If you ask R&B recording artist Bobby Brown to choose between a career in music or one in the food industry, his answer won’t be a surprise; it’s music. But what’s unexpected is how this iconic entertainer is as comfortable and just as talented in the kitchen as he is on stage. “I like good food. I’m a foodie,” laughs Brown, who enjoys success both as a solo artist and as a member of chart-topping music group New Edition.
As for who gets the pleasure of sitting down at his table for the delicious meals Brown whips up, well, that would be his prerogative, as he says, “My friends and family members who I choose to cook for.”
What is one of the Grammy Award winner’s favorite dishes? “I have a thing I do for my friends called Shrimp Ala Bobby that’s pretty tasty; most seem to like it. It’s made with shrimp, pepper and different herbs and spices.”
On The Road Feasting
The star is taking time for this phone interview while relaxing on his tour bus as it rolls through the woods of Virginia on its way to the next concert venue for New Edition’s 30-city The Legacy Tour.
“I wing most of the things that I do,” admits Brown about his creative cooking style. And, it’s a skill he uses whenever the mood strikes, rustling up baked fish or lamb chops, even while on the road. “We basically cook on the bus. We have a little oven, some hot plates…Actually, the bus stretches out, so the kitchen is moveable. You can move around in it,” describes Brown about the mobile cooking space.
The east coast native shares that his passion for food began during his childhood in Massachusetts. “My love of cooking is from my mom—and my being at home on punishment—watching her cook, learning her recipes, and learning the way she put her heart and soul into it,” recalls the original “Bad Boy of R&B.”
Fast forward and today, Brown admits he finds spending time in the kitchen calming for both the nerves and the spirit. “It’s definitely therapeutic,” the producer and author attests about the alchemy of cooking. “It’s done with love because you cook from your soul.”
Adding Spice to Life and Business
Inspired by his love of cooking and creating healthy dishes for his family, the entertainer launched Bobby Brown Foods in 2014 with his wife and business partner, Alicia Etheredge-Brown. All-natural sauces, marinades and seasonings are at the heart of the line.
“We have paprika, lemon pepper and garlic powder spice mixes that are all-natural and gluten-free. We are adding a bunch of marinades and other barbecue sauces, and I want to do a teriyaki sauce too,” details Brown about plans to expand the product offerings.
“I try to use my spices on the daily,” he says, revealing his favorite spice mix is the Boston Blend because it goes well with everything. There’s also Bobby Brown Coffee featuring coffee types like peaberry, espresso, medium roast, a CBD coffee and a cleansing mushroom blend dark roast.
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In addition, there’s Regenerate Wellness (letsregenerate.com), a brand developed by Etheredge-Brown that falls under Bobby Brown Foods company. From CBD gummies, gel caps and lotions to a regenerative fiber (to cleanse) and alkaline salts (to balance pH levels), this line turns the spotlight on items crafted to promote a healthier lifestyle.
The products are available online at bobbybrownfoods.com along with some of Brown’s favorite recipes, including his famous Shrimp Ala Bobby.
The Bobby Brown Foods VIP Experience
With The Legacy Tour lighting up concert arenas this season, fans are not only enjoying the best of New Jack Swing music but also the opportunity to indulge in The Bobby Brown Foods VIP Experience, a reservation-only event.
“The Bobby Brown Foods VIP Experience is a pop-up to greet my fans and to have my seasonings used by the local chefs,” details the entertainer. There, fans have the opportunity to meet with the singer pre-concert at a local restaurant, take photos and dine on delicious fare made with Bobby Brown Foods products.
For the most part, Brown says he so enjoys spending time with fans during these events that he sometimes doesn’t have a moment to partake of the food being served, but he does try to taste what the local chefs create for the menu whenever possible.
“You can’t go wrong using them [the seasonings] because it’s made with love. It’s made with kindness. It’s made with great ingredients,” says the star about the Bobby Brown Foods products used to prepare fans’ meals. And, if put that way, who wouldn’t want to experience that?
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Catch Bobby Brown—together with New Edition’s Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill—bringing a New Jack Swing reunion with Keith Sweat, Tank and the original members of Guy (Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall and Damion Hall) on The Legacy Tour which wraps up on April 30 in Tampa, Florida. Tickets can be purchased here.
Additional information and tickets for The Bobby Brown Foods VIP Experience can be found at shopbobbybrown.com/product/bobby-brown-foods-vip.
For more on Bobby Brown Foods, visit bobbybrownfoods.com and letsregenerate.com and be sure to follow Brown on Instagram for upcoming events, product releases, recipes and more.
