Gregory Porter Is Cooking … Really!

By DownBeat I May. 5, 2021

Gregory Porter in his kitchen
(Photo: Courtesy of The PorterHouse)

Gregory Porter, the two-time Grammy winner and frequent DownBeat Vocalist of the Year, is taking cooking to a whole new level in a new show called The PorterHouse with Gregory Porter.

Presented by Citi, Porter’s cooking show will be presented Wednesdays at 12 noon EDT on The Infatuation and Zagat’s YouTube channels. Filmed in Porter’s kitchen in Bakersfield, California, the six-episode series begins May 12.

With his music playing in the background, the singer-songwriter turns chef presenting recipes inspired by his local community, as well as family traditions from growing up with his mother and seven siblings. He also brings in a few that he picked up while touring around the world.

Porter shares stories behind each dish and talks about the people he loves. The first episode, for example, features a borscht recipe with elements of his wife’s family recipe from Russia. The sixth episode showcases the importance of giving back, with a food donation at a local ministry and soup kitchen operated by Porter’s brother Dionne. As part of its support for The PorterHouse, Citi has pledged a donation to longtime partner No Kid Hungry to provide up to 100,000 meals for U.S. families in need.

“Music and food, two things in life I truly love, have always been connected,” Porter said in introducing the show. “The kitchen was actually my home before I ever stepped on stage. Food is not just food, it’s tradition, it’s family, it’s roots, and that’s what music is. When I make a beautiful dish — something that makes people feel good, and brightens their face and lightens their mood — this is the way I think about music. Writing songs and creating dishes have always inspired me.”

After the sixth episode of The PorterHouse airs June 16, Citi will present an online finale for its cardmembers on Thursday, June 17, that will include a Q&A with Porter followed by a concert — Porter’s first in more than a year. Citi cardmembers can register for the event HERE.

The first 100 cardmembers to sign up will participate in a virtual Halleck Vineyard wine tasting that will kick off the event. They will receive a shipment of Halleck wines to sip while they enjoy the show. DB