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“Indian food is so flavourful and intricate. It’s one of those things I am always intrigued by and I want to learn more about it,” says rapper Ludacris in the promo of his new show Luda Can’t Cook, which releases on Discovery+ on 25 Feb. Rapper Chris Bridges, who is famous by his stage and screen name Ludacris, will learn the basics of making Indian dishes—think samosas, chicken gravy and dal makhani—from US-based Indian-origin chef Meherwan Irani.
Irani owns a string of restaurants, Chai Pani, Botiwalla and Nani's Rotisserie Chicken, that specialise in Indian street food in Atlanta, USA. Not only does he mentor Ludacris in the kitchen, but also takes him shopping for Indian sabzis and spices to complete the experience of making a desi meal. Although Irani is in the forefront, there are Indo-American female chefs who guide Ludacris through the nuances of recipes and flavour.
Ludacris is a rapper, restauranteur and actor who is known for hit songs such as Stand Up, Get Back, Southern Hospitality, and has cameos in movies like Hustle, No Strings Attached and Fast & Furious. But, the Grammy winner is a noob in the kitchen who can’t even make steamed rice. In a story published in the Associated Press, he says, "I love my mother with all my heart. My mother was not the best cook in the world. Her food and cooking has gotten better and better over a long period of time.” The rapper praises his wife Eudoxie for her culinary chops:“She does all the cooking, which is part of the reason I can’t cook,” he said. “She has her own style and she’s very, very good at it.”
Judging by the promo, there is enough drama on the food show with Ludacris putting on a great act of being deeply involved in the highs and lows of a kitchen as he navigates his way through the tricky world of Indian cooking. The hour-long show promises to be packed with entertainment, and one would be curious to know how a Grammy-winning rapper fared while attempting to cook Indian food for the first time ever.
