Tommi Vincent Transcript
Tommi Vincent:
Every step counts. The key is to keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will be where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there.
Kerry Diamond:
Hi, Bombesquad, you are listening to Radio Cherry Bombe, and I'm your host, Kerry Diamond. We're coming to you from Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center in the heart of New York City. We have a special bonus episode today featuring a very special person, Chef Tommi Vincent of Vincent Country, the media and events company that she and her family run. Vincent Country, as you're going to learn is all about family, faith, and food. I met Tommi earlier this year when I interviewed her for the new issue of Cherry Bombe Magazine. I had been connected with Tommi by Catina Smith, a good friend of Radio Cherry Bombe, and the founder of Just Call Me Chef, the collective of black female chefs because Tommi had been presented with their sisterhood award. During our interview, I was so moved by Tommi's story, her big heart, and her dedication to women.
She's hugely inspiring, and I'm honored that she's joining us today. In addition to being a mom, grandmother, chef and philanthropist, Tommi is a board member of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. During our interview, Tommi does share sensitive personal information, so I just want to make you aware of that. Tragically, domestic violence has increased during the pandemic. So, if you or anyone you know needs help, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233 or texting the word start to 88788, or by visiting thehotline.org. Again, that's thehotline.org. Now, here's my conversation with Chef Tommi Vincent. Tommi Vincent, welcome to Radio Cherry Bombe.
Tommi Vincent:
Thank you so much. It is a pleasure to be here.
Kerry Diamond:
It is such an honor to have you on the show and what is the Just Call Me Sis award and why did you win it?
Tommi Vincent:
So, the Just Call Me Sis award is an award that was given to an individual that embodied someone that support all of the sisters in the sisterhood. And I was recognized by my peers in that organization with that title, with that award. And it is the epitome of who I desire to be and how I want people to know me, especially young women coming up in the craft and just women in general, knowing that I am available to support them in their growth and their effort to become whatever it is in life that they desire to be.
Kerry Diamond:
How did you get connected to Just Call Me Chef?
Tommi Vincent:
So, I actually was on social media and they had a live event. And so, I joined the live and I saw all of the women in the room and they were laughing and they were sharing different food that they made. And I thought to myself, "Man, I want to connect with this organization." Anytime that I engage with anything, for me, it's all about not what I can take, but what I can give. And when I saw all of the women, I felt like I would be an asset to the organization. And likewise, building that community would be an asset to me. And so, I joined the organization and I'm really glad that I did.
Kerry Diamond:
Social media is good that way, right?
Tommi Vincent:
Absolutely. There is some good that comes out of social media.
Kerry Diamond:
So, we talked, you and me, earlier this summer because there's also, as part of you getting the award you're on Radio Cherry Bombe. There's an article about you in the next issue. And I can't wait for everybody to see the next issue. It's all about cooks and books. There's an article on Chef Tommi and some beautiful photos of her. And Tommi, you shared a recipe with us for your blueberry biscuits and it is such a beautiful recipe. Walk us through the blueberry biscuit recipe, because you have a folding technique and how you put the blueberries in and the topping.
Tommi Vincent:
Yeah. So, that recipe I actually developed at one of my women's retreats and I love blueberries. The inspiration behind that recipe is actually my blueberry cobbler. So, everything I tie back, like if it's blueberries, I'm for it because it makes me think about her and that recipe. And so, when I make those blueberry biscuits, the idea is to incorporate the blueberries in the biscuits without them being disrupted and busted, keeping them whole-
Kerry Diamond:
No busted.
Tommi Vincent:
... because that would just completely destroy the texture of the biscuit, okay? So, just making sure that you do everything in sequence. So, it's a process, you get your dough ready and then you roll out your dough and then you add layer of cinnamon sugar and then you fold it so that you're incorporating that into the layers of the biscuits, and then you roll it again and then you take the blueberries and you press them gently into the dough, and then you fold them together and you're not breaking them. And they're beautiful when you cut them, you can see all the details of the biscuits. And then when they're rising, the busting of the blueberries happens as a result of the heat. And so, when you bite into them, they burst in your mouth and it is delicious.
Kerry Diamond:
And it's so meditative, like even when we were editing the recipe, we're like, "Oh, this just sounds like such a peaceful method of making biscuits." So, you and I had never met before, and so we just did this interview totally cold, of course, had done my research about you. And when we finished the call, I was so inspired after I talked to you and I have since like watched a lot of videos with you in it and your podcast and all that, and there is something about you that is so warm and inspiring. Do you know you have that effect on people?
Tommi Vincent:
So, I have been told that, and to be honest with you, Kerry, I feel indebted to life. And so for me, the ability to create space and opportunity to be inviting and warm to other people is extremely important to me, because of my life and knowing how that can really make the difference in someone's life, just feeling embraced and welcome exactly the way they are.
Kerry Diamond:
Well, we all benefit from it. I know Catina feels the same way about you. And you have not had an easy life, and we'll talk about that. You've had a lot of blessings come your way, but similarly you have not... Resilience is a word that comes to mind when I think about you, when I read about everything that you're doing and everything you're doing to help women today. So, just thank you for being who you are and coming here, and sharing a story that we're about to tell everybody. So, you said it all started for you back when you were a child and your grandmother had a community, you called it a community kitchen.
Tommi Vincent:
Mm-hmm.
Kerry Diamond:
And there was Ms. Edie, right?
Tommi Vincent:
Yes.
Kerry Diamond:
Tell us about Ms. Edie’s kitchen and what you meant by a community kitchen.
Tommi Vincent:
So, my grandmother's kitchen was amazing. I had no experience in restaurant life or any exposure to any of that. Growing up, meals at home were the thing and her kitchen, now that I know what a restaurant looks like and the appliances that are in them, it was amazing. Her ovens and her griddles and her stainless steel appliances, and she had a large counter that was a full butcher block. Just knowing the thought process that she had into going into building that kitchen in her home, that she lived in, it actually was built by my grandfather. So, she was intentional about what she wanted in there. That deliberate action created a space that the entire community celebrated, and they loved, and they always would stop by Ms. Edie’s house. She lived right on the corner in Eggerts Crossing in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. And people would come by on their way and from work. If they were just driving past, you stop by Ms. Edie’s.
And there was a guarantee that there was going to be something on the stove for you to dig into. And there was always enough. It didn't matter how many people came by. And it just became something that as a kid, visually, I saw what that did for people. And just the opportunity to take a seat at the table and rest, and to find this place of healing. It was a huge round wood table with claw feet in front of this huge fireplace. The visual just did it for me. And so, even as an adult, when I was looking for this place of healing for myself, that's the image that came back to me.
Kerry Diamond:
Well, you talk about the table a lot.
Tommi Vincent:
Yes.
Kerry Diamond:
Yeah. That comes up quite often in your work. So, was this an informal restaurant or she was just feeding friends and family?
Tommi Vincent:
It was definitely not a restaurant.
Kerry Diamond:
So, she wasn't charging people?
Tommi Vincent:
She was not charging people.
Kerry Diamond:
Wow. She was just feeding all these people out of love and generosity.
Tommi Vincent:
Absolutely. That's who she was. I even remember she would make meals and she would travel into New York, and she would pass out meals to the homeless. So, when Troy and I got married and he was with the Philadelphia Eagles, I would have kids. We would make an assembly line and make sandwiches and make lunches. And we pack them up and we'd drive in Philly and we would hand out food. But that was all as a result of as a kid, these visuals that I received from my grandmother, my Nana Edie was absolutely amazing.
Kerry Diamond:
Was she the kind of grandmother that let you help out in the kitchen or was she the kind who was like, out of the kitchen, this is my domain. I'll take care of everything?
Tommi Vincent:
She was definitely all hands on deck. If you were willing, you had a job.
Kerry Diamond:
Did you have a job as a little kid?
Tommi Vincent:
Yeah. So, we would figure out what job that we could do, something that she felt like was in our wheelhouse to do. I think the greatest experience in that time was the ability to actually be able to watch what she was doing because there were no recipes. And I say some things are better caught than taught. And so for me, the ability to just watch her and see what she was doing, being able to recreate that based off of what it looked like, what it tastes like, and how it made you feel is such a big part of how I cook my food. And it's definitely legacy inspired.
Kerry Diamond:
What were some of the things you caught rather than you were taught? What did she make? What were her sort of signature dishes?
Tommi Vincent:
No signature dish, she made everything, but some of the things I remember when I was in college, I was a freshman in college and she made me the hugest meatballs. So, it was spaghetti and meatballs. And so, I came by, I was home on a break and I went by her home and she made me a big Tupperware filled with it. And then she had me walk across the street and get $40 from my uncle so I could go back to school. That's the type of community Lawrence Township is and was. Everybody knew everybody. And you were like next door to your aunt across the street from your uncle. It was that type of environment.
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm. And we might as well put this out now because I know it's a big dream of yours to have a cookbook one day.
Tommi Vincent:
Mm-hmm.
Kerry Diamond:
Will some of Ms. Edie's recipes be in the cookbook?
Tommi Vincent:
Like I mentioned, she didn't write down her recipes, but the inspiration is definitely there. I can't think of anything that I make that is not inspired by an experience of food that I had via a loved one. That's what draws me in and allows for me to operate from that space of love because I remember how the food made me feel.
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm. Now, you went to college not to study anything culinary, but you wound up in culinary school.
Tommi Vincent:
Yes.
Kerry Diamond:
What made you go to culinary school?
Tommi Vincent:
I had experienced a period of time where I went into a depression. I lived a life in a home with an amazing husband and amazing children, and they all had big lives. And I felt fully committed to making sure that they were in a position to thrive. What I didn't recognize in the process of pouring into them, I had stopped pouring into myself. And so, I had got into this space where I really literally just lost who I was, and in the process of my healing journey, what I was drawn to was food. And I knew that I wanted to go back to school and finish my degree in something that was going to speak to that place of me. And I just kept seeing my grandmother's kitchen.
From a terminology perspective, you wouldn't say that my grandmother was a chef. Now, people are in school, getting credentials and making them qualified to be that, but by all standards, she was a chef. And I learned everything I knew from her. Going to culinary art school was a bit of a homage to her, and it also was something for me, just really putting a line of demarcation to my past and starting knew, just confirming to myself like, "You are more than enough and you have the ability to do whatever you want to do at any point in time of life, you desire or do it. And it's never too late."
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm. You probably felt a little bit like a chef already though, because you have a very big family. And I would imagine, you had had to cook for all those kids. Tommi, how many kids you have, and how many grandchildren you have?
Tommi Vincent:
So, I have five children and I have four grandchildren, and another one on the way.
Kerry Diamond:
Oh, congratulations.
Tommi Vincent:
Thank you.
Kerry Diamond:
And were you the cook at home?
Tommi Vincent:
Yes, I was the cook at home and the cook at home, but also like with my children, they all started cooking at the age of three. Like for me, cooking is a life skill. It's a gift that keeps on giving. And I believe that everyone should at least know how to make two recipes. And so, I start them all out with eggs and we build from there. And so, now today, our youngest are 16, twins, Hadassah and Tanner. Every single one of my children can cook like I cook and cook how they cook because now they're like their goal is to outshine me and outcook me, but cooking for my family, I definitely felt like culinary art school was an easy lift if you will. One, because I thoroughly was passionate about it and it was purposeful for me. So, absolutely.
And then not to mention all of the meals that I prepared for early on in Troy's career, when the players would come over and we would host Thanksgiving or we would host cookouts and things of that nature. And then the boys started playing and then all their friends were coming over. And for me, once again, goes back to my Nana Edie's kitchen. For me, it was like, "I'm getting to pour that love into other people." And I saw the power of it in real-time.
Kerry Diamond:
Now, I know we're jumping around. Tell me a story a little bit, we should go back to who Troy is. So, I will admit I'm not a football person, so I had to do some homework on Troy, but Troy was a big deal when he was an NFL player. And now, he's a big NFL executive. Tell us a little bit about his career and who he played for?
Tommi Vincent:
Troy Vincent, he started out with the Dolphins, and then he played with the Buffalo Bills, the Philadelphia Eagles, and also the Washington Team. And currently, he is the executive vice president of Football Operations at the National Football League.
Kerry Diamond:
And you two also run a family business together?
Tommi Vincent:
Mm-hmm.
Kerry Diamond:
Can you tell us about that?
Tommi Vincent:
Yeah. So, our family lifestyle brand is Vincent Country and our three pillars are faith, family, and food. And throughout our 27 plus years of marriage, we really had to get acclimated to life in a way that was going to allow for us to, as a family, maintain a unified front and our ability to stay connected. With Troy traveling all of the time and us moving, to allow for him to continue to work in the area and the craft that he was skilled in, we've really had to implement some things.
And so, we believe that we picked up some tremendous assets as a family that if other families were able to see the ability to find success where you are, that they could really glean some aspects of family life from us, and be comfortable in doing it on their own terms. And so, by anchoring in our pillars of faith, which keeps us stable and steady, our family, which for us, that's what it's all about. And then the food piece that brought about healing on so many occasions, just when life was hitting us hard and life was doing us versus us doing life, the three have really been the perfect trifecta for us.
Kerry Diamond:
Can you talk more about, you said, find success where you are, what does that mean?
Tommi Vincent:
So, what I think about, I think about the dynamics of family, right? There are some families where if you don't see the traditional structure of a mother and a father and the children that it's questionable on the ability for the family members to be successful. If you grow up in a certain community, there is the notion that you won't have an opportunity to have the same type of success as other people. Well, the concept of finding success where you are, is truly about you really embracing the life that you've been given, and whatever your family looks like, and knowing that you have the power to generate the type of success that you desire to have, but embrace that and celebrate that instead of looking to your right and to your left thinking, you're missing out on something because your life does not look like the lives of other people.
I think it's really important for us when you're working towards success to have a bit of tunnel vision, so you don't get distracted and start mission drifting from the life that you have, and really focus in on cultivating your life so that you find success where you are. This is what we say. We have Vincent Country, but Kerry has the opportunity to have her own country. So, it's about everybody cultivating their country and literally, making their world the way they desire for it to be.
Kerry Diamond:
So, I remember asking you, I was like, "Okay, Vincent Country, where on the map is Vincent Country? It's wherever you want it to be, right?
Tommi Vincent:
It's wherever you want it to be.
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm. absolutely. You used another term I never heard, mission drift. I think that'll be really interesting for our listeners, especially those who have mission-based businesses or want to have mission-based businesses or even just have a personal mission in life. But what does that mean, mission drift? Is it exactly what it sounds like?
Tommi Vincent:
It is exactly what it sounds like. In marketing, when people have a business, part of the strategy is they'll tell you, "It's not about what you do, you need to make sure that your business is meeting the need of a consumer." Right? Well, I disagree with that. And I disagree with that because if there's something in life that you feel is what it is that you're supposed to be doing and living out, you can afford to mission drift because purpose grounds you in who you are, and the moments you drift away from that, you start losing yourself and you start morphing into the demand of the people. If you have an idea, that idea is going to resonate with someone else. And if it's not resonating with the audience you're targeting, you're targeting the wrong audience. You have to be able to tap into the individuals that are going to be drawn to what it is that you're offering because if it's in you to offer and it comes out of you, that means there's an audience to receive it.
Kerry Diamond:
Now, for those listening who don't know you, but now they're getting to know you, they hear your husband's a big NFL executive. You've clearly got a nice life, but you are not handed an easy life. Do you want to talk about your younger years?
Tommi Vincent:
Absolutely. I think it's important because we are not our circumstances. And at any point in time, we have the power to change the trajectory of our life by a decision. So, when I was in high school, I was in an abusive relationship from the ninth grade through my senior year. That was actually not the first time that I had been hit by a boy, but that's the story that I often tell because the culmination of the end of that relationship, it happened when the boy at the time literally picked me up to drop me off of a bridge. And beneath the bridge, there was broken glass and concrete. And in that moment, I just remember my entire life as short as it was, at that point in time, I saw it flashing before my eyes, and I've been thinking about this a lot.
And so, I haven't shared this before, but I just really feel compelled to share it. One of the things that I hadn't considered at that point in time, I was also pregnant. And when I decided to move forward from that space, I also decided to get an abortion. And I think about where we are right now, and I think about the decisions that are being made on behalf of women, and I am so disheartened because there are times in life, all times in life when a woman should be able to choose what she desires. And in that moment, that decision along with my ability to get free of that abuse, it was all part of the process that led to me being able to step into a victorious life. And I don't care if you agree or disagree with my decision, it was my decision to make.
I think about the ladies in this industry, and I think about how there are some decisions that we have to make out a necessity. Our ability to be able to provide and our ability to be able to survive our circumstances to move to a place where we're thriving. There's just some things that we need to do, but those are things that we should have the ability to choose at will for ourselves. I'm sharing that story as a part of the piece that you are aware of, the piece where I was in an abusive relationship. I shared the peace about me getting the abortion because I am proud of the woman that I've become. And I know that that decision that I made was a part of my ability to be a proud of who I am today. And I don't walk in shame. And man, that felt good to tell that story.
Kerry Diamond:
Thank you for sharing that. I know you probably shared that partially in reference to what's going on in Texas. And it's very disturbing, not just that law, but the fact that they're trying to get people to turn on each other.
Tommi Vincent:
Mm-hmm.
Kerry Diamond:
And there are no provisions for rape or incest. It's an awful thing, but Tommi, I appreciate you sharing that. And you are a woman of faith. You talked about today, your three pillars are food, family, and faith and that couldn't have been an easy decision for you to make.
Tommi Vincent:
So, at that point in time... Well, in that moment when I was about to be thrown off the bridge, I will say that in that moment, I wouldn't say that I was walking out faith, but in that moment, I remember calling out to God and saying, "If you save me, I'm going to live for you." I remember saying that so clearly. And one of my favorite scriptures is, "All things work together for the good of those that are called by God and that love him." And so, my mantra in life is it's all good. And let me tell you something. When I got that abortion, God knew all about it, and that's between me and him. You see what I'm saying? I think that where we are and where people try to force their beliefs on other people, they're missing the point of that people's relationship with the Lord is their relationship with the Lord, and how they land at decisions and get where they get, that's between him and them.
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm.
Tommi Vincent:
By people stepping in, they now are assuming the authority and the right to act in the role of God. They're going to decide the decisions that people are making. And so, I push back on people who take that stance and try to stand behind the banner of Jesus Christ. I wholeheartedly reject the notion that he doesn't love everyone, that he's looking at someone's life and saying, "You're good. You're not. You're good. You're not." Because everybody has a story. Everybody has a past and everybody has something in their life that they have to come to terms and have peace with.
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm. I was raised Catholic and I'm not a practicing Catholic today, but I often think of the what would Jesus do term? And I know there are a lot of people acting in his name, who he would not be happy about today at all. All right. So, we're going to continue. Today, you do a lot of work on behalf of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. You are a board member. It is a very important organization to you. Can you tell us what the organization is all about?
Tommi Vincent:
The National Domestic Violence Hotline, it's a hotline that is nationwide where you can call in, and there are advocates that are standing by to assist you whether you are a victim. You could be a family member that has concerns, that has questions, and they're there on the line 24/7 to assist you and pointing you in the direction that you need to be pointed in. They are tapped into a database of shelters and spaces all over the country, and so they can assist and getting you can connected with the help that you need. So, it's a vital lifeline for people who are looking for help in the area of domestic violence. And it is an honor and a privilege to be able to be a part of the organization, and just to see that the work that they're doing and how powerful and impactful it is, and giving people the ability to have hope on the line.
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm. I just called up their website, so we can share the information. I'll tell everyone it now, but we'll also repeat it at the end of the show. Should you need to talk to someone there or need their services, the website is thehotline.org. They have live chat. You can also text them. You can text start to 88788. And then they also have a phone number, of course, 1-800-799 (SAFE), that's 1-800-799-7233. Sadly, during the pandemic, domestic violence has been on the rise, that's got to be heartbreaking to you. It should be heartbreaking to everybody.
Tommi Vincent:
Mm-hmm. Yeah, because right now the climate has really created an incubator for abusers to keep the men and women that they are abusing to keep them isolated. And it just really makes it difficult, and so what the National Domestic Violence Hotline, there's a point where the calls are down because you can't get to a phone when you're right there with your abuser. They're using their children against them, and it's just a really challenging time. And I don't know if people really understand the severity of what's taking place and how critical it is to support organizations that are really on the ground doing this work at their best ability, keep people safe.
Kerry Diamond:
So, Tommi, you've talked about how you pulled yourself out of this. How can you help someone else who's going through this or you think might be going through this?
Tommi Vincent:
So, my husband often says, "You never know when you're someone's first responder." When people are coming to you to share their story, it's critical to listen and to not judge. I will tell you personally as someone that was in an abusive relationship, people knew about it, my friends knew about it. Matter of fact, many of them were in abusive relationships themselves, but you felt stupid that you were staying in a relationship where you were being abused. And so, you often don't talk about it because you don't want people to think you're dumb or because people will say stuff like, "Well, why don't you just leave?" I can assure you if it was that easy that the abuse that they would leave. Think about it like a prison, you're locked up in your mind, so it's not... It gets beyond the physical abuse which in itself can and oftentimes does lead to death.
But mentally, you're in a prison. Recognizing and getting to the space where you have the key to get out of that prison, it is a process. And sometimes there is the process where you leave and you go back, you leave and you go back. And if you are in someone's life and that is the scenario, then you need to just continue to love them. And they need to know that when they're ready, that you are always standing by and that you will support them throughout their process, and their journey to breaking free and walking into a fruitful life where real love matters, and not the counterfeit love that we subject ourselves to in abusive relationships.
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm. I hear that often when people talk about being harassed in the workplace, people will say, "We'll just leave, find a new job." And they don't realize that that is not the solution.
Tommi Vincent:
Mm-hmm. Yeah, because you're making a living. For most people, working is a necessity, and so leaving means that you're not going to be able to pay your bills. You're not going to be able to put food on the table. And I'll be honest with you, sometimes it's confusing when you're in that position. I remember when in high school and I had my first job, I was working on an ice cream truck. Well, all the times, it would be myself and the driver, and the drivers were men. There were times that the drivers were extremely inappropriate and were violating the young ladies working on that truck, doing things extremely inappropriate, touching them, and pressing their bodies on them because it's a tight space, but it was very deliberate.
Kerry Diamond:
Yeah.
Tommi Vincent:
Your headspace is just really trying to figure out, what the heck is happening here. The notion that it's that easy, it's ridiculous. Even if it happens over a course of time and you don't tell that story until later on, people have to tell when they're ready. People have to share when they're ready, because the process that goes on in one's mind of just trying to wrap your mind around what's happening to you, it is not an easy one.
Kerry Diamond:
Tommi, let's talk about food, because I know you've found a lot of comfort and solace in food over the years. Tell me what Chef Tommi's cuisine is all about?
Tommi Vincent:
For me, food is all about... It feels like comfort and it tastes like home. And when people walk away from my table, my hopes is that they will feel nourished. And I'm not even talking about nourished from just their belly perspective, but just from a space of the food truly is soul food. And that they feel like they received a big ol' hug that they needed, and that has the power and the ability to take the circumstances of their life no matter what it is, and in that moment in time, feel transported into this safe zone of healing and just really being loved on in that moment.
Kerry Diamond:
What do you make that your kids can taste the love in? I know they have some favorite dishes. You told me about a few of them.
Tommi Vincent:
Yes. So, all of my kids, they love the is one dish which I'm still perplexed about why? It's called Chuckwagon and so the base of it is ground meat, and I'll put a variety of beans and peppers and onions and barbecue sauce. And then I add some cheese and then I put a layer of cornbread on top. And they love that dish, and so it is often a request. And when people ask them, "What's their favorite dish?" They share that one. So, I don't know what it is about that one. Clearly, it's all the love because in my brain I'm like, "Really, of all the things you make, that's the one."
Kerry Diamond:
What is something that you make that you're always really proud to serve everyone?
Tommi Vincent:
What I really am always excited about baking. Baking is one of those things where baking is a science. You're really encouraged not to step out of certain boundaries when it comes to baking or the recipe won't work. Well, I am definitely a boundary pusher, a boundary breaker. And so, I love baking and creating off of my head, and then seeing success in whatever it is that I made. And I am a sweet potato fanatic. I can take sweet potatoes from savory to sweet, just go all over the place and make one million recipes just from sweet potatoes alone.
Kerry Diamond:
Tell us one or two of those.
Tommi Vincent:
So, I make sweet potato bars. Now, that is-
Kerry Diamond:
I don't even know what's in them and it sounds really good.
Tommi Vincent:
... it's one of those recipes where my son... He's at Ohio State right now, and so they're always requesting, "Man, get your mom to make some sweet potato bars." So, a few weeks ago when I was there, I made some sweet potato bars and he took them into the meetings in his room. He's a defensive lineman. So, they had an opportunity to eat the sweet potato bars, and the coach reached out to me afterwards and was like, "I want you to know you was all up in this room."
Kerry Diamond:
So, was it like a lemon bar? How do you make them?
Tommi Vincent:
So, it is similar. It is similar to a lemon bar. The base of it is like a cake crust, but it's crusty, it's not like cake-like. And then the filling is similar to a sweet potato pie filling, but to me, there's more buoyancy in the filling. And so, it's almost put in like texture, but it's really delicious. And then once it's cool, I put a nice thick layer of confectioner sugar on top of it. So, the filling's not super sweet, but because you have that layering of that confectioner sugar on top, every bite is just perfectly in harmony and just singing in your mouth.
Kerry Diamond:
I want to make that for Thanksgiving. I want to make that now, but also for Thanksgiving. Did you do a video on that one?
Tommi Vincent:
No. So, the sweet potato bars is one of those recipes... Now, I have shared it privately. So, if I share it with you, it's only for you.
Kerry Diamond:
Okay.
Tommi Vincent:
I've held onto that one because it is special. And I'm not sure if I'll even put it in a cookbook, just because it's one of those things where it is a showstopper. When people experience it, they remember the experience of the sweet potato bars.
Kerry Diamond:
Wow. What's a savory preparation of sweet potatoes that you like to do?
Tommi Vincent:
I like to do a breakfast hash that I do with the sweet potatoes and I'll do purple sweet potatoes, and add some kale and tomatoes and cheese and eggs and some sausage. And it's really delicious.
Kerry Diamond:
That sounds so good. How is your work on the cookbook going? Have you started shopping around to try to find an agent or a publisher or do you think you'll self-publish?
Tommi Vincent:
So, I have not started that process. For me, at this point in my life, I'm really looking to link with people who are professionals in the field. I want to be in a space where I have people connecting with me that know what they're doing. I feel like a lot of what I've done to this point in my career has been me [inaudible 00:38:47], meaning I had to figure things out. And I use a lot of my own resources to make things happen, and so I want to make sure that as I am sewing my resources, that I'm connecting with people that have the ability to make things happen.
So, I have tons of notes in my computer and things that I write up and an outline and all of those things, where I've been sitting at and just figuring out what this looks like is, I really believe that in order for there to be a level of appreciation for the recipes, that it has to have my story wrapped into it, because that's where everything drives from. That's the force behind what I do and my ability to present on the table to people, the type of healing I do through my food.
Kerry Diamond:
Mm-hmm. So, for folks who want more Chef Tommi in their lives, they're going to have to wait for the cookbook obviously, but you do a lot of videos-
Tommi Vincent:
I do.
Kerry Diamond:
... on YouTube. You seem to really enjoy doing those.
Tommi Vincent:
I do. So, I love teaching people how to cook. Like I said, cooking is the gift that keeps on giving. And so, by sharing the recipes via video, one, I'm a visual learner. So, for me, it's like, "Okay, this is how I like to learn." And so, being able to put together the visual videos, I believe for people who even in their mind are like, "I don't know how to cook, or I can't cook." Everyone can, and visually being able to see that, it gives them a so that they can start somewhere and have the ability to execute.
Kerry Diamond:
Okay. And then on Vincent Country, the website, there's a lot on there.
Tommi Vincent:
Mm-hmm.
Kerry Diamond:
Even if you think at first like, "Oh, there might not be that much on here for me." There's a lot about leadership. I don't have children. I mean, I have a huge family, but I don't have my own children. I came away with a lot from there. Even the things your husband was writing about leadership and family, it's a real resource that you've put out there for people.
Tommi Vincent:
Well, it's all about that ability for people to find success where they are. And for a very long time, we were not on social media. My husband and I were not on social media deliberately. When you're doing something in life, you don't recognize the significance of it and how special it is, but when I went through that process of healing and getting to that place on my journey, and I looked at what we had accomplished, I was like, "This is not normal." Putting that information and writing the blogs, and sharing the recipes on vincentcountry.com, for us, it's about being a resource for people and being accessible in a way where we allow people into our life, hoping that they too will recognize and see their ability to create their own country.
Kerry Diamond:
One last question before we go to speed round. If someone is listening and they want to make a change in their lives for whatever reason, how do they even start?
Tommi Vincent:
By looking in the mirror. When you look in the mirror and you start to analyze yourself, and the first thing that you do is you point out everything about yourself that is wrong. That is your key indicator that you need to take action quickly. And by seeing it for yourself, you have the ability to have a conversation with you. And my encouragement for anybody in that space is every step counts. The key is to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you will be where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there, but you have to keep moving forward. I don't care if it's a baby step. I don't care if it's an inch. That is irrelevant. The idea and the goal is to keep moving forward, but it starts with you.
Kerry Diamond:
That's great. Thank you, Tommi.
Tommi Vincent:
Mm-hmm.
Kerry Diamond:
Okay. We're going to do a little speed round.
Tommi Vincent:
Okay.
Kerry Diamond:
This will be easy after this conversation. Okay. Coffee or tea, and how do you take it?
Tommi Vincent:
Tea, and I love honey and lemon.
Kerry Diamond:
And what kind of tea, black tea?
Tommi Vincent:
So, look, I'm not a tea kind of, I just...
Kerry Diamond:
Caffeinated, herbal?
Tommi Vincent:
I will say herbal, but it's not even a tea, it's the warm mug. There's this sensation with the mug around my hands.
Kerry Diamond:
Got it. What is your most-used kitchen implement?
Tommi Vincent:
I would say that it is my love spoon.
Kerry Diamond:
Your love spoon?
Tommi Vincent:
Yes.
Kerry Diamond:
Wait, what's the love spoon? Now, you tell me about the love spoon?
Tommi Vincent:
So, I have a spoon. It's a wooden spoon and it is shaped like a heart. And my daughter, Desiré gave it to me. She didn't even know I was in this process of healing, but when she gave it to me, I was seeing that I needed to be... The kitchen was my safe haven, and then that spoon came along and it was a game-changer. So, my love spoon.
Kerry Diamond:
Tommi, I have goosebumps. Oh, my gosh, is anyone allowed to touch the wood spoon? I can imagine what'll happen if somebody loses the love spoon.
Tommi Vincent:
No. So, the love spoon is the one, the original one is [inaudible 00:43:53]. And then I've actually connected with a manufacturer, and I actually have a line of love spoons that I have in production.
Kerry Diamond:
Oh. So, they're not out yet.
Tommi Vincent:
Yes.
Kerry Diamond:
I was like, "How did I miss that?"
Tommi Vincent:
People have received them as gifts, but they have not gone to market yet.
Kerry Diamond:
Can you tell me when they are available at retail-
Tommi Vincent:
Absolutely.
Kerry Diamond:
... because I would like to buy some loves spoons for a lot of people?
Tommi Vincent:
Absolutely.
Kerry Diamond:
That's amazing. I love that. All right. Next question, music in the kitchen or silence when you cook?
Tommi Vincent:
Music all the time. I have a black bow speaker that literally goes with me everywhere. But when I'm in the kitchen, that's how everyone knows is going down because they can hear the music all throughout the house, and I'm not very discreet with my volume.
Kerry Diamond:
What are some songs on the Chef Tommi playlist?
Tommi Vincent:
So, I always start out in the morning with gospel music because one, it sets the atmosphere for me and the kitchen, but also it's like an alarm for my kids. And I want to start their day off right like, "Get your mind right. I don't know what y'all was doing all night long on your phones, on your screens, but let's bring it in and let's be grateful." And then I love... And my kids are like, "Mom, you're so corny." Because I use Pandora, but I pick artists and I have playlists and I love Luther Vandross' playlist. I love Maze and Frankie Beverly's playlists, Jason Nelson's playlist. So, I just allow them to curate the music and everything that comes through is all right with me.
Kerry Diamond:
Tell us the treasured cookbook in your collection?
Tommi Vincent:
So, the very first cookbook I've ever received, my mom gave it to me as a gift and it was the African-American Heritage Cookbook. And I have since purchased one for my oldest daughter Desiré and I've passed it along to her.
Kerry Diamond:
What is the oldest thing in your fridge?
Tommi Vincent:
So, I have an amazing daughter, Hadassah who is a declutter. She's an organizer and-
Kerry Diamond:
She wants an internship.
Tommi Vincent:
... she would. She cleans out the refrigerator all the time. And if it's not her, it's my husband, Troy. Bad thing, when he does it, he throws out stuff that's still good.
Kerry Diamond:
Hadassah is one of the twins, but she's the one who's the chef, right? Did you tell me that she loves cooking?
Tommi Vincent:
Yep. Yes. She loves cooking pretty much, I don't even have to cook anymore because she cooks for me and Tanner at a home, that's who it is now with Troy in New York, and she cooks for us literally like every night for dinner.
Kerry Diamond:
Nice. Dream travel destination?
Tommi Vincent:
That is a tough one. Just somewhere on an island. Tropical beach. I'm all about ocean.
Kerry Diamond:
Nice. Last question, if you had to be trapped on a desert island with one food celebrity, who would it be and why?
Tommi Vincent:
I would pick Alexander Smalls.
Kerry Diamond:
Because?
Tommi Vincent:
Because he is just an expert in food from all over the world. And so, I believe that he and I together can make some magic.
Kerry Diamond:
And you won't starve.
Tommi Vincent:
We will not starve. We going to eat good.
Kerry Diamond:
Absolutely. Well, Chef Tommi, I can't thank you enough for joining us and for all your honesty and leadership. And I'm so glad Chef Cat connected us. I feel like I've learned so much from you and I've only known you a short time.
Tommi Vincent:
Thank you so much, Kerry for having me. This has been an honor and a pleasure to be able to have this conversation with you today.
Kerry Diamond:
And also, thank you for everything you do for women because you do a lot.
Tommi Vincent:
Thank you.
Kerry Diamond:
That's it for today's show. Thank you so much to Chef Tommi Vincent of Vincent Country for joining us and sharing her story. As a reminder, if you or anyone needs help regarding domestic violence, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233, texting the word start to 88788, or by visiting thehotline.org. You can read more about Chef Tommi in the next issue of Cherry Bombe Magazine. And if you'd like to join Just Call Me Chef, visit justcallmechef.co. Radio Cherry Bombe is a production of Cherry Bombe Magazine. Thank you to engineer Joseph Hazan of Newsstand Studios and to our assistant producer, Jenna Sadhu. Thanks for listening everybody. You're the Bombe.