How’s it been in this new phase of your career, as a chef, versus a musical artist?
I’ve been cooking for such a long time that I don’t know that I really would be able to acknowledge the difference at this point. But it’s great. I feel really excited that the book is finally coming out. It’s been on my mind for such a long time and I’ve been working on it for so long, so that feels good.
What’s been the main difference in creating recipes versus writing songs?
I don’t really think about it in those terms, to be honest with you. But they’re different. They’re different things. They’re both things you can be creative doing, but I don’t know that I sit around thinking: ‘Oh, this is not like writing a song.’
Is cooking collaborative for you in any way?
It can be. I have friends who are chefs and we work together sometimes. And I get inspiration from other people, ideas and stuff. And of course, you’re cooking for other people.
Would you say that you draw inspiration from your personal experiences to create your food in the same way that you do with your songs?
I guess. I don’t know if it’s the same way.
Could you give me an example? A recipe that came from a story, an event, something from your life that inspired you to create a new dish?
I think it’s a combination of stuff. There’s food that I make that I learned touring and travelling. There’s recipes that remind me of growing up, because my mom used to cook them.
Is there something that you can get from cooking that you can’t get from music, or vice versa?
[laughs] After you cook, you can eat it.
There’s that. But I mean in terms of the creative satisfaction you get from it?
They’re so different. I don’t really think about it like that. I’m a singer, I’m a writer, I’m a musician, I’m a chef. These are just things that I do because I enjoy it. I don’t know if there’s something I can get from one that I can’t get from the other. They’re two totally different things. I don’t know that I want to pick either. I don’t think like that. I cook because I love to cook. I make music because I’ve been making music my whole life. It’s a part of what I do. I grew up around food. And these two things were like the centre of my family.
How does presentation factor in to the meals you prepare? As a musical artist, you’ve always had a very interesting, different and distinct, shifting look. How does that visual aesthetic play into when you’re preparing your meals?
We eat with our eyes. To fill you up, it should be appealing. You want it to evoke some kind of emotion. Food should do that. It should look appetizing. It should feel like it’s drawing you in.
You’re performing at Afropunk this month. Are you excited?
Yeah.
Is there anyone who’s performing that you’re looking forward to see?
Grace [Jones] is performing, so that’ll be awesome. I’ve seen her before, and she’s always good to see. For me, it’s all about Grace.
Do you identify as an Afropunk, or an avant-garde artist?
Yeah, I think people have pegged me as that. I don’t reject it. I’m not opposed to it.
You’ll be performing the day after your birthday. How are you celebrating, besides your performance?
I don’t know, honestly. When you have kids, your birthday becomes less and less exciting. My birthday’s probably going to be like womp, womp. [laughs] I’ll be with my son and everybody. That’s what I do.
Do you consider yourself to be a Renaissance Woman?
I don’t know. What does that mean?
Someone who has lots of different talents and interests. Leonardo da Vinci – that’s who it was named for because he did all kinds of different stuff. He was an artist and a scientist and a doctor. Do you identify with that kind of multi-faceted creative identity?
I think most women are. [laughs] I think you have to be. We’re kind of naturally multi-taskers. Every season lends to something else. This is an era for me of performance, and my sauce company, Bounty & Full. It’s a good thing, it’s a beautiful thing.
Kelis performs at Afropunk on 22 August
