The Fearless
World of Sunny
Anderson
S
tarting out as a multifaceted
army brat who worked as
an Air Force radio journalist
assigned to radio as opposed
to her initial desire to writing
the evening news then continuing with
radio in several smaller U.S. markets,
going on to become a radio host at Hot
97 in New York. Sunny then worked her
way to the big screens cheffing it up full-
time on Food Network also adding a New
York Times bestseller, Sunny’s Kitchen:
Easy Food for Real Life, to her belt.
While her course through glaringly
different industries may seem a little
unsystematic to most, Sunny doesn’t
consider any path different from the
other, in fact, to her, becoming a top chef
was not a change in career, she sees it
just the same as her work in journalism,
being that they both are things that she
loves. “It didn’t feel like a new career to
me.” She tells us “I’ve always done what
I love and most of that involves sharing
what I love with as many people as
possible.”
You know the old saying; No risk, No
reward? That about sums up Sunny’s
approach to life. “I don’t have a fear of
failure.” You can’t win every battle, but I’m
in it for the war.” Fearless indeed.
In this interview, Sunny talks about
the importance of representation, her
brilliant invention birthed from her love
for food & football and why after years of
globetrotting, she calls New York home.
What did it feel like to
kick off a new career in
your 30s?
It didn’t feel like a new career to me, I’ve
always done what I love and most of
that involves sharing what I love with as
many people as possible. In the air force,
I shared the military story, something I
grew up on, as a journalist. As a radio DJ
I shared my love of music and culture,
and now as a Food Network host, I’m
sharing my love of food and travel. The
way I see it, it’s all a continuation of the
same career; finding happiness through
sharing what I love.
How did you handle
the fear of failure after
deciding to turn your
hobby into a full time gig?
I don’t have a fear of failure, I invite it in
an odd way. You can’t win every
battle, but I’m in it for the war. I have
goals and I prioritize them in a way
that always makes me feel I’m working
towards many things, with a focus on
the main goal. I just get up everyday
and try to find more ways to do what
I love and make a living. There’s no
real failure in trying. I always say, if I
got everything I ever wanted, I’d never
have space for the things I have in my
life now.
Why is it important to stay
authentic on camera?
It’s important because no one is perfect
or any one thing and the more people
see themselves on camera and can
relate,the better everyone feels. I am
easily myself and it doesn’t work for
everyone, but for those that it does, I
feel good knowing I’ve given my true
self, so the support feels real and not
empty. Representation matters in many
ways.
Are you looked at
differently by trained chefs
in the industry for being
self-taught?
I wouldn’t know, you’d have to ask them.
I just cook what I know. I look at food as
art and it’s really hard to teach someone
how to be an artist. You can give them
history, terminology and even practice,
but you can’t really teach inspiration.
I’m very lucky to have two parents that
love to cook and a long line of relatives
that are farmers and in love with food
the way I am. So, I grew up immersed in
it and I am truly just very happy I get to
share the food I eat with more people.
Catering was fun for me and a labor of
love, but I prefer the less structured side
of cooking, for real.
PROMOTING ENTERPRISE
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