Meet Chef Rene Johnson, a pioneer of healthier and vegan southern-style soul food, inspired by her cultural roots and her grandmother’s made-from-scratch-cooking, but without those unhealthy fats.
From Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to author and activist Dr. Cornel West, actor Danny Glover, Congresswoman Barbera Lee and California Governor Gavin Newsom; Chef Rene Johnson’s signature healthy southern-inspired comfort foods have fed guests at countless exclusive soirees from Washington to Hollywood.
Describing her acumen for whipping up addictive soul food dishes for satisfied A-list crowds, Chef Rene Johnson shares, “My grandmother was amazing in the kitchen, and she always cooked everything fresh and from scratch. Her peach cobbler had fresh peaches right off our trees. Her blackberry jams and desserts were made from scratch from her blackberry bushes. Everything was done with care and love.”
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Food was always the heartbeat of her grandmother’s home, but, adds Chef Rene, “She didn’t cook to health because people were not as aware in those days.”
On a mission to make southern-inspired soul food favorites more heart healthy, Rene took her grandmother’s amazing recipes, removing much of the harmful fats and pork, and she began whipping up healthier versions of old-style favorites, leading to her 20 year reign as the most in-demand soul food chef for A-list soirees.
“I taught myself to make my grandmother’s red beans and rice without the pork shank, and you would never know that my collard greens don’t have pork or turkey.” She doesn’t negate meat altogether, but chooses to use it much more sparingly. Some of Chef Rene’s most recent catered events have included exclusive black tie gatherings for top executives at Google and YouTube, among others.
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Chef Rene Johnson’s is known for her sweet potato waffles with fried chicken, shrimp and grits bar with red sauce, wine sauce or “cream” sauce (vegan), blackberry and peach cobblers, old fashioned grits, hot water corn bread, vegan butter beans, blackberry jam cupcakes with blackberry jam and blackberry cream cheese frosting.
Chef Rene Johnson is carrying on her grandmother Katherine’s fresh food traditions with her own 10, yes 10, grandchildren, by her side, whom she calls her “royal tasters.” She loves involving her family in creating fresh food fare while teaching them healthy food habits. “Celebrating your cultural roots and enjoying your food doesn’t have to compromise your health,” says Rene.
