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Food Dolls is the lifestyle brand · Dishing with Stephanie's Dish

0:15
SPEAKER_00: Hello,
0:15
SPEAKER_00: everybody,
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SPEAKER_00: and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish,
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the podcast where we talk to people equally obsessed in the
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food spaces as we are.
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SPEAKER_00: And today I'm with the food dolls.
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SPEAKER_00: I'm with Radwa and Alia Alkafas.
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SPEAKER_00: And we had an opportunity to...
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record a taste buds episode with them that will air at the end
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of February.
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I think it's going to be February 22nd,
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right on the eve of your book being available at stores.
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SPEAKER_00: Uh, well, we go live on the 25th.
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SPEAKER_00: Okay.
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SPEAKER_00: So you can pre-order though, your book pretty delicious right now.
0:52
SPEAKER_00: And if we talk about cookbooks in particular, the pre-order is like,
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It's crazy because what people don't know is all those
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pre-orders that you say you
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SPEAKER_00: want this book,
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SPEAKER_00: they count towards day one sales.
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SPEAKER_00: And for people like Food Dolls who have such a massive following,
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it could be the day that launches them potentially to the top
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of the New York Times
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SPEAKER_00: cookbook list.
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SPEAKER_00: So pre-orders for cookbook authors are super important.
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SPEAKER_00: So we want you to get your books when they come out live.
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But we also want you to pre-order because all of that stacked
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up on that first day
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SPEAKER_00: counts to get them.
1:37
We are trying to get them on the New York Times bestseller list
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with their book.
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SPEAKER_00: Would you like that, girls?
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SPEAKER_00: That would be just a dream.
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SPEAKER_00: I know it would.
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When we spent time together in your home and watching you guys
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make your magic,
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SPEAKER_00: when I left,
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SPEAKER_00: one of the things that I asked,
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SPEAKER_00: I'm like,
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SPEAKER_00: so,
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SPEAKER_00: you know,
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SPEAKER_00: what are your intentions?
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And you were like,
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we want to get our book on the New York Times bestseller list.
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And I think,
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I really think you can do it because you guys have such a huge following.
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SPEAKER_00: The book is so great.
2:04
SPEAKER_00: It's pretty delicious.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: Can we just back up?
2:08
Like you guys said,
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you've been doing this pretty much since pre-pandemic,
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but
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SPEAKER_00: I feel like, you know, you've amassed such a huge following.
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SPEAKER_00: Like, how did it get started?
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SPEAKER_03: Well, first of all, thank you so much for having us on.
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SPEAKER_03: And it was so fun cooking with you last week.
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SPEAKER_03: I well,
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SPEAKER_03: we definitely started around nine years ago now,
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SPEAKER_03: which is so crazy to think that it's been that long.
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I think when we first started,
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we didn't really have like the best direction of what exactly.
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SPEAKER_03: No one did.
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SPEAKER_03: And we were trying to figure out social media.
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SPEAKER_03: Both of our backgrounds were not chefs.
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SPEAKER_03: We have no we have no photography background, no videography background.
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SPEAKER_03: We had nothing.
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But we just knew that we love to cook and we wanted to share
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with the world how
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SPEAKER_03: easy and delicious you can make recipes.
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SPEAKER_03: And I think that's been it since day one.
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Our shift kind of changed a few years later on really kind of
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honing in on like our
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SPEAKER_03: culture and our background and what we grew up eating.
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SPEAKER_03: And people loved it.
3:10
SPEAKER_03: People loved it.
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SPEAKER_03: And they love our like sister vibe.
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SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you two are real life sisters.
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SPEAKER_00: And are you four years apart?
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SPEAKER_00: Yes.
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SPEAKER_00: And your background is your parents are from Egypt.
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SPEAKER_00: So you're leaning into that sort of cultural vibe.
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SPEAKER_00: And what maybe a lot of people don't know,
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SPEAKER_00: and I know a tiny,
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SPEAKER_00: tiny bit,
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SPEAKER_00: but that Egypt is a very modern place,
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SPEAKER_00: all told.
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SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
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Can you just give us a little bit of why it's a touchstone for
3:44
you to still be
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speaking about this food that you guys have lived here most of
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your lives,
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SPEAKER_00: but you still feel like this is such an influence for you?
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SPEAKER_02: So our parents were, they immigrated here in the early 80s.
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SPEAKER_02: And so we were both born and raised here.
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SPEAKER_02: But
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SPEAKER_02: They really tried very hard to keep our Egyptian background alive.
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SPEAKER_02: So whether it was with food, with cultures, traditions.
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SPEAKER_02: So basically, we're very Egyptian and Midwestern at the same time.
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SPEAKER_02: So you even see a lot of our recipes.
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We do fusions between Egyptian and Mediterranean,
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Middle Eastern food with our Minnesota side.
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It's funny that you mentioned that today because prior to
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talking with you,
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the way that Taste Buds works usually is we go out and we have
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an adventure somewhere.
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SPEAKER_00: And in this episode, that adventure was with you guys in your home.
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And then we take what we learned from that adventure and we
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come back into my kitchen.
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SPEAKER_00: And so one of the things that I made was your, what was it?
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SPEAKER_00: And it had cinnamon in it.
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SPEAKER_00: It was super delicious.
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SPEAKER_00: The recipe worked beautifully.
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SPEAKER_00: And everybody loved it.
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SPEAKER_00: But what was funny was when we were making it,
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SPEAKER_00: my cameraman said,
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SPEAKER_00: oh,
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SPEAKER_00: it's just like a casserole or a hot dish.
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SPEAKER_00: And so I laughed.
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SPEAKER_00: I was like, yes, this is like the Egyptian hot dish.
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SPEAKER_00: That's exactly the mashup.
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SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
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SPEAKER_02: Yep.
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SPEAKER_02: And that's what we always say.
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SPEAKER_02: It's like an Egyptian hamburger helper, you know, casserole.
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SPEAKER_02: So it's, it's, yeah, it's really good.
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SPEAKER_00: Even down to like,
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SPEAKER_00: I don't know if you guys ever have had rice-a-roni,
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but it was like a combination between rice and pasta and you
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sauteed it just like
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SPEAKER_00: you did with the orzo to get the color on the pasta.
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SPEAKER_00: So it was just really, it was a delicious recipe.
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SPEAKER_00: The other thing that we did that will surprise you maybe is
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I was trying to think about how to take what I learned from you
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and your book and
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SPEAKER_00: the way you cook and make that kind of my own too,
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SPEAKER_00: because I think that's so much of what you inspire people to do.
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So I took the marinated tomato and creamy whipped feta dip that
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we made on the show with you.
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And I took all those same ingredients literally to the letter,
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but we made a pasta bake with it.
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SPEAKER_03: Oh, that sounds delicious.
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SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so you'll see that on the episode.
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We made it and we made it into like a pasta bake because when I
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was looking at the
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SPEAKER_00: recipe that you guys made when we were in your kitchen,
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SPEAKER_00: I was like,
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SPEAKER_00: oh,
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SPEAKER_00: this is kind of like that feta where the roasted tomatoes.
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And so that's the surprise for you that you'll see that we just
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took your dish and
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SPEAKER_00: all the ingredients.
6:33
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
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SPEAKER_00: It was very fun to,
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SPEAKER_00: and it was interesting too,
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SPEAKER_00: because Michelle,
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SPEAKER_00: my producer,
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SPEAKER_00: she was like,
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SPEAKER_00: because she loved your dip so much.
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SPEAKER_00: And then she was like,
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SPEAKER_00: and it's so weird that this is the exact same ingredients,
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SPEAKER_00: but the flavor profile is so different.
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SPEAKER_00: It changes everything.
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SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
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SPEAKER_00: And maybe just the roasting of the tomatoes too,
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SPEAKER_00: and the heat and the pasta,
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SPEAKER_00: because that was the one thing we did add,
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SPEAKER_00: but it was really fun to think about how to take a recipe from your book,
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SPEAKER_00: but kind of like just twist it with all the same stuff.
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SPEAKER_00: It was fun.
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SPEAKER_01: Yep.
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SPEAKER_02: Awesome.
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SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
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SPEAKER_02: And that's what we love to do.
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SPEAKER_02: We love taking these,
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just these simple ingredients and just turning them into
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something amazing.
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SPEAKER_02: You know,
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SPEAKER_02: you don't need,
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SPEAKER_02: like,
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you don't need anything crazy and any crazy ingredients and you
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could just make
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SPEAKER_02: something that's really good and
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SPEAKER_02: with simple ingredients.
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SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
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I think that's why we really liked your recipes that also we
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made a beautiful chicken dish.
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SPEAKER_00: Do you want to describe the chicken dish that we made?
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SPEAKER_03: All that saucy chicken and potatoes.
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SPEAKER_03: Yes.
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SPEAKER_03: That's the thing.
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SPEAKER_03: Like we are busy moms who don't really have a lot of time.
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SPEAKER_03: So we're always thinking, okay, what can we do?
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SPEAKER_03: That's just easy, delicious.
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And you could just throw it together,
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literally throw everything into the baking dish.
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SPEAKER_03: make your marinade and throw it together and pop it in the oven.
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SPEAKER_03: So you could do it the night before.
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SPEAKER_03: So it's a great make ahead or you can make it the same day.
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SPEAKER_03: But really just getting those flavors to infuse overnight is awesome.
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SPEAKER_03: And who doesn't love having dinner the day before?
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So all you have to do is throw it in the oven when you're ready
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to eat it is
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SPEAKER_03: exactly what we love to do.
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SPEAKER_00: How many days a week do you, okay, let's just back up a second.
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You guys have,
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I think we determined it was 8 million followers over all the platforms.
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How many days a week do you actually spend together creating
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content versus the
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SPEAKER_00: marketing and the managing of the content?
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I think that's the beauty of having two of us is we do a lot of
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divide and conquer,
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SPEAKER_03: which really helps us a lot.
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SPEAKER_03: And it alleviates a lot of pressure off of each other.
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SPEAKER_03: There's things that we obviously have to do together, like our end shots.
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Or if we're filming like a recipe clip that we're actually in,
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then we have to be together.
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I think we just kind of take it week by week because maybe we
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have like a high
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SPEAKER_03: sponsored week that we have to do our sponsors.
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SPEAKER_03: Or if we have a lighter week or we, you know,
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are going on vacation and we need to film as many as we can so
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we can have a little
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SPEAKER_03: bit extra content.
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SPEAKER_03: I think we just kind of take it week by week.
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SPEAKER_00: When you look at your content calendar,
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SPEAKER_00: how far in advance do you go or do you just do it week by week?
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I mean,
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I would love to say that we're the most organized sisters ever,
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but we're not.
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SPEAKER_03: We really just kind of sometimes we wing it.
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SPEAKER_03: Sometimes even we don't recipe test the recipe.
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SPEAKER_03: We're like, OK, let's just try this.
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SPEAKER_03: And sometimes it is 100 percent fail and it does not work.
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SPEAKER_03: And other times we're like, we nailed that.
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SPEAKER_03: Like it is absolutely amazing.
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SPEAKER_03: And then we get super excited.
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SPEAKER_03: Sometimes those are best recipes when it's just spur of the moment.
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SPEAKER_02: I was going to say, sometimes we have this like master plan.
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SPEAKER_02: Oh, we're going to make X, Y, Z today.
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SPEAKER_02: It's going to be great.
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And all of a sudden we're in the middle of making it and it
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turns into something a
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SPEAKER_02: hundred percent different.
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SPEAKER_02: And, and we just, we just go with it, you know?
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SPEAKER_00: It's so fun.
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SPEAKER_00: And the styling of the book,
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SPEAKER_00: what I noticed when I was at your home is you both have a similar style,
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SPEAKER_00: but
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But your homes are very curated and full of beautiful art and
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beautiful flowers.
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SPEAKER_00: And you have a real statement color palette.
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SPEAKER_00: And that kind of translates to your work online and the book.
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SPEAKER_00: Have you always been like that since you were little kids?
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SPEAKER_00: You're both matching.
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SPEAKER_00: You have all the perfect lips, the perfect hair, all the stuff.
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SPEAKER_03: It's so funny.
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SPEAKER_03: Our favorite color is really black and white.
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SPEAKER_03: It's not just something that we created for our brand.
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SPEAKER_03: It's legit what we love.
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SPEAKER_03: We love black and white.
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And when we were going through our brand and what we wanted it
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to look like,
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SPEAKER_03: it was,
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SPEAKER_03: okay,
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SPEAKER_03: how are we going to incorporate this into...
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SPEAKER_03: our brand because what we like at home, this is what we do at home.
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SPEAKER_03: And we also love it in our clothes.
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SPEAKER_03: So it's not just, we like black and white.
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And I,
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this might sound a little crazy that we love black and white
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and everything,
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but we do.
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SPEAKER_03: So it ended up being that we love it at home.
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SPEAKER_03: We love it in the book.
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SPEAKER_03: We love it in online.
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Like it's just,
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so it's,
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it's just part of our food dolls identity at this point.
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SPEAKER_00: Can you remember the first thing you guys ever made like by yourselves,
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SPEAKER_00: just like as a kid or like,
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did you have a first cookbook or do you remember just like that
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first thing you
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SPEAKER_00: really made?
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SPEAKER_02: I would,
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I'm pretty sure the first thing we probably ever made together
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was probably baked cookies,
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SPEAKER_02: you know,
11:24
SPEAKER_02: like just straight up cookies or a box of brownie mix or something.
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SPEAKER_00: Totally.
11:30
SPEAKER_00: That is,
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and it was always like cookies or brownies because it was kind
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of a one bowl situation,
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SPEAKER_00: right?
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SPEAKER_00: You didn't want to make a mess with your mom.
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SPEAKER_00: Is there a recipe that you feel like A,
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SPEAKER_00: gets a lot of traction,
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SPEAKER_00: but B,
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SPEAKER_00: like really represents you?
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SPEAKER_00: It's like, this is the one that we feel like is our statement.
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SPEAKER_03: Wow, that's a really good question.
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SPEAKER_03: Okay, I will say this.
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Our most popular recipes are the most shocking that we would
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have never guessed
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SPEAKER_03: that these are like the most popular recipes.
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SPEAKER_03: We did a baked spaghetti that...
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went absolutely crazy would we have thought that that was going
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to be our number
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one recipe on the website no we love it but people went crazy
12:14
over it so crazy and
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it was just really shocking to us but i think we kind of came
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to the conclusion is
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our top recipes are like the simplest easiest like you've got
12:24
these recipes you've
12:25
got these ingredients in your pantry so all you have to do is
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throw it together and
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SPEAKER_03: i think that's what always wins
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yeah and it's always surprising like the ones that get the most
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traction and you
12:37
just think like wow that's weird like one of mine is this chow
12:41
chow relish that
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they bake usually in the south and i always have green tomatoes
12:45
that i garden with
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so i ended up just having to kind of make this thing and it's
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like always in the
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top three i don't know who's clicking on that recipe that much
12:55
but people are it's
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SPEAKER_00: weird
12:57
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's funny how that works.
12:58
SPEAKER_02: It's just what you think is gonna like people are like,
13:01
SPEAKER_02: Oh,
13:01
SPEAKER_02: my God,
13:01
SPEAKER_02: this is so good is the opposite.
13:03
SPEAKER_02: And it's like something that,
13:04
SPEAKER_02: you know,
13:05
SPEAKER_02: is the most like rodosa and simple and basic and,
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SPEAKER_02: you know,
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SPEAKER_00: When we talk about your Egyptian heritage,
13:13
SPEAKER_00: and I asked you guys about this when we met,
13:16
SPEAKER_00: what is it specifically like,
13:18
SPEAKER_00: for instance,
13:18
SPEAKER_00: when we were doing the orzo bake,
13:21
SPEAKER_00: the producer asked you,
13:23
SPEAKER_00: what do you think about this makes it Egyptian?
13:26
And I was saying the flavor profiles and the types of
13:30
ingredients that we use.
13:31
But is there something that you feel like is uniquely Egyptian
13:35
that you bring to the party?
13:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
13:36
SPEAKER_02: That's a really good question.
13:38
So I'd say a lot of the dishes in the book are not necessarily
13:43
like true Egyptian,
13:45
SPEAKER_02: it's got like some fusion to it with like Mediterranean flavors.
13:49
And a lot of the like the real traditional Egyptian recipes
13:52
might be a little bit
13:53
SPEAKER_02: more intricate.
13:54
So we were trying to simplify it by using some of those those
13:58
same flavor profiles,
14:00
but not necessarily doing it step by step like our mom would do
14:04
our aunt or grandma,
14:05
SPEAKER_02: you know,
14:07
One of the ingredients in the casserole that we made was tomato
14:10
paste and you
14:11
SPEAKER_00: cooked down the tomato paste.
14:13
SPEAKER_00: But that like when you think about tomatoes in warm climates,
14:17
SPEAKER_00: you know,
14:17
SPEAKER_00: the flavor is so intense and so concentrated.
14:20
SPEAKER_00: And you do kind of get that from a tomato paste.
14:23
SPEAKER_00: I hadn't really thought about that before.
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SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's very true.
14:26
SPEAKER_02: And we do have a lot of dishes that are very tomato based as well.
14:31
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love it.
14:32
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
14:32
So when you guys are like absolutely exhausted and the kids are
14:37
driving you crazy
14:38
SPEAKER_00: and it's six o'clock and you have to put something,
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SPEAKER_00: is there like a go-to meal for each of you?
14:44
SPEAKER_03: Um,
14:44
SPEAKER_03: I'm like thinking about it because I'm like,
14:46
SPEAKER_03: okay,
14:46
SPEAKER_03: there's a lot I feel like are like the chicken and potatoes,
14:50
SPEAKER_03: I think for sure to just kind of throw together.
14:54
SPEAKER_03: But I really do love that to sit overnight.
14:56
SPEAKER_03: But if I'm like, in a pinch, I will say the kids.
15:01
maybe sometimes eat something different than I do because
15:05
they're so picky.
15:06
SPEAKER_03: Like I have a four-year-old,
15:07
SPEAKER_03: a nine-year-old,
15:08
SPEAKER_03: and one wants,
15:10
SPEAKER_03: you know,
15:10
quesadillas and the other one's like fighting me on the chicken
15:14
and potatoes and rice.
15:15
SPEAKER_03: Like, so I would say that it's always two different things.
15:18
I'm not even going to lie about it because they drive me
15:21
absolutely crazy about
15:23
SPEAKER_03: getting them to eat everything online.
15:25
SPEAKER_03: All at the same time and and the same thing.
15:28
SPEAKER_03: So I would say for me, it would be the chicken potatoes for them.
15:30
SPEAKER_03: It would definitely be some sort of pasta.
15:32
SPEAKER_03: And we love one pot pastas because you can have it ready in 15 minutes.
15:36
SPEAKER_03: And we have so many one pot pastas in our book.
15:38
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you do have a lot.
15:40
SPEAKER_00: I tried to make the dish.
15:42
as a one pot with the pasta already in the baking dish and make
15:46
the sauce right in
15:47
SPEAKER_00: the pan,
15:48
SPEAKER_00: but I couldn't get the right ratio of water to pasta.
15:54
SPEAKER_00: I made it twice and the pasta kept coming out a little crunchy.
15:58
SPEAKER_00: So I moved on and I just made it,
16:00
SPEAKER_00: I just boiled the pasta and did it that way and added it later.
16:03
SPEAKER_00: But I did try twice to get it like,
16:06
cause I kept thinking it would be so great if you could just do
16:08
this all in the
16:09
SPEAKER_00: oven in the one pan.
16:11
SPEAKER_00: And maybe a different pan or a flatter pan.
16:13
SPEAKER_00: I could have.
16:15
SPEAKER_02: That could be.
16:16
And it could be also the kind of pasta that sometimes makes a
16:19
difference as well.
16:20
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I should have tried an orzo, but I had a penne.
16:23
SPEAKER_00: So, yep.
16:24
SPEAKER_00: Do you,
16:25
SPEAKER_00: when your kids are like picky like that,
16:27
SPEAKER_00: do you feel like,
16:29
SPEAKER_00: okay,
16:30
SPEAKER_00: no kids,
16:30
SPEAKER_00: this is what I made.
16:31
SPEAKER_00: This is what we're eating.
16:32
SPEAKER_00: I'm not a short order cook.
16:34
SPEAKER_00: Or are you more lax and you're like,
16:36
SPEAKER_00: just whatever we're eating,
16:37
SPEAKER_00: go ahead,
16:38
SPEAKER_00: eat it as long as you eat.
16:39
I would have to say I kind of started,
16:42
especially with my kids,
16:43
learning how they are.
16:46
And I don't care if I make the same thing every single week if
16:50
I know they're going to eat it.
16:51
Why am I going to sit here and fight every single week to try
16:55
to get them to try new things?
16:56
Because I see Alia as like the perfect examples because my kids
17:01
are younger.
17:02
SPEAKER_03: Hers are older.
17:02
SPEAKER_03: So now they're starting to eat.
17:05
SPEAKER_03: So I know hopefully eventually they'll get there,
17:08
but we're in this like little phase right now where I'm trying
17:11
to just get them to eat.
17:12
SPEAKER_03: I just want them to eat.
17:13
SPEAKER_03: I don't care what they eat.
17:14
SPEAKER_03: I just want them to eat the dinner.
17:16
So I will make the same things over and over and over again
17:18
because I know they
17:19
SPEAKER_03: like it and I know they'll eat it.
17:20
SPEAKER_03: So yeah.
17:22
SPEAKER_02: I was going to say a lot of times,
17:23
SPEAKER_02: like even like,
17:23
SPEAKER_02: for example,
17:24
SPEAKER_02: we do have like a Southwest salad in the cookbook.
17:28
SPEAKER_02: So what I'll do instead of assembling it all together as a salad,
17:31
SPEAKER_02: I kind of keep it some of the components separate.
17:34
So all the kids could kind of grab what they do like and what
17:36
they don't like.
17:38
SPEAKER_02: So that way it's like,
17:38
SPEAKER_02: it feels custom to them versus,
17:41
SPEAKER_02: you know,
17:42
SPEAKER_02: making it,
17:42
SPEAKER_02: putting everything together and forcing them to eat it as is.
17:46
SPEAKER_00: That's smart.
17:46
SPEAKER_00: It's like the Chipotle method, right?
17:48
SPEAKER_00: Giving them choices.
17:49
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
17:50
SPEAKER_00: I do think,
17:51
SPEAKER_00: too,
17:52
like we spend a lot of time worrying about stuff that's
17:55
probably not super
17:56
SPEAKER_00: consequential in the grand scheme of life.
18:00
SPEAKER_00: Kids are going to eat, you know, sooner or later they're going to eat.
18:03
SPEAKER_00: Sooner or later they're going to develop their palate.
18:05
SPEAKER_00: Whether,
18:06
SPEAKER_00: you know,
18:07
SPEAKER_00: they were part of the clean plate club or not,
18:09
it feels like kind of a weird thing to worry about looking back
18:11
on my childhood and
18:12
how much time and struggle there was about like what you ate
18:16
and you couldn't leave
18:17
SPEAKER_00: the table till you ate it and just kind of dumb.
18:20
When you think about social media with your kids,
18:24
I noticed that we don't really see your kids.
18:26
Is that intentional or how do you feel like you want your kids
18:30
to show up as
18:32
SPEAKER_00: teenagers and young adults in this profile of their moms being so famous?
18:38
SPEAKER_02: Yes, that is a great question.
18:39
SPEAKER_02: So we purposely we do not put our kids on social media.
18:43
SPEAKER_02: And we have very,
18:44
SPEAKER_02: very little images of images of them anywhere,
18:48
SPEAKER_02: just to protect their privacy as well,
18:50
SPEAKER_02: you know,
18:51
SPEAKER_02: and it's like once stuff is out in social media,
18:53
SPEAKER_02: once it's out in the world,
18:54
SPEAKER_02: it's out there forever.
18:55
SPEAKER_02: So yeah.
18:57
SPEAKER_02: We choose to keep them out.
18:59
Sure that they have that decision later,
19:01
you know,
19:02
like not come back at us.
19:04
SPEAKER_03: Like, why did you put me on there?
19:05
SPEAKER_03: You know, have that choice later.
19:07
SPEAKER_03: And so now we're going to be mama bears and just protect them.
19:11
SPEAKER_00: I think, too, we're seeing the social media.
19:14
SPEAKER_00: I guess Facebook just turned 20 recently, which is hard to believe.
19:18
SPEAKER_00: But when it first came about,
19:20
SPEAKER_00: you know,
19:20
like we were just on it and it was new and it was exciting and
19:23
we didn't really
19:24
SPEAKER_00: think about the big picture.
19:25
SPEAKER_00: And I think now if I had my daughter's 25.
19:29
So if I had I made her wait till 13 and if I had to do it all
19:33
over again and I was
19:34
SPEAKER_00: in this day and age,
19:34
SPEAKER_00: I definitely would.
19:36
I might get my kid like a flip phone or something terrible that
19:40
they can only call me on.
19:41
But I would have waited because I do think social media adds an
19:45
element to young
19:48
kids' lives that maybe they don't need or aren't ready for it
19:51
until later.
19:52
SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
19:53
SPEAKER_03: 100% agree with you on that.
19:56
SPEAKER_00: How do your parents feel about your business?
19:58
SPEAKER_03: I think it took them such a long time to fully understand it.
20:02
SPEAKER_03: It's probably so weird.
20:05
SPEAKER_03: Grasp what exactly we are doing.
20:09
But we know that they're so proud of us and super excited to
20:13
see us do this.
20:14
SPEAKER_03: And,
20:14
SPEAKER_03: you know,
20:15
SPEAKER_03: especially mom,
20:16
SPEAKER_03: you know,
20:17
she was a really big influence for us growing up and in the
20:21
cooking world.
20:21
SPEAKER_03: So we love making them proud.
20:25
Do you have anxiety about,
20:27
like,
20:28
keeping up or,
20:29
like,
20:30
always being on the churn?
20:32
SPEAKER_00: And what do you do for, like, self-care?
20:35
SPEAKER_00: Ooh, that's a great one.
20:36
SPEAKER_02: Yes,
20:37
SPEAKER_02: I'd say we do definitely have the anxiety,
20:39
SPEAKER_02: but we try to,
20:40
SPEAKER_02: we always talk each other down,
20:42
SPEAKER_02: calm each other down,
20:43
SPEAKER_02: and just know that,
20:44
SPEAKER_02: you know,
20:45
SPEAKER_02: just talk things through together,
20:47
SPEAKER_02: but...
20:48
SPEAKER_02: And I'd say probably self-care.
20:50
SPEAKER_02: We like to work out just to kind of,
20:51
SPEAKER_02: you know,
20:53
SPEAKER_02: really get the release those endorphins,
20:56
you know.
20:57
SPEAKER_03: And we we actually do yell at each other, like stop working.
21:00
SPEAKER_03: You need to stop working.
21:01
SPEAKER_03: Stop looking at your screen.
21:03
SPEAKER_03: Put your computer down.
21:04
SPEAKER_03: Stop doing this.
21:05
SPEAKER_03: We do that all all the time to each other.
21:07
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
21:09
SPEAKER_00: What are your favorite types of workouts?
21:12
SPEAKER_01: I would say lifting and walking.
21:14
SPEAKER_01: What was lifting and walking?
21:16
SPEAKER_01: Yep, same lifting, walking and, you know.
21:19
SPEAKER_01: Doing some sort of cardio.
21:21
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
21:22
SPEAKER_00: And you have kids too.
21:23
SPEAKER_00: So you're probably trying to fit it in when you can.
21:26
And it's hard to like go to a structured gym and do all that
21:29
when you've got a lot
21:30
SPEAKER_00: of family at home.
21:31
SPEAKER_00: And how do you feel about working from home?
21:34
SPEAKER_00: And does that work for your schedules?
21:36
Or do you ever visualize like someday having an office where
21:39
you have all your production stuff?
21:42
I love working from home because of the flexibility and having
21:46
everything at home
21:47
SPEAKER_03: where you could quickly just...
21:50
But it's definitely a challenge to disconnect sometimes because
21:53
work is home,
21:53
home is work.
21:54
SPEAKER_03: So it's hard to like break the two apart.
21:59
SPEAKER_03: But it's nice that we have two houses.
22:00
SPEAKER_03: So if we need a break from one house, we go to the other one.
22:03
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that is nice.
22:04
SPEAKER_00: Like just because it can just feel so much like,
22:07
SPEAKER_00: oh,
22:07
SPEAKER_00: you're just in your house all the time doing all this stuff.
22:11
SPEAKER_02: And it's, it really is hard to disconnect.
22:13
So it's not like we try to have work hours,
22:15
but it's like,
22:16
it's almost impossible.
22:18
SPEAKER_02: So like we'll work and then we'll take a break,
22:20
SPEAKER_02: even run kids activities,
22:22
SPEAKER_02: come back,
22:22
SPEAKER_02: finish working.
22:23
SPEAKER_02: So it's like, it feels like sometimes it's like a nonstop cycle.
22:27
But yeah,
22:27
that's when we have to put each other in check,
22:30
say,
22:30
get off and go take a break.
22:33
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
22:33
SPEAKER_00: Switching gears.
22:34
SPEAKER_00: What is your,
22:35
SPEAKER_00: and each of you can have a separate answer,
22:37
SPEAKER_00: of course,
22:38
but what is your like most used kitchen utensil or gadget or
22:43
thing that like you
22:44
SPEAKER_00: could not live without?
22:45
SPEAKER_01: Air fryer.
22:47
SPEAKER_01: That was so fast.
22:49
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
22:49
SPEAKER_01: I have to second her.
22:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
22:52
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
22:52
SPEAKER_00: Really?
22:53
SPEAKER_00: I use my air fryer so rarely.
22:55
SPEAKER_00: It's in the garage.
22:57
SPEAKER_00: Like, do you use it every day?
22:59
SPEAKER_00: What are you doing with it?
23:00
SPEAKER_03: Every single day.
23:02
SPEAKER_03: Like there is not a day that goes by that I don't use that.
23:05
SPEAKER_02: Really?
23:05
SPEAKER_02: For reheating things, for making things.
23:08
SPEAKER_02: We actually do have some instructions in the cookbook.
23:11
SPEAKER_02: Like if,
23:12
SPEAKER_02: if you want to make this recipe in an air fryer,
23:14
SPEAKER_02: how to do that,
23:15
SPEAKER_02: but it just makes things so much easier.
23:17
SPEAKER_02: Even if like the kids want to make chicken and fries or something,
23:20
SPEAKER_02: you know,
23:20
SPEAKER_02: it crisps it up perfectly and it feels like you're eating it,
23:24
SPEAKER_02: you know,
23:24
SPEAKER_02: freshly like deep fried,
23:25
SPEAKER_02: you know?
23:27
All right,
23:27
I'm going to have to get my air fryer out of the garage and
23:30
give it another try.
23:31
SPEAKER_00: I just, I don't know.
23:33
SPEAKER_00: It's like, and I have a convection oven too.
23:35
So I think the convection oven does the same thing,
23:37
but I don't have kids.
23:38
SPEAKER_00: So maybe that's different,
23:40
SPEAKER_00: you know,
23:40
just the speed and convenience of it being right on the counter
23:43
like that.
23:45
SPEAKER_03: And you mentioned what we do on there.
23:47
SPEAKER_03: And honestly,
23:48
SPEAKER_03: like even we do like French toast,
23:50
SPEAKER_03: like if you want to make French toast,
23:51
SPEAKER_03: you can throw your French toast in there.
23:53
SPEAKER_03: Or if you make a marinated chicken, just throw it in there, shut it.
23:57
SPEAKER_03: And it's done in no time.
23:59
SPEAKER_03: And you don't have to worry about mess.
24:01
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
24:01
SPEAKER_00: And it goes faster too.
24:03
SPEAKER_00: You guys will be on a book tour, I'm imagining.
24:06
SPEAKER_00: Is that all coming together?
24:07
SPEAKER_00: And how is that feeling?
24:08
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
24:09
SPEAKER_03: It's exciting.
24:11
SPEAKER_03: Super excited to do that.
24:12
SPEAKER_03: That's going to be end of February, beginning of March.
24:16
SPEAKER_03: We have, we're stopping at five different cities.
24:19
SPEAKER_03: So we're really excited about that.
24:21
SPEAKER_02: And I'm going to be here in Minneapolis.
24:24
SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's so great.
24:25
SPEAKER_02: Do you know where you're going to be or what you're doing yet?
24:28
SPEAKER_02: We're going to be at the Barnes and Noble in Edina.
24:30
So that'll be where I don't think we have a confirmed time yet,
24:34
but that'll be on March.
24:36
SPEAKER_02: It's a Sunday, March 2nd, I believe.
24:38
SPEAKER_00: All right.
24:39
SPEAKER_00: Well, when you know, just let me know and I'll make sure and share it.
24:42
SPEAKER_00: It's been super fun just chatting with you guys.
24:45
I knew just from kind of following you that I like,
24:48
oh,
24:49
I'm going to like these girls.
24:50
SPEAKER_00: But really, honestly, it was like one of my best days.
24:53
SPEAKER_00: And I just so proud of you.
24:55
SPEAKER_00: And I feel...
24:56
SPEAKER_00: Like,
24:57
you know how you you meet people and you want them to be
25:00
successful or you're so
25:01
SPEAKER_00: proud of their success.
25:02
SPEAKER_00: That's how I feel about you guys.
25:03
You really work hard and you've really earned everything that's
25:08
coming your way.
25:09
SPEAKER_00: And I think the book's going to be amazing.
25:10
And it was just it's been fun to just be a little tiny,
25:13
tiny part of the journey for a second.
25:16
SPEAKER_00: It's been a blast.
25:17
SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much.
25:18
And honestly,
25:19
your energy that you brought to that table last week was everything.
25:24
SPEAKER_03: You made us feel so good.
25:25
SPEAKER_03: And we felt like a million bucks after you left.
25:28
SPEAKER_03: So thank you.
25:30
I am also honored to have gotten to work with you and now we
25:34
get to be friends.
25:35
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
25:37
SPEAKER_00: I'm actually,
25:38
SPEAKER_00: I just,
25:38
SPEAKER_00: I'm planning,
25:39
SPEAKER_00: I booked a,
25:42
SPEAKER_00: do you know,
25:42
SPEAKER_00: a Kamayan feast at Vinay and I've had one for a while.
25:46
SPEAKER_00: And so I was like,
25:47
SPEAKER_00: oh,
25:47
SPEAKER_00: I wonder,
25:48
maybe I'll do a gathering of like food ladies just to do
25:50
something fun and different.
25:51
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
25:52
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
25:53
SPEAKER_00: All right, you guys, your book's going to be great.
25:56
SPEAKER_00: Keep me in the loop.
25:57
SPEAKER_00: I'll keep you in the loop if anything fun's happening.
26:00
SPEAKER_00: And just thanks for being taste buds.
26:03
SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
26:03
SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much.
26:04
SPEAKER_00: All right.
26:05
SPEAKER_00: We'll see you soon.
26:06
SPEAKER_01: Bye.
26:06
SPEAKER_01: Bye-bye.