back around, he was like, all right, you got it.
Speaker B:I support you.
Speaker B:But I dedicated my book to them.
Speaker B:My cookbook is called Rashad eats the world using your palate as a passport.
Speaker B:And it is four chapters of recipes that I grew up eating as well as recipes that I've adapted from travels.
Speaker B:So it's like taking on a journey around the world, and you don't even have to leave your kitchen.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I am.
Speaker A:My sincere condolences about you experiencing those losses.
Speaker A:And I'm sure they're very proud about the work that you've done and how far you have come when it comes to your work as well.
Speaker A:And thank you for sharing that as well.
Speaker A:Really appreciate that.
Speaker A:I want to talk about something I read.
Speaker A:I mean, I was.
Speaker A:When I was, you know, reading about trying to have this conversation, I saw where you had mentioned that you look at food as a bridge to cultural connection.
Speaker A:Can you tell me a little bit what you mean by the bridge to cultural connection?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So I like to use food to bring people together, especially people who look like me.
Speaker B:Like, my ultimate goal is for people to travel and see the world.
Speaker B:And I just feel like if the easiest way to grab people's attention is food, because we all eat.
Speaker B:And one of the reasons why I cook food from all over the world.
Speaker B:Because I feel like people who look like me, if you see me cooking these ingredients, you know, you might trust a little more.
Speaker B:You might have this preconceived notion about a certain type of food, and you see somebody who looks like you enjoying it or making it, breaking it down.
Speaker B:Because I feel like we all use, you know, similar ingredients.
Speaker B:We just prepare them a different way.
Speaker B:And my hope is that someone will try a dish, and it sparks a curiosity to learn more about that culture and then eventually travel to, you know, where that culture originates.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Has there been any.
Speaker A:Has there been any meal that has made you or has there been any meal that has helped you discover a new culture or a new way of life?
Speaker A:Or did you try a meal and be like, oh, I have to go to this country where this meal originated from?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So growing up in Minnesota, when I was younger, our food scene wasn't as diverse.
Speaker B:But, you know, after moving around and living in New York, trying Caribbean food really, like, woke my palate up.
Speaker B:And I'm like, this is so good.
Speaker B:And I remember thinking that all Caribbean food was, like, Jamaican food, and I tried Trinidadian food for the first time, and that it blew me away.
Speaker B:And it was like a mix between, you know, say, Jamaican food and Indian food.
Speaker B:And it was just such a good fusion.
Speaker B:And I remember tasting it and being like, I need to know what this is about.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:And that's.
Speaker B:Trinidad and Tobago is one of my favorite places that I've traveled to in the world, hands down.
Speaker A:That is pretty cool.
Speaker A:I know.
Speaker A:I want to try Trinidadian Trinidad food, basically.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:You talk about growing up in Minnesota and how back in the day, it wasn't as expansive when it came to food.
Speaker A:How would you rate the scene right now?
Speaker A:I know that.
Speaker A:I also know that you kind of moved away and you're back in the scene in.
Speaker A:In this day.
Speaker A:But we can talk about that as well.
Speaker A:But I want to start by just you just giving me your overview of what you think is the.
Speaker A:What.
Speaker A:How would you rate the food scene right now?
Speaker A:I mean, in.
Speaker A:In.
Speaker A:Let me say, Minnesota in general, in the Twin Cities?
Speaker A:Let's start.
Speaker A:Let's do the Twin Cities for now.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:It's very different.
Speaker B:I. I feel like a tourist in my own city now.
Speaker B:Now that I'm back home, there's so much more.
Speaker B:It's so much more diverse.
Speaker B:I love seeing more Southeast Asian restaurants, like, on the forefront.
Speaker B:Like, I went to a fine dining Hmong restaurant, and I thought that was so cool, because living in other places, like I have a love for Southeast Asian food and I would talk about, like, Hmong and Lao food in other places, and they had no idea what it was.
Speaker B:And then to come home and see that there are like full fledged restaurants and fine dining concepts that feature that cultural food, I think that is.
Speaker B:That's amazing.
Speaker B:So it makes me excited for the Minnesota and the Twin Cities food scene in general.
Speaker A:Yeah, that.
Speaker A:That is pretty cool.
Speaker A:Really.
Speaker A:Like, I told people that I really like the food in the Twin Cities and I. I would like to have traveled quite a bit as well.
Speaker A:And I think that, you know, we do.
Speaker A:I feel like we can.
Speaker A:We have the means to be able to say, okay.
Speaker A:We also have some great food here from different cultures.
Speaker A:And like you said, the Southeast Asian food as well, I love.
Speaker A:You know, one of my favorite.
Speaker A:One of my favorite restaurants is Kaluna.
Speaker A:I love Kaluna.
Speaker A:I love Gainoi.
Speaker B:My birthday was so good.
Speaker A:It is.
Speaker A:It is really good.
Speaker A:And I. I go there a lot.
Speaker A:It's like two blocks for me.
Speaker A:So I was like, I'm always there.
Speaker A:And, you know, the Kaluna.
Speaker A:Kaluna's brunch is pretty cool as well.
Speaker A:But also even just other like steakhouses or seafood places are popping up as well.
Speaker A:So that's pretty.
Speaker A:That's pretty cool.
Speaker A:I have a curiosity around when you decided to move, because I'm guessing you were in Houston for a bit.
Speaker A:You talk about being in New York.
Speaker A:What was that like?
Speaker A:Just being in different places that were not the Twin Cities, and what lessons did you learn from those cities?
Speaker B:So I moved away when I was 21.
Speaker B:I studied theater and dance, and so I moved to Atlanta first because I wanted to pursue my dance career.
Speaker B:And that was like a lesson in itself.
Speaker B:Just like a young person in a big city, you know, not knowing much about life in general.
Speaker B:I think it like, blew me up really fast, especially because I was there chasing a dream.
Speaker B:And then when I got my job as a flight attendant, it allowed me to live wherever I wanted because I was based in New York the entire time.
Speaker B:And so all I had to do was get to work.
Speaker B:And so there were other cities that I wanted to explore, and I did.
Speaker B:And, you know, that was.
Speaker B:That was really fun.
Speaker B:And I think that they.
Speaker B:All the different cities have different cultural influences, which kind of influence, you know, my taste and how I cook.
Speaker B:Especially living in Houston is one of, like, the most culturally diverse cities in the US Same with the food scene.
Speaker B:And that really just like, made me super excited to.
Speaker B:To eat and to cook.
Speaker B:Just because, like you have everything at your fingertips.
Speaker B:And then moving back home.
Speaker B:I moved back home for a job.
Speaker B:I'm currently a food sovereignty and safety coordinator at a nonprofit in Minneapol.
Speaker B:So I, I run the food program and we do like weekly community meals.
Speaker B:We do community engagement events like cooking classes, grocery distributions.
Speaker B:And I feel, it feels good because not only does it feel like a give back, I can also put myself into it.
Speaker B:Oh, you know, we have to serve well rounded meals.
Speaker B:But I with that, I try to serve meals, you know, from different cultures that maybe the community has never tried before.
Speaker B:So I'm always like sticking with shot Easter world in there somewhere.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And that's what got me back home.
Speaker A:That is pretty cool.
Speaker A:How has it been back home, though, for you?
Speaker A:From a personal level, how are you feeling about.
Speaker A:Because I.
Speaker A:Because I tend to things that live in.
Speaker A:But you left for a reason and you're back and you're back for a good cause.
Speaker A:But it's also like a shift, right, from what you're used to, from your friends that you've made along the way, from a familiarity that even though this is home, but you've gotten used to somewhere else as well.
Speaker A:And also talking about Houston, Houston, like you said, is way more culturally diverse than the Twin Cities.
Speaker A:And so how was adjusting into being back here?
Speaker A:How's that been like for you in general?
Speaker A:Just on a personal level, I feel.
Speaker B:Like life has definitely slowed down since I've been back, but again, it's been so long since I've lived here, I feel like a tourist.
Speaker B:It's like this familiar, unfamiliar feeling that I have because, you know, there's family I know my way around.
Speaker B:But then things are so different.
Speaker B:You know, sometimes I go out and I'm out and about.
Speaker B:I'm not an only one.
Speaker B:And it's like, because so much has changed.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:But I mean, also, you know, like, I left for more opportunities and I feel like when I left, I chased.
Speaker B:I chased them.
Speaker B:But now that I'm back, I feel like I can create more opportunities, like, not only for myself, but for the people around me.
Speaker B:Just because, like, I've been in a different space and experience different things that, you know, may not be so familiar here in the Twin Cities.
Speaker B:And so I'm hoping to, you know, bring a little.
Speaker B:Bring a little something that I picked up along the way.
Speaker A:That's really good to hear.
Speaker A:I appreciate you saying that.
Speaker A:That's really good to hear.
Speaker A:And my next question kind of, you know, references that a little bit and I know I kind of, like went off tangent based on your.
Speaker A:Based on your responses and everything, but I was gonna ask you about.
Speaker A:Because I noticed just looking at your content, how it.
Speaker A:From when you started, you could see.
Speaker A:See this shift and how it has evolved over time.
Speaker A:And I'm sure there are very diverse experiences that have shaped that journey and that evolution in.
Speaker A:In itself.
Speaker A:But what has been the hardest part or the most challenging piece about growing and evolving as a, you know, renowned, known person who is doing content creation, who is a chef in that space, what are some of the challenges that you face and how do you navigate those things?
Speaker B:When I really, like, got into it and I decided that, like, I'm going to be a content creator, the first thing that popped in my head, I was like, I'm going to be the black, gay Martha Stewart.
Speaker B:Okay?
Speaker B:Martha Stewart does not miss a dollar or a category.
Speaker B:And that is something that I'm striving for.
Speaker B:So in the beginning, it was just about food, right?
Speaker B:It was about food from all over the world.
Speaker B:And then I had the opportunity to be able to travel a lot, and so I started including that travel content.
Speaker B:Then more recently, I've started to introduce some more, like, content.
Speaker B:So you'll see a skincare routine here and there.
Speaker B:I want the platform to be, like, well rounded like it is Rashad.
Speaker B:It eats the world, so food will always be at the center of it.
Speaker B:But my goal is to be a household name.
Speaker B:So, you know, when you think of a shot, Issa World, not only are you going to think about good food, you're going to think about travel, you're going to think about your luggage, you're going to think about how you decorate your home.
Speaker B:You can think about the fragrance you're wearing, your skincare routine.
Speaker B:So, yeah, that's.
Speaker B:That is the direction is going in.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Okay, cool.
Speaker A:And the.
Speaker A:The black game by your stewards, that is a.
Speaker A:That is a piece.
Speaker A:That is a place that nobody had.
Speaker A:Nobody's occupying curry that I know of.
Speaker A:So, you know, you're currently on your way there.
Speaker A:What is, you know, and I know that definitely, definitely you can get there because I feel like you have all the means to do that as well.
Speaker A:But what does that look like?
Speaker A:Also.
Speaker A:Because I feel like that also comes a lot of pressure, right, because of.
Speaker A:You're trying to create a space for yourself in this very, I don't want to say saturated industry.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But there are so many voices now with the advent of social media, with the advent of technology, everybody is, you know, doing These things.
Speaker A:So how.
Speaker A:How are you navigating that?
Speaker A:Navigating all the.
Speaker A:I don't want to call it noise, but noise in quotes, right?
Speaker A:How are you navigating that so that your lane can be mapped.
Speaker A:Mapped out properly?
Speaker B:I think just continuing to be like my genuine self.
Speaker B:Because I feel like being a content creator right now, you can literally find your favorite content creator and you can copy it and then, like, people still will consume your content, but there is no one that I know of that does what I do.
Speaker B:So when I talk about food or when I talk about travel, it's from a different lens.
Speaker B:It's not.
Speaker B:I'm not reviewing food.
Speaker B:I'm talking about it in a different way because I know food, I have food knowledge.
Speaker B:When I'm talking about a destination, I have that knowledge because I was a flight attendant.
Speaker B:So it's like, okay, you've been here, you may have been a couple of times.
Speaker B:You are well traveled versus just like, oh, no, I went on a trip, went on a girls trip.
Speaker B:And, you know, this is where I went, this is where I stayed.
Speaker B:You know, I'm like, I can actually speak to it from a different lens.
Speaker B:Also, I think, like, authentically being myself, there's only.
Speaker B:There's only one of me.
Speaker B:You know, I do think there are maybe some similarities with other content creators, but there's only people that's real.
Speaker A:That's real and also curious about.
Speaker A:You're talking about all of these things that you're doing, right?
Speaker A:And so you have the love for food, the love for being a lifestyle content creator, the love for sharing all of these things.
Speaker A:But also, creating content is a lot of work.
Speaker A:Like, it's a lot of work to get up and edit and do all the things and get your right lighting and all this stuff.
Speaker A:And so how do you make sure that you.
Speaker A:The love that you have for doing this work doesn't get drowned out from all the other technicalities that are involved.
Speaker A:Having to stay up till late editing a video, for example, you know, how do you balance it out?
Speaker A:I would want to know for myself because I also feel like I'm in that boat sometimes to how do you navigate that, that you keep the love so strong inside?
Speaker B:I, like, listen.
Speaker B:I listen to myself.
Speaker B:I listen to my body.
Speaker B:If I don't feel like it, I don't.
Speaker B:I mean, of course, there are times if I'm doing, you know, a partnership, there are deadlines, and so you have to do it.
Speaker B:If I'm doing a series, I have to challenge myself to make sure that I get it out.
Speaker B:But if I'm ever experiencing burnout, I take a pause, I take a step back.
Speaker B:Numbers can fluctuate if you, you pause too long.
Speaker B:But I just feel like at the end of the day, I have a loyal following.
Speaker B:Everybody who follows me, they don't necessarily engage with my content, they don't necessarily purchase.
Speaker B:But the ones that do, we thank you.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:But yeah, when I don't want to, When I don't want to, I don't.
Speaker B:I was just really busy over the past couple of months and I was doing this balancing act of, you know, opportunity I had in work and content creation.
Speaker B:And I got home and I said, you know what?
Speaker B:I need a break.
Speaker B:So I've taken a break.
Speaker B:I'm just getting things back started.
Speaker B:And I'm like, what's meant to be will be.
Speaker B:If you're going to be there, you're going to be there.
Speaker B:But yes, if I need to take a break, I do just that.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:That's pretty cool.
Speaker A:I really appreciate you breaking that down and sharing that as well.
Speaker A: black and gay now in this, in: Speaker A:It's been a very interesting time for us as queer folks, as black queer folks as well.
Speaker A:How are you?
Speaker A:What are you doing for self care in this moment?
Speaker A:How are you taking care of yourself and your body?
Speaker B:I just continuing to be myself.
Speaker B:Just showing up authentically, not hiding who I am from anyone.
Speaker B:You know, I always say, like, it took me a long time to get comfortable in my skin and I don't care who it is or who is president, like, I'm still going to be me.
Speaker A:That's real.
Speaker A:I appreciate that.
Speaker A:Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker A:We have some very light, fun, rapid fire questions that we want you to answer.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:So I'm gonna share that with you now.
Speaker A:So we're gonna start off with we love music on this podcast, but we'd like to know what the people are listening to.
Speaker A:So what are the current songs on your playlist right now?
Speaker B:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:So this morning in the gym, I started with BBB by Juvenile and Megan Thee Stallion got me going.
Speaker B:And then when I, when I was leaving out the gym, I just, I played that and then just kind of like kept feeding songs based off of that.
Speaker B:And then when I was leaving, there was a song called Teach youh How to Love Me by YG and Ty Dollar Sign Fire and okay, you know, Beyonce can play on my, on my playlist at any time.
Speaker B:I Love Beyonce down to the ground.
Speaker B:But I'm trying to give it a break because I know Act 3 is coming up.
Speaker B:I'm gonna play it out.
Speaker A:Act 3 is coming.
Speaker A:Coming soon.
Speaker A:You talk about travel a lot.
Speaker A:You love to travel.
Speaker A:What's your favorite travel destination?
Speaker B:Favorite travel destination would definitely have to be Trinidad and Tobago.
Speaker B:Food, music, culture, just that's the place I've been to.
Speaker B:I want to top it, but it's very hard.
Speaker B:Number two.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:And I think that was it.
Speaker B:I think that's what did it for me.
Speaker B:It was like, it was amazing.
Speaker B:My number two destination would probably have to be Greece because it is just absolutely beautiful and the food's good.
Speaker A:Okay, shout out to Grace and Trinidad and Tobago.
Speaker A:What is your favorite food to make?
Speaker B:I. I wouldn't say I have a favorite food to make, but I always say if I'm ever in a pinch and I just have to make something off the top of my head, it's probably going to be something Caribbean or Southeast Asian.
Speaker B:My two favorite foods I like to eat.
Speaker B:Okay, cool.
Speaker A:That's good.
Speaker A:If you could host a dinner party with five people, who would you invite?
Speaker B:Martha Stewart.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:I also would invite Anthony Bourdain.
Speaker B:Alive or dead?
Speaker B:Does it matter?
Speaker A:We could do both.
Speaker A:We could do alive and dead.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain, Beyonce.
Speaker B:Because I just want to pick her brain.
Speaker B:How do you do it?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:What are the TV shows you're watching right now?
Speaker B:I'm watching paradise and I love it.
Speaker B:Your Housewives.
Speaker B:So good.
Speaker B:Like, I fell asleep on the last episode, so I gotta get back into it.
Speaker B:Also, Real Housewives of Atlanta just came back on and like, I am a Real Housewives fan.
Speaker B:Down to the ground.
Speaker B:When I was a flight attendant, one of my groups of friends, we all had these bag tags that said real flight attendants of nyc because we were like super fans.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:Who are like your top three housewives of all time?
Speaker B:Top three of all time.
Speaker B:Nene Leakes.
Speaker B:She's hilarious.
Speaker B:Mary Cosby from Salt Lake City.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And I'm trying to think who's my.
Speaker B:Who's my favorite from Potomac?
Speaker B:Cuz Potomac is one of my favorites.
Speaker B:They.
Speaker B:They all done got on my nerves at one point.
Speaker B:Who's my favorite from Potomac?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:Sometimes I wish they would bring Katie back.
Speaker B:Katie was unhinged and she bought a little, little spice in the show.
Speaker A:There's.
Speaker A:There's the scene with Katie and Ashley that I love so much, where they Were like, is it.
Speaker A:I do.
Speaker A:I think you're stupid.
Speaker A:Yeah, I do.
Speaker A:I do think you're stupid.
Speaker B:She's like, actually, I don't think you're stupid.
Speaker B:I think you're dumb.
Speaker B:It's like, that's why I love it.
Speaker A:That's what she said.
Speaker A:I was hilarious.
Speaker A:I was like.
Speaker A:She had me laughing.
Speaker A:Yeah, I like potobec as well.
Speaker A:I'll say Housewives franchises.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:I'll say it's Atlanta, Potomac, and Salt Lake City for me in, like.
Speaker A:But actually.
Speaker A:But honestly, those are the only ones I watch anyway, so I, you know, I only watch.
Speaker A:I only watch and Salt Lake City.
Speaker A:And then I started Rhode island, which just.
Speaker A:Which just premiered.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker A:Good as well.
Speaker A:And so you have to watch so that.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's good.
Speaker A:I enjoyed it.
Speaker A:The first two episodes are awful.
Speaker A:They're really good.
Speaker A:And then I like Mar.
Speaker A:Medicine.
Speaker B:Oh, love Bravo.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so.
Speaker B:So what's funny is.
Speaker B:What's funny is living in Atlanta, I got to meet a lot of reality stars.
Speaker B:I used to work in retail when I, like when I first moved there years ago, and Dr. Jackie was one of the clients who would come in my store.
Speaker B:Mariah.
Speaker B:Who else?
Speaker B:Quad.
Speaker B:Atlanta is, like, a big city, but it's so small.
Speaker B:Even, like, I met Jocelyn Hernandez, like, before the show, like, aired.
Speaker B:Like, she had already filmed it.
Speaker B:And I'm like, who is this lady?
Speaker B:And she came in, she had her headphones on and, like, very loud colors.
Speaker B:And she was like, you got this in a size small, baby.
Speaker B:I'm just, you know, just being herself.
Speaker B:I'm like.
Speaker B:And then I, like, weeks later, I see her on tv, and then Quad came into my store before the show had aired, and she was looking for something, and she was like.
Speaker B:She asked.
Speaker B:She's like, I need a shirt, but it can't be like this.
Speaker B:And I was like, well, do you mind, like, sharing, like, know what it's for so I can point you something in the right direction?
Speaker B:And she was like, I can't say what TV show, but it's for a TV show.
Speaker B:And I was like, okay.
Speaker B:She didn't end up wearing a shirt because I look.
Speaker B:But yeah, it was, like, really cool.
Speaker B:And like, Dr. Jackie, like, when I say, like, like knew her, and then I'm like, wait, you on the show?
Speaker B:You didn't say nothing?
Speaker B:She was like, yeah, I'm on the show.
Speaker B:Like, feels cool living in Atlanta.
Speaker B:You get to meet so many people.
Speaker A:Yeah, I love Atlanta.
Speaker A:It's such a very fun city.
Speaker A:I love It a lot.
Speaker A:And that's cool that you got to, you know, experience and meet those people through different facets of your life.
Speaker A:You, you know, had all those experiences.
Speaker A:So that.
Speaker A:That's pretty cool as well.
Speaker A:Another rapid fire question.
Speaker A:What is your controversial food opinion?
Speaker A:What's the one that would get you in trouble?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:I like.
Speaker B:I mean, I like.
Speaker B:I'm a fan of candy corn.
Speaker B:Like, candy corn, mix of popcorn, I think is, like, delicious.
Speaker B:And outside of Minnesota, I've introduced so many people to tater tot hot dish, and they're like, what?
Speaker B:That?
Speaker B:Oh, my God, it's so good.
Speaker A:You know what's funny?
Speaker A:I've never had that before.
Speaker A:Ever, ever in my life.
Speaker A:And I've been here for, like, five years.
Speaker A:And so.
Speaker A:Yes, never, never had it before.
Speaker A:So maybe I need to try my list of.
Speaker A:Please, please.
Speaker A:I would really appreciate.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:And the final rapid fire question.
Speaker A:What is your guilty pleasure?
Speaker B:Reality tv.
Speaker A:The Housewives.
Speaker B:I don't miss it.
Speaker B:I love a good episode of Baddies.
Speaker B:Can't watch more than 1 and 4, but, you know, I too.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Okay, let's go.
Speaker A:I'm here for it.
Speaker A:Hey, I'm here for it.
Speaker A:I'm here for it.
Speaker A:My final question before we wrap up this episode.
Speaker A:When people experience your work, when they see your content, when they check out a recipe that you have shared, what do you hope they walk away feeling or understanding?
Speaker B:I hope they walk away with a curiosity.
Speaker B:A curiosity about that culture of that food that they tried.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And I want them to be curious about it.
Speaker B:I want them to explore.
Speaker B:I want them to travel.
Speaker B:I always, you know, I aspire to inspire because I'm regular degular.
Speaker B:And if you've always wanted to travel but you felt like, oh, I can't do that, I'm like, I did.
Speaker B:I didn't know how, but I figured it out, you know, So I went in a certain slide here since the curiosity.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:Well, thank you, Rashad, for coming on Odjuba.
Speaker A:It's been such a great time talking with you and getting to know you a little better.
Speaker A:We really appreciate you sharing your gift with us.
Speaker A:And I'm gonna link all the things linkable so folks that connect with you on social media or whatever projects that you have as well.
Speaker A:I will share in the description for folks to see.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Thank you for having me.
Speaker B:This is fine.
Speaker A:No problem at all.
Speaker A:And for folks who watched or listened to this podcast, thank you for checking us out.
Speaker A:Don't forget to subscribe if you're listening, if you're watching on YouTube, and if you're listening on Spotify or Apple or Amazon, don't forget to also use the follow button as well.
Speaker A:Thank you for listening and for being here with us today.
Speaker A:Or Deja Van.
