What's Really Good - Tiffany Graves

Updated 12 days ago

In this episode of 'What's Really Good,' host Matthew Lipsey sits down with special guest Tiffany Graves, the owner of Tiffany's Flavors, known affectionately as the 'fufu lady.' Tiffany recounts her journey from learning to cook as a necessity to becoming a beloved figure in her community for her unique dishes such as fufu and her plans for a cookbook entitled 'Leaving My Flavors Behind.' She shares her philosophy on cooking, the importance of legacy through recipes, and her experiences with culinary trends. Tiffany also discusses her future plans, including her move to Vegas and her aspirations to teach cooking classes. This episode provides an inspiring look at a woman who has turned her passion for cooking into a culinary journey full of flavor and community connection.

Chapters

Introduction to the Podcast (00:00:16)
Matthew Lipsey introduces the podcast 'What's Really Good' and welcomes listeners.

The host, Mr. Matthew Lipsey, greets the audience with enthusiasm and introduces the podcast titled 'What's Really Good', setting the stage for the episode.
Introducing the Special Guest (00:00:24)
Matthew introduces the special guest, Ms. Tiffany Graves, owner of Tiffany's Flavors.

Matthew introduces Mama Bill Play, also known as Ms. Tiffany Graves, the owner of Tiffany's Flavors, as the special guest for the episode.
Tiffany's Love for Cooking (00:00:35)
Tiffany discusses how her love for cooking began as a teenager and grew from a chore to a passion.

Tiffany Graves explains how she was introduced to cooking by her grandmother, initially seeing it as a chore but eventually growing to love it after realizing the skills and joy she gained from it.
Learning and Teaching Cooking (00:01:08)
Tiffany talks about teaching cooking to younger generations and the importance of learning the skill.

Tiffany reflects on her experiences teaching her nieces and others not to shy away from cooking, emphasizing the importance of passing down culinary skills and traditions.
Tiffany's Culinary Journey and Education (00:01:59)
Tiffany shares about her self-taught cooking journey and educational background.

Tiffany Graves describes her self-education in cooking, leveraging online resources and her natural talent, alongside her formal education in business and other fields.
Exploring Different Cuisines (00:04:03)
Tiffany discusses her exploration of different cuisines and her love for trying new foods.

Tiffany talks about her interest in trying various cuisines beyond traditional dishes, explaining her approach to keeping cooking exciting and diverse.
Specialty Dish: Fufu (00:04:21)
Tiffany describes her popular dish, fufu, and why it is loved by her customers.

Tiffany explains how her fufu dish, which she creates daily for the community, became a hit with customers returning frequently for its unique taste and texture.
Creating Unique Dishes (00:05:02)
Tiffany explains how she creates unique dishes like her enchilada cups.

Tiffany shares her creative process in making unique dishes such as enchilada cups, which are designed to be a better bite of tamales with a cupcake-like presentation.
Finding a Culinary Niche (00:06:51)
Tiffany discusses finding her niche in the culinary world with fufu and other unique offerings.

Tiffany talks about how she found her culinary niche by offering dishes like fufu that are not commonly available in her area, thus attracting customers looking for something different.
The Fufu Lady Nickname (00:08:10)
Tiffany recounts how she became known as the 'Fufu Lady' in her community.

Tiffany shares a story about how people in her community began recognizing her as the 'Fufu Lady' after she became known for her popular fufu dish.
Working on a Cookbook (00:08:40)
Tiffany talks about her passion project of creating a cookbook to leave behind her flavors.

Tiffany describes her ongoing project of writing a cookbook titled 'Leaving My Flavors Behind', which she hopes will preserve her recipes for future generations.
Experimenting with Traditional Foods (00:10:10)
Tiffany shares her experiments with traditional foods like chitlin boil and hog head cheese.

Tiffany discusses her creative culinary experiments, such as making chitlin boil and homemade hog head cheese, adding her own twist to traditional recipes.
Marketing and Customer Engagement (00:13:08)
Tiffany describes her approach to marketing and engaging with customers.

Tiffany explains how she uses customer feedback and social media engagement to market her cooking, offering incentives for customers to share their experiences.
Future Plans and Moving (00:15:08)
Tiffany shares her plans to move back to Vegas for the winter and continue her cooking journey.

Tiffany discusses her plan to move back to Las Vegas during the winter months, where she also has a community that enjoys her cooking, allowing her to spread her culinary love.
Ideas for Cooking Classes and Food Events (00:16:57)
Tiffany considers the possibility of hosting cooking classes and food events.

Tiffany expresses her interest in teaching cooking classes and organizing food events to share her culinary skills and engage with the community.
Thoughts on a Cooking Reality Show (00:19:32)
Tiffany discusses the idea of a local cooking reality show and competition.

Tiffany talks about the potential for a Kalamazoo-based cooking reality show or competition, expressing enthusiasm for the idea despite previous difficulties in organizing such events.
Conclusion and Farewell (00:21:39)
Matthew and Tiffany conclude the podcast with thanks and a farewell to the audience.

Matthew Lipsey wraps up the episode by thanking Tiffany Graves for joining and inviting listeners to connect with her for more of her culinary offerings.