Ayesha Curry: Houston is America’s mecca of barbecue. We would be kick...

I feel like you can hope and dream and wish, but until you do, nothing is going to happen. So whatever you're passionate about, whatever your hopes and dreams are, you have to go full-steam ahead. But of course I have my moments where I'm trying so hard, and it never seems to break through. It's always when you want to give up that something's going to happen, right? So you just can't give up.

Ayesha Curry

giving-up wish dream

My thing is "You don't need anyone else to empower you; you can empower yourself." Whether it's a pep talk or putting on a good shade of lipstick, whatever you need to do, do it, but be yourself. You absolutely don't need someone else to tell you that you're good enough.

Ayesha Curry

being-yourself empowering good-enough

I'm not an actress; I'm not a singer. I guess I'm in the entertainment industry, but I'm in a different category. Hopefully, a young girl will see me and think, Oh, I want to be a chef! Or, She's a mom, too? Oh, cool, I didn't know you could do both! I want to empower people so they don't have to feel like they're putting themselves in a box. Growing up, I only saw one thing, and it's great that we're changing the mold and paving our own paths.

Ayesha Curry

growing-up girl mom

Beauty to me is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty comes in all different shapes, sizes, looks, qualities, but I truly believe that everybody is beautiful in their own way.

Ayesha Curry

eye beautiful believe

I'm accepting of change, and accepting of transforming myself at any given time necessary. At this point in my life, sometimes I have to be mom, sometimes I have to come to work, sometimes I have to be a wife. I love that I don't ever have to be just one thing.

Ayesha Curry

wife mom sometimes

I was always confident and comfortable. But motherhood is what really made me feel beautiful.

Ayesha Curry

feeling-beautiful motherhood beautiful

You look on the Internet, and people are transforming themselves on a daily basis, and it's not a superficial thing, it's not a vain thing, and it's not an "I don't like the way I look" thing. It's people truly being creative. It's a way of making your mark and making a statement, and I love that. Beauty is making a statement in whichever way you choose to do so, and I think that's a beautiful thing.

Ayesha Curry

beautiful people thinking

My mom is Jamaican and Chinese, and my dad is Polish and African American, so I'm pretty mixed. My nickname in high school was United Nations. I was fine with it, even though I identify as a black woman. People don't realize it hurts my feelings when someone looks at my hair or my eyes, and says, "But you're not actually black. You're black, but you're not black black, because your eyes are green." I'm like, "What? No, no, I'm definitely black." Even some of my closest friends have said that. It's been a bit touchy for me.

Ayesha Curry

dad mom hurt

I didn't like my mouth because I always felt like it was a sausage for a bottom lip, and I have an overbite, so I can't exactly close my mouth. It's really, really hard! But now I like it because it's kind of sultry, and it's my mouth. I should say I don't consider my bottom lip a sausage lip now - I like it, but I guess I grew into it. I definitely saved a couple hundred bucks instead of getting fillers.

Ayesha Curry

bottom couple kind

When you go into mama-bear mode and have no choice but to just go with the flow, that's kind of when I realized...it put life into perspective. Just seeing my little girls and knowing I was going to experience life all over again - I'd be able to take them to the same things that my mom did - it was beautiful. When you become a mom, you gain this vulnerability that is so beautiful. Just the fact that I'm vulnerable but I'm never ashamed is so cool.

Ayesha Curry

girl mom beautiful

There were moments growing up where I felt beautiful, but I truly didn't feel beautiful all of the time until I became a mom. It really allowed me to realize no one is perfect.

Ayesha Curry

growing-up mom beautiful

I have two little girls, four and one. My four-year-old is obsessed with makeup, and not through me! All on her own. But ultimately I'm teaching her that it's not a necessity; it's a treat. It's a tool that you can use to transform yourself. I think that's important. You don't need the makeup. It just makes you feel fun and allows you to be creative. That's what I love about it.

Ayesha Curry

girl teaching fun

For me, cooking is the only way I know how to show my love. That's why I am so passionate about food. It's such a love language.

Ayesha Curry

i-am me food love

My happy place is my bedroom. I love it.

Ayesha Curry

place bedroom happy love

I think it's important to be that strong woman and to follow your passions regardless of what your situation is.

Ayesha Curry

strong-woman woman situation strong

There's going to be a million people that tell you 'No' when you're starting out to do something. But, all you need is that one person to tell you 'Yes,' who's going to believe in you. But first, you need to believe in yourself.

Ayesha Curry

need yourself you believe-in-yourself

You can have your cake and eat it too and follow your passions, have a family, and be happy.

Ayesha Curry

be-happy you family happy

In the CoverGirl Melting Pout Matte Lipstick ads, I am wearing this gorgeous purple color called Seismic. It's such a different shade, but it works well with my face. I've got hazel eyes, and so purple kind of compliments it. It's a nice shade to put on when I'm feeling a little sassy.

Ayesha Curry

face i-am eyes feeling

A good cut of steak is always a go-to splurge.

Ayesha Curry

cut good always steak

Things happen when they're supposed to happen.

Ayesha Curry

supposed happen things things-happen

Houston is America’s mecca of barbecue. We would be kicking ourselves if we didn’t bring our global grilling concept to the city. We love our barbecue and think that the city of Houston will fall in love with it and make it a food home for them as well.