Episodes
Natalie Paterson is the founder of ingarden, an organic home growing kit that's best described as modern-tech meets mother earth. A huge breakfast fanatic, Natalie talks about her love of veggie-filled omelettes, her life as a nutritionist, and how she makes food "fun"- even the healthy stuff!
Produced by Dear Media
Published 06/03/22
Ethiopia Habtemariam means business. Not only is she CEO of Motown Records–tasked with revitalizing the iconic record label–she is also one of Rolling Stone's Future 25, (an acknowledgment of the visionaries of the music industry) and one of Chef Alisa's very best friends. In this conversation, Ethiopia talks about starting her music career at 14 years old, why she thinks music tastes like a mango, and more.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 05/27/22
Maurice Harris is a Los Angeles-based artist who is best known as the visionary behind Bloom & Plume, a bespoke floral design studio located in Echo Park. In this lovely conversation with Chef, Maurice talks about opening a coffee shop in a traditionally white, male dominated space, the go-to restaurants his family would dine at for Sunday dinner, and his “guilty pleasure” fast food order.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 05/20/22
Lena Waithe’s growing list of accomplishments reads like a menu at an all you can eat restaurant, she has it all! The Emmy award-winning writer, producer, actress, and all around renaissance woman sits down with Chef and talks about the early days of their friendship, her “predictable” food palate, and her favorite savory on-set snack.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 05/13/22
Shuffling into the studio this week is the Emmy-nominated tap dancing sisters Chloe and Maud Arnold.
The choreographing and producing duo talk to Chef about their early days of growing up in a fitness-focused family where French Soul food was always on the menu, how free pasta and granola from the college cafeteria led to the “Freshman 15” - and how food, like dancing, has the power to unify communities.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 05/06/22
This week on the pod, Chef sits down with activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement Patrisse Cullors. A loyal customer of My 2 Cents LA since day one, Patrisse gets candid about growing up in a “food desert”–where fast-food chains served as the main source of sustenance–and the discoveries she made when adopting a vegan lifestyle. Plus, she shares her cooking goal for 2022.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 04/29/22
Musical mastermind and fashion icon Steve Lacy is a self-admitted shy boy but that doesn’t stop him from dishing about his favorite foods with his friend, Chef. In this episode, the Compton, California native talks candidly about living with acid reflux, the childhood dishes his Filipino father would cook for the family, and what meal (or, rather, bowl of cereal) he would want as his last meal.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 04/22/22
From meeting on the set of Moesha in the mid-90s to reuniting as successful entrepreneurs in their own creative fields, Chef sits down with her longtime pal Mara Brock Akil, an executive producer, writer, mom, tea queen, and all-around GOAT. In this lively conversation Chef, Mara reminisces about how excited they both were to order lunch while on set, how eating out of a container takes the joy out of mealtime, and why a sandwich is her go-to comfort food.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 04/15/22
Ras & Taj Austin arrive at the recording studio with hollow bellies, but they’re not going hungry for long. The hip hop duo from Long Beach, CA sit down with Chef and joke about their family’s carb-heavy home cooked dinners, the childhood foods that they can’t stomach anymore, and the secret to what makes for the perfect lunch when working in the studio.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 04/08/22
Jabari Shelton aka ASAP Bari may be an intermittent faster, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love a good meal. The clothing designer and co-founder of hip-hop collective ASAP Mob sits down with Chef and talks about his “bougie” childhood meals, his distaste for raw cheese, and why he considers his grandmother the best chef of all time.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 04/01/22
We’re coming back for seconds in this continued conversation with actress Maggie Q. In part two of her talk with Chef, Maggie dishes on what she eats to build muscle for movies, why she eats every two hours, and her advice for people starting out on their vegan journey.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 03/25/22
Actress and spokeswoman Maggie Q has been a plant-based foodie for two decades but that doesn’t mean her favorite meals lack flavor! In a special two-part episode, Maggie talks with Chef about making homemade salads from her garden, “not liking” food as a kid until she experienced top-tier dinners in Japan, and how a bag of corn changed her life.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 03/18/22
Director, choreographer, and Chef’s “Best Friend,” Fatima Robinson sits down with her longtime pal and dishes about her previous eating habits as a touring dancer, her favorite healthy spots near her home in Ojai, California, and the simple meal she calls the “best in the world.”
Produced by Dear Media
Published 03/11/22
For the owners of Union Los Angeles, streetwear runs in the family. In this episode, power couple Chris and Beth Gibbs put on the metaphorical apron to talk to Chef about everything from Erewhon to leftovers, where they went to dinner on their first date, and the Japanese meal they say is their favorite to make as a family.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 03/04/22
Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya has changed his weight for movie roles, but hasn’t eaten in character... until now. In a fun conversation with Chef, the British actor talks about growing up on Ugandan food while living in London, how being overweight as a child taught him how to eat more consciously as an adult, and his go-to on the road comfort food.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 02/25/22
Simbiatu "Simbi" Abisola Abiola Ajikawo aka British Nigerian rapper Little Simz was first introduced to Chef at her LA restaurant (she ordered the Vegan spaghetti), and has been a fan ever since. Here, Little Simz reflects on how she recreates childhood meals for her own family, why she avoids meat while on tour, and her idea of the perfect midnight snack.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 02/18/22
When Kevin “Coach K” Lee steps into the studio, he immediately starts fawning over the vegan sweet potato poundcake from Chef’s restaurant My Two Cents. Over the course of the episode, the hip hop mogul and co-founder of music and sports label Quality Control talks to Chef about his grandma’s home cooked salmon croquette breakfasts, the tradition of reusing grease from previous meals, and how the pandemic forced him to cook more than ever before.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 02/11/22
Award-winning director Melina Matsoukas may be best known for her film “Queen and Slim” or her music video for Beyoncé’s “Formation,” but did you know she is also a great chef? In a lively conversation around food & family, Melina talks to Chef about recreating her childhood Spanish and Greek foods in Los Angeles, her love of Postmates, and what she would choose for her very last meal on this planet.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 02/04/22
Siblings Syd and Taco are LA-based, multi-hyphenate artists who are on their way towards dominating the music scene. In a memory filled conversation with Chef, singer and producer Sydney Bennett and her brother, Odd Future member Travis "Taco" Bennett, reminisce about waking up to their mom’s homemade French toast and scrambled eggs, Syd’s aversion to “sliced meat,” and what’s on Taco’s rider when he’s on tour.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 02/04/22
My Last Meal with host Chef Alisa Reynolds premiering Friday, February 4th! We'll be asking all our guests "What would your last meal on earth be, and why?" and along the way explore food, music, culture, identity, our childhood kitchens and so much more.
Follow now so you don't miss an episode.
Produced by Dear Media
Published 01/28/22
Chef Alisa Reynolds has a new pod on Dear Media releasing January 27th, 2022! See you there!
Produced by Dear Media
Published 01/08/22