A friend of mine recently reached out to me saying that he wanted to connect me with a woman… he knew we would get along great and would have a lot to talk about. He was not wrong, the first time we spoke on the phone we talked for 3 hours. I absolutely love her perspective on food, she asks the most incredible questions- that really leave you yearning to dig deep into your soul- and gives a thoughtful/sincere answer. Funny enough, we are both married to men named Michael. Needless to say, I understand completely why this was a great friend connection. If there was one person I could go on a food vacation with, it would be Khatira. I know we could eat our way through any city in the world. I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I have.

Name
Khatira Brown
Instagram
@lifeandbread
Residence
Los Feliz if I’m talking to somebody above 40. Silverlake when I’m trying to sound cool.
Work/profession
My therapist says I do the hardest job in the world which is being a mom.
Favorite recipe
My burger
Favorite kitchen tip
Make your sauces ahead of time that way you can dress anything in seconds and instantly it looks like you spent hours.
Favorite Restaurant
In LA I don’t have ‘favorite restaurants’ more like a favorite dish. Bavel for the Lamb Shawarma. Gjelina mushroom toast. Bestia bone marrow pasta and sushi park is the closest to a favorite restaurant bc there are a few dishes.
Salty or sweet?
BOTH I have a problem
Coffee or tea?
I use to be addicted to coffee until I said “I should be healthier” so now I’m addicted to tea so pretty much the same problem.
Most memorable meal
A small village outside of Florence during truffle season it was a 12-course meal and in each dish, truffle was somehow incorporated.
Favorite vacation
Let me think….ITALY!
A place you would love to travel to
Asia, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, and Singapore
Favorite home object
My sheets
Fav beauty product
My P50 toner it brings the dead back to life
Fav snack
Potato chips or a freshly baked scone. I like high/low.
Self-care tip
I always find a coffee shop or a bakery; it instantly makes it feel like home no matter where I am. I also love Mediation and hiking when the crazy comes.
One thing you can’t live without
My kids
How do you stay active
I walk to the bakery
3 things you can’t live without in your kitchen:
My knives, my sauté pan, my pot and please we are not animals can I add a 4th… some kind of fat ovo or butter
Your favorite quality of yourself
My sense of humor and my selective memory
Fav cozy spot to hang
Having my favorite meal at a restaurant in a booth in the corner with a view of the kitchen
What do you do for fun?
Eat with friends and cook with friends
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I want to say my kids but the jury is still out they might turn out to be assholes so I’m going to say my ability to always want to evolve and not be an asshole.
Tell us about a kitchen nightmare
I was having friends over and making miso salmon. The doorbell rang as I put the salmon in the oven under the broiler. We got caught up talking at the front door (armature move) next thing you know the oven is on fire so I ran took the salmon out that was in flames bc of the sugar and alcohol content that I panicked and threw it outside where we were sampling fake grass patches so then they all went into flames. I feel like every kitchen nightmare somehow involves flames.
What’s your favorite cooking show:
I don’t watch cooking shows that teach you how to cook rather more interview base shows like Anthony Bourdain, cooked, chefs table or salt, fat, acid.
If you could cook for one person dead or alive who would it be?
Anthony Bourdain
The most overrated dish
People are gonna come for me for this answer but also keep in mind, even though I feel it’s overrated, I still find myself missing it. A beet salad w fried goat cheese.
Your go-to spice you season everything with
CUMIN
Your potluck go to
Braised shortribs
Your favorite aisle in the grocery store
The Asian aisle or the international aisle.
Guilty pleasure foods
Pizza, popcorn, straight-up movie theater candy, hot dogs with potato chips. A cheeseburger w French fries. I can do this all-day.