Host Jaymee Sire sits down with Kardea Brown to talk about everything from her Gullah background to having a television crew move into her backyard in South Carolina. Kardea shares what it means to her to keep her Gullah traditions alive through food and the importance of sharing those flavors and recipes with others. She also talks about the power of persistence and her unconventional path to landing her own cooking show, Delicious Miss Brown. Finally, she shares what it was like to be a judge on the upcoming season of Spring Baking Championship and teaches Jaymee the art of “princess bites.”
On this week’s episode of Food Network Obsessed, host Jaymee Sire sits down with Kardea Brown to talk about everything from her Gullah background to having a television crew move into her backyard in South Carolina. Kardea shares what it means to her to keep her Gullah traditions alive through food and the importance of sharing those flavors and recipes with others. She also talks about the power of persistence and her unconventional path to landing her own cooking show, Delicious Miss Brown. Finally, she shares what it was like to be a judge on the upcoming season of Spring Baking Championship and teaches Jaymee the art of “princess bites.”
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Find episode transcript here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/kardea-brown-on-her-gullah-roots-how-an-ex-landed-her-a-cooking-show
[MUSIC PLAYING] JAYMEE SIRE: Hello, and happy Friday. Welcome to the Food Network Obsessed, the podcast where we dive into all things Food Network and have conversations with your favorite Food Network stars. My guest today is on a self-proclaimed mission to spread love through food and tell a unique story one dish at a time.
She is based in Charleston, South Carolina, and her specialty is whipping up comfort food. She is also the creator of the New Gullah Supper Club. And you probably know her as the host of Food Network's Delicious Miss Brown. She's also made appearances on Farmhouse Rules, Chopped Junior, and Beat Bobby Flay, just to name a few. She is the lovely, Kardea Brown.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JAYMEE SIRE: Kardea, so great to have you on the podcast. Thanks for joining us today. How are you doing?
KARDEA BROWN: I'm doing well. Excited to be here.
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, we are excited to have you. And I feel like we're going to have some fun today because I read that in high school, you were actually voted class clown and most likely to be heard in the hallway. So I'm curious, what superlative would you be voted on a Food Network set?
KARDEA BROWN: The same superlatives.
JAYMEE SIRE: The same.
KARDEA BROWN: You'll hear me and I am always doing something silly, funny. So yeah, the same superlatives, same me.
JAYMEE SIRE: All right. Well I love to hear that you're the same person that anybody knew back in high school and the same person we see on television. Because you do light up a screen. And love watching you on your Food Network show, Delicious Miss Brown. We're definitely going to be chatting about that a little bit later on. But I want to talk about your journey to television. Because it's a little unconventional.
And I know you grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, which I hear is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Unfortunately, I have not been there yet it's very high on my list. And I know it's very deeply rooted and influenced by the Gullah culture and people, which is very important to you. So for those who aren't familiar, what does it mean to you to be Gullah?
For me, it means, being of West African descent, we are the only group of African-Americans in the US to have held on very closely to our West African roots, the culture, the food, the language. So it means a lot to have that part of me and express that part of me through my food. So being a small percentage of Gullah people in the US, I mean, it means a lot. And it's the reason why I do what I do today.
JAYMEE SIRE: And can you just expand a little bit more about how that history really just influences almost everything we see you doing in the kitchen?
KARDEA BROWN: Yes. So growing up being Gullah, I really didn't know the significance of being of Gullah Geechee descent. It wasn't until I moved to New Jersey. And actually, a little bit before that when I was in college in Atlanta when I met someone from Sierra Leone. And this older woman, she had to be in her 80's. And she told me the significance of where I was from.
And she said, do you know that where I'm from and where you're from, we're connected. And I didn't-- like what do you mean? I'm from Charleston, South Carolina. You're from Sierra Leone. How? And she was like, no. Your ancestors are my people. Your family and your history and your ancestors are from Sierra Leone, from the West African coast.
Until she mentioned that, I really didn't know that. I knew that where I was from, we had a funny way of talking. I knew that it was just a little different. The things that we ate was just a little different than what my friends that were from other places in the US where we're from.
And so moving to New Jersey a little later on to pursue my graduate degree, I met more people that were just completely fascinated with me being of Gullah background. So I did more research and I started kind of delving into what it meant to be Gullah other than having this funny accent and eating red rice.
And so it's like OK, so what does it mean to be a Gullah Geechee decent? And how strong and what was the significance of having West African roots? And then after I did my research and I realized how, I mean, just amazing my ancestors were from the knowledge they had about growing the crop rice.
And that's actually why they were brought over to the US because they had this vast knowledge of cropping the grain rice. And just the things that they did, how they survived, how they made significant meals out of little to nothing, giving the scraps from their slave owners or whatever have you, and making beautiful meals out of that.
So knowing that and then cooking the way that I do today, it gives me my foundation of the reason why I cook and how I cook. So it makes sense. It ties everything together. This is why my grandmother cooked the way that she did and this is why I cook the way that I do. So yeah, hopefully, I answered your question.
JAYMEE SIRE: No, you did. You did. It's very fascinating to me as well. And it seems like that you've kind of taken all of those things that you just talked about and kind of wrap those into an event that you started called the New Gullah Supper Club, honoring these traditional meals that were passed down to you from your mother and your grandmother. So if somebody was to be a guest at one of these supper clubs, what would they expect?
KARDEA BROWN: A good time and good food.
JAYMEE SIRE: That's the most important thing. Good time and good food.
KARDEA BROWN: Good food. What's so fun about my supper club becomes because I didn't invent the supper club. Supper clubs have been around for years. And the reason I decided to do the supper club and the reason why I decided to do it Gullah style is because, of course, there's millions of supper clubs or thousands of supper clubs around. But you really can't taste Gullah food, unless you go to the low country.
And I thought because I love to travel and because I'm from this distinct and unique place, why not create a supper club that could put those things together and people wouldn't have to go to Charleston, South Carolina to necessarily try this type of food? Why not bring it to different homes across the US? Get a taste of Gullah and then also learn history.
So when I first started the Gullah Supper Club, the New Gullah Supper Club, and I call it the New Gullah Supper Club because it's my spin on my grandmother's recipes and my mother's recipes and my great grandmother's recipes. So when people come there, they're expecting to not only get good food, but the story, a history lesson. So it's those two things intertwined. It's good food and the history lesson.
JAYMEE SIRE: And you can hear in your voice just how proud you are of that history and being able to bring that to life in your own way. What does it mean to you being able to keep those traditions alive and kind of pass them on to the next generation?
KARDEA BROWN: It means a lot. Because if you watch different programs about Gullah people and the culture, you'll always hear that it's a dying culture. And I'm like, no, it's not. I'm the reason and there's other chefs and people in Charleston and beyond Charleston that are trying to keep this culture alive.
So yeah, I mean, for me, that's incredible to have this platform, and then to have this thing, the supper club to hold on to that history and not keep it in that same realm of it being a dying culture because it isn't. We're very much doing our part to keep it alive.
JAYMEE SIRE: I think that's so cool. And it is also a very big reason why you are doing what you're doing right now on Food Network. And it kind of came from an interesting place because you have a degree in psychology, a long career in social work before kind of making this career shift. So how did you go from social work to now, hosting a cooking show?
KARDEA BROWN: Until this day, I really am like, I look back and say, how in the world did I fall into this? And I get those questions all the time. I get DMs. I get emails about it. Like how in the world did you make this transition?
And it actually happened. I was dating a guy in New Jersey at the time. We're still friends. In 2014, my boyfriend recorded me just cooking in the kitchen and talking. We're joking, laughing like we always did. And a few weeks later, I got a call from a production company saying that they were very interested in having me on a pilot of a show. And I'm like, how did you get my information? Who are you? Is this a joke?
And they said, no, no, no. Your boyfriend sent us send a video of you chatting and hanging out in the kitchen and we think you would be perfect for this show. So long story short, they came and I was living in New Jersey at the time because I was going to grad school and working. And they came to New Jersey. They did a three day shoot.
And the show came out just that first episode of the show. And it didn't get picked up by the network, but the network saw something in me that they were like well, wow, who's this girl? And I'm like-- in the middle of the shoot, they're like we sent it back to the execs. They love you and they are just interested in kind of try to like get you on TV if you're interested.
And I'm like I have a cubicle at Big Brothers Big Sisters that I need to return to and I have clients that I need to work with. I don't know if I can do that. But I thought about it and I was like during this three day shoot, I never had so much fun in my life. Nothing felt right, except that.
Even working in social work, it was a very rewarding career. But anybody that works in social work or you know someone that works in social work, it is taxing. It is tiring. It's hard work, but someone's got to do it. And I was doing it. And I said, you know what, I don't know if I can continue to do this, but I really love the way I felt on set cooking and just having fun and being myself.
So fast forward, Food Network started to incubate me. Here and there, I will go on shows. And the producers that worked with me on that show decided to pitch me as a talent. And they kept pitching me. The network is like hey, we love you, but we think you need a little bit more time. You're still kind of green.
And I just kept working at it. And that's when I started the New Gullah Supper Club to get kind of hone in on my skills and cook a little bit more in travel and just do that. So anyway, it took about-- I got the first meeting with Food Network was in 2015. And I didn't get the green light for Delicious Miss Brown until late 2018-2019. So it took about four years.
JAYMEE SIRE: Oh, wow. Wow. I mean, I think that's a great story just to inspire others if you're kind of maybe thinking about doing a career change or you're frustrated that it's not happening as quickly as you would like. What kind of advice would you give to somebody that's kind of in that same situation?
KARDEA BROWN: I would say that if anything that is meant for you, it will happen. It may not happen exactly when you think it should happen, but it's going to happen when it should happen. And just to hold on. If you really love what you do, regardless of it's going to be on TV or radio or whatever you want to do, it's going to happen and you'll do it anyway.
So if the stars align and you want to have this show, it'll happen. Just hold on. I mean, I can't speak on persistence enough. You've got to keep knocking on those doors. One of those doors that has to open. And if it doesn't open, you create your own. So just keep doing it. Keep at it.
JAYMEE SIRE: And did you said a thank you note to your ex-boyfriend for getting all this started?
KARDEA BROWN: He still follows me on social media. And we still kind of talking. He's like I just can't believe it. I'm like, you know what, I do all of this to you. And he's like yeah, just remember that when you hit your first million.
JAYMEE SIRE: That's so great. Because I read this story about how you went from where you were to where you are now. And I always assumed that the video that he sent in, that you were kind of playing along with. But he just kind of filmed you and didn't tell you and just like submitted this all on his own?
KARDEA BROWN: All on his own. Because I mean, he always said that I had this personality that would be great for television. And I was so scared to do anything outside of my norm. I'm just the type of person that I don't like change, unless I'm pushed into it.
And so you know me, having fun like I really liked participating on social media. So me, thinking that this is going on Instagram, OK, cool. I've always been like going back to high school. I've always been that class clown, center of attention. I like having fun.
And so thinking about it, yeah. Going on social media, that's fine. But had I known that he was going to send it to a network or something, I would have probably freaked out and told him not to do it. Yeah.
JAYMEE SIRE: So it's a good thing that he just went with his gut and did it anyways. And it obviously paid off. Because as you mentioned it took a little bit longer than you would have liked, but here you are on Food Network with Delicious Miss Brown. And tell us a little bit about the show. How the idea for it came about? And why you love the concept so much?
KARDEA BROWN: So Delicious Miss Brown is just a glimpse into my life in the low country and my family and my friends and everything that makes up-- everything that's involved in Miss Brown on a day to day basis. We thought about-- the producers that I work with now, we've had a long relationship since 2015 or '14.
And we always knew from the beginning, if there was going to be a show for me, it would be my real life. Because it's interesting. Where I'm from, you can't duplicate or replicate the low country, the scenery, the backdrop, my family, my history. So it only made sense to do a show about my life and where I'm from and the people that are involved in my day to day life.
So it's fun. People have seen my crazy Aunt TC, who is just as loud and rambunctious, and my mom and my grandmother and my nieces and nephews. I have a really large family. I mean, my grandmother had 13 siblings.
JAYMEE SIRE: Wow.
KARDEA BROWN: Yes So yeah. I mean, it just only made sense to do a show that was centered around food and family and the life in the low country.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. And I love that it is something that features the low country cooking because I can't think of another show that really highlights it in the way that you do. And as you mentioned, you're able to bring your family and bring just you into this show and you kind of share it with the country.
You also reveal a lot of history behind some of these recipes. And we kind of touched on this earlier, talking about the supper club. But why is that important to you to not only share the recipes, but the history behind them?
KARDEA BROWN: Because I believe that American history, the fabric of American culture and food, especially Southern food, is directly related to Gullah people and the way that we cooked. I believe we introduced a lot of these things into American cuisine, not only your fried fun things like fried chicken and things like that, but those one pot dishes, the stews, the things that you find on restaurant menus today as like a delicacy. Like this is something that we've always cooked, like shrimp and grits.
That's the reason why it's on menus across America. And you're going to pay $20, $25 for this dish. And my grandmother made shrimp and grits with being literally under $10. I mean, a pound of shrimp in Charleston is like $2.99 or something like that.
JAYMEE SIRE: What?
KARDEA BROWN: Yes, insane. Big, large, right? So yeah, I mean, it's important to let people know because I think you don't understand really where you are today without looking back at the past and where you came from. So to me, It's only right to intertwine those things, your past with your present.
JAYMEE SIRE: I love that. And I love hearing behind the scenes stuff as well, so I do want to ask you kind of a little bit about that. Because you go from hosting a supper club, basically, on your own to having this full blown like television production, essentially, move into your house, I would imagine. What is that process like?
KARDEA BROWN: It's odd. It is very odd to have-- I mean, because we are actually in a real house and having-- it's kind of like you don't-- privacy doesn't necessarily exist in this realm because you really do have to open your doors to people. And luckily, the people that I open doors to are people that I've known for years and we're all like family. So I mean, it feels like just a family with cameras.
And having a whole culinary team and a back kitchen that we have outside. So it's a little odd going from basically running an entire show by myself to having a wonderful team that makes Delicious Miss Brown what it is today.
Because I mean, if I had to do it-- actually, I had to do a lot of it on my own in the summertime when we were going through doing things at home. And I was like oh, I missed a team. I can't do this. I'm like I'm a dishwasher. I am the host. I am also the culinary team. I am the producer. It was a lot.
JAYMEE SIRE: Tell me more about the back kitchen. Because this is something, I think, is super interesting. I feel like other listeners might feel the same way. And how does that work when it's in your house? So like where are they setting up this back kitchen and who's working there. Give us a scoop like what's going on a behind the scenes like daily production of Delicious Miss Brown.
KARDEA BROWN: There's a tent outside. There's a tent. It's a makeshift tent. Before, it was in the garage. Now, there's a tent. It's a really nice tent. The great thing about it is that we have really great weather here in the low country. It's seasonably warm year-round.
We have the stoves and things because people don't realize sometimes, when they watch the show, it's not just the magic of television that oh, there's a new product out here. There's a new plate. In actuality, there is a team of people in the background making endless amounts of the same thing.
If you see that one chicken, that whole chicken that's been baked or something, there's about five of those in the back kitchen. But a lot of times, my team is really great. I have about three girls in the back kitchen that have been working with since season one. We work really well together. A lot of times, what you do see on television is what I have prepared. But when it's like time for beauties and things like that, that's when the back kitchen really revs it up and gets those things out.
JAYMEE SIRE: Is there something that people listening might find interesting just about, I guess, the process of creating the recipes or coming up with the recipes or even just the theme of each episode?
KARDEA BROWN: Yes. So the theme of each episode, we try to always incorporate family and friends. So it's really the-- I like to base the menu of who I know is coming. So like let's say my mom is there. My mom is a big seafood lover, so I make sure that the menu is kind of centered around what she likes to eat. Or if it's a birthday or if it's a baby shower or something like that. So the menu has to go along with the theme of that episode for that day.
And yeah, I really do pay attention to whoever is coming, their favorites or things like that. And just things that I think that people would want to see. And the great thing I-- the thing I can say about myself is that people like the type of food that I cook because it's so relatable.
You can go to your pantry after watching the show and you, more than likely, will have everything in your pantry or your fridge from whatever I just cooked.
JAYMEE SIRE: And I love that you brought up the family again because it is such a huge part of the show. And it's obviously so important to you. I know you have three sisters, and they make appearances on the show. You can tell by your interactions just like how close you are. I mean, what's that like? I mean, you're doing something you love, which is cooking and entertaining people, and you get to do it with your family.
KARDEA BROWN: It's a dream come true to have my family included in everything that I do. Because we are such a tight knit family. So to have them there too. So it's like I get to share. I get to share this dream with everyone because they did have a lot to do with me being able to do what I do today.
Because not a lot of people know that there is a lot of sacrifices that had to come along with doing something like for television, giving up my career in social work. It took time. It took help. It took a village-- my mom, my aunts, my grandmother, my sisters. My sisters have helped me at the Supper Club as waitresses. So being able to, now, have that reaping the fruits of my labor with my family means everything to me.
JAYMEE SIRE: And I know your grandma is such an important figure in your life. You've mentioned her a few times just with the history and the recipes. I'm curious what she thinks about all of this.
KARDEA BROWN: She called me this past Sunday right after the episode aired. And she said, I am just floored. And I was like, what? What happened? Did I do something wrong? And she's like, no, it's just the way that you talk about your food and just seeing you on television and just how you articulate these things. She's like I know I taught you how to cook, and she said in her Gullah accent, I know I taught you how to cook, but I ain't teach you all of that.
I was like, you did, grandma. You taught me. You gave me the foundation and I taught myself a lot of things. And I guess some people may or may not know that I am completely self-taught. I did not go to culinary school. It was just learning, being in my grandmother's kitchen in my mom's kitchen, and just being around other chefs and just watching and just working tirelessly on my craft is how I got to where I am today. And she's completely still-- She's just still in awe. I think she's still in shock that this is my life now.
JAYMEE SIRE: I think you did go to culinary school. It sounds like this culinary school that you went to growing up, you probably learn more there than you ever could at a fancy school or anything like that. What's your go to meal when all of you guys are together, not necessarily filming an episode of the show. When you're all getting together, what's on the menu?
KARDEA BROWN: It would normally be like a Charleston crab crack that is something that is big in Charleston, especially in the Gullah community. We sit at a table, usually outside or inside, depends on the person's house. We sit at a table, we put newspaper down or paper or whatever, and we just kind of like throw bushels of crab that have been seasoned and stuff on a table and just go at it.
JAYMEE SIRE: Oh, my gosh. That sounds like a dream. How much crab do you have to get to feed that big of a family? It seems like you've already got a lot of people around.
KARDEA BROWN: Yeah. It's a lot. It would be like hundreds. Yeah, it would be a lot.
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, we've talked a lot about your family. And obviously, you're now part of the Food Network family. I'm wondering if you were-- were you a fan of the network before you were on the network?
KARDEA BROWN: Oh, yeah. I watch Food Network. I'm a young girl watching Food Network at my leisure. While everyone else is watching like one Saturday morning and cartoons and stuff, and I'm watching Food Network. I'm watching Emeril. I remember watching Iron Chef and Big Daddy's House. And I remember watching The Neelys. So I grew up watching Food Network. It was always on my television as well as my mom's.
JAYMEE SIRE: And now, you're also going to be a judge on the new season of Spring Baking Championship, so that's super exciting. Did you do anything special to prepare for that role?
KARDEA BROWN: I didn't. Well, other than try to lose a little bit of weight because I needed--
JAYMEE SIRE: In preparation?
KARDEA BROWN: Right. Because I knew I needed little wiggle room for the endless amounts of cake that we ate every day. But no, I haven't always been a baker. I started, I would say, in the past five or six years, really honing in on that craft of baking.
And so because I've kind of prepared for it without knowing that I was preparing for it, I was already kind of like geared up and ready for being a judge on Spring Baking. And it was an absolute pleasure to be your part of the judges panel.
JAYMEE SIRE: What was it like getting to eat all of those desserts every day while filming? You kind of mentioned that you try to prepare for it by losing some weight. What was it like, on a daily basis, just getting to taste all those different treats?
KARDEA BROWN: I mean, it was a blast. I had fun eating cake all day long. And I got to the point, where I was like, OK, I got to push this plate back. I got to take princess bites. Because if I don't stop--
JAYMEE SIRE: I never heard it called princess bites. I love that.
KARDEA BROWN: Princess bites, yes. It was fun eating these different types of cakes, and just seeing, firsthand, the artistry that goes behind making these elaborate cakes. And these entremets is a new word I learned. Entremets, like this--
JAYMEE SIRE: What is that?
KARDEA BROWN: It's a pastry that is like several layers to it. It usually has a crunchy layer. It usually have some type of mousse or something and it's all engulfed in like this little dome thing. It's just amazing. Absolutely amazing. I am an entremet fan now. But it was really cool just trying those different sweets on a daily basis and just seeing the creativity that goes behind it.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. How impressed were you just seeing some of those artists in action?
KARDEA BROWN: I say to this day, I probably could not do what they do. So it was very different sitting on that side of the table versus being an actual contestant. I just didn't know that you can make these things out of cake. I've seen it, I've watch the shows, but to see them do it. And then the amount of time that they have to do it too, it's mind blowing.
JAYMEE SIRE: How did you and the other judges spend your time together behind the scenes. Like give us a little bit of pull back the curtain moment, I guess, on what goes on behind the scenes when the cameras are not focused on you guys.
KARDEA BROWN: It was really fun. Working with Duff and Nancy and Ali, they're just-- we just meshed really well. Being a newbie on the show, they just welcomed me with open arms. I've known Nancy for years. She's just like everyone's grandma and she's like my grandma too.
It was just fun working with them. I mean, we were just really chilled and laid back and we had a lot of fun. And there's a lot of banter goes on between Duff and Nancy, in a good way. They are just like mother and son. So coming into it, it was a really smooth transition. We had a lot of fun. Just going to say that we had a lot of fun.
JAYMEE SIRE: I have to imagine it would be a lot of fun. And you bring the fun as well as we've talked about several times throughout this interview. I want to go back to your psych degree and just talk about the connection to food, psychologically speaking.
Because food is something that is able to kind of transport you back to a specific memory. Even like a certain smell can immediately trigger happy memories, sad memories, whatever it might be. Is there a taste or smell brings back that type of memory for you?
KARDEA BROWN: Depends on the time in my life and what I was going through. I really do believe that there is a connection with the mind and food. And food is a common factor amongst everyone. I don't care who you are, what religion you have, what race you're from, we all have to eat to survive. And all majority of us love food.
So there are things that remind me of home no matter where I am in the world, if I smell-- like it's like comfort food for me is smelling like tomatoes cooking, stew and getting stewed down, something about a tomato soup or tomato bisque or something reminds me, distinctly, of my grandmother's cooking.
If I smelled like something like a meat being sauteed or onions or garlic or something like that, it just automatically gives me the sense of just like nostalgia.
JAYMEE SIRE: I love that. I mean, I can picture it. I'm just picturing it right now. The tomato stewing on the stove or something like that. But obviously, we don't love every single food on the planet. So if you could choose one food or flavor that you could just eliminate forever, what would it be?
KARDEA BROWN: Olives.
JAYMEE SIRE: Olives. All of them? All of the olives? I didn't know we needed that.
KARDEA BROWN: That was funny. Get rid of all of them. I don't like olives at all.
JAYMEE SIRE: OK, OK. So no olive when we're coming to your house for dinner. That will not be anywhere near any of the dishes. I asked you about the food that you can't stand. What about the one food that you could eat for the rest of your life?
KARDEA BROWN: Shrimp.
JAYMEE SIRE: Shrimp?
KARDEA BROWN: Shrimp. I mean, any seafood for that matter. But shrimp, I gotta have it.
JAYMEE SIRE: One last question for you that we've been asking all of our guests here on Food Network Obsessed. And that would be like what is your perfect food day-- breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert. You can time travel. You can just travel, in general. It can be somebody cooking for you, living or dead. It can be cooking.
Basically, what I'm trying to say, there's no rules. So breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, what would you be going for and where?
KARDEA BROWN: Wow, OK. For breakfast, I can't remember because I was very fairly young when my great grandmother passed away. But still talking about shrimp here, I would love to have my great grandmother's shrimp and grits. I've had my grandmother's and it is the bomb.com, but I'm pretty sure my great grandmother could definitely throw down with that. So I would love to be able to sit down with her and talk and eat that.
For lunch-- right now, would my perfect day for lunch would be, I would love a burger from Au Cheval in New York City.
JAYMEE SIRE: Oh, yes. I have not had that one yet. It's a hard place to get into, but I've heard amazing things about that burger.
KARDEA BROWN: Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I have never ever eaten a burger that was just so-- I mean, and it's not that it's like a lot on the burger. It's just like two patties. And it has American cheese and onions and Dijonnaise, the Dijon and Mayo mixed together. But I would love to have that.
Oh, wow, like maybe for like a dinner, well, I'm trying to think about snack. There's a snack somewhere.
JAYMEE SIRE: You can throw a snack in there.
KARDEA BROWN: Yeah, throw a snack. OK. So do I need to go somewhere for this snack or just--
JAYMEE SIRE: No. No, there's no rules no rules at all.
KARDEA BROWN: My perfect snack. I love frozen grapes. I just love snacking on frozen grapes. So that would be a perfect snack for me. And for dinner, it would have to be-- I would say, it would be a dinner prepared by my grandmother.
JAYMEE SIRE: OK.
KARDEA BROWN: Taking it back to family. I think, that's some of the, I would say, the best eating of my life have come from my grandmother's kitchen. So having a dinner with my grandmother and she should make one of my favorite meals, and that would be okra stew.
JAYMEE SIRE: I love it. I love that you went back to family for the last meal. And what about dessert? Is that grandma making that as well?
KARDEA BROWN: Oh, no. There's a kids saying, no shade to grandma. But there are several places that I love their desserts, so I'm trying to think.
JAYMEE SIRE: You can name you can name a couple.
KARDEA BROWN: There's a Italian restaurant in Washington DC. And I'm going to just-- I've gosh I've been there several times and I don't know why I'm drawing a blank right now, but they make a Oreo cheesecake. Oh and it's made with mascarpone. It's divine. It's just I actually drove from New Jersey, one time, to Washington DC just to eat that.
There and back, it's like it takes like three hours to get there. But I'm from South Jersey to DC, and I drove there for that. So that would probably be I wish I could tell you the name of the restaurant and I don't know why I'm drawing this blank, but that Oreo cheesecake.
JAYMEE SIRE: Well, that sounds delicious. It sounds like a delicious food day from the Delicious Miss Brown. So that is perfect. And a perfect way to end this podcast interview. But thank you so much for joining us and sharing your story. I think it is so fascinating and so inspiring for so many people. So keep doing what you're doing. We appreciate it.
KARDEA BROWN: Thank you. Thanks for having me. Well, this was really fun.
JAYMEE SIRE: Yeah. Yay.
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JAYMEE SIRE: Wow, she is a ray of sunshine and so inspiring as well. I love hearing people's journeys, but hers is especially interesting to me just because of the way and the path that she got to Food Network. Totally unconventional, but totally her I can't wait to see more from Kardea.
And you can catch her on Delicious Miss Brown on Food Network, Sundays at noon, 11:00 Central. It really is the perfect Sunday afternoon show. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave us a five star rating, and a nice review. And as always, thank you for listening. We will catch you foodies next Friday for another episode of Food Network Obsessed.