EXCLUSIVE: Kelis Shares Her Holiday Menu As She Prepares a Feast for TV Special

Anyone following Kelis on Instagram already knows the singer loves to throw down in the kitchen. Now, she’s inviting us into her home to show how she throws down in the upcoming cooking special, Holiday Feast with Kelis, airing on the Cooking Channel. She spoke with ESSENCE.com about her holiday special and her love for cooking.

So, who’s invited to the holiday feast with Kelis?
A few really good friends, my mom, my sisters, my business partner, my cousin, my boyfriend. Just a bunch of family and friends.

What’s on the menu?
For me in particular, I like to be able to incorporating things that are cultural into the traditional. I’m from New York, and I’m Puerto Rican so they get to see my cultural side versus what they know.

Is it stressful preparing such a big holiday dinner?
I love making dinner. At the holiday dinner, everyone is off their diet and able get into it. I think it’s really time management and sort of what has to be done first. You’re not in a restaurant, you’re not in a 5-star kitchen. So I have to sit there be strategic about everything: When does this go in, When does this come out, when to drop this. I love it.

Where did your love for cooking come from?
Because my mom was a chef, growing up with everything we did, we were always around food. Whether it was birthdays, after church, whatever, food was a big part of our lives.

Is cooking one of your love languages?
Absolutely. I make really good friends through food. I used to bring food over to my neighbor who moved to Kentucky. We know food definitely brings people together. I’m [also] working on a cookbook. I don’t know what the name is going to be yet, I just started. And I’m launching a sauce line. I’m knee deep in that right now and I’d like to see it launch in the New Year.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate the holidays?
I’m definitely more of a homebody. Opening up a great bottle of wine and breaking bread with people you love. You get to sit down and see how happy everyone is and [they’re] in such a great mood. No one has to go to work the next day. Just spending time with people, that’s the most rewarding part.

Why should people tune in to Holiday Feast with Kelis?
I think because it’s my actually family, my actual friends. It’s not staged. It’s really in my house, it’s a really good time. It’s really genuine; these are my people. Plus, they get to see a little twist on the holiday menu.

Holiday Feast with Kelis airs Sunday, December 7 on the Cooking Channel.