Cordell Robinson aka Cordell The Culinary Diva has been cooking since he was 7 years old. Cordell grew up in a household of six kids and his mom worked two sometimes three jobs. She did not have time to cook all the time so his siblings would have peanut butter and Jelly, Spam, or some other kind of quick meal. He began to watch his aunts cook which led him to mimic what they were doing in the kitchen. He asked questions out of curiosity and Cordell knew he had a love for food. Cordell started with very basic dishes like baked chicken wings with seasoned canned vegetables. As he got older, Cordell started doing more complex cooking. He made fried rice, egg rolls, meatloaf, spaghetti, and many other things. At that time there was no internet to depend on for recipes, so Cordell went by taste. Later in college Cordell cooked for his friends in exchange for them to buy the groceries because he could not afford the food, that's when he really began to sharpen my skills.

 

After college he went into the US Navy and his first duty station was Diego Garcia. Cordell got together with friends, and he would use a one burner to make meals. It was very challenging, but it helped him have the ability to be able to cook in any kitchen. Cooking is a passion of his and likes to share that passion with everyone. In the past few years Cordell has been cooking for celebrities, corporations and has cooked all over the world like places such as Diego Garcia, Rota Spain, Sicily Italy, Crete Greece, London UK, Toronto Canada, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Tanzania, Zanzibar, and Paris France.

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Q. What was the inspiration behind becoming a Chef?

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The inspiration of me becoming a Chef is that I have a love for food but not just eating food but creating works of art flavor wise and visually. At a very young age I was different when it came to food. Instead of gravitating to sweets I enjoyed unique vegetables. Each time I ate food I would think about the preparation, seasoning, and love put in it. Growing up I did not have google or the Food Network, so it was watching my aunts and Stepmom cook. Some of their food would not taste as expected which is ok because it made me realize the natural diversity of palates. It also made me realize that there are universal tastes and techniques that can be created that a majority would enjoy. I was not a picky eater at all except for eggs. I am not a fan of them and have tried them every which way. I appreciate eggs but they are not my go to unless used in a dish for example, baking, souffle, stuffing, mac n cheese etc.

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As I got older and with limited access to different types of food and seasoning, I learned editing very fast. My brothers are very picky eaters, so it was hard for me to understand why they did not like the variety of foods that I liked but it was a challenge for me, and I love a challenge like that.

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When I went to college, I met some great friends, and they were from affluent families. That was a great experience because they would talk about different dishes they ate, and I would say “I can make that” and then I would make the dish without knowing much about it because of my limited exposure but I knew tastes and smells of food.

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Then in the Navy I was able to travel and meet people from many places with palates that were so unique from one person to another that it was frustrating at times. I remember in Rota Spain, one of my friends grew up only eating fast food all his life. I was beyond annoyed that a person could have only eaten that type of food knowing there is a world of cuisines out there. We talked about it a lot and I remember making gumbo. He was so hesitant at first, but I said taste it. When he did, he was like OMG this is delicious. I learned how to make that Gumbo in Diego Garcia from my friend Kamaria. All those experiences culminated my inspiration to become a Chef.

Q. How did you get started? What steps did you take to launch your career?

I got started in a very unconventional way, I would cook for friends and get feedback. Then I hosted large BBQ’s and dinner parties. I would not ask how my food was, I would look for reactions and if the plates were cleaned or if there was food left on them. The steps I took to launch my career is I started posting my food on social media, then filming some cooking segments on social media and behind the scenes. I worked with brands and built organic relationships. I invested in myself to start launching my brand. There was a lot of trial and error in some things but most things were so natural that I knew that this is my calling.

Q. How did you earn the name “The Culinary Diva”?

I earned the name “The Culinary Diva” because all of my friends call me “Diva” . The way I Live my life is very particular. I like things a certain way. I am OCD so I am always cleaning. When I host functions, everything must be perfect no matter the number of people. When I travel, my hotel must be a specific way, and so on. I am not a mean person at all, but I have very high expectations of people and the way I want things, and I will let you know or just remove a person if they are not the right fit. I cannot stand tardiness, and people that demand respect that is not earned. With that said, when it comes to food, I try to make sure the flavors, textures, and temperatures are perfect, or I get really upset and have stern conversations but in a cool calm, collected and scary manner. I know that the term Diva has a negative connotation to some, but it is just a person that is specific in every facet on how they live. Everyone that knows me knows that when “The Culinary Diva” has a dinner, party, BBQ, or steps into a room the energy of fabulousness has arrived.