Ludacris is a multitalented king: hip-hop’s artist, a dependable actors, and a savvy businessman whose successes continue to multiply. However, it turns out there’s one thing he can’t do: Cook. Now he’s finally upping his skills in the kitchen in “Luda Can’t Cook,” a one-hour special from record-breaking producer Will Packer that debuts Feb. 25 on the Discovery+ plus streaming service.
Luda gets schooled by chef Chai Pani executive chef Meherwan Irani, who introduces Ludacris to international flavors and techniques.
In a video call during the Television Critics Association, the rapper and Fast 9 star explained his rationale for doing the show.
For those who cook, you understand that Indian food is very complex, when asked Luda gave his reason for choosing Indian as his first meal.
“Part of the reason I chose that is because I had to. I can’t cook anything, right? But Indian food is so far from what anyone would expect me to even try to cook. And I know I’ve eaten Indian food before and I love the spices and I love a lot of things, and it’s so complex to me that I just wanted to understand like how it’s made. And I think there’s so many dishes that we made in this particular show. Some of them I can’t remember all of the names, but, you know, using the chutney and using all of the different spices that I learned, it just opened
my mind up to something completely new that I never even thought about, and being able to
utilize. Because once you get to really being cooking it’s all about making things your own.
And so, you start using different spices and different ingredients to create kind of your own
style. And that’s what I really learned from the chef for the most part. But there were a lot of
different dishes. You have to watch the show in order to see.”
One of the goals in doing a show like this was to make his mom, Roberta some food. “I feel like I can even get on the level and surpass my mom if I continue on this journey that I’m on right now,” Ludacris said. “And you know it’s good to see her on the show because she gets to see my skills,
In the end Luda will then in a test of his newly acquired culinary skills, he cooks and serves a menu of Indian dishes Ludacris-style to a room of VIPS, including his mom.
Although this is billed as a one-hour special, don’t be surprised if it turns into more. Luda is interesting in continuing his culinary education. “One episode, it’s not enough for me to sit here and be like I’m just ready to take on the world and cook whatever and, you know, cook for my family, not quite there yet, but I’m learning things along the way. So, you know, again, I’m feeling more and more confident.”
You can watch the Will Packer produced “Luda Can’t Cook” Feb. 25 on the Discovery+ plus streaming service.
