If left to her own devices, Rihanna would have a pretty horrendous diet; she told Ellen DeGeneres that her tour bus and dressing room are packed with junk snacks. She also toldVanity Fair in 2015: "Legit, I have been in the gym every day this week because I am not willing to give up my food. But I will sacrifice an hour for the gym."
Yet somehow, the singer always looks incredible β so how? Her personal chef Debbie Solomon revealed to Bon Appetit what it's like cooking for Rihanna.
Solomon has been cooking up a storm for the star for four years β ever since she anonymously called her up and asked for a few test meals. Her trial dishes included curried chicken with rice, peas, and plantains, lamb shank, and pasta carbonara. It was only after Solomon passed the test that she found out who would actually be eating her dishes.
Solomon's first weeks on the job were spent preparing for the star's Super Bowl party, 25th birthday bash in Hawaii, and world tour. No pressure.
Here's how Solomon keeps the pop princess fed and fit.
1. She gets inspiration from Caribbean cuisine
With the help of Rihanna's mom, Jamaican-born Solomon learned about the Barbadian and Guyanese cuisines that her client was accustomed to eating growing up and got tips for preparing the star's longtime favourites, including curried chicken.
"It was just, like, her mom coming up and saying, 'This is how we make it,'" she told Bon Appetit.
While Solomon notes the similarities between the three island cuisines, she said it's sometimes tricky because names can change depending on geography for the seldom-written-down recipes.
2. She keeps things flexible
While the pop star is far from a picky eater, Solomon does call her a "moody eater," which has drastically changed her cooking and meal-prep process.
"[With previous clients] I would send in a menu on a Sunday or Monday and they would pick for the week, and then I'd be able to shop and prep, but this is nothing like that," she said. "We don't know what we're gonna want to eat tomorrow, so why even pick today?"
3. She makes sure certain meal staples are always available
After spending two world tours with the singer, Solomon knows which ingredients always need to be in her kitchen pantry. "Every protein that you can think of, [Rihanna] eats," Solomon said.
Also, vegetables, rice, and pasta are clear daily favourites for the star. Whenever traveling, Solomon brings a "case of spices" that includes maggi cubes, curry, cumin seeds, adobo, and five-spice.
And no meal is complete without Scotch Bonnet hot sauce. ("It's good on curry.") Solomon explained on The Doctors that her job "literally depends on" having at least one bottle with her wherever she is.
4. She believes delicious food comes first
When making meals, it's all about pleasure for the chef. She told Bon Appetit that she advises eating "everything rich and delicious"β in moderation, of course.
"There shouldn't be shame in eating food," she said. "I won't waste my calories on bullsh*t. If I take a bite of something and it's sh*tty to me, I'm not just going to eat it because I'm hungry. I'm going to stop eating that sh*tty thing."
A day in the life of Rihanna's diet
Breakfast
The star starts the day off with four boiled eggs, one slice of toast (sans crust), and berries (pineapples, mango, and papaya are all welcome), Solomon said on The Doctors.
"I have egg whites and pineapple for breakfast with hot water and lemon," Rihanna told Fabulous magazine in 2008.
Lunch
Solomon revealed her recipe for curry chicken on The Doctors, saying it's a lunchtime favourite for the star. (Fun fact: RiRi will only eat the drumsticks!)
"For lunch I have fish and potatoes," Rihanna told Fabulous. "I hate vegetables but I make myself eat them."
Dinner
The singer's trainer Ary Nunez recently revealed to Shape that the star's go-to meal is fish with a salad or vegetables.
