Big Freedia's new passion: cooking

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The new season of Big Freedia's reality show will show another side of the performer than twerking: Fans will get to see her show off her culinary skills.

The New Orleans bounce artist, who was recently featured in Beyonce's "Lemonade" project, hosted a pop-up restaurant featuring several of her favorite soul food dishes including classics like stuffed bell peppers and macaroni and cheese.

"I've always loved to cook," Freedia in an interview after feeding more than 50 people at her soul food pop-up held at Cafe Reconcile in New Orleans. "It helps me to relax and gives me peace. It's my nourishment."

The event was filmed and scenes were expected to be shown during Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce's fifth season, which debuted this week on the Fuse network.

Freedia said some of her favorite dishes to prepare include cabbage, rice, cornbread that's "sweet like cake" and a gumbo, a New Orleans classic.

She also hopes to launch a cookbook and hone her skills by going to culinary school: "Generally, I cook from the soul and measure by eye, throwing in this and that along the way. But I want to be a certified chef. That's one of my goals."

In the meantime, fans can expect to see her around the city with a white coat and chef's hat on.

"We'll pop up at various festivals or more restaurants to keep the Freedia brand going," she said.

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Online:

http://www.fuse.tv/artists/big-freedia