My Last Meal with Chef Alisa (Venture Land)

We’re coming back for seconds in this continued conversation with actress Maggie Q. In part two of her talk with Chef, Maggie dishes on what she eats to build muscle for movies, why she eats every two hours, and her advice for people starting out on their vegan journey.

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Chef can’t contain her excitement as she sits down with “Super Vegan” Maurice Manley II, a man who she calls a total inspiration. In this fun and enlightening conversation, Maurice talks about his own podcast “Lead Up” which is committed to helping new and or existing leaders in every aspect of life, the food he misses eating as a vegan, and his unique take on what his last meal would be.

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For the owners of Union Los Angeles, streetwear runs in the family. In this episode, power couple Chris and Beth Gibbs put on the metaphorical apron to talk to Chef about everything from Erewhon to leftovers, where they went to dinner on their first date, and the Japanese meal they say is their favorite to make as a family.

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"She touches your soul when she does your hair." Hair business extraordinaire Felicia Leatherwood joins Chef for this incredibly amusing conversation saturated with laughs and anecdotes. We hear Felicia's stories about how being a hairstylist took her on a journey around the world, from Africa to Europe, with a stop in Mexico for some fried crickets.

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Ethiopia Habtemariam means business. Not only is she CEO of Motown Records–tasked with revitalizing the iconic record label–she is also one of Rolling Stone's Future 25, (an acknowledgment of the visionaries of the music industry) and one of Chef Alisa's very best friends. In this conversation, Ethiopia talks about starting her music career at 14 years old, why she thinks music tastes like a mango, and more.

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We're having fun getting weird with Chef and the fans' questions in this episode while she discloses her new-age cooking peeves. From "would you rather questions" (there are some wild ones, lol) and questions about the tastiest mythological creature to Chef going off about Tik-Tok recipes and cooking competition shows. With the help of associate producer Dakotah Rae, Chef serves up some hilarious responses that you do not want to miss!

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My Last Meal with host Chef Alisa Reynolds premiering Friday, February 4th! We'll be asking all our guests "What would your last meal on earth be, and why?" and along the way explore food, music, culture, identity, our childhood kitchens and so much more.

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This week on the pod, Chef sits down with activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement Patrisse Cullors. A loyal customer of My 2 Cents LA since day one, Patrisse gets candid about growing up in a “food desert”–where fast-food chains served as the main source of sustenance–and the discoveries she made when adopting a vegan lifestyle. Plus, she shares her cooking goal for 2022.

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Chef Kayla Greer (aka Chef Kay Kay) caters to a who's who of A-list clients like Diddy, Drake, and the late Nipsey Hussle, and she's sharing her experience as a celebrity chef. In this episode, Chef Kayla talks about her favorite childhood meal of pasta and tuna with ranch, her unforgettable achievement as a nominee at the culinary Olympics as a teenager, and how she can make anything taste good.

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When Kevin “Coach K” Lee steps into the studio, he immediately starts fawning over the vegan sweet potato poundcake from Chef’s restaurant My Two Cents. Over the course of the episode, the hip hop mogul and co-founder of music and sports label Quality Control talks to Chef about his grandma’s home cooked salmon croquette breakfasts, the tradition of reusing grease from previous meals, and how the pandemic forced him to cook more than ever before.

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On another fire episode of the pod, world-renowned photographer and artist Shaniqwa Jarvis stops by to chop it up with Chef. From creating large-scale projects in London & Tokyo to producing creative experiences in her hometown of New York, Shaniqwa is a bonafide artist. In this episode, Shaniqwa tells us stories of learning to cook from scratch, her mother gifting her a camera at five years old, and her cousin teaching her the idea, "if you don't have it, make it." Unfortunately for a kid, this sentiment was about McDonald's. This episode is fun-filled, and you can't miss it!

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Issa Rae is an actress, writer, comedian, and producer known for her hit show "Insecure", and has been named on the TIME's 100 List for "Most Influential People". In this episode, Chef and Issa have a lively conversation on why they love the West Coast, shared meals with family, childhood memories & more!

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Musical mastermind and fashion icon Steve Lacy is a self-admitted shy boy but that doesn’t stop him from dishing about his favorite foods with his friend, Chef. In this episode, the Compton, California native talks candidly about living with acid reflux, the childhood dishes his Filipino father would cook for the family, and what meal (or, rather, bowl of cereal) he would want as his last meal.

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Director, choreographer, and Chef’s “Best Friend,” Fatima Robinson sits down with her longtime pal and dishes about her previous eating habits as a touring dancer, her favorite healthy spots near her home in Ojai, California, and the simple meal she calls the “best in the world.”

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Siblings Syd and Taco are LA-based, multi-hyphenate artists who are on their way towards dominating the music scene. In a memory filled conversation with Chef, singer and producer Sydney Bennett and her brother, Odd Future member Travis "Taco" Bennett, reminisce about waking up to their mom’s homemade French toast and scrambled eggs, Syd’s aversion to “sliced meat,” and what’s on Taco’s rider when he’s on tour.

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On this week's episode, Chef hangs out with digital creator and all-around content specialist, Tinx. During this episode, Tinx shares stories of growing up in England with American parents and the types of foods that influenced her childhood, specifically her family's Italian and Lebanese heritage, and how that shaped her palette to this day. Chef and Tinx get into how moving to northern California for college changed her life due to the arrival of Mexican food to her diet (she never had Mexican food in England) and how that cuisine still rules supreme in her life. Finally, to all of our dessert enthusiasts, we have something for you too; from the way Tinx describes her favorite desserts to the fact that she has to have a lunch dessert and a dinner dessert every day, you'll love this episode and what she has to say. Don't miss this phenomenal episode!

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Brian McGinn is a Emmy-nominated director, writer, and producer. He is an Executive Producer of "Chef's Table", and co-created the series "Street Food". He directed the acclaimed feature documentary Amanda Knox. In this episode Brian and Chef have a lively conversation about his memories growing up in the bay area, food chasing globally, and his impressive influence in the food television space as a director.

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This week on the podcast, we have the honor of going on a true audio journey when Chef Erik of the Los Angeles Mission joins Chef Alisa. Chef Erik gives us a glimpse into how he became a chef feeding thousands of people every week, and his path is definitely one with a couple of turns. From his time as a child learning how to make cinnamon toast to his crash course in Creole-inspired cuisine, Chef Erik always had a natural inclination for food. He highlights that he did not fully embrace becoming a chef until he went on an “extended vacation” and started making the best candy wheels in the land, Mr. Chew's Fantastic Fookies. This episode is full of gems, lessons, laughs, and food; you don't want to miss out!

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"Grow your food, sell your food, and make money from your food." Wall Street titan turned "Farmer of the Future" Miss Cindy joins Chef for a lively chat where they talk about everything from creating food in food deserts to traveling around Africa. Miss Cindy created Foot Print Farms and they dish on how she helps to serve the community by making a positive impact through her company.

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Simbiatu "Simbi" Abisola Abiola Ajikawo aka British Nigerian rapper Little Simz was first introduced to Chef at her LA restaurant (she ordered the Vegan spaghetti), and has been a fan ever since. Here, Little Simz reflects on how she recreates childhood meals for her own family, why she avoids meat while on tour, and her idea of the perfect midnight snack.

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Fashion creative director, host of Everything is the Best podcast, and new mom Pia Baroncini joins Chef Alisa on a food journey around the world, starting right here in Pasadena. Pia grew up attending dinner parties and learning to cook from her parents, who both loved food and loved to cook even more. In a delightfully fun conversation she dishes about making pasta for all of her friends during the Sopranos season finale, her husband's Italian heritage, and what they allow their young daughter to eat (sugar is nowhere on that list lol).

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"Your body is your vehicle. If you want to grow...your body has to come along." On this week's episode, Chef chops it up with fashion icon, creative director, and entrepreneur Melody Ehsani. They touch on many topics, including the story about taking Iranian leftovers in Tupperware for school lunch every day as a child– kids can be ruthless. Melody shares the process of altering her career from law to work in the creative arts and the delights that came with her move. An outright fun episode that is full of gems!

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This week on the pod, Chef sits down with the host of "Who's On Content?!" and marketing guru, EJ James, on a special podcast swap. The excitement and knowledge flow through the room in this episode. They discuss EJ's upbringing in PG County, Maryland, from graduation parties at Red Lobster to burning his eyes from the Old Bay seasoning on his grandma's shrimp. Also, EJ and Chef take a trip down memory lane while connecting over being young and broke in NY. An entertaining and insightful episode.

From working as a server at Sur in Hollywood to starring in Vanderpump Rules, Scheana Marie is no stranger to fine dining. However, on this episode, Scheana gives us a glimpse of her food journey which began as a picky eater as a child and moved into having the best food experience in Bali. In this fun conversation Scheana tells us why she no longer eats boned meat, her unbelievably healthy cravings while pregnant, and how one time she messed up Tyler Perry's order (something she will never forget). You don't want to miss this lively and all-around fun episode!

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Lena Waithe’s growing list of accomplishments reads like a menu at an all you can eat restaurant, she has it all! The Emmy award-winning writer, producer, actress, and all around renaissance woman sits down with Chef and talks about the early days of their friendship, her “predictable” food palate, and her favorite savory on-set snack.

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This week on the podcast, we have Chef Travis Milton in the building. Chef Travis is the culinary director and executive chef for Nicewonder Properties in Bristol, Virginia, and is essentially the engineer of the Appalachia food scene. Chef Travis talks to Chef Alysia about his intro into the food world stemming from his first encounter with fettuccine alfredo at a Wendy's when he was a kid. (Who knew Wendy's sold pasta?) Also, in this fun-filled episode, we get an insight into the burgeoning Appalachia food scene, we hear about the vital components of Chef Travis' refrigerator, and he shares quite possibly the most delicious-sounding late-night snack; here's a hint, it's much simpler than you might imagine an executive chef makes. Be sure to check out this episode!

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Marquise Miller stops by the studio for a trip down memory lane with Chef before getting into how he built his career from the ground. Marquise is an OG employee of My 2 Cents, who now styles and designs for some of the biggest artists in the world. You already know this episode has exclusive stories about his days at My 2 Cents that you don't want to miss! Not only are the stories flowing, but Marquise offers guidance to the new generation about confidence, vision, and the importance of meaningful relationships. 

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Erica Ash is an award-winning actress, producer, writer, comedian, singer, model and foodie! Best known for her role as Gwen Sullivan on BET’s "In Contempt" and the sketch comedy series MADtv, Erica talks about growing up surrounded by diet culture, how ordering steak "well done" is a major no-no, and more.

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From meeting on the set of Moesha in the mid-90s to reuniting as successful entrepreneurs in their own creative fields, Chef sits down with her longtime pal Mara Brock Akil, an executive producer, writer, mom, tea queen, and all-around GOAT. In this lively conversation Chef, Mara reminisces about how excited they both were to order lunch while on set, how eating out of a container takes the joy out of mealtime, and why a sandwich is her go-to comfort food.

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Natalie Paterson is the founder of ingarden, an organic home growing kit that's best described as modern-tech meets mother earth. A huge breakfast fanatic, Natalie talks about her love of veggie-filled omelettes, her life as a nutritionist, and how she makes food "fun"- even the healthy stuff!

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It sure is a beautiful day for My Last Meal. Host of many things, including the wildly popular podcast, "It Sure Is a Beautiful Day," Catt Sadler joins Chef for some fun. In this episode they talk about Catt's journey in the entertainment world, how her relationship with food has grown, and more!

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French-born music supervisor and KCRW DJ Mathieu Schreyer goes down a culinary memory lane in this episode of My Last Meal with Chef Alisa. Having grown up around the globe–from the South of France to Hong Kong to Morocco before finally landing in Los Angeles–Mathieu dishes on his favorite pre-pandemic Silver Lake restaurant, why he’ll always choose room service over dining out, and the only type of food he would happily never eat again.

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Maurice Harris is a Los Angeles-based artist who is best known as the visionary behind Bloom & Plume, a bespoke floral design studio located in Echo Park. In this lovely conversation with Chef, Maurice talks about opening a coffee shop in a traditionally white, male dominated space, the go-to restaurants his family would dine at for Sunday dinner, and his “guilty pleasure” fast food order.

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Actress and spokeswoman Maggie Q has been a plant-based foodie for two decades but that doesn’t mean her favorite meals lack flavor! In a special two-part episode, Maggie talks with Chef about making homemade salads from her garden, “not liking” food as a kid until she experienced top-tier dinners in Japan, and how a bag of corn changed her life.

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Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya has changed his weight for movie roles, but hasn’t eaten in character... until now. In a fun conversation with Chef, the British actor talks about growing up on Ugandan food while living in London, how being overweight as a child taught him how to eat more consciously as an adult, and his go-to on the road comfort food.

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Author and award winning radio host / co-creator of Dinner Party Download, Brendan Francis Newnam joins Chef Alisa to take us back to his culinary roots. Brendan grew up in Philadelphia choosing to hang in the kitchen with his mother rather than in front of the TV with his father. In an a delightfuly passionate conversation taking us down memory lane, Brendan dishes on interesting school lunches, his hatred of brunch, and the intricacies of NYC Bodegas.

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Ras & Taj Austin arrive at the recording studio with hollow bellies, but they’re not going hungry for long. The hip hop duo from Long Beach, CA sit down with Chef and joke about their family’s carb-heavy home cooked dinners, the childhood foods that they can’t stomach anymore, and the secret to what makes for the perfect lunch when working in the studio.

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In this episode, Chef talks with contemporary artist and Chicago native Hebru Brantley. He is recognized internationally for his innovative and unique Afro-futurism approach to his artwork in street art and anime. He creates narrative driven work revolving around his iconic characters and uses a plethora of mediums such as oil, acrylic, and spray paint.  Collectors of his artwork include, Lebron James, Jay-Z + Beyonce, Lenny Kravitz, and George Lucas. He dishes with Chef on his all plant-based diet and favorite food spots.

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In this episode, Chef talks with Miami-born, LA-raised actress, Free the Nipple founder, and self-proclaimed gazpacho lover, Lina Esco. Lina opens up about coming from a broken home and how that encouraged her to get into acting, her favorite Mexican food spot in Downtown LA, and her divisive enjoyment of Coke Zero (to which Chef responds with “Booo”).

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Award-winning director Melina Matsoukas may be best known for her film “Queen and Slim” or her music video for Beyoncé’s “Formation,” but did you know she is also a great chef? In a lively conversation around food & family, Melina talks to Chef about recreating her childhood Spanish and Greek foods in Los Angeles, her love of Postmates, and what she would choose for her very last meal on this planet.

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This week on the pod, Chef is catching up with food expert and author John Kanell. From appearances on Ellen, the View, and Good Morning America, to creating his cookbook, Preppy Kitchen, Kanell is influential in the food industry. Chef and John discuss many topics, including spending time on his farm with his five-year-old twin sons harvesting honey, and nurturing their dwarf goats. As John is a cookbook author, this episode is full of amazing dishes, including duck à l'orange, a greek chicken soup, and polvorones, Mexican wedding cookies. If you love food, you don't want to miss this episode! 

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Have you ever had octopus salad? Did you even know that was a thing? Chef has had it, and you might be surprised where she has it ranked. This week on the pod, we have some fun getting to know our very own Chef Alisa. With help from associate producer Dakotah Rae, Chef gets right to it, answering your questions. From dating advice to her creative process, Chef is full of phenomenal responses you don't want to miss. And, of course, she lets us know what she would choose as her last meal.

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Jabari Shelton aka ASAP Bari may be an intermittent faster, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love a good meal. The clothing designer and co-founder of hip-hop collective ASAP Mob sits down with Chef and talks about his “bougie” childhood meals, his distaste for raw cheese, and why he considers his grandmother the best chef of all time.

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​​Shuffling into the studio this week is the Emmy-nominated tap dancing sisters Chloe and Maud Arnold.

The choreographing and producing duo talk to Chef about their early days of growing up in a fitness-focused family where French Soul food was always on the menu, how free pasta and granola from the college cafeteria led to the “Freshman 15” - and how food, like dancing, has the power to unify communities.

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