Ludacris shares love of Black food and advice for chefs, restaurant owners

Rapper, actor and restaurateur Chris “Ludacris” Bridges loves Black food, and loves supporting Black-owned food and beverage businesses.

It explains why he was the face and voice of one of Atlanta Black Restaurant Week ’s signature events, a partnership with Stella Artois called “Luda’s Cookout.”

Held Aug. 14 at Piedmont Park, the event highlighted six Black-owned Atlanta restaurants and food brands taking part in the two-week-long citywide dining promotion, which ends Aug. 18 and included more than 80 places to dine and drink.

Credit: Courtesy of Stella Artois

In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the event, the multihyphenate entertainer, executive and philanthropist also said he intimately understood the challenges of being a Black restaurant owner.

“Man, it’s not easy, but you’ve got to stay in the game. You’ve gotta have that consistency. And I would always say, kind of start off small and build up,” he said.

It’s a difficult business, Luda admitted, and advised new or aspiring Black restaurateurs to take intentional steps, specifically in the beginning.

“Not trying to discourage anyone from opening a brick-and-mortar right away, but you want to start off where it’s like you feeding your family and your neighborhood first,” he said. “If they love it, then, you know, more people are gonna love it. You continue to scale up, slowly but surely.”

The rapper born Christopher Bridges heaped praise on Pinky Cole, founder of the Slutty Vegan.

“It started so small, and now look where it’s at,” he said of the plant-based restaurant chain. He suggested that restaurant owners and operators ask themselves a few important questions in the early stages. “What sets you apart, and what’s the need or what’s the gap that’s being built? That’s exactly what Pinky did as well, which is so dope. So that would just be my best advice, stay in the game and scale up, slowly but surely.”

Ludacris’ involvement in the event was all about supporting and promoting Black food businesses, he said. Those featured at Luda’s Cookout included Tarina Hodges’ Pepper’s Hot Dogs , a pop-up known for creative gourmet frankfurters, and Life Bistro, which serves vegan soul food and an alkaline-only menu with offerings like curry quinoa stir fry and marinated kale salad.

He commended Belgian beer company Stella Artois, which sponsored the seated dinner event and provided beer.

Credit: Courtesy of Stella Artois

“They were very, very conscious of that and wanting, with myself, to bring more awareness to Atlanta Black Restaurant Week. So hopefully, with the things we’re doing and leading by example, we’re able to do exactly what we’re talking about.”

Ludacris’ Chicken and Beer, located in Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and LAX in Los Angeles, participated, with help from heralded Atlanta chef and restaurateur Todd Richards manning the restaurant’s booth, overseeing the frying of tender and crisp chicken thighs, served drizzled with hot sauce.

Luda shared a bit of his own tastes as a diner. He said traveling often has made him a fan of local food wherever he roams. “If I’m in Alaska, I’m like, I need some crab legs. If I’m in Canada or if I’m in Ireland, I want to taste some beef because it’s fresh. I love freshness, when it comes to clothes, when it comes to food, when it comes to everything.”

Credit: Courtesy of Stella Artois

Luda also believes everything eaten should be in moderation, and that healthy meals are part of his lifestyle and his family’s. He highlighted fiber as something he watches in his diet.

“When it comes to food, I just try to eat clean proteins and vegetables. I tell my kids all the time, eat and drink your water. Think about foods that have a lot of water in them, like mostly vegetables and fruits, the things that keep you full.”

Luda also said tour life and its resulting effects on his body motivated the balance he now maintains in his own dining habits. “I was on the road so much, and one day I just looked down, I had this gut, and I was like, I’m not doing this. It’s not about to happen,” he said with a laugh.

Still, although he regularly works out (and shares evidence on social media), he insists on having cheat days. “Your body is your temple, but it’s also your nightclub. That’s how I play.”

The inclusion of Black-owned dessert businesses like Not As Famous Cookie Co. and Sugarhi Sweet Eats N Treats proved that perspective on Black food. He loves the variety of it all, and the stories told by food offered by Black chefs and entrepreneurs are just as important as the flavors, he said.

“There’s history in the food – why it’s cooked, how it’s cooked and prepared, the spices put into it, no matter where you are in the world. That’s why we’re here at Atlanta Black Restaurant Week. We’re tasting pieces of history.”

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