Meet London James | Content Creator (Foodie)

We had the good fortune of connecting with London James and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi London, what role has risk played in your life or career?
It is important to take risks, some of my greatest success has come from taking risks. Most people are afraid of the word “NO”. Not me, I love the grind, tell me no 100 times I am going to get a yes somewhere. Walt Disney’s “Disney Land” project was rejected more than 300 times, because he wanted to build an entire world based on a mouse! At a young age he was fired and told he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. His company is now worth 130 Billion dollars. You have to block out the noise and keep your vision in front of you no matter what. The reality is you will fail, we all fail but you only have to get it right one time and your whole life can change. So, take the risk!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My father was a foodie, before being a foodie was a thing. He exposed me to an array of food and culture. Half the time I did not know what I was eating. I just know I enjoyed it! My mother would take me to festivals and rib cook-offs in Cleveland. We would eat from the time we got there until we left. I loved every bit of it. When I was a teenager, I got hooked on The Travel Channel and The Food Network. Every day I would watch “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations”, “Bizarre Eats” and “Iron Chef”. I dreamt that one day, I would travel the world sharing my experiences with food and culture. Now I host an online series entitled “Food Is Bae”, on Instagram/IGTV and YouTube. I travel throughout the city of Atlanta and surrounding areas experiencing new food, people, and places. The idea of the show is to expose people to cuisine they have never heard of or tried before. From Indian Food to Mediterranean Food, African Food, Vietnamese Food, Lao Food we pretty much cover it all. Believe it or not a lot of people are scared to try food from other cultures. We break down those walls by making the food fun and relatable. My favorite quote from Anthony Bourdain is “Anyone who’s a chef or who loves food, ultimately knows that all that matters is: Is it good? Does it give pleasure?’”. It’s that simple! I love introducing people to new things and nothing makes me happier than getting DM’s telling me they tried a place featured on the show and loved it! The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is being myself. You will never succeed trying to be like someone else. People love and watch the show because it’s funny and informative. I’ve tried being the super serious food guy trying to match what you see on television. I never felt comfortable, and I didn’t enjoy filming the show that way. It just felt dry to me. One day I woke up changed the name of the show from “That First Bite” (the safe name) to “Food Is Bae” (because we all love food and have a relationship with it on some level). Started calling the fans of the show “Baes & Bros” because we are a family. Dressed how I wanted to dress and talked to the audience the same way I would speak with a table full of friends, and I haven’t looked back. I’m happy to say it’s working and being me is paying off!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh man, I’m glad this is a part of the interview. My mentor’s name is Pastor Caron Jones. She is amazing; she is the reason I never give up. She would not let me even if I wanted to. From my personal life to my spiritual life, she has always been there. Failure is not an option when it comes to this woman. From the time I met her she has never wanted anything from me, the only thing she asks is that I am the best version of myself. She helped me build my confidence, taught me how to start a business and money management. I mean the list goes on and on, this whole interview could be about her. My online family is super important to me. Jennifer (@jennyandspice) she’s my voice of reason, Jasmine (@theservinggirl), is my unofficial publicist and manager and Kevin (@foodie_anonymous) because everyone needs a friend they can try weird/adventurous food with and Kevin is mine. Of course, the fans of the show which I call the “Baes & Bros”! We are truly a family; they show so much love and that keeps me going! Last but not least my little mamas Zhanya & Symphony!

Instagram: @londonjames.eats

Youtube: FOOD IS BAE