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Rihanna has proved that she excels at any venture she undertakes. She is a music icon, trendsetter, businesswoman, actress, philanthropist, beauty mogul, lingerie designer, skincare enthusiast -- and now cuisine connoisseur? Well, yes! The 32-year-old Barbados native has just secured a few interesting trademarks, including tableware.
On August 6, Riri’s company Roraj Trade LLC filed a trademark application named “SORRY, I’M BOOKED” that spans from items like knives, forks, and spoons, to cookbooks and hot sauce. Among other goods and services stated in the document, we can find ”downloadable electronic publications in the nature of e-books in the field of culinary topics, cooking, and recipes; utensils for barbecues, aprons,” and so much more.
Although, as of this writing, is still a mystery what type of food Rih might be sharing in her cookery book, we can all speculate that she might stay true to her Caribbean roots and share some family recipes. Barbadian cuisine is known for the use of fish and meats marinated in herbs and spices, served with hot side dishes, and salads. Being cou-cou (a savory porridge made of cornmeal and okra) and fried flying fish with spicy gravy the national dish, shouldn’t be surprising that the “Work” singer also wants to trademark pepper sauce, spices, hot pepper powder, and salt.
Rihanna branching out to the food industry makes total sense. Her personal chef, Debbie Solomon, shared with Bon Appétit magazine, what type of ingredients we can find in Riri’s plate during breakfast, lunch, dinner, and based on that list, we can confidently say she keeps it tropical-ish.
From plantains to curried chicken with rice and peas to something more European, like pasta carbonara, there’s no doubt the singer is a foodie. “I bought [Rihanna’s first album] because she was a Caribbean girl, and I’m a Caribbean girl,” Solomon said to the publication when she found out she was going to start cooking for Rihanna. “I was proud to see a Black girl really doing her thing. I liked that she doesn’t give a sh*t. I liked that she can be herself and have others be comfortable enough to be themselves.”
According to the Jamaican-born chef, Riri is “a moody eater;” Therefore, having a prewritten menu is not an option. “[With previous clients] I would send in a menu on a Sunday or Monday and they would pick for the week, and then I‘d be able to shop and prep, but this is nothing like that. We don’t know what we’re gonna want to eat tomorrow, so why even pick today?” she said to the media outlet. Not being able to prep, Salomon saw a light at the end of the tunnel when Rihanna’s mom introduced her to the Barbadian and Guyanese food the singer and entrepreneur grew up eating. “It was just, like, her mom coming up and saying, ‘This is how we make it,’” she says explaining that even though these cuisines are similar, each country has its own ways of preparation -- making every dish different.
Salomon also revealed that “every protein that you can think of that [Rihanna] eats,” and in addition to pasta, rice, and veggies, she always makes sure to keep handy a case packed with Riri’s favorite spices.