What Rihanna Really Eats, According To Her Personal Chef
Rihanna has been an icon since 2005, when she first signed with Def Jam Records and released her debut single, "Pon De Replay," followed by later albums full of unforgettable songs like "Umbrella" and "SOS" (via Biography). And don't even get us started on "Take a Bow," "Disturbia," or "We Found Love." We can't speak for everyone, but we still jam out to those songs today, which is a testament to how good they are.
Even while taking a step back from singing, Rihanna has continued to do impressive things, like creating her Fenty beauty line and Savage X Fenty lingerie line. It was these projects, more than her successful music career, that made her the wealthiest female entertainer in the world, Forbes recently reported. If that weren't enough, the 33-year-old Barbados-born billionaire gets to eat some pretty delicious food, thanks to her private chef, Debbie Solomon. The cook shared a bit about Rihanna's favorite meals in an interview with Bon Appétit, and they just might sound like exactly what you want to eat right now.
Rihanna enjoys Barbadian and Guyanese cuisines
Solomon, hired by Rihanna's team eight years ago, was the star's first-ever personal chef and had to learn the ropes as she went, she told Bon Appétit. She got the gig when an unknown number called her and asked her to drop off some food at Sony Studios in Los Angeles; the caller had read about Solomon's cooking online. After three different days of delivering curried chicken with plantains, a lamb shank, and pasta carbonara, she got the job — and finally found out who she would be cooking for. She jumped right into duty, cooking for Rihanna's birthday party, Super Bowl celebration, and tour.
Instead of setting a menu plan for the week, as Rihanna can be a bit of a "moody eater," Solomon usually keeps a few staples wherever Rihanna is staying and cooks based on her cravings (via Bon Appétit). These include proteins, vegetables, rice, and pasta. Even more importantly, Solomon travels with a case of ingredients that allow her to whip up the Barbadian and Guyanese dishes that Rihanna was raised on; think umami-rich Maggi cubes, curry powder, jeera (cumin), Old Bay seasoning, adobo seasoning, and five-spice. As a Jamaican-born chef, Solomon said she is usually equipped to work with these similar cuisines, but when in doubt, Rihanna's mom comes to the rescue.