Former hip-hop radio personality Sunny Anderson, is making a jump from the broadcasting studio to the kitchen on her new Food Network show 'Cooking for Real.,'; which premieres April 6.
Through her time in the Air Force, Sunny was able to commute her wonderful personality to several radio positions which eventually lead her to New York's top-rated hip-hop radio powerhouse Hot 97. Within a year, 'Vibe' magazine rated her show as one of the top nine to listen to nationwide and crowned her, "Ruler of the Airwaves."
But despite her obvious talent for the microphone, Sunny has always maintained her equal love for all things food.
Although not be a professionally trained chef, she sure knows food.
After her 2005 appearance on 'Emeril Live,' which she described as her greatest "foodie" moment ever, plans were in the works for her own show, 'Cooking for Real.'
Read on as Sunny explains her love for food, her favorite chef and what a "foodie" is to Blackvoices' very own Denver C. Louis.
Where did you get the idea for the show?
It was lots of meetings and brainstorming sessions with the network. Starting back in '05, when I made an appearance on the Emeril show, it was pretty much right after that. It was like 'ok, I really love this format. What can I do within it?' So it was just years and years of talking. So, all of a sudden, after trying to figure out what it would be and what it would look like, three months before we had to go to tape, we figured it out. It was pretty simple. We didn't want to think too hard into it and my name is funny, so we were trying to throw around some titles that were a play on my name and it was like we were working too hard. We said let's just be really simple with it and what I do is just real cooking. It's not super fancy, but then again it's not a shortcut either. All my life, my travels and everything is kind of what we're putting into the show. All of my experiences ... it's kind of how we came up with it.
So the title came from you own personal experience?
Yeah, I grew up in the Army and when I joined the Air Force, my parents were really into food. They're foodies so the ill thing was being in Germany and eating authentic German food and living on base with Vietnamese, Korean, and all kinds of nationalities. We would have dinners and we would go over and try all these new things. You know, when you become an adult you have to start cooking for yourself. My mom was already killing it in the kitchen, and she wasn't just killing it like, 'oh, I'm just cooking and I can do this'. She was like 'let's go to Germany', and the next thing you know she can kill a German meal. When you turn 18 and you start moving out, you want that same food. So, I was like, it's my turn now! I gotta get cooking!
Now, you keep saying "foodie," explain that. Is that a term you came up with?
Oh no! That's a colloquialism, it's just a term for people who are really into food. You go to restaurants to review them, or you have a food blog, or you're really into cooking techniques ... people who label themselves as really being into cuisine and culinary skills call themselves foodies.
Good to know. Now, I know you're familiar with a lot of artists, so who in your opinion could host a cooking show?
Bone Crusher! He is an amazing cook! The way he started was at a food and performance venue in Atlanta. People would cook and artists would come in and perform at the venue, so, he said well let me get on the stage after I'm done cooking and became an artist! When I go down to Atlanta ... him and his wife, they're both foodies, they cook the most amazing meals. Sometimes we call each other just to talk about food. He's been on 'Iron Chef' a couple of times as a judge.
So, who's your favorite chef? Who do you idolize, Food Network or otherwise?
Well, I love Paula Deen. She's such a sweetheart and anyone who can make me cry when they're talking about food - she can make me cry - that's really important to me. That's someone who you know food really plays a huge part of her life. It's not just something that goes in and comes out. It makes you happy and can remind you of certain times in your life. I also love Ina Garten and all of her recipes. So those are the people I really check out. Love em to death!
So how would you rank your radio experience versus your passion for food?
Aww man...they're equal. Honestly, they're equally important. They are both something that I seek out and I work with everyday. I still blog for a music website everyday. I want to always keep my foot in it somehow, it just affects me on so many levels. There are some artists, you know rap music of course, which can say some of the most eloquent, beautiful, and timeless things that will never end. Just like 'Pac saying, 'You got money for wars, but can't feed the poor'. There are some lines that can really stick with you. Then there are artists and singers and folk artists. Its just a beautiful art form. Then cooking is just like breathing, just like music is like breathing. You need food everyday and you need music everyday, so they are kind of neck and neck. Now when you're in the kitchen do you have a number one rule? Is the something that you always make sure that you do when you're cooking.
I think the main thing that I do when I'm in the kitchen, is that I always have people announce when they walk in, if I'm in the cooking process because I can really get caught off guard and get really clumsy. I would hate to get clumsy with a knife in my hand! But plenty of preparation and be open for any unforeseen mistakes or disasters, and always try to make something good. That's my rule. Also, season properly. I always make sure when I cook to season properly. I think my rule is just get in there and try something new. Have fun and don't be so hard on yourself. Food isn't meant to be perfect. It's meant to be good.
What are some of your plans for the future and what other food ventures do you have in mind?
My plans for the immediate future is just working hard and building more recipes. Hopefully getting to spread more food love and get the word out there. See if I can break people out of there normal cooking and eating habits, those are my real goals. I'm sure people might think there are bigger things, but right now, I've been working so hard I just want to enjoy it! I just can't believe things happen, it's like you've been working so hard and you know you want it, but the odds are so stacked against you! It kind of reminds me of when I got to HOT 97 and everyone was like what's next and I was didn't know! Now that I'm here I'm just 100% in the now. So I'm being happy right now. I think after awhile maybe three, four years, I'll figure out what I'm going to do. I'll just want to explore the world man, I'm having fun and I'm really enjoying it. I'm sure there are things on the horizon, but right now I just want to do the cooking thing and spend some time with people I can enjoy.
1. Beautiful things can happen witnin people which are express outwardly; thus-blessing flows. May the Lord continue to bless you.
L. G. Williams at 12:59PM on Apr 5th 2008