Food with soul
R&B legend Patti LaBelle invites viewers over for dinner
It looks like the secret is out: a lot of talented singers are also really talented in the kitchen. Rapper Rev. Run and country star Trisha Yearwood both have their own shows, and now they’re being joined by an R&B legend.
Patti LaBelle is sometimes called the godmother of soul, but over her decades-long musical career, she has also somehow found time to perfect another, far tastier art. Two new episodes of “Patti LaBelle’s Place” air Saturday, Dec. 17, on Cooking Channel.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that a love of cooking and good music seem to go hand-in-hand. Both require creativity and practice, and LaBelle is certainly no stranger to either. The music legend has been a force in the industry since the 1960s. She’s been inducted into both the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has taken home two Grammys.
So when it comes to music, LaBelle is the real deal. When it comes to cooking, she’s got just as much soul.
In the first of two back-to-back episodes, LaBelle invites “Empire” actresses Ta’Rhonda Jones and Kaitlin Doubleday over to help her whip up some porkchops with sautéed cabbage and sautéed portobello mushrooms with garlic butter, respectively. Later, Lance Gross (“House of Payne”) stops by for some pan-seared salmon with sautéed green beans a la bella.
In the second episode, LaBelle is all about family time. She invites chef and close friend Carla Hall to her home for a lunch inspired by her father’s cornmeal fried catfish, during which time the pair also reflects on their time together. Afterwards, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ J.R. Smith stops by with his mom, Ida, for an Italian-inspired meal.
Patti LaBelle has been a fixture in the music industry for decades, but that fame hasn’t stopped her from spending time in her own kitchen. In “Patti LaBelle’s Place,” she invites folks at home to join her as she shares her recipes with friends and family.