After nearly two years of creating his popular show Cooking with Jae from the small kitchen in his condo, musician and WHRV host Jae Sinnett has a jazzy new kitchen where he is creating his culinary delights. We recently caught up with him to chat about the show, his new digs and his love of cooking. 

You recently moved to a new home. Tell us about that and your new kitchen.

The new digs are quite comfortable. Sort of my dream place with a home studio for my practicing and recording and a chef’s kitchen design concept. Prior, I lived in a smaller condo for many years and out grew it. The kitchen was very small and compact but this new one…light years better in many areas. Space, design, amenities, and a natural GAS stove! Yippee for GAS!!!

In a recent article you shared how you got started with cooking. What is your favorite type of cuisine to cook?

I get asked that often but I really don’t have a favorite area of cooking styles. It’s a constant shifting for me… from Americana to Mediterranean to soul to Italian to Asian. So my cooking is probably Americana World.

What is your fondest memory of food?

Watching my grandmother cooking her classic Southern style cuisine. Dishes like chicken and dumplings, smothered chops with onions and gravy, blackberry cobbler, collards, fried chicken…etc. Then eating it. Ha! Those are my fondest memories of food.

What utensil can you not live without?

My Miyabi chef’s knife. Changes everything

What is your favorite spice or method to flavor food?

I love many spices and enjoy creating at times unique flavor profiles and other times….familiar. Cardamom, Garam Marsala, cumin, saffron, turmeric, star anise, curry…are a few of my favorites to use. If you do it long enough you can almost taste combinations just thinking about them. The balance with all of them though is salt. Its use can’t be underestimated in significance and complexity. Salt in my view is like a bridge of sorts that helps to bring it all together.

If you could choose one famous person to cook for — maybe a celebrity, world leader or historical figure -- who would it be and why?

Chef Marcus Samuelsson. He’s probably my favorite chef. If I could put a smile on his face with my food that would mean the world to me and speak volumes about my cooking. He’s so incredibly creative and visionary with his food construction. His flavor profiles are so original and complex. Completely unique to him and his style. The bottom line though is his food taste amazing. You can be the best cook or chef in the world on paper and intellectual perspectives, but when it’s all said and done…how does the food taste?

What fun dishes are you planning for upcoming episodes of Cooking with Jae?

Harissa chicken, Saigon cinnamon grand Marnier grilled pineapple, pistachio chili couscous, Indian butter chicken, Asian meatballs with pineapple BBQ, various salad dressings, grilled swordfish, shrimp scampi, fig blueberry chutney and much more.

Don't miss any of these upcoming culinary creations! Watch Cooking with Jae on Facebook every Sunday at 6 p.m. Plus, catch up with past episodes