BEHIND THE PAGES
Q&A With Angélica Rahe
We’re taking you behind the scenes with Angélica Rahe—home cook, musician, and one of the inspiring voices from Issue 02: Austin. In this Q&A, she dishes on everything from her secret ingredient to the songs that keep her inspired in and out of the kitchen. Read on for all the flavorful details!
What was the first thing you ever learned to cook?
I asked my mother this question, and it was such a sweet answer for me to discover. She told me that, at about age 3, I loved to make scrambled eggs. Apparently, I learned all my family members’ preferences on how they liked their eggs scrambled, including the seasonings. She said I intrinsically knew how to season food without really being taught, naturally reaching for salt and pepper and sometimes spices like pimentón and garlic and whatever else was in the cabinet—that I would get so excited to step up on a stool in our tiny little Japanese kitchen (we lived in Japan at the time) and make everyone in the family their favorite version of scrambled eggs.
What’s the “secret ingredient” you add to both your meals and your music?
I see both acts as a very sacred channeling—very sensory and passion-driven. Whether making a meal or making music, I am in deep conversation and connection with my ancestors, forming part of a larger story and thread that comes through in the act of creating a song or a meal, which, when shared, becomes a powerful bridge to connect with others.
QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS
Favorite song to listen to? Any song by Sade
What’s your favorite late-night studio snack? Savory: currently addicted to Wilde Barbecue Protein Chips (it’s a problem). Sweet: dark chocolate with nuts and salt.
If you could only use one spice in a recipe, which one would you choose? Pimentón
What’s your ultimate comfort food? Flourless chocolate cake—if there is some kind of hazelnut element and an ice cream on the side, even better.
First song you learned to play on the guitar? My own :)
What’s your go-to kitchen playlist? Any specific artists or genres that get you in the mood to cook?
It’s as fluid as the way I cook. Sometimes, it’s old flamenco music; sometimes, it’s vibey R&B; and sometimes it’s nothing at all. People assume otherwise, but I actually enjoy and indulge in silence quite often—it’s my canvas.
If you could cook a meal for any musician, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you make?
I would make a meal for Prince, and as risky as it sounds, I’d probably improvise and make something I’ve never made before. I think he’d appreciate that.
We love sharing more about our home cooks—their stories, their inspirations, and the little things that make their time in the kitchen so special. Angélica’s passion for food and music is a reminder that the best meals are made with heart (and maybe a good playlist, too).
Add Angélica’s music to your own playlist!
If you loved Angélica’s story, there’s more to explore in Issue 02: Austin, available as a single issue for $22. Subscribe today and we’ll send you the current issue for free!