The Recipe for Success with Chef Mary Lou Davis

[00:00:06] Portrait of a Fangirl is a web series and podcast created by Temple of Geek. At the core of the project is the importance of telling the stories of women who have found inspiration, growth, and power through fandom. My name is Jenna Wren and I'm the host of Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast and I'm here today with Chef Mary Lou Davis. Hello, how are you?

[00:00:24] Hi, I'm great. I really wanted to scream in the middle of your intro because I thought it would be funny but I was like, save it, save it Mary, don't do it.

[00:00:31] You can scream in the middle of a question or something. We'll definitely throw it in.

[00:00:36] So I'm super excited to talk to you today and you said you're coming to us from the beautiful San Antonio, right?

[00:00:43] I am. I currently live in California but I'm from San Antonio and I came home because I do pop-ups and so I'm gonna do a pop-up over here.

[00:00:52] So what's the pop-up that you're here in San Antonio for this weekend?

[00:00:56] This I'm doing one with this restaurant called Best Quality Daughter but usually when I do my pop-ups they're always themed.

[00:01:02] I will either do like a Disney theme or an anime theme. In March I threw a Pokemon theme pop-up and now I'm getting ready to do one in Jack London.

[00:01:13] It's gonna be a Dragon Ball Z pop-up and then after that we have a Studio Ghibli pop-up. So I'm really excited. There's usually themes.

[00:01:19] This one is my first time working with this one girl so I was like, let's go no theme. Let's just give you pure unadulterated Mary Lou Davis.

[00:01:26] That is so cool. It's really interesting how you incorporate fandom into your cooking which is something that we are gonna get into in a little bit. I don't wanna jump the gun because I'm excited.

[00:01:39] So can you just start off by introducing yourself and telling our audience a little bit about who you are and what you do?

[00:01:45] Absolutely! Hi everybody, my name is Mary Lou Davis. I am a fantastic air guitarist. I do great with sound effects.

[00:01:53] I'm allergic to avocados. I work as a chef. I also cosplay and I like to go on my own little mini adventures but they're always revolving around food.

[00:02:05] Awesome. You know, I think food is such a unifying thing. People really bond over a good meal, right?

[00:02:15] Mm-hmm. I always tell people that food is love in a tangible form. You know, it's providing you substance, it's providing you nourishment, it's providing you joy.

[00:02:24] And I feel like that's everything that you're getting from love anyways except for you can survive off of this. You know, that's good.

[00:02:31] That is true. So something we always like to ask our guests is how they view the term fangirl and what that means to you.

[00:02:39] So can you tell us a little bit about how you think of that term?

[00:02:42] When I think of the term like fangirl, I feel like I can interpret it in a couple different ways.

[00:02:47] Like when I say that, there's like a fan and then there's a stand, you know?

[00:02:51] Like a stand, you're gonna like stand on that forever. That's the hill that I'm gonna die on.

[00:02:55] But when I think of a fangirl, it's somebody that's multifaceted.

[00:02:58] Like, I like these things. These things bring me joy.

[00:03:01] And it's not just one thing that's the end-all be-all.

[00:03:03] There are things that I enjoy and it's me letting it be known to other people.

[00:03:07] I'm a fan of this. I like this. I applaud what you're doing.

[00:03:10] I praise you for that and I want you to continue it.

[00:03:13] Right, right. So what are you currently fangirling over?

[00:03:17] What am I fangirling over?

[00:03:20] Like in my life or just like a show or something?

[00:03:26] Either or. Anything. Anything you love.

[00:03:28] Okay, all of it.

[00:03:29] All of it.

[00:03:30] Um, I am a big Harry Potter fangirl.

[00:03:33] I know that we're separating the art from the artist and I feel like J.K. Rowling is mad at us

[00:03:38] because we've turned our back on her and that's why she's not giving us the Voldemort backstory.

[00:03:42] I know she knows it.

[00:03:44] Write it.

[00:03:46] Come on, J.K.

[00:03:47] Like, she doesn't need any more money, but what?

[00:03:58] Like, hopefully one day she gives it to us, but right now she's mad at us.

[00:04:01] I'm sorry I went on a tangent.

[00:04:03] I'm very passionate about that.

[00:04:04] Um, I'm also a very good fangirl over New Orleans.

[00:04:09] Um, the whole city.

[00:04:10] All of Louisiana, but specifically New Orleans.

[00:04:13] I'm a fan of the culture, the food, the people, the vibes.

[00:04:17] Like, all of that makes me really happy.

[00:04:19] I am a fan of my mother.

[00:04:21] Um, I think she's the most amazing person.

[00:04:23] She picks me up when I'm down, but she also just has like good motherly advice.

[00:04:27] And sometimes I appreciate when I'm like, mom, can you talk to me not as your daughter,

[00:04:31] but just as a random person?

[00:04:33] And I was like, give it to me straight.

[00:04:34] Don't sugarcoat it.

[00:04:35] She's like, oh, if you want it, I'll give it to you.

[00:04:37] I'm a fan of the color purple.

[00:04:40] Um, I am a fan of curries.

[00:04:43] I'm a fan of fried rice.

[00:04:45] Oh, very big fan of fried rice.

[00:04:46] Always delicious reminds me of my childhood.

[00:04:48] And I'm a fan of seafood.

[00:04:52] Okay.

[00:04:53] Those are, that's a very varied list of things that you fangirl over.

[00:04:57] It's a very eclectic list, right?

[00:05:00] I love seeing the different aspects of what a fangirl can be.

[00:05:05] It doesn't have to be something that's nerd culture or, you know, very niche.

[00:05:09] It could be something like a place or your mom.

[00:05:12] Exactly.

[00:05:13] That's wonderful.

[00:05:15] So I want to get into a little bit about your career as a chef and cooking.

[00:05:20] So what initially sparked your love for cooking?

[00:05:24] Um, I wish I could tell you like a really fun story that I'm at my, my nonna's knee

[00:05:28] and she's like letting me make things with her, but it wasn't like that at all.

[00:05:32] I think I started cooking out of spite.

[00:05:35] Just, um, my, my biological dad and I, we, it's not that we don't get along.

[00:05:39] We just don't know each other.

[00:05:40] And growing up, I had seen him a couple of times and he was in culinary school.

[00:05:45] And like one of the fond memories I do have is us like making pasta together.

[00:05:49] And then I just kind of never saw him again.

[00:05:51] And I feel like I took what he had started and I was like, well, I'll finish it.

[00:05:56] And so that's kind of, I think where that came from.

[00:05:58] It started out with like, I just wanted to be closer to him.

[00:06:01] So I started cooking, but then I found out that he stopped doing it.

[00:06:03] So then I just continued it and it was a little bit of spite cooking, but also I was always

[00:06:09] so picky and I liked to eat, but I liked to eat what I wanted.

[00:06:14] And so my mom had always encouraged me.

[00:06:17] She, she never gave me something I didn't want to eat.

[00:06:19] If I didn't like it, she just gave me something else and she would let me pick things out.

[00:06:22] And then she would cook with me.

[00:06:24] Cause she's like, what do you want to make?

[00:06:25] And I'm like this.

[00:06:25] And we would go on a food network.com and print a recipe out.

[00:06:29] And we would just work the recipes together.

[00:06:31] And you know, a lot of the food network television shows taught me so much.

[00:06:35] And my mom just encouraged me.

[00:06:37] She's like, if you want to do it, just keep going.

[00:06:39] That's so nice.

[00:06:40] And it sounds like it was really a bonding experience too, for the two of you.

[00:06:43] It really was.

[00:06:45] Yeah.

[00:06:45] That's a good lady.

[00:06:47] Great.

[00:06:48] Oh, that's lovely.

[00:06:48] And I, you know, like I said earlier, food is really something to bond over.

[00:06:52] Like I, part of my family is Italian.

[00:06:54] So we do the big, the big Italian.

[00:06:58] And everyone's making sauce and you go.

[00:07:01] Do you do the Feast of Seven Fishes?

[00:07:04] So we, we've scaled it down a lot because the part of the family that's in New York is very small.

[00:07:10] So the, we're all kind of scattered now, but it was a big thing growing up.

[00:07:15] The seven fishes on Christmas Eve.

[00:07:16] Wow.

[00:07:17] It was sweet forever and ever.

[00:07:19] And now that I'm older, it's, you drink wine, you know.

[00:07:23] I had, um, for Christmas this past year, we did the Feast of Seven Fishes, but we did it like, you know, our own way.

[00:07:29] Because my mom was like, what do you want to do for Christmas?

[00:07:31] And I was like, let's do the Feast of Seven Fishes.

[00:07:34] Oh my gosh.

[00:07:34] I felt exactly like that scene in The Bear with Carmi's mom.

[00:07:38] And I was just doing so many things.

[00:07:40] And I could have asked for help, but I didn't because I was like, you don't know what I'm going to get done.

[00:07:44] And I had my wine next to me and I was drinking and I was starting to get a little frustrated.

[00:07:47] I'm like, man, it's going to be fine.

[00:07:49] And we had like, um, we had like crab rangoon and I made seafood gumbo.

[00:07:53] And my dad wanted like, um, my stepdad wanted like fried fish.

[00:07:57] And, um, my little sister wanted lobster mac.

[00:08:00] And I was like, everybody pick two things and I'll pick one thing.

[00:08:03] And I was like, and we'll make our seven fishes.

[00:08:06] Oh, I'm a, I think I'm going to come hang out with you on Christmas Eve.

[00:08:09] It sounds delicious.

[00:08:10] It was, it was really good.

[00:08:12] It was like, we had a really great time.

[00:08:13] You know, everyone was eating.

[00:08:14] My, my stepbrother came by, he brought a bunch of Tupperware to take things home.

[00:08:19] And like you said before, it's, it's so much food because it's seven different dishes,

[00:08:23] not including like the fact that we had sides and my mom has to have bread.

[00:08:26] And then we had a salad, which I also made.

[00:08:29] I put myself in that situation, so it's fine.

[00:08:31] But it was a lot.

[00:08:32] Yeah.

[00:08:33] Then you do the desserts.

[00:08:34] You do the baking for the holidays.

[00:08:36] It's just a lot of food, but it's a lot of fun.

[00:08:39] Once you see everybody eating it, you're like, I did that.

[00:08:43] Enjoy yourselves.

[00:08:44] It's your art.

[00:08:45] It's really an art form.

[00:08:47] It really is.

[00:08:49] So I'd like to talk a little bit about your experience on Hell's Kitchen.

[00:08:53] Okay.

[00:08:53] You were contestant and ultimately the runner up of season 19.

[00:08:58] That's what a great feat.

[00:08:59] That's amazing.

[00:09:00] Thank you so much.

[00:09:01] Can you tell us, can you tell us a little bit about what that experience was like for

[00:09:05] you?

[00:09:06] Being on Hell's Kitchen was exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

[00:09:12] I think that's one of the times where I really felt anxiety because you hear about it, but

[00:09:17] I had never really felt it.

[00:09:18] And I was like, so warm, like spreading feeling in my chest.

[00:09:22] And I was like, that's weird.

[00:09:23] And also my stomach feels weird.

[00:09:24] And my friend was like, you're having anxiety.

[00:09:27] And I was like, oh, I don't like this.

[00:09:29] I said, this is how do you focus on anything else?

[00:09:31] And they're like, you don't.

[00:09:33] But it was like, it was like culinary bootcamp.

[00:09:36] It really pushes you to be better.

[00:09:38] Like it's that whole, you either sink or swim because you have no choice.

[00:09:43] And usually like when all of us are in our own kitchens, you know, we're in charge.

[00:09:47] We're the boss.

[00:09:48] We get it all done.

[00:09:48] But now there's somebody that is like acclaimed, that has all these accolades that is like

[00:09:52] arguably one of the best chefs in like the world.

[00:09:55] And they're telling you what to do and they're judging you.

[00:09:58] And all of a sudden you go from feeling all the way up here to like little tiny fish.

[00:10:02] I was scared.

[00:10:05] And once I stopped paying attention to everyone else, I actually started to do a lot better

[00:10:12] because then you just focus on what you're doing.

[00:10:14] And I would look a lot at my peers because I didn't feel like I was as good as them.

[00:10:19] And I was like, I don't even understand why I'm here.

[00:10:22] And then after I think halfway through the season is when you see things really change for me

[00:10:26] because I was like, I'm just going to do what I want.

[00:10:29] And if it doesn't work, then I guess I'll just go home.

[00:10:32] And it just ended up working.

[00:10:33] They're like, yeah, yeah, Mary, that works.

[00:10:35] I'm like, yeah, do what you know.

[00:10:37] That's not the time where you're like, I'm going to get outside of the box and do something creative.

[00:10:41] This is not chopped.

[00:10:42] Okay, don't do that.

[00:10:45] Do what you are good at, right?

[00:10:47] Do what you know.

[00:10:48] That's why you're there.

[00:10:49] You can try something new on your off day.

[00:10:52] But that day I'm like, no, I'm going to do what I know.

[00:10:56] What was it like coming to the decision to be on that show?

[00:11:00] Um, I didn't ask to be on the show.

[00:11:03] Like when it came to the show, they found me.

[00:11:06] I didn't.

[00:11:07] I even ended up filling out my paperwork to be on the show at the very last episode of the show.

[00:11:12] Like they had already filmed my confessional.

[00:11:15] I was crying and they said, Mary, before you leave, sign all this paperwork.

[00:11:18] And I was like, oh, okay.

[00:11:21] So then I had to like sign all the release forms because I'd never signed it.

[00:11:23] But they, I think they had like, they found me on Instagram because I just started like

[00:11:28] posting more pictures of myself and like my food.

[00:11:32] And they had done like a process where they're pretty much like Zoom interviewing me.

[00:11:36] And I was like, okay.

[00:11:37] And I think it was one of their first people.

[00:11:39] Because at the time I did have purple hair.

[00:11:41] And there she's like, I like your hair.

[00:11:42] I like what you got going on.

[00:11:43] Tell me about yourself.

[00:11:44] And I didn't think it was real at first.

[00:11:46] And then I Googled that woman.

[00:11:47] I was like, oh, this could actually be a real thing.

[00:11:50] And then I didn't hear from them for like four months.

[00:11:52] So I assumed it didn't happen.

[00:11:55] I was in Florida opening up a restaurant with one of my friends when I got a call.

[00:12:02] And they were like, hey, Mary, we need to fly you out to California so that you can do,

[00:12:05] I guess, a screen test or whatever it is.

[00:12:07] I had to see a bunch of producers so they can talk to me to make sure that I'm okay.

[00:12:11] And I said, that's really nice, guys.

[00:12:13] I can't do it.

[00:12:14] Thank you very much.

[00:12:15] Maybe next time.

[00:12:16] And one girl had her boss call me back.

[00:12:20] And the boss was like, Mary, this might be the last season.

[00:12:22] We need you to do this.

[00:12:23] Like, we really think that you'll do well with this.

[00:12:25] Can you please come by?

[00:12:27] So then I had to go and tell my boss.

[00:12:29] And I was like, hey, I know I'm here helping you open this up.

[00:12:31] But can I leave for two days to go to California to be on a TV show?

[00:12:35] And they pretty much thought it was the silliest thing.

[00:12:38] They were like, why would you do that?

[00:12:39] That's just dumb to try to be on this television show.

[00:12:41] Do you not care about your job?

[00:12:43] They made me feel really bad about it.

[00:12:46] I was really debating about trying to quit.

[00:12:51] Not Hell's Kitchen.

[00:12:51] I mean, not the job to just quit Hell's Kitchen and tell them I couldn't do it.

[00:12:54] When one of my friends who was opening with me, he said, Mary, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

[00:12:59] You need to go do that.

[00:13:00] So then I tried to see if I can get another job.

[00:13:03] And then they found out that I was looking for another job.

[00:13:05] And they said, okay, Mary, look, you're two days off.

[00:13:08] You do what you want.

[00:13:09] So what I had to do in four days, I did in two days.

[00:13:12] And they flew me down, they talked to me, and then they were like, yeah, this is it.

[00:13:17] You're going to come on the show.

[00:13:19] And that's pretty much how it all went down.

[00:13:21] Wow.

[00:13:22] It's really great that you had someone, though, at your job who supported you and really told you, you know, go for this.

[00:13:28] Am I right, right?

[00:13:29] I'll always be indebted to him.

[00:13:31] He's a good guy.

[00:13:33] Were you a fan of the show before you were a contestant?

[00:13:36] I had known of the show, but I hadn't really watched it.

[00:13:39] And they even tell you that while they're interviewing you.

[00:13:42] They're like, look, we get it.

[00:13:43] You work in a kitchen.

[00:13:44] You really have time to watch TV.

[00:13:46] And if you do, you're not going to watch a stressful show when you just left your job.

[00:13:49] And they're like, but don't, don't during the interview say, I've never seen the show.

[00:13:53] Like, I knew what the show was.

[00:13:55] I'd seen like an episode.

[00:13:56] But I'd seen all of the like early, earlier episodes where they still didn't know what they were doing.

[00:14:01] And they were having like line cooks from Waffle House work.

[00:14:03] And I was like, people aren't going to take me seriously.

[00:14:05] They're going to think that I'm just like, I don't know, fucking around on TV because I want someone to notice me.

[00:14:12] But then when I started to see the later seasons, I was like, oh, OK, we are really getting into it.

[00:14:17] We're really cooking.

[00:14:19] And I was really nervous to do it.

[00:14:21] But after I'd seen that, I figured, I guess I'll try it.

[00:14:24] I mean, I knew he screams at people and I do not work well with that.

[00:14:28] That is not my cup of tea.

[00:14:29] And I told myself, he's either going to scream at me and I'm going to cry or he's going to scream at me and I'm going to scream back.

[00:14:35] And I was like, don't, don't do that.

[00:14:37] But he never screamed at me.

[00:14:40] Both are very extreme options.

[00:14:43] I was like, I just, I know who I am.

[00:14:45] But yeah, that actually never ended up happening.

[00:14:47] He never yelled at me.

[00:14:50] That's great.

[00:14:51] It's so funny because I think people automatically think of that sort of image of him when he first kind of started out making that, making a name for himself being the guy who yells.

[00:15:01] But he's also very, very extremely nice when you see him dealing with a lot of chefs.

[00:15:08] Like Gordon is, he's a very kind chef.

[00:15:11] He's very sweet.

[00:15:12] Like you see how he talks to the kids.

[00:15:13] You see how like on his other television shows that he's always cosplaying as like old women or something and sneaking up behind people.

[00:15:19] Like he plays around.

[00:15:20] But when he's in the kitchen and it's not even just in the kitchen, it's during service.

[00:15:24] There's a level that you have to hold.

[00:15:26] And they don't get him on the parts where he's like, hey, don't do that.

[00:15:30] Hey, don't do that.

[00:15:31] They get him on like the seventh time when he told you, didn't I tell you not to do that?

[00:15:36] I'm like, he told you.

[00:15:37] He told you like six times.

[00:15:38] I was there.

[00:15:40] You heard it.

[00:15:40] You heard it all.

[00:15:41] I heard it.

[00:15:41] He said, don't do it.

[00:15:42] And you did it.

[00:15:44] Right.

[00:15:44] I feel like it gets to a point where is someone are you listening?

[00:15:48] Is are you doing what the criticism is?

[00:15:51] And, you know, that's that's the show.

[00:15:53] Like you're taking a bunch of people that are the bosses where they're at and then you're putting them where they're back down low.

[00:15:59] And they all have like their own egos.

[00:16:01] A lot of it is the men like they have their own egos and they have to be the best at everything.

[00:16:05] And they're not that great at like being in a team because they're used to being in charge.

[00:16:09] And then, you know, everyone's watching you.

[00:16:11] Gordon right there.

[00:16:12] Everything is open.

[00:16:13] And it's like, if I make one mistake, what if I get blasted and you have all of that just like beaming down on you?

[00:16:20] And right.

[00:16:21] It's like sink or swim.

[00:16:23] Did your time on the show change your perspective on cooking at all?

[00:16:27] Oh, absolutely.

[00:16:29] My time on the show changed everything for me.

[00:16:30] That was the whole reason I got up and moved to California, because I realized that I just had blinders on.

[00:16:36] Like I was doing the same thing every single day working for this company that I thought I really liked.

[00:16:41] But one, the company didn't really appreciate me.

[00:16:44] And then two, I wasn't bringing anything.

[00:16:46] I wasn't challenging myself.

[00:16:47] I was just running the kitchen.

[00:16:49] And once a month I would have a dinner where I could show off.

[00:16:53] But once a month isn't really cutting it for me.

[00:16:56] I'm like, can I add something to this menu?

[00:16:58] But being on the show, just seeing everybody else cook and all the different cuisines that they had.

[00:17:03] I was like, I've never seen this.

[00:17:05] Oh, you're making this fish soup.

[00:17:07] That's weird.

[00:17:08] Oh my gosh, it's delicious.

[00:17:09] What are you doing with these ingredients?

[00:17:11] And I was like, I got to get out.

[00:17:12] I got to see the world.

[00:17:15] Wow.

[00:17:15] So it really helped you grow as a chef.

[00:17:18] Mm-hmm.

[00:17:19] What really intrigued me about you, too, is you're not just a run-of-the-mill everyday chef.

[00:17:25] You are able to combine fandom and being a fangirl into your cooking.

[00:17:31] And that's something I have never seen before until I kind of started following you and watching what you do.

[00:17:37] How do you blend those two parts of yourself, the professional and the fangirl?

[00:17:45] I've always been just like a nerdy person.

[00:17:47] I don't want to say that I'm like straight weave where I can just recite what's going on on every episode.

[00:17:52] But I'm an only child and I grew up just watching the TV.

[00:17:56] And I would always want to like eat whatever they were eating on the television.

[00:18:00] So I remember like I would watch Looney Tunes and my mom would give me carrots so I could eat them with Bugs Bunny.

[00:18:05] And I was like, these don't taste as good as he makes them taste.

[00:18:08] Like this is not what I'm liking.

[00:18:10] But when it came to like combining both of them, it started out with I would just recreate foods that I saw.

[00:18:18] But there's so many people that recreate what you see.

[00:18:21] I wanted to actually give you an experience because I am a trained chef.

[00:18:25] So how can I make this different?

[00:18:27] And that's pretty much when it's like I started to be inspired by where I can just take different things that I see from either that episode, that character or that dish and change it into something else.

[00:18:38] And then it started to get more exciting to me because, you know, like those kids in school when they're not challenged enough, they just start like breaking things and just being despicable.

[00:18:46] It's like I wasn't challenged.

[00:18:48] And I just was like, oh, let me just make a Krabby Patty.

[00:18:51] But it's just a cheeseburger.

[00:18:53] I'm like, let's let's do something else.

[00:18:55] So that's a lot of how that came about.

[00:18:58] Same thing with my pop ups.

[00:18:59] It's just like I'm going to take something that I saw and I'll just base it off of that.

[00:19:04] And I love a theme.

[00:19:06] I love a theme so much.

[00:19:08] And so I like where I can dress up for the for the pop up.

[00:19:11] The food looks very similar.

[00:19:12] And then everybody just has a good time.

[00:19:16] Could you tell us a little bit about some of your pop ups?

[00:19:18] I know you mentioned Pokemon and you mentioned Dragon Ball Z.

[00:19:23] So can you tell us a little bit about some of the other fandom inspired pop ups you do?

[00:19:27] Absolutely.

[00:19:27] Um, I've done a few in Texas.

[00:19:31] The last one that I did in Texas was a Jujitsu Kaisen pop up.

[00:19:34] So that one is your favorite.

[00:19:42] Jujitsu Kaisen pop up at this one restaurant called Suck It.

[00:19:45] It's like a ramen shop.

[00:19:47] So usually I'll have like five items that are mine on the menu.

[00:19:49] So I had done like Yuji's chicken meatballs.

[00:19:53] So I had done that recipe.

[00:19:56] But instead of them being meatballs, I made like a wonton soup.

[00:20:00] And I had just taken the things that I'd seen.

[00:20:01] So I'm still giving you like the chicken and ginger meatballs with like, I'm also creating

[00:20:05] like a ginger oil that I put on top.

[00:20:07] Everything had like a cursed element.

[00:20:08] So I had this like ash that I would either put on something or I made like an ash oil

[00:20:13] that was put on top.

[00:20:14] Um, I would make sure to like burn things and I just like cursed parts to things.

[00:20:18] So you're still getting that.

[00:20:20] Um, we had done, I wish I could like, I think I had done like a domain expansion style, um,

[00:20:27] Buddha's delight.

[00:20:28] And that was, you know, for, for Sukuna.

[00:20:30] And then we had done, what did I do for Gojo?

[00:20:33] I usually will pick a character and I'll do something based on that.

[00:20:37] Um, Gojo had something sweet cause he likes sweet.

[00:20:40] And then I didn't do, but I was gonna do a hot dog for, for, uh, Megami.

[00:20:47] Cause I thought that would be funny.

[00:20:49] Oh, he's like divine dogs.

[00:20:51] Yes.

[00:20:51] At first I was going to do like a dish that was based off of each of his, what is it?

[00:20:55] Shigiyami?

[00:20:56] Shiganami?

[00:20:57] Right.

[00:20:58] His little shadowed animals.

[00:21:00] Yeah.

[00:21:00] So I was going to do something based off of each of those.

[00:21:03] And then I was like, you're doing too much.

[00:21:05] You're doing too much, Mary.

[00:21:06] I will like go, I will go so far on a tangent.

[00:21:08] I think I did like cursed wings.

[00:21:10] So then, cause it's something that everybody would like to eat, but also it's like still

[00:21:14] giving you that like fun part where I made like a spice blend.

[00:21:17] Um, and then I added a lot of like ash to it and created this like cursed looking wings.

[00:21:22] Like they were, they were really fun.

[00:21:23] So I've done that one.

[00:21:25] I did a sailor moon pop-up at a cafe and.

[00:21:29] And you know, um, Usagi just likes to eat.

[00:21:32] So that was really easy.

[00:21:33] I just taken things that I'd either seen her eat or something that was around it.

[00:21:36] And she had that.

[00:21:37] And we always have like corresponding drinks.

[00:21:39] So my one friend, he's a big nerd.

[00:21:41] I was like, these are the, these are the recipes that I'm using.

[00:21:44] Here you go.

[00:21:45] And he was like, he'll make sure that they pair very well.

[00:21:47] Cause we used to work in the restaurant together.

[00:21:49] When I did the one in the cafe, one of the guys is, he's a really big nerd.

[00:21:52] He goes, I will make sure that I have drinks that correspond with it.

[00:21:54] So we had like, um, the tuxedo mask latte.

[00:21:57] We, we, oh, we had the black lady latte.

[00:22:00] I love that.

[00:22:01] I love that so much.

[00:22:02] It was so fun.

[00:22:03] Um, he did like different teas.

[00:22:05] We did just everything that you can see at a coffee shop.

[00:22:07] And then usually I will try to pair with another company so that they can help me like,

[00:22:13] so that they can sponsor it.

[00:22:14] And then we just start to put more into it.

[00:22:16] Um, I've also done a Pokemon is the last one that I did.

[00:22:20] I cosplayed as Brock and then a whole bunch of the servers.

[00:22:25] I thought it was funny.

[00:22:26] And then I made, I made Brock's jelly donuts, but I made Brock's jelly donuts my way.

[00:22:32] So it's like, I wanted them to be sweet and savory.

[00:22:35] So I made like a umeboshi jam with like raspberry serrano and the umeboshi as well.

[00:22:41] And it, um, had some citric acid.

[00:22:44] It was a little savory.

[00:22:44] And then I put it inside of the, um, onigiri fried it so that you're still getting something

[00:22:50] fried and then brushed it with a tare and then grilled it so that you're getting a bunch

[00:22:54] of things mixed inside.

[00:22:56] And it's not just, here's a simple donut.

[00:22:58] Cause anybody can make that.

[00:22:59] If you go to my pop-up, you're going to get something that you can make it.

[00:23:02] You're not gonna, but you can make it.

[00:23:05] And I, I just, I do things like that.

[00:23:07] The next one that we're planning is going to be a Dragon Ball Z one.

[00:23:10] I haven't done the menu yet, but I will.

[00:23:15] And then we're also working on a Studio Ghibli.

[00:23:18] So I'll either do like an a la carte menu where you come by and just order a little thing off

[00:23:22] the menu or it'll be like coursed out.

[00:23:24] So I did a Princess and the Frog one and all of that was coursed out.

[00:23:27] And then I, I cosplayed as Dr. Vassilier.

[00:23:30] And so I was just wearing, like, I made the hat and I made the hat way too big.

[00:23:35] So it was kind of like here the entire time.

[00:23:37] It was comically huge.

[00:23:38] And I was like wearing, um, maroon and I was walking around and one of the guys with me,

[00:23:42] he, he cosplayed as a frog.

[00:23:44] It was like serving all the food.

[00:23:45] It was so fun.

[00:23:47] He was a frog.

[00:23:48] That's so cute.

[00:23:49] Yeah.

[00:23:49] I really appreciate him.

[00:23:50] Um, so do you usually cosplay for your pop-up events?

[00:23:54] I do.

[00:23:55] If they're, if they are a themed pop-up, I'll cosplay.

[00:23:58] So the Sailor Moon one, I was Sailor Jupiter and I done like Sailor Jupiter's bento box.

[00:24:02] And I like, I have pictures and everything.

[00:24:04] They're, they're really fun for the Jujitsu Kaizen one.

[00:24:07] I was a Sukuna.

[00:24:08] And so I was like, I had like the red contacts.

[00:24:11] I drew everything on my face.

[00:24:12] I was wearing the, um, the outfit and I just walk around and I'm doing my best to cook in those.

[00:24:19] That is so fun.

[00:24:20] So you really do get a full experience at one of your pop-ups.

[00:24:24] Yes.

[00:24:25] Like I tell everybody, I said, you guys are welcome to cosplay if you want, but I'm gonna.

[00:24:30] Do you, have you always cosplayed or was that something that's recently become a craft to you?

[00:24:36] I started cosplaying in like 2019 and it was because I used to go to the Renaissance Fair.

[00:24:42] I still do.

[00:24:42] I go to the Renaissance Fair all the time and my, I was showing my friend my pictures on Instagram

[00:24:46] and he's like, oh, you cosplay.

[00:24:48] And I said, what is that?

[00:24:49] He's like, what you're doing?

[00:24:51] You're just dressing up.

[00:24:51] And then he started showing me like other people that he followed that cosplay.

[00:24:54] And I was like, there is a whole world out there.

[00:24:57] I, I should really get into this.

[00:24:59] And that's pretty much how it started.

[00:25:00] So for 2020 and 2021, I don't count those years because I was stuck inside like the rest of the world.

[00:25:07] So I want to say I've been cosplaying for about three, three years now.

[00:25:11] Wow.

[00:25:12] Wow.

[00:25:12] It's funny.

[00:25:13] A lot of people I've talked to on this podcast, whatever, you know, niche they're known for,

[00:25:17] whether it's, you know, art or cosplay or, you know, anything along those lines.

[00:25:21] A lot of people seem to have started during COVID because.

[00:25:25] You had time.

[00:25:25] They were bored and there was nothing else to do.

[00:25:28] I mean, that's how I started my, my whole Geeks and Grubs.

[00:25:31] That's what it's called.

[00:25:31] So I started all of Geeks and Grubs during the pandemic.

[00:25:34] It's something that I'd always wanted to do, but I was working as a chef in the kitchen.

[00:25:37] I never had any time.

[00:25:38] And then I lost my job for two weeks.

[00:25:40] And in that two weeks, I started Geeks and Grubs.

[00:25:43] My one friend was like a photographer.

[00:25:45] My other friend's a videographer.

[00:25:46] My other friend from college, she is an illustrator.

[00:25:50] And so she's like, I'll help you create all these things because everybody had time.

[00:25:54] And that's how it started.

[00:25:57] That time, although it was very hard for most of us, really seems to have allowed people to explore a creative side of themselves.

[00:26:06] That I think a lot of people didn't know existed or they didn't think maybe they could do X, Y, and Z.

[00:26:12] And then they tried their hand at it.

[00:26:14] And it led to such an uptick in creativity, honestly.

[00:26:18] I agree.

[00:26:19] Yeah.

[00:26:19] We all just ended up, you had nothing else to do.

[00:26:22] So you had to sit and think.

[00:26:23] And it's like, what do I like to do?

[00:26:25] Because now it's not what I need to do.

[00:26:28] I have to keep myself busy and not with a job.

[00:26:32] Right.

[00:26:32] And that's actually like, I do cosplay as well.

[00:26:34] And that's when I started because, again, it was like, well, I'm home.

[00:26:37] I have a phone and a camera.

[00:26:39] I can.

[00:26:39] This is fun.

[00:26:40] I like to do my makeup.

[00:26:41] So that's how it starts.

[00:26:44] Exactly.

[00:26:46] What do you love about bringing fandom and food together?

[00:26:51] What I love about bringing fandom and food together is the art of actually bringing them together.

[00:26:57] I like when somebody is like, when I'm explaining my dishes to people and I tell them like where I got the inspiration and they just, it clicks like they understand.

[00:27:06] They're like, oh, yeah, that's exactly what I would do.

[00:27:08] Like what I'm telling you with the Brock's Daily Donuts.

[00:27:10] It's like when people, if you're not particular to the fandom, I still try to get people to come to the pop up because it's like you're going to have good food.

[00:27:17] Just know my name.

[00:27:18] But I'm catering to those people.

[00:27:20] So what else did we do?

[00:27:22] I did like a Magikarp sashimi.

[00:27:24] And we actually had like a little like Magikarp sitting next to it.

[00:27:26] And those people are like, I see what you did there.

[00:27:28] That's really fun.

[00:27:29] We had done like lemon poppy seed cookies that were in like the shape of Pikachu's tail.

[00:27:33] And it's just like, oh, Mary, I see what you're doing.

[00:27:36] It's great.

[00:27:37] Or I'd even done a ramen pop up where I made five different ramens from five different animes.

[00:27:42] And the people eating them are like, this is the one that I've seen.

[00:27:45] I can't believe you did that.

[00:27:46] And I was like, thanks.

[00:27:47] Thanks for noticing.

[00:27:48] Thanks for getting that one obscure reference that I'm like, no one's going to get it.

[00:27:52] But it makes me happy.

[00:27:53] And they're like, I'll see what you did there.

[00:27:55] Oh, OK.

[00:27:56] I watched Star Wars.

[00:27:58] Did you do Naruto for ramen?

[00:28:00] I didn't because everybody wanted it.

[00:28:03] I was like, I can't do Naruto.

[00:28:05] But actually, I did.

[00:28:06] Actually, looking back, did I do Naruto's ramen?

[00:28:08] I think like the ramen place that I worked at did Naruto's.

[00:28:11] But I told them that I'm not doing it.

[00:28:13] I've had a bunch of people ask me for my YouTube channel.

[00:28:15] And they're like, can you do this ramen?

[00:28:17] Can you do this one?

[00:28:18] And I don't want to because I've seen it done so many times where it's like, I can't make it better.

[00:28:26] And yes, I can give you my own interpretation.

[00:28:27] But the interpretation of the ramen, of Naruto's ramen is it's classic.

[00:28:33] It doesn't need to be changed.

[00:28:34] It's great the way that it is.

[00:28:36] Like, it's already based off of another ramen that you are getting in Japan.

[00:28:41] Not just somebody said, oh, I think these will work out together.

[00:28:44] You know, I did.

[00:28:46] It's a battle dish.

[00:28:47] Yes, it's great already.

[00:28:49] And I don't I don't want to mess with it.

[00:28:51] Like, no, that's it's too good.

[00:28:55] But you can pull something.

[00:28:56] Oh, I'm so sorry.

[00:28:57] You could pull something.

[00:28:59] You could pull something else from the show, I would imagine.

[00:29:02] Like, you seem to pull other aspects from different anime.

[00:29:05] So you could pull something else from Naruto.

[00:29:08] That's not.

[00:29:08] Oh, yeah.

[00:29:09] I did.

[00:29:09] I did Rock Lee's Curry of Life.

[00:29:13] So I've done that one.

[00:29:14] And I went to Dragon Con last year and we got an Airbnb.

[00:29:18] And so I had my friend.

[00:29:19] I cosplayed as Rock Lee.

[00:29:22] And then he was Guy Sensei.

[00:29:23] And then we made we made the curry together.

[00:29:26] And it was it was fun.

[00:29:28] It was exciting.

[00:29:28] It was good.

[00:29:29] And then we had like we had our bottles of Hennessy.

[00:29:32] We would like do shot o'clock and we would drink it.

[00:29:34] And then he like accidentally spills it inside.

[00:29:36] And I was like, oh, no, what's falling inside?

[00:29:40] Like, it was so fun.

[00:29:41] And like, I just like to have fun with my friends.

[00:29:44] That's all it is.

[00:29:47] We did that one from Naruto for the ramen pop up.

[00:29:51] I did the African ramen from Food Wars.

[00:29:56] I did some type of ramen from Dr. Stone.

[00:30:00] And then we made sure that we had like the ribs and stuff sitting inside.

[00:30:03] I did I did Udon from Demon Slayer.

[00:30:09] Right.

[00:30:10] Yeah, because I think it's like the it's the first season, maybe like the fifth episode.

[00:30:13] I said I wasn't a weeb and I feel like I'm weaving out.

[00:30:15] But I know that we have that one.

[00:30:17] It's so good.

[00:30:17] It's like we had to use the yam and like break it down.

[00:30:20] And it gets like really slimy.

[00:30:22] It was it was so great.

[00:30:24] And then we had done Russian roulette takoyaki from Dragon Ball Z.

[00:30:29] So like one of them has like wasabi like shoved in it.

[00:30:33] So you're like, oh, which one is it?

[00:30:35] And then what else did we do?

[00:30:36] I did an interpretation of Sanji's curry.

[00:30:39] And I had like kind of done it like a Jamaican style curry.

[00:30:43] But I'd stuff them into potstickers.

[00:30:45] And I had the curry at the bottom so that you could dunk into it.

[00:30:48] Ah, so much fun.

[00:30:50] This interview has made me extremely hungry.

[00:30:53] I have a really good time with what I'm doing and I don't see anybody else doing it.

[00:30:58] But even if I did, I would encourage you.

[00:31:01] I'm like, just keep keep going.

[00:31:03] It's it gets really challenging out there because one, the only way the only thing that I have is like word of mouth and that style of marketing.

[00:31:11] But there are so many people that don't want to go because they don't know the fandom like it doesn't connect with them.

[00:31:17] So I've been really trying to work my way to conventions and like cooking at cons besides doing the thing in my house.

[00:31:24] But usually cons are always at a hotel and hotel as a restaurant.

[00:31:28] And I mean, I've done large venues in Vegas.

[00:31:32] People will see what I'm doing.

[00:31:33] If you don't know me, you don't know that I'm a professional chef.

[00:31:37] Like I I've done huge things.

[00:31:40] I've done small things.

[00:31:41] I've done I've been private chef for people.

[00:31:43] I've done catering for people.

[00:31:45] So it's like I can take over your restaurant.

[00:31:46] I can help you with your food costs and I can make sure that you're going to get a profit as well as me.

[00:31:51] But, you know, sometimes I just see that nerd in a costume being like, what are you doing in here?

[00:31:55] And I'm like, move.

[00:31:57] I have my own knives.

[00:31:58] I don't need you.

[00:32:00] Oh, I love that.

[00:32:02] And I think on that note, that is an excellent place for us to end today.

[00:32:05] This has been such a great conversation, Mary.

[00:32:08] Thank you for joining us.

[00:32:09] You're welcome.

[00:32:10] Thanks for having me.

[00:32:11] Thank you.

[00:32:12] And where can we find you on social media?

[00:32:14] On social media, you can find me on Geeks and Grubs.

[00:32:17] Like G-E.

[00:32:18] It's all spelled the way it sounds.

[00:32:19] Geeks and Grubs.

[00:32:20] It's on TikTok, Instagram.

[00:32:23] There's Twitch.

[00:32:24] There's nothing on Twitch.

[00:32:25] I just did it so I can have my name.

[00:32:27] On YouTube, it's Geeks and Grubs.

[00:32:29] But unfortunately, it's Geeks ampersand Grubs.

[00:32:32] That was what I did first.

[00:32:33] And so after that, like if you don't type in the and actually, it won't show up.

[00:32:37] So sorry about it, guys.

[00:32:39] But that's it.

[00:32:40] And then my website is geeksandgrubs.com.

[00:32:43] Excellent.

[00:32:44] Again, thank you so much, Mary.

[00:32:45] I had a great time today.

[00:32:46] Thank you.

[00:32:47] And you are welcome.