Chef’s favorites with Rapper Donnie: ‘I like fattier things better than healthy things’
Donnie isn’t just called The Phenomenon, he is one too. In his recently published Donnie’s cookbook, he shows his surprising take on dishes (hint: lots of deep-frying). And don’t think ‘another rapper with a little cookbook’, because Donnie attended culinary school and started his career as a chef. Here’s what you can learn from him:
Standard in the fridge
“Chili sauce, lots of different chili sauces. I like spicy food. All homemade, of course.”
Favorite family recipe
“Fries á la Donnie. Invented by my grandmother. She cooked a lot of things. It wasn’t really delicious, but this was definitely a cut above the rest. It’s actually a thrown-together mess of minced meat and ras el hanout spices, and that’s precisely what makes it unique.”
Indispensable while cooking
“Pepper and salt. Because it has to be seasoned properly, right?”
Favorite place to eat
“At home with my girlfriend. TV on, analyzing the day a little.”
Favorite hangover meal
“The Total Destruction hot dog from my book. A wonderfully greasy bite that slides straight down your throat. I like fattier things better than healthy things. I used to be, how do I put this politely, a rather stout boy.”
Favorite ingredient
“An egg. A chicken and an egg, actually. Also because you don’t know which came first. Fascinating. But actually the egg, because I don’t eat that much meat anymore. Meat is really taxing on the environment. There are also much better alternatives. I like the Vegetarian Butcher too, man.”
Favorite dish from my book
“The mac ‘n cheese. The very first time I made mac ‘n cheese, my grandmother asked: ‘What is that? Cheese and macaroni?’ But believe me, it’s really delicious. And the freestyle Asian chicken soup.”
Favorite restaurant
“I’m not really into those Michelin-type things. Why does complicated food have to be better than simple dishes? I like La Garage and I like Eye. And Ron Gastrobar. Yeah man, Ron is really good.”
I hate
“Tasteless frozen crap.”
Strangest dish I’ve ever eaten
“Lazanki pasta. Strange in a positive way; it’s one of the most delicious dishes I know. My girlfriend is Polish. I asked her: ‘Make a Polish dish without any dill in it.’ And then she laughed, because that’s their thing. And she says: ‘I’ll make Lazanki pasta’. I think: nice meat dish, tasty minced meat, delicious spices. And I come home and see the pointed cabbage, onion, and mushroom. I think: I ask her to cook for once and this is what she comes up with. But I really thought it was a delicious dish.”
Never again
“Quiche, it made me so nauseous once.”
The best cooking tip I’ve ever received
“Take your time. I learned that from my grandmother. And it was drilled into us at culinary school too.”
What would you like to eat for your last meal?
“Roti. Homemade, of course: Roti Tatta-style.”
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