Chef Renee - The Round Table Podcast

On this episode of The Round Table Podcast we sat down with the great Chef Renee as she spoke to us about her cooking journey. We spoke on everything from being a chef in the LGBTQ community,  celebrity clients and how she learned to do exactly what she does. This was a great sit down and were looking forward to watching her grow and expand her brand and time goes on. follow us,  like share and comment.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

We back in the building. We back outside doing what we do, round table podcasts. Uh man, today I got a very special guest with me. And I'm gonna have the honor to sit down next to the world-renowned chef Renee. Welcome to the round table. Thank you for having me. I appreciate you coming in the building, sitting down with your boy, the voice of the culture. Man, this this opportunity that has been presented to me today is a blessing. And I say thank you. For number one, for just sitting down, kicking it with me, but also doing your thing. You've been I don't want to say the wrong word, but I'm gonna say the right word. You've been everywhere. Shaking, baking, moving, and grooving in that kitchen. And I love it. And I salute you. Thank you so for everything that you have done from the beginning to where we are today, to even where we're going. And I want to say thank you. I want to give you your flowers, and I want to salute you for just being great because at the end of the day, the opportunity of us as a culture, as individuals, you being a black woman in the game, yo, it ain't too many of that going on. And you've done your thing successfully, you haven't backdoored, you haven't done no nonsense, you've been genuine, you've been straight, and you've been you. And I think that's the most important thing to the whole culture that you've been yourself. You didn't sell yourself short, you ain't been over backwards, you did it your way. And I salute you for that and congratulations.

SPEAKER_00 1:23

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:25

So welcome to the round table. We're gonna jump right into it, man. What got you into this life of cooking?

SPEAKER_00 1:32

Man, the life of cooking, I love food, first of all, right? So I grew up in Barbados watching my grandmother cook all the time, everything from scratch. You know, we had a garden in the backyard with the breadfruit trees cooking. Yeah, listen, we had it, we had everything there, you know. And um, just watching her prepare everything, you know, I fell in love with her. You know, that's the first woman I fell in love with. Right. But, you know, I fell in love with food. And from there, you know, my mom, we were we're here in the States. It was me and my little brother. He was my guinea pig. So whenever I wanted to try something that I saw on Food Network or whatever, that was my guy to let me know, oh, this tastes good. Oh, don't do that again. But I really fell in, fell in love with cooking.

SPEAKER_01 2:08

What age was you when you came to the States?

SPEAKER_00 2:10

I was eight years old when we first came up and we came to Texas. So it's the first time I had Church's chicken, McDonald's, whatever.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

Like it's a whole new culture, food.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

A whole new culture, you know.

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Fast food environment.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

Yeah. And you know, I had my my parents tell me that I had an accent at the time where I said, uh, you can I get a burger. You know, that's that's my American voice. Because you know, you you technically want to hide your accent. Right, right. You know, but listen, man, I'm I'm I'm a Bajan Yankee all day, you know. Yeah, but you went to Texas. Texas first, first stop. Then we came to New York, Bedstar, do it.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

How did y'all end up in Texas? Well why Texas the first stop?

SPEAKER_00 2:46

Well, you know, the way it works is you go where family is, right? Okay. So, you know, family in Texas, so you know, you got to do all your paperwork and documentation, whatever, whatever. But my mom really wanted to go to New York, and you know, that's kind of where we got our start. You know, we lived in Bedstar, you know, it's a PS3, you know, love my people at PS3, but uh to the fullest. We came to the fullest, and it was a rap from then. We stayed in Brooklyn.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

And Brooklyn raised you.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 3:10

Brooklyn made you who you are today.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

Now let me ask you this. You said your grandmother. Your mom's in cooked. So my mom's cooked. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:18

But you gotta admit, grandma's, you know, it's a different essence. That's a different level of finesse finesse. Right, it's very different. So uh, you know, my mom may hate me for that, but uh, yeah, sorry.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

Shout out to mom duce. We love you to death. Grandma's the essence. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? And your brother was the stunt dummy.

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Listen, he had to be shout out to big little bro.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

You're not the stunt dummy, but you know, the giggy.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

He's still survived, so at least I know that I was making something good.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

Exactly. So exactly. You know what I'm saying? So now we in bed style.

SPEAKER_00 3:46

Right.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

We ain't in Barbados, we not in Texas. It's a whole other culture now. Whole nother. How you feeling?

SPEAKER_00 3:53

I'm loving it.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:54

I'm loving it. You know, I tried the American style roti for the first time. Um, enjoyed Chinese food for the first time. I was like, man, this shit's so good. Right. This duck sauce. What is this? I don't know what this is. Well, you know, and I used to pick all the onions out and everything. Because even as a kid, you know, you don't get-yater. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Picky eater, but turn to a chef. Yeah. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 4:14

I'm still a picky eater. Don't get it confused.

SPEAKER_01 4:16

I know you are because you already know what you was blending with not was blending. Right. Facts. So, what age did you really start to catch the momentum of the 16.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

16, started very young.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

High school? Culinary arts.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:30

And that's the only level of culinary school I did. Learning how to bake bread and make some sauces. So everyone sees me today and they're like, wait, you didn't go to school? I did not go to school. I learned everything literally by either A, watching YouTube, right? Or B, just trying to experiment in myself and developing my own style.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

So truly a student of the game.

SPEAKER_00 4:49

Yeah. Keep learning. This is not going to change. There's going to be something new tomorrow and something new three weeks from now that you got to keep up with. If it's part of who you are, a part of your style, you're going, you know, you're going like how we put our clothes together. Right. It's going to change, it's going to evolve, and what works for us, works for us.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Now let me ask you this. What was your first signature meal at 16? All right. Your first go-to. All right. So this is going to be. Jeff Renee's first go-to.

SPEAKER_00 5:13

This is going to be a very judgmental situation, right? Okay. So I have this crepe that I make and I fry fish and I take cheddar cheese, right? It's sweet, it's salty and savory, but it's still spicy at the same time. From that moment, this is me being a 16-year-old just making this food. My little brother's eating it. It's like, okay, here's a four-year-old that's like okay with this.

SPEAKER_01 5:35

Oh, he's four.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

He was four.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

He really don't know what taste buzz is really rocking.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

Wait, but the plates was clean. And that's when I really knew I love sweetness, salty, savory, spicy, collectively together. And everything just kind of started going from there. You know, you have a girl over to as you, you know, you kind of grow. I'm like, oh, let's do this shrimp with pineapple sauce. I think you're really gonna like it. And so that became part of me. You know, you have you have a battle over.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

That was in your that was in your arsenals.

SPEAKER_00 6:05

Right there. You know what I mean? You get them.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

I ain't gonna front. I can't cook for shit.

SPEAKER_00 6:11

Right, right, right, right. I got you. A little tip here and there. I got you.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

But I've been basic. You know what I mean? And I always been into I'm a foodie.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

Right.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

And it's funny, I'm always down to yo, if someone is cooking little, I gotta, I'm more of the, I want you to cook instead of them. I don't want the big dog to cook. I want, you know what I'm saying? Someone that's up and coming because I feel like at that age, in that time, you had nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

Hunger. Natural.

SPEAKER_01 6:38

That's the thing. It was, and I felt it in you.

unknown 6:40

Right.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

Because when you said it, you was like, ah. I felt like that back then was that time you was like, ah. But now we're gonna move up in age. Right. 20 now. The game is stepped up. What more in that time that you progressed on your cooking, have you added to your arsenal? Because now I'm quite sure the dishes is coming from all angles now. And plus, let's not forget your your upbringing, Barbados. Right. I believe that plays, did that play a big part in your cooking?

SPEAKER_00 7:12

It'll always play a big part. But you know, at that time frame, you know, the people that I was surrounded by weren't really into West Indian food like that. So, you know, it was very Americanized.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Was it did not to cut you off, did that bother you a little bit?

SPEAKER_00 7:27

No, not at all. Not at all.

unknown 7:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

The reality is in life, people are scared or judgmental of things they don't know. Exactly. Right. So, you know, uh I'm I'm thankful to my mom who's raised me to a degree where I understand, like, what listen, you can't take everything personal, right? So, you know, a lot of things that I would make would be something cognizant of what you would get at Red Lobster or oh, you know, uh, what is it, Olive Garden or something like that. That's that. But when we talk about as it progresses, you keep that West Indian style in there, that heat. You know, it's natural, it's necessary. Those flavors, the curry, the cumin, the margarine, the thyme, that those are the elements that I love to add to what I got going on.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

Now you adding that on your own type of terms. You just kind of you already know what to mix, what to blend to give it that. Right. Because I'm not a spicy eater. Right. So I'm a type of cat. I might say, was that spicy? Because if it's too spicy, I don't want it. Right. Oh no, you're good. So those that don't know your background and you're adding all these flavors, I'm quite sure everything just kind of was a marriage.

SPEAKER_00 8:31

It was definitely a marriage, a marriage made in heaven. For some people, you know, they don't really get it. They don't really understand. Like sometimes it's every everything is about balance.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Right? Say that again though, because I need my listeners to understand that.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Sometimes things are just about balance. You know, it's it's about the finesse of things. You know, you could put a little of this and a little of that, and you know, a little splash or whatever, but you have to make sure there's a balanced story that you're telling when it comes to food. You know, last night I made octopus, right? Clients were absolutely in love with the concept before even trying the food.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

Let me ask you this. Did they ask for the octopus?

SPEAKER_00 9:07

They asked for that.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

Right? And apparently, you know, you get there, the mom loves it, the grandmother loves it. I'm like, okay, great. So I gotta make sure that this is on point to the T. Make sure my spice level, my acidity is right. Put a little smoked spices, a little paprika on the potato, give it a little fry. It's the smallest things, and once you put everything together, silky, creamy, bite, that textural component. Like that's what my clientele looks for.

SPEAKER_01 9:34

And then your presentation was amazing because I watched that last night. And I'm an octopus fanatic. I could buy them bullshit ass koya cans. Forgive me, I'm done with the cans though, because of high blood pressure. But anyway. It ain't good for you. At all. Yeah. But the thing about it is I feel like you're not afraid to step outside your limit. There's no limit to your cooking.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

Why should you limit yourself?

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Well, I'm gonna be I'm gonna say that because a lot of people put that ceiling on themselves. Right. I only want to get here because I'm cool here and I'm only comfortable here. I felt like when I watched you last night preparing that and putting that together, the way you did it was like a maestro. Everything was like you just orchestrating the whole shit, and you were so comfortable with it.

unknown 10:16

Right.

SPEAKER_01 10:16

And that made me admire you even more because I didn't see that sense of I don't know. I saw that, I got this. Let me add my let me let me do my shit. Let me talk my shit without talking.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

That's just me in general, you know. Um, like I said, balance. You know, you should tell a story. It it should be a symphony, you know, because uh when you prepare yourself, so for chefs, we call our music, our mess in place. So we love to have everything situated. Yes. If you're situated, you can move in a in a such, you know, like the symphony is your throat. It's like just and then you know you got your your side, your assistant chef coming behind, like, all right, let me do this, let me do this, let me get the paper so we can wipe and make sure there's no grease and no lingering fingerprints, so on and so forth. That's that's my style.

SPEAKER_01 11:04

So let me ask you this what age when you said Renee, this is your call. What was the age? Like that moment, that time.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

I think I think that time really came. I had to be, I don't know, 26. Right? That's starting late in the game for a lot of people. You've been rocking since you were 16, chip. Yeah, but you know, that's that's when you do things for play. You're just trying to figure things out. You know, growing up, West Indian background, they don't think cooking is the way to go. They don't think art is the way to go. I love art. If anyone's seen any of my paintings, that's you know, it's me.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

You're an artist.

SPEAKER_00 11:39

I'm an artist.

SPEAKER_01 11:40

But I believe that comes with also being a chef.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

Oh, most definitely. The plate is my canvas. Exactly. And but my mom, she was like, you need to get a real job, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You know, I was I was well on my way to a scholarship, completely shut it down. Hurt my feelings. I cried about it in my room and then scholarship to weirdo.

SPEAKER_01 11:56

Let's talk about that for a quick second.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Come on, you gotta go to Rhode Island for the best of the best of the best.

SPEAKER_01 12:00

I went to the university in Rhode Island, he played football there. Shout out to Nate Kwan, he played quarterback. I mean, he played, he played uh um cornerback for Rhode Island University three years.

SPEAKER_00 12:09

Dude, that's where I wanted to be. I wanted to go to Johnson Wells. I also wanted to end up, you know. Listen, parents shut things down fast. You don't know how to maneuver because you need them at the end of the day. You're 17 years old, they people notice something about you, but you need your parents because your parents got to sign off on this, they gotta approve this. And when they shut down, it's like, all right, cool. Well, I guess I'm going to fucking college then, you know, it is what it is.

SPEAKER_01 12:33

Your lips poked out mad. Yeah. Not home, but not really hungry though, because that's not your passion.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

But see, now peep this though. Even though I followed what my mom told me to do, look at that, I learned business law. Strong business acumen went to school for business. So at the end of the day, if you really want to be in a culinary game, food is one thing.

SPEAKER_01 12:53

The business.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

The business is the next thing. Because now look at this. If you somebody fresh and starting out and you don't know anything about how things are supposed to, how it's supposed to be, the pricing, things like that. So the pandemic came, you sell yourself short. You don't know anything. You don't know how to bounce back, you don't know how to change or alter prices, things like that. So I figure while one thing didn't work out because it's a natural talent for me, I went to school for the right thing to help position me for where I am today. Because if I wasn't good in business, I wouldn't be able to achieve the greatness that you are today. Right. So I still gotta thank my mom regardless.

SPEAKER_01 13:28

Well, shout out to mom dukes for just the just being the mother to being the mother that she is. Right. You know what I'm saying? Because at the end of the day, sometimes we get caught up. I know me growing up, my father had his own business. Right. And I was that, I'm gonna keep it real, I was that ignorant motherfucker, like, nah, I don't want to do this. Right. I look back on it now, like, damn, maybe I should have gone in a little bit harder with Pops Duke. But believe it or not, I bumped into a lot of situations where just working with my pops as a kid was able to allow me to navigate through certain situations and be able to talk to people. Right. That changed the game. So it was all a blessing. Now you're 26. You didn't went to you then went to the got the business out, you got the business, you got the education. Chef Renee Mine is out of 26. In bed, you still in bed style?

SPEAKER_00 14:15

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, I'm not in bed. I had my own apartment, you know. And uh, you know, when I say the girls were uh a true, true, true influence on what I cooked and how I cooked. Because, you know, you get a date, they come over, you know. Let me cook the little sun sun.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

This is like an outfit. Let me put this on your swag.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

Right, you know, so I had this thing. I used to make this uh this strawberry salad with like pan seared salmon, right?

SPEAKER_01 14:37

You trying to sermon.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

I was I was niggas, you ended up getting any games tonight is the night.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

We're gonna rock out. I'm gonna serenate you with this food.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

But that's that's how I was moving, you know, and and it was working to the point where the last two girls at that apartment, right? Right, let's be clear. At that apartment, no issue, right? No smoke. Um, they were like, You've got something really good.

SPEAKER_01 15:01

And that was when you she was 26. Let's be clear. We don't want no smoke.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

Right. You know, you've got something good and you know what you're doing. Why don't you start taking pictures of your food? Uh-oh.

SPEAKER_01 15:13

Nah, it's no business, we rocking.

SPEAKER_00 15:16

But um I I I took that um information that they gave me and I took heed to it and you know, started taking pictures. You know, I look back on those pictures because Facebook loves to remind you of your bad times. I look at those plates today, I'm like, damn, I was making some bullshit. But practice makes perfect. So every time I try this and try that and try this and try that, if you look at my plate comparison from then to now, I applied myself. And I've only worked in three restaurants ever. Wow. Three restaurants and all for a short stint of time. You know, my first job, you know, I was there for like six months. I was a prep cook, line cook, you know, but I quit on that job because I don't like people talking shit to me. I don't.

SPEAKER_01 15:56

I heard it's very aggressive. It can be aggressive in that kitchen now, dude.

SPEAKER_00 15:59

I've cried. I've cried in the walk-in. So what you hear and see on social media how uh how things are is is real.

SPEAKER_01 16:07

Yo, I'm gonna keep it real. Um, my wife works in the kitchen.

SPEAKER_00 16:11

Right.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

She's not the chef, let's be clear. Okay, she, you know. But she had come on with moments with I'm sick of this shit. I'm like, yo, my nigga, you not even you don't even cook in the house. Listen, look, look. But I get it, you know what I mean? You know what I'm saying? Shout out to you, babe. No disrespect. Hey, babe. You know, you know what I mean? But I that's why I asked you that because she was like, you just don't understand people on your back, you're talking to you crazy. It's like I'm I'm out in this. He's she said to me, it felt like I'm out in the streets.

SPEAKER_00 16:39

It can be like that sometimes. It can be so so for me, you got to look at it like this. There are women in the industry who know what they're doing, right? But they don't get the credit for it. Well, you know, this is a man's a man's world. If you ain't got a dick slinging, you know, people don't look at you. You know, at the end of the day, there's a lot of people who are very talented that are often overlooked. Whether you're black and you're working at some fancy shit, right? Whether you're gay and you're working some up, like this is this is a culture where it's predominantly men and men stick together. Men operate in their own little symphony sometimes. And sometimes they recognize women for the talent that they can bring to the table. But I recognized that I wasn't getting the talent recognition. But you should get. And I felt like I needed to create my own lane. So I started doing my own dinner parties because it was like, damn, you know, why are other chefs getting called for stuff, but not me. You know what? I'm gonna do a dinner party. It's gonna be five courses with hors d'oeuvres, with cocktails, and it's gonna be in the Hamptons. Now I'm creating a lane where it's like you have to be in.

SPEAKER_01 17:46

But you gotta fuck y'all.

SPEAKER_00 17:48

You gotta move that way. Because if somebody not looking to you or you being overlooked, as a natural, whether it's a work-related situation, friendship, or whatever, you do feel like fuck you. Exactly. You do feel like that. So in me creating my own lane, there's no energy for me to give you a fuck you. This is my lane. The lane is fuck you without me telling you fuck you.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

Because my actions speak loud in my words.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Here we go. So it's just like my first event on my own, 50 people. My own curation, my own thing. I needed to create that space.

SPEAKER_01 18:18

In the Hamptons.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

In the Hamptons. So now I'm one of the most requested chefs in the Hamptons. I can literally tell you the amount of houses that I've been in East Hampton, West Hamptons, Southampton, Montauk, you name it, even all the way down to Quahog, to the point where people are referring me. Please. People are referring me for all different kinds of gigs, all different kinds of situations, whether it be your wedding, baby shower, just a dinner, bachelorette party, whatever. You just need me for three days, you need me for a week, you need me for the month out there.

SPEAKER_01 18:50

Let's work.

SPEAKER_00 18:51

Let's work. Because I'm getting more money on the other side.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

You'd be on the inside.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

Right.

SPEAKER_01 18:59

And, you know, part of the a lot of people not to cut you off, want to keep you inside because they know your talent and they know your worth.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

But that's okay. You can try, you can attempt it.

SPEAKER_01 19:07

But I tries to fail. That's right. Fail. Tries and fail.

SPEAKER_00 19:12

You know how kids color outside of the box? And they don't even intend to do it.

SPEAKER_01 19:16

They just the natural.

SPEAKER_00 19:18

Right. That's that's just my natural nature. I'm gonna color outside of the box. But now I realize that I'm doing it purposefully. Right? Because I don't want to be just a mundane chef. I don't want to be the mac and cheese chef. And this is not to go against anybody just doing, you know, something like that. I want to step it up. Right. Right? So for me, it's I'm just the ace of spade.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

I'm the deuce, I'm the I'm the I'm the joker, I'm everything.

SPEAKER_00 19:41

Listen, you you have to intentionally say where you want to be, right? Steve Harvey talked about it a lot. You you want to Benz, go to the fucking dealership, go sit in it, feel it, experience it, like it, pick out what color you like. Now work to achieve it.

SPEAKER_01 19:54

And manifest it.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

And manifest it.

SPEAKER_01 19:56

Yo, my pops told me that 20 years ago. And I told Rob this a couple of days ago. Shout out to my man behind the camera, low. Right. I said, yo, I went to the Wraith dealership and just went over and prayed over the Wraith. 12 o'clock at night. I just went back there. I said, yo, thank you, Father, for that wraith.

SPEAKER_00 20:12

You know, part of my motivation is my clientele base, right? So you pull up to a nice house. Let's talk about that, right? And I mean, these are houses where it's like, damn, you know, this is not, you know, Bedford in Brooklyn, where you're driving all the way up Maple Street, whatever. You see these nice big houses. No, no, no, no, no, no. You go to Creskill, you go to Montclair, you go to Southampton, whatever, full glass houses, things that are cascading, you see the sunset and over the water and all this other stuff. You pull up, they have a Wraith, they have an S class, there's a G-Wagon, there's a GT. Pick a GT, any kind of GT, whether it's the Nissan GT, the Mercedes GT, the the the people. People want to go to the store. Pick one, right? How could you not want that for yourself? You just gonna show up, you're just gonna show up. I'm here to cook, y'all. Y'all gonna like this shit. How you not want to absorb that energy?

SPEAKER_01 21:03

You know why? Some people are weak and feel like they did they did just enough because they in the building, see, and that's why I love the love you to death because I'm not in the fucking building, I own the building.

SPEAKER_00 21:18

See? So when you talk about wanting to absorb and feel and and generate that type of stuff, you gotta put it like this. Let's just say we're having a conversation. Every day I come to you with some drama, some bullshit, right? You're gonna naturally absorb that type of energy, right? Now, when I'm around somebody who's positive, really like, yo, you know, hey, take your shoes off at the door, but you know, vibe out who, you know, let's let's be comfortable. Let's relax, right? I've developed a space and it's part of my personality. Again, food is one thing, personality is another. So when it comes to my clientele, and they're sitting here and they're talking about listen, chef, come hang out with us. One of my clients just invited me to his birthday party, right? Turning 30. That energy wouldn't. Be there if I didn't have the energy when I came into his house where it's warm, I'm taking care of you.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

But energy attracts energy, and people don't realize.

SPEAKER_00 22:08

Exactly. So, yeah, you got the nice house. Yeah, you got the GT. You know, I might not be able to afford that GT right now. Right now, at this moment, I'm gonna get, I'm gonna get to where I need to get to.

SPEAKER_01 22:20

The cop to be able to cop the G. I mean I want the GT, but I can be able to cop it in case I do want it. Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

You know, and and my goal in life is always to be able to say, you know, my mom says, don't put your hat where your hand can't reach. So I'm never gonna be that person to go and get, you know, something I can't afford, something, you know, but I'm gonna reward myself from time to time. And that's okay.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

Our problem as our culture, we get a little crazy when we see a couple of dollars.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Listen.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

And I learned that from my father.

SPEAKER_00 22:48

Right.

SPEAKER_01 22:48

My father used to tell me this. He says, son, and my father had a cleaning company. And I used to go to these people's houses in Alpine, Crestkill. So I already know what you're talking about. We go in these houses, and I'm and I laugh because I'm chasing Jordans. And I go in this kid's room. This kid got beat up Didas, beat up Nikes. He shivered like he was homeless for decades. Right. My dad said, See, our problem is we want the now. He said, I want the forever. So and that stuck with me. Like, I want forever. I want it now. Because now, now it's here and there. These dunks then came out in 87. Right. And they're gonna repeat, and they're gonna repeat. And they back again. Everybody's jumping on. I'm like, yo, come on, Patrick, you had them on using Georgetown.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

So this is this is something that I tell a lot of people. You can't think about right now, you can't think about today. So someone was telling me before, yo, chef, you know, I'm really just trying to take care of myself. You know, I got things to do, whatever, blah, blah, blah. Right? I just want to be able to at least until September take care of whatever I need to take care of. At the end of the day, I said, no. What you want to do is be able to take care of yourself in a capacity that you're not saying I'm setting a timeline. You program that mentality, you program your mind to say, I'm taking care of what I need to take care of. Because when September does come, you don't want to sing the same song rolling into fucking December, right? You don't want to sing the same song. You want to set yourself up for success in such a way that it's like, you know what? I'm good. I'm good. You may not be where you want to be, but you still covered your basis.

SPEAKER_01 24:21

That's and that's dope. Now let's talk about the bases because you got some things in the making that's you know, that you chefing up as always. You know what I'm saying? We're not gonna get into the details of it, but congratulations on that. Thank you so much. Thank you. You know what I'm saying? Um let's talk about those that don't know your clientele. Just drop, you know, if you don't want to drop them names, it's cool, but you done did some things for ball NFL, NBA, yeah, CEO, CEOs. I don't know about baseball.

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Now I did get I did have a baseball player, right?

SPEAKER_01 24:55

Okay, major league.

SPEAKER_00 24:56

Yeah, you know, for me, my clientele base is strong. You know, I've I've had, you know, some big Hollywood stars that you know a lot of people know from like Batman and all that stuff. You know, I've I've had the good NFL players who finally got that Super Bowl ring that he wanted, you know what I mean? Shout out, you know, I'm I'm just so so thankful and so grateful because these people have actually made a space for me. You know, like think about it. No one had to follow me around while looking at Odell, you know, but he chose to call my name, he chose to mention me.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

Shout out to Odell for Blessing.

SPEAKER_00 25:28

You know, that's that's a commercial in a commercial that's an ongoing commercial, exactly, right? And I'm so thankful and so grateful. I think for me, sometimes, you know, that humble pie, I think I eat that pie a little too much. And there's moments where I could be a little bit more open and a little bit more thankful to the universe by by talking about these types of things. But for me, I'm just like, uh yeah, you know, they put their pants on the same way I put my pants on for these people, you know what I'm saying? They regular just like me. And I think that because I operate that way, is why they keep me so close.

SPEAKER_01 25:58

Exactly. You're not sitting there with your tongue out, like, holy shit.

SPEAKER_00 26:01

And and you gotta think about for them, there's a lot of people who are who are doing that to them.

SPEAKER_01 26:05

Exactly. And that come and go right and just I'm here to stay to stay.

SPEAKER_00 26:11

I'm one of those people, if even if I don't cook for you anymore, I'm here to stay. I'm gonna check in. Hey, what's going on? How's everything? I love when my clients check on me. Like clients FaceTime me for my birthday. I was like, you remember my birthday? Of course, you know, but you don't think that that is coming to you. You don't think that that's coming to you. But I'm so thankful and so grateful for all the doors, all the recommendations, because without them, you know, maybe I'd be someplace completely different. Maybe I would be in the same place that I am right now. But I'm still grateful.

SPEAKER_01 26:39

And the trials and tribulations, also, you being a young black female in the game, you know what I'm saying, and not selling your soul, not being no sucker, not being a doo boy.

SPEAKER_00 26:49

Right.

SPEAKER_01 26:50

Really staying true to who you are.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

I mean, but that's part of that Brooklyn thing. You know, when people used to say, Oh, you're a doja.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

I feel I feel like that's not a Brooklyn thing. That's a Barbados thing. I feel like that's your culture.

SPEAKER_00 26:59

Look, Mama.

SPEAKER_01 27:00

Y'all very strong, Will.

SPEAKER_00 27:01

Listen, I'm not a follower, I'm a leader. I I refuse to be a follower. Now I'm gonna follow you to that lotto ticket if we got that $200 billion coming from me. Hey, you need a chef, but let's go.

SPEAKER_01 27:11

Let's get Chef Renee in the building. Let's go.

SPEAKER_00 27:13

I I am a true leader, you know, and I love the people around me, and I encourage them. Like, yo, y'all are not my followers. I want y'all to understand. Like, I told them I went in and bought a bottle of Klaus Azul, right? I buy cheat tequila sometimes for myself. You know, I'll buy like a salsa, you know, maybe a maybe an 1800, you know, something in something in the 40s. She said cheap.

SPEAKER_01 27:32

A lot of y'all might be coping at and think y'all playing. She just said cheat with it. So let's be clear.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

But anyway. But you know, I had this one client, his name's Jesse. And every time I came to his house, he has Klaus Azul for me specifically. Chef, I'm waiting for you, right? Before we even start cooking. And I'm just like, yo, you know, I gotta cook before like if I'm fucked up, I can't do what I need to do. But he believes you. He believes in me. And he said, This is for you. So one day I decided to finally buy it. Now I've been buying it, right? And I told everyone, I was like, Look, you may think that this is something big, but it's not. It's something small because there's something even more expensive out there that we don't know about. But I want you to understand that this bottle right here, this is my bottle, by the way. You know, this is my bottle. Uh, you can afford this and you can have this. I said, everything that we see, every place that we're at, you can get this. You can work for it. The same way how I'm working for it. Nothing is unattainable. We just gotta push and we gotta connect with the right people and be focused. And the more that people in general, and I'm gonna be honest with you, black people, because we hold ourselves down, the more that they really say a testament to themselves self, I'm worthy, self, I'm capable. Those are the stepping stones. Knowing that you're capable every day. I have to tell myself that. And it is a struggle for me to believe those words on most days. It really is a struggle because I sometimes can't believe that I've gotten to the point that I'm at. When I left the hospital, five and a half years working there, I just wanted to work in kitchens. I never knew I'd be exposed to beautiful homes and you know, private jets and shit. Like you don't think you're gonna be on a private jet growing up in bed style.

SPEAKER_01 29:10

Or growing up in Barbados.

SPEAKER_00 29:11

Or growing up in Barbados.

SPEAKER_01 29:13

Let's be let's be clear right now. Right, your story is a testimony because it ain't where you're from, it's also where you're at. But your essence of adolescence got you to where you're at today because of that greatness, grandma, right, mom deuce, right, little brother, yeah, plain snop my my guinea pig, you know what I mean? I mean, shout out to him, you know what I mean. I'm mad I wasn't Lil' Bro, because big sis couldn't cook a dime. Shout out to Shali that lady to death, but damn you couldn't cook. But um, but you know, it yo, we here, yeah, and the opportunities, people sometimes kill themselves by not allowing themselves to have an opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 29:49

But see, sometimes people kill themselves by taking the wrong opportunities.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Let's talk about it because all money ain't good money either.

SPEAKER_00 29:56

Listen, that quote you just said, literally something that I said on Instagram, and I say it all the time. All money is not good money. So the other day I posted, I said, I see myself signing on with one client this fall, and it's for the worthiest, not the highest bidder.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

Not the highest bidder.

SPEAKER_00 30:12

So people are gonna throw money at you. It happens. Whether it be a doctor or an athlete, they're gonna throw money at you because they have it. It's the disposable income. However, me working for you or you doesn't necessarily mean that I'm supposed to do it. Because you have a family doesn't mean that that family's a good fit. Because you could be a player and you know you've got the money to just shoot it out, doesn't mean that that's a good fit. Because guess what? No matter what, I could work with a player, he might have a bad camp. His mom might be an asshole, whatever. You paid me the most, it may not be the best situation for me.

SPEAKER_01 30:44

But it was a horrible situation, right?

SPEAKER_00 30:46

Mentally, right? I don't get to be creative, whatever.

SPEAKER_01 30:49

I'm being told to do I'm being stood over, I'm being treated like a stepchild. Oh money ain't good money. Right.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

You know, you could go work with a doctor, you could go work with any regular family. That doesn't mean that because it's family, that it's gonna be a wholesome, warm, welcoming situation.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

It might be a taxes family, which a lot of it is sometimes, but we ain't gonna get into that.

SPEAKER_00 31:08

Right? So so for me, it's always about who the worthiest person is. You know, you could be a one guy. You know what? I like you.

SPEAKER_01 31:17

So you deal with the spiritual way.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

Yeah. Listen, I pray. I pray. I got my yeah, look, I got my elephant on me right here, right? That's signs of protection, number one. But I got this tattoo because not to ramble on, but I got this tattoo as a sign of yo, you are capable. You're the shit. Elephants are often overlooked and unrecognized, but they're the most beautiful animal that they are.

SPEAKER_01 31:40

Such as yourself. Appreciate you. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 31:43

And I got the number seven, right? Come on. The sign of completion. I'm where I'm supposed to be.

SPEAKER_01 31:50

Yo, I thought I was the only person that really understood that.

SPEAKER_00 31:52

Right.

SPEAKER_01 31:53

Because I was having a conversation with another individual. He's like, We took them. I said, yo, don't worry about it. This blow the reefer. Right. I'm over your head, I'm past you, and you're gonna think I'm bugging because we smoker.

unknown 32:01

Right.

SPEAKER_01 32:01

But he was like, yo, seven. I said, don't worry about it. And you and I said that to him. I said, Y'all complete on who I am. Right. And I tell my team that. I told Mike Boogie that the other day, I said, Yo, I want to be the complete package. Right. Healthy, wealthy, positive, and great.

unknown 32:15

Right.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

Complete. Some niggas got money, but they dying. Yeah, yep. Niggas dead. Niggas about to croak any day, can't enjoy the success. You know what I'm saying? Now, where we going in the next five years? Where's Chef Renee at? All right, we're gonna have Chef Renee Billboard with her open. I need to listen, when the rest of my opens, I need to be in the building.

SPEAKER_00 32:36

Listen, Hollywood smile everywhere. Right? All day. Gotta gotta have that. Gotta have that. But um honestly, I would love to open up a beautiful dining space where people can come and enjoy good food without the pretentious you're being declined feeling that we've experienced time and time again from certain restaurants, right? But I want that people can come and try good food, have a great experience, but it's something that is you gotta you gotta be a member to get in here.

SPEAKER_01 33:06

Right?

SPEAKER_00 33:08

Right. So, you know, a lot of my clients are elite, and I tell them sometimes when they get out of line, like, yo, I'm just as elite as you. You bet chill, Bucco. You know what I mean? And that's just how it's gotta be. This is elite, and I want people to come get dressed up, vibe up, whatever.

SPEAKER_01 33:23

Get fresh, get fresh, bring out your partner, come have a good time, enjoy this great food I'm giving you. Right, and it's and it's and it's great energy. Because I will say this you can have good food and bad energy, the whole abiance is fucked.

SPEAKER_00 33:37

Listen, food is listen, let me tell you something. Honestly, being in the profession that I'm at, will end food is 35%, the other 65% is personality. If you're lacking, you can forget it. They don't want you, they won't use you again. My thing is get the client, keep the client. And that's that.

SPEAKER_01 33:56

And that's how it should be. Right. Let's talk about a few things that you accomplished, man. You've been on Food Network, Bravo. If I'm missing some things, please let the crowd know. Don't get off your humble shit, talking shit.

SPEAKER_00 34:09

There's some things.

SPEAKER_01 34:10

There's some things that's some things on top of some things on top of some things.

SPEAKER_00 34:14

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:15

As a black woman, yeah. In the society that we live in. How does that accomplishment feel for you being a young lady from Barbados? Sit back and say, Yo, look. Moms worked hard, grandma worked hard, little bro doing he do. You navigated yourself, being yourself, not being a sucker to the game. You know what I mean? That moment you laid in that bed and looked up at that wall. What was that moment like for you? Because I'm quite sure you had those moments. Let's fuck the humble pie right now. Give out the humble pie. It had to be, bitch, excuse my language, I made it.

SPEAKER_00 34:58

Um, I'll be honest with you. So it didn't happen while I was laying in bed, right? Okay, it didn't happen when I was laying in bed, but it happened when I was in the bathroom. Don't worry, I wasn't doing anything in one place. Amen. Right? But it was in the bathroom, and I literally was like, yes, yes, right. Because that energy, I felt it. It was something that I asked for. And it was just like, yeah, you know what? I'm thankful. I'm grateful. And most people think that I'm that person that always keeps cool composure, and I usually do, as you should, right? But I have those moments where either A, I go ape shit unnecessarily sprout spiraling.

SPEAKER_01 35:32

I might just do this one time, like this, let's flex on these motherfuckers.

SPEAKER_00 35:35

Right, you know, a little bit. Welcome to the gun show, y'all. I don't know if y'all are catching that right there. Right. But in the building. But you know, I'm I'm thankful and grateful. My humbleness has got me really far.

SPEAKER_01 35:44

As it should.

SPEAKER_00 35:45

But at the same token, I've learned from one client in particular, sometimes you gotta show out because they're looking for you to be quiet about everything, and you're taking this shit too lightly. And with that being said, that's just how I move right now. It's just like sometimes you gotta speak up and do a little quick flex when necessary. But I feel like at this point, it's like you should know who I am.

SPEAKER_01 36:08

Did you ever want to give up?

SPEAKER_00 36:09

Oh, all the time.

SPEAKER_01 36:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 36:11

Even current day. I'm just like, I don't want to do this chef shit. I don't want to fucking lug shit to somebody's house and whatever. You know, sometimes it's it's a lot. When you open a restaurant, listen, God willing, I know God willing.

SPEAKER_01 36:25

When?

SPEAKER_00 36:25

When? When I feel like this is gonna happen for me in the next three years, realistically.

SPEAKER_01 36:33

You franchise, or we just gonna keep it one location.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

One location, maybe two. And if I do open anything the first time.

SPEAKER_01 36:39

You gotta open up in New York.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

New York is. If you gotta fly to Tulum, let's go. So when we talk about the spirituality, where I'm at, how how I move, how I maneuver, you know, I'm all about the crystals of Palo Santo, you know, making sure my energy is right, making sure the people around me are right. But Tulum is where I really learned to experience different types of foods in one place. And you gotta remember, everybody that's flying to Tulum, everybody you see in New York, just came from Tulum. What they're seeing now is a saturated version of what I experienced eight years ago. You understand? And from since then, I'm like, damn, you know, it'd be crazy. Like people just building up, and you watch the developments go up and up and up and up. I'm just like, that would be a place for me to really start because I know if my clients who are world travelers can tell me something as simple as your tuna tartare is way better than anything I ever had before. Would you just say, Your what? My tuna tartare. So I make this nice spiced, sexy tuna tartare. You know, we got like the chipotle and it got the wasabi, and it got like all those little touches. The guacamole is fresh. I mean, you're not stuffing it and filling it with no tomato, no unnecessary stuff in there. This straight to the point: the cilantro, the red onion, the fresh lime juice, the kosher salt going in there. It is literally authentic into the tea, right? We got nice root trip root chips that are fried up. You get mmm, bite into it. There's a little bit of wasabi row on there. Those are the types of things that my clients are, your shit is good. If these are people who travel, people who I've known travelers, right? Let's put the word travelers who used to frequent Talon. Let's just talk about it because again, it's saturated right now. Right. If they can tell me that my shit's good, if they're telling me my shit's good, and I stand behind it, you can put one of the world's best chefs against me when it comes to my tuna tartare. I can guarantee you I will whoop them ten times over.

SPEAKER_01 38:45

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 38:45

That's how legit I feel about it. I've I've tried Hawaiian braid short ribs everywhere, or braid short ribs everywhere. Yo shit will never touch my shit. Send one of my peers to me. I can guarantee you with just those two items, they're gonna have to have a seat. They have no choice.

SPEAKER_01 39:04

Yo, the shit and the level of intensity that you're bringing to the game, people really need to understand that. But you being a chef, I gotta ask you this. You can't take you to no restaurants. I mean, how do we please the chef when it's time to go out and diddy bop? Well, you can take me to a couple places, right? Let's name a few spots that you can fuck with.

SPEAKER_00 39:26

All right, so top three all day. So I love catch.

SPEAKER_01 39:32

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 39:32

I love it. It's one of my favorite places, right? Then there's a spot in Barbados.

SPEAKER_01 39:37

Catch is where for those that don't know, because we got some viewers may not know. So let's view it.

SPEAKER_00 39:41

Catch is in New York, it's in LA. Uh, I know they're supposed to be opening up something in Miami. They've got one in Vegas. Uh, that's one of my favorite places, right? But then we've got a place called the Tides in Barbados. This is one of those top-tier five-star situations. If you've never been, you need to go. Beautiful water. Bright bright sand, bright sand, the whole nine. Right. The tides, right? But then one of my favorite places, and it's a legit hole in the wall in Brooklyn. It's called Coco Roco. Right? Now, I know at one point, you know, pandemic probably shut things down, whatever. But that's one of my places, Peruvian-style chicken, right? You get the rice or mashed potatoes, whatever you into, whatever. It's your mouth.

SPEAKER_01 40:22

My wife put me on that spot too. I ain't gonna find she put me on. I fell in love.

SPEAKER_00 40:25

Those those three right there, I'm a happy camper all day, every day. Those three. I ain't gonna call no 11 Madison Pog. I'm not gonna call no, I've had that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 40:35

I didn't, I yo, I'm gonna be honest, I didn't think you really even fuck with that shit. Cause I feel like that shit was like you kind of looked at it and said, I'm good.

SPEAKER_00 40:41

Listen, you gotta try everything. You gotta try a little everything because then you either develop an idea of what you like and what you don't like.

SPEAKER_01 40:46

But our skin color doesn't allow us to try everything because we so ignorant and stuck in your hold, you wanna go to Houston's.

SPEAKER_00 40:52

See, so I'm gonna I'm gonna do you one better. The mentality of the skin color that's that color thing is what stops us from what we need to be doing and what we need to be trying.

SPEAKER_01 41:01

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 41:01

Now, if you really want me to go off and spiral, we could talk about that right there. Like, black people, let's go. We get in our own fucking way about so many things. We do deserve too. Too many things, too many things. We do deserve a shot, please. I ain't got nothing to shot. Somebody pass me a shot.

SPEAKER_01 41:18

Somebody is just passing.

SPEAKER_00 41:22

You know, but we get in our own way about the simplest things. We do deserve nice things. You know what? You do deserve to live in this nice building. They're gonna look at you, but you deserve it. You do deserve the BMW, they're gonna look at you, but you deserve it. You do deserve to be an executive or a CEO, but they're gonna look at you, but you deserve it. And you gotta start with yourself. Look in the mirror. Everybody, just look in the mirror. Self, tell a camp, self, self, I deserve this greatness, I deserve this niceness. And be honest with you, a lot of my friends, they tell me, yo, you got come on, son. Like, come on, you you deserve this. And there's moments where you beat yourself up and you say you don't deserve something, right? Apply yourself. How do you expect to make 120k per year if you don't apply yourself? You know what I mean? You you gotta really apply yourself. Some people cool with 50k a year and a couple of pairs of two picks. That's okay. That's okay. You could do that.

SPEAKER_01 42:14

But I'm gonna be honest, and I'm gonna say this. Tupac told us a long time ago, and I'll never forget this quote. Niggas sell they soul for material riches, fast cars, and bitches. I live my life alleged, more lies than pictures. Right. People don't understand what he really was saying. A lot of this shit is just hot bullshit. It be like that. Because after the lights cut off and this camera comes off, we got life. Right. I got life, I got built. So you're doing all this top slick shit in front of everybody, but in reality, you're struggling. And I had to tell somebody, yo, I'm not with the slick talking in front of the camera and struggling behind the camera.

unknown 42:52

Right.

SPEAKER_00 42:52

You lose it. See, but uh people love to talk that talk. You know what I mean? And that's the reality of it. Some people fake the funk and they hurt themselves more so doing that that way versus really standing up for themselves. I have no problem telling someone no. It took me some time to learn to say no. But there are moments where you say, you know what, you're not gonna okey dokly.

SPEAKER_01 43:13

Right. I'm more intelligent. Quite sure you went through that.

SPEAKER_00 43:16

Yeah. And I still go through it sometimes where you gotta fight the fight, you know what I mean? But I believe that I'm worthy of a certain amount of money, and I believe that I'm worthy of a certain type of client. And I believe that my clientele are worthy of my services. You know, I got one guy right now who's really cool, cool dude, right? And he's like, Chef, tell me what the price is. I'll take care of it. He's not nickel and diamond checking for this or that. He knows I'm gonna take care of him and his friends, him and his family, whenever he does something. That's what I'm looking for. Raporis everything, right? It's all relationship. Everyone wants a good relationship. No one wants a toxic relationship, no one wants a relationship where they feel like they owe somebody something.

SPEAKER_01 43:58

Facts. Necessary losing impossible and last but not least greatness you heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen. You heard it here first. I'm with the world renowned chef Renee. And I'm gonna be honest, I did a lot of interviews. This interview gave me the chills, and I appreciate your greatness. You inspired me today to just continue to just keep believing in what I believe in. And I thank you for the opportunity. And I thank you for my listeners that's gonna tune into this and realize that yo, you can do anything you want to do. Listen, she's a prime example of greatness. Barbados, Texas, Beth Stevenson, LGB community, Top Gate, Top. I'm in I'm in her location, the Blue Wool. Let's be clear. This is not no wogie dope mixtape. I'm cooking for this, I'm cooking for that. This is official. It's a lot of other great things in the building that she's doing that we're not even gonna get into. But thank you for inspiring the culture. But before we get out of here, if you had anything to tell the community, the LGB community, LGBTQ plus, please.

SPEAKER_00 45:32

I gotta program you to say LGBTQ plus. Right. You know what I'm saying? Plus. They might pull up on you.

SPEAKER_01 45:39

And please, y'all welcome to the round table. So come on through and holler at me, email me, hit me on IG, let's work. What would you tell the people out there that don't have the energy or the spirituality or the confidence before we close this interview?

SPEAKER_00 45:56

What would you tell them today? Um, the one thing I want everyone to know about themselves is you're not gonna learn exactly who you are right away. It all takes time, and sometimes that develops itself years after you've begun certain parts of your life, right? But I want you to recognize that there's a space that you need to believe in you and what you want to do. If you decide that you're 52 years old and you want to start a new venture, start that new venture. But the one thing I'll always say is learn about what other people are doing. Don't be afraid to ask questions. I was very afraid to ask questions when I first started out. You know, I was ashamed because it's like I don't want somebody to know that I didn't know. But at the same token, I'm 26, 27, trying to figure out something that uh it was a game that I never even played before. Right. Did you ever hide who you were? Nah, never. Never.

SPEAKER_01 46:45

I I felt like that, but I had to ask because those that might be watching maybe still in the cut and debating because they feel like they may can't get ahead. I want you to know that she's authentic, bro.

SPEAKER_00 46:57

Authenticity is the is the deal breaker, and people are gonna know that when when you're being fake. So, rule number one is be you. People love you more so than whatever product you're pushing, whatever service you're pushing, people love you. So be you, know who you are to the best degree. But as you're growing and you're learning, don't be afraid to say you don't know something, and don't be afraid to be like, you know what? I need to apply myself a little bit harder. Apply pressure on yourself sometimes because that's what really helps you grow. That's that's all I got.

SPEAKER_01 47:26

Tell them where they can find you at.

SPEAKER_00 47:27

All right, so you can find me on Instagram, any social media platform, Chef Renee Blackman. That's C-A-E F R E N E E B L A C K M A N. You know, that's it. Smiles all day, people.

SPEAKER_01 47:40

No, get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_00 47:43

There we go.

SPEAKER_01 47:44

Thank you. My man Lowe said it first. Yo, you know what it is. It's the round table. I got Chef Renee, the greatest chef in the building. Remember what she represents. That one word she said was fire. Fire. And I gotta thank you once again for sitting down talking to your boy. And I thank you for inspiring the culture. And I thank you for what you have done for us. Thank you. For real. Like, this ain't no mixtape, clue for pre. Yo, I really appreciate what you've done. And keep going. That's the game. Don't stop. And yo, listen, man, your waves is looking crazy. I'm hating on your waves. I got the baldy, but I mean ready to book her so she come cook it. Right. You know what I'm saying? But on the real, y'all, we gotta understand today is special because we're in a different state of mind in this world, in life. And if you don't surround yourself around greatness, you ain't gonna never understand what it feels to be great. And honestly, man, I feel like I just energize myself even greater to be who I am because I'm with greatness sitting next to me. And the opportunity to have sitting next to you, kicking in with you, you didn't have to, but you did, and I admire you and I appreciate you for that. And remember, we at the round table, nothing is impossible. I don't care what you're doing, where you're going, put God first, walk by faith, not by sight. Eliminate the word trying because it tries to fail and just keep going. And don't stop. I don't care where you're at. You know what I'm saying? I don't care what age you at because this is a prime example of greatness. This is another country coming to the U.S. taking over. Shout out to Greatness right here. AKA this interview is going to be called Greatness with Chef Renee. It's the roundtable podcast. Appreciate your time. You know what it is. I'm out of it. It's your boy, the voice of the culture. I'm gone. Chef Renee, appreciate you, Queen. Stay blessed. Thank you.