6 Questions with Nyesha Arrington

  1. Where does your spirit of adventure come from?

    I’ve always had wanderlust, ever since I was a kid. To this day I don’t think my dad has been on a plane. We were a very blue collar family, we didn’t have it bad but we didn't have much. I’m grateful for my childhood, but I always knew I wanted to see more of the world. I think it's because I was exposed to so many diverse flavors as a young person, that really sparked the spirit of travel in me. My grandmother is from Korea. Tasting those flavors as a young African American kid really excited my palette. Throughout all of my life, I’ve really valued the ideal of a global perspective.

  2. You've spent time living outside of the United States, in the Virgin Islands. How did that experience influence you?

    A lot of times in America, we have these concepts of ‘bigger better’ and ‘faster faster.’ We don’t connect as much at the dinner table, we don’t celebrate the artisans and farmers. When I lived in the Virgin Islands, I was coming out of fine dining and Michelin kitchens. It was my first experience with learning how to live. I was immersed in this island culture of celebrating life and not stressing. I had to learn how to adapt, how to truly live that island life. When I came back to the U.S., it created a robust conversation about being able to manage people. Because everybody is conditioned differently. Being able to manage those teams, and adapt the island lifestyle of a young American girl always on the go in these fine-dining restaurants, I had to learn a new set of skills and awareness. And I've always valued that.

  3. You’ve said it’s not fun for you to do the same thing every day. What pushes you to the next thing and to try something new?

    I love life, I love the idea of seizing the day! I keep learning life lessons. I’m resilient, I guess. I’m a firm believer in failing upwards.

  4. What's one of your favorite food memories?

    Israel. The food was epic. I’m usually on a plant-based diet, but when I was in Israel I ate everything. It was soul enriching. I loved meeting the chefs and hearing their stories. I remember eating falafel on the streets of Tel Aviv, graffiti everywhere, my hands covered in tahini sauce… I love those kinds of food memories, those special little moments in time.

  5. What gets you the most excited about Morocco?

    Food is my craft and love language, so I'm really excited to taste the tagines, see the rich vibrant colors. The textures and patterns. I’m also fascinated with the story behind argan oil. It’s so rare and precious, one of the most expensive oils in the world, and I’m looking forward to meeting the producers. And of course the food: the tagines and spices… I can’t wait to experience Morocco through the lens of food, for sure. I can’t wait to experience all of it and connect with the culture, landscapes and especially the people.

  6. Let's end with a question everybody is asking: what's on the menu today at your house?

    Wow, good question! Here's my honest answer. I had some tea and a gigantic glass of water, then I had some hummus I made yesterday with celery in it. And now, I’m preparing my lunch and dinner. I’m soaking wild rice and I have leftover chickpeas from yesterday, so I’m going to make some sort of delicious stew. And I’ve had a banana. And now I’ve just cut a guava open, so I’m looking at this half of a guava... I have a cutting board in my kitchen, so I just put things on it, and snack on them throughout the day.