Q&A: Feeding the Foodgod at Komodo

Photography by Samuel Rivas on February 8th, 2018 in Celebrity, Editorials, Lifestyle

Foodgod

Miami, FL – February 1, 2018 – Jonathan Cheban - better know as Foodgod, just designed a new dessert for Miami hot-spot, David Grutman‘s restaurant Komodo. The “Foodgod Baked Alaska Surprise” is officially on the menu with a disclaimer that this dessert will flood your Instagram feed. Always looking to push the envelope, David Grutman partnered with Foodgod to bring an over-the-top delicious item to Komodo’s menu. The Foodgod Baked Alaska Surprise features cake batter and strawberry ice cream, on top of funfetti cake, covered in merengue and plated on a bed of cotton candy – all of this is topped with white chocolate Rice Krispies and Fruity Pebbles! This sweet treat is all lit on fire table side, and Foodgod says the crispy parts are the best. Marked with Foodgod’s stamp of approval, Komodo’s newest dessert is definitely drool-worthy. World Red Eye seized the opportunity to get exclusive details about how Foodgod created his own dessert and is continuing to grow the Foodgod empire.

Foodgod

I let chefs do their thing, that’s why I feel like Foodgod is so cool, nothing about cooking, the kitchen, or the chef; it’s about the place and the food itself.

Foodgod

WRE: How did you create the name “Foodgod?” Did you legally change your name?

FG: The name Foodgod I kept posting food over and over for years and everybody, every celebrity would come up to me saying I love the food you’re putting, I’m gaining weight, you’re making me fat, omg! It became a whole thing. My friend and I were sitting and he’s like, you’re like the food guy… and a girl said “Foodgod!,” and I was like, “ wow that name is amazing!” It I felt so good. I’m usually the one who comes up with all the names for everybody, just something about the name felt right and good. I was going to Iceland to film, when I told Kim and Kayne about it and they laughed about it and said it was cool. Throughout the entire trip Kanye was calling me Foodgod. Not to mention, when I brought the name Foodgod up to them we were eating a cheeseburger covered in white chocolate at sugar factory. It just felt very right and natural.

WRE: Did you legally change your name to Foodgod?

FG: Well it’s in the process, it takes a while, its not that fast but, yes. Everything is Foodgod now, whatever your Instagram is, that’s who you are.

WRE: Tell us about your newest dessert at Komodo?

FG: My new dessert at Komodo self-titled the “Foodgod Baked Alaska Surprise”, is just unbelievable and the most colorful dessert in the world. I love a million different textures and colors. It started as a baked Alaska with confetti cake inside and strawberry ice cream. I changed it up and made them get a cotton candy machine at Komodo. It needed to be fluffy on top, almost like every flavor of it needed to be crystalized and burned; we added Rice Krispies, just so you have, every type of food porn in your mouth. When you bite it it’s like cold ice cream, confetti cake, melted marshmallow, crystalized cotton candy with little pieces of cotton candy that’s burned, torched Rice Krispies; the dessert still tastes incredible even though it’s “burning” you. My dessert is literally the most amazing 9,000 flavors and then dessert. Hailey Baldwin posted it on her Instagram yesterday, and it’s only available at Komodo for two days.

WRE: What’s the most expensive thing you’ve eaten?

FG: Well I had this $2,000 golden pizza, it had gold truffle, and so much amazing stuff in it. A month ago, I had the most expensive beef tartare it was $1,000.

WRE: What food cultures inspire you?

FG: Anything that looks pretty to eat these days. If it doesn’t look good, I really don’t want to deal with it. I have to eat and take pictures so its gotta look good and taste good.

WRE: If you could collaborate with any chef who would it be and why?

FG: I don’t cook so I wouldn’t collaborate with any chef. I eat out at the best restaurants 365 days a year, I just have the best palate. I just eat at the coolest places whether it’s the cheapest or most expensive. I let chefs do their thing, that’s why I feel like Foodgod is so cool, nothing about cooking, the kitchen, or the chef; it’s about the place and the food itself. Around the world, millions of chefs and people post about food and how to make food; whats different about what I do is I post what the good food is, describe it, and post about it at the coolest places. I take a different angle, its more than just putting up good food pictures, theres a lot that goes into what the Foodgod brand is about.

WRE: How did you get involved into South Beach Wine and Food Festival? Are you excited to be a judge? What event will you be judging?

FG: I am excited to be a judge because I judged the “Burger Bash” in New York last year with Neil Patrick Harris and a couple other people who are chefs and major foodies. This year at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival I will be judging the Burger Bash alongside Guy Fieri, Andy Cohen, David Grutman, and Zac Posen to name a few. I can’t wait to see all the different chefs burger creations, there are literally hundreds of burgers. Also, February 21st is my birthday so I am looking forward to being at the mecca center of food.

WRE: Since you eat out every single day of the week, how do you maintain your physique?

FG: It’s what everyone asks me but you know, I don’t think I would be the Foodgod if I didn’t have a fast metabolism. I don’t really ever workout, I am lucky because this is how I’ve always been. I eat what I want, it’s a dream.

Foodgod

WRE: What’s next for Foodgod? What do you have envisioned for 2018?

FG: This is going to be a very busy year, I have a candy club that’s subscription with Sugar Factory, that’s going to take up a lot of time and work. The biggest thing I’m doing is starting a YouTube channel next month which is going to be very fun and literally a full time job just because so many people want to see more than just an Instagram of what I’m doing. Now Foodgod has so many fans and a bigger audience of woman, men, and kids. People began to know me mostly because of the television show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Throughout the years as my brand has grown, guys are coming up to me saying we love you Foodgod and everything you do. Today, even little kids are coming up to me saying you inspire me! At the end of the day everyone loves food that looks amazing and tastes even better. The Foodgod brand is just becoming a real big thing. It’s fun to see my whole brand explode. I am food god. I am the brand.