By: Dove
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Anyone who travels frequently knows that life on the road isn’t always easy for a health-conscious person. Indie artist Chaundon has been pounding the pavement since his first mixtape hit the streets in 2003, and he has succeeded in reaching a multitude of loyal fans around the world.
While he loves to travel, Chaundon is a self-professed foodie who enjoys cooking, especially when it leads to a little romance. He even admits to being somewhat competitive in the kitchen, and has some selective thoughts about Gen-X women who never learned how to cook.
As Chaundon celebrates the recent release of his album The Jammington, the domestically gifted songwriter took a little time out to tell UrbLife.com about the ways he incorporates good food and fitness into his crazy schedule. We also found out some of Chaundon’s plans for the future, which will include a cookbook, and gathered a few of his ideas on laying out a fine date-night dinner! Read on…
Since you travel a lot, how do you find good food on the road? Or are you eating fast food more than you’d like?
Chaundon: The way I go about finding good food on the road is by asking the locals where to go, utilize the internet, or go over my notes with places to eat that I discovered on the travel channel. Fast food is the thing of the past. I haven’t eaten fast food for a year now.
And what about working out? How do you incorporate that into your busy schedule, and what is a typical workout like for you?
Chaundon: While on the road, I use the fitness centers in the hotel. My work out regimen is simple, cardio and calisthenics. That can be done any where. No matter how busy my schedule is, there is always a window of down time for me to work out even if its for 30 minutes.
Tell us about some of your favorite things to eat. What is your idea of a good restaurant? What is your favorite meal you cook for yourself?
Chaundon: There’s not much that I don’t like. My pallet is very broad. The only thing I refuse to eat is pork – I just can’t stand it. My idea of a good restaurant is unique decor, and phenomenal food with creative plating. My favorite meal that I cook for myself is the shrimp bread bowl. Shout out to Rachael Ray for that one!
Do you often meet women in their 30’s or older who can’t cook? Do men even care about that in these times?
Chaundon: It amazes me when I meet women who are 30 plus and can’t cook, and I know quite a few. How in the world did that happen?? [laughs]I can’t speak for other men, but I personally don’t care because my culinary skills are excellent. I barely let a woman cook, because I know she can’t cook better than me. I figure I can save us both from the embarrassment.
If you had to make the perfect “date dinner”, what would it be, and what would you do to present the meal?
Chaundon: That question is not so easy to answer. It would depend on the woman and her likes and dislikes. But for the sake of answering the question:
Location – Roof top in New York City on a summer night, overlooking the skyline.
Table setting – Cream table cloth with a transparent glass votive with layers of dry rose petals (white, red, and pink) with another smaller candle votive in the middle, with a lighted candle as the center piece. Music provided by Brian McKnight… not the cd, the artist himself.
The menu would be simple and light. Shrimp, oysters, and lobster. You don’t want to give a lady too much food especially when “dessert” will be served after a dinner date of this caliber. [winks]And of course perfectly blended cocktails.
Do you have a favorite recipe you can share with us?
Chaundon: I’ll give you my honey-glazed salmon and snap peas –
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp ginger, freshly grated, or peeled and finely chopped
Four 6-oz salmon fillets or steaks
1 tbsp chopped mint or cilantro for garnish
1/2 lb snap peas, trimmed
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
– Preheat the broiler to high heat. Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
– Whisk the honey, soy sauce and ginger together in a small bowl. Place the salmon on a foil-lined tray, brush both sides of the salmon with the glaze and season with freshly ground pepper.
– Broil for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped mint or cilantro.
– When the water is boiling, add the trimmed peas and cook for one minute, until bright green but still crunchy. Immediately drain in colander and transfer to serving bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil, and season with salt and pepper. Serve alongside Honey-Glazed Salmon.
Do you see yourself cooking more as you get older? If so, how seriously would you take it if you had time to?
Chaundon: I’ve been cooking everyday since I was 11, and I am in the process of writing a cook book. I do plan on attending culinary school in the near future. There’s always room for improvement.
What is the next stage of your music career? Do you have plans for executive status, or would you prefer to stay on the creative end of things?
Chaundon: I’m already at the executive status. I run my label, Golden Era Music Inc. I do plan on stepping down from the creative side of things in the next few years. There are a lot of incredible artists I must sign before someone else does.
What do you want people to know most about your work at this stage of your life? How do you want to be remembered?
Chaundon: I want people to know I got here on my own merit and not on anyone’s shoulders. I am one of the few artists that made a career in the music industry with out a co-sign from anyone. I want to be remembered as a man of his word, an incredible artist and hard worker.
CLICK HERE to get Chaundon’s latest album The Jammington on iTunes
CLICK HERE to find out more about Chaundon at GoldenEraMusicInc.com and follow him on Twitter @Chaundon
