Rebecca Jennings Chats with Sunny Anderson

True to her name, Sunny Anderson is a sparkling personality and the host of two popular shows on the Food Network, Cooking For Real and How’d That Get On My Plate?. In 2007 she also co-hosted Gotta Get It, a Food Network series of specials uncovering the latest and greatest food gadgets and gizmos on the market.

A former award-winning radio host and Air Force veteran, Sunny ‘s career has taken her across the globe to places such as Seoul, South Korea, and all over the country including stops in New Orleans, Montgomery, San Antonio, Detroit and in New York to appear at hip hop powerhouse, HOT 97. In 2002 she was deemed “Ruler Of The Airwaves” by Vibe magazine for interviewing such heavy hitters as President Bill Clinton, Sean “P Diddy” Combs, Beyonce, Nas and John Legend.

Rebecca sat down with Sunny and found that Sunny’s attitude about body image, sexy lingerie and finding the right guy is just as healthy and appealing as the dishes she prepares on her TV shows.

RJ: What do you love most about having a curvy figure?

SA: Well, my figure is what I was given. No matter how much I weigh, it’s here and I’m cool with it. I think the way I am, I’d like my body even without curves.

RJ: Are you dating anyone?

SA: Yes I am dating someone seriously.

RJ: How did you the two of you meet?

SA: I met him through a friend that I call “my brother”.

RJ: Do you still wear sexy lingerie?

It’s been a while since we started dating and he still gets the benefits of being with a curvy woman, so yes, I still wear lingerie.

RJ: What do you look for in a guy?

SA: There are many things I look for. For starters, he needs to have a healthy appetite and the willingness to try new foods. If he can’t explore the world through food, then how will he explore the world and life? I also look for compassion for others, and someone who is not judgmental of ethnicity, age, income or lifestyle. After those two tests are passed, then the usual things come into play.

RJ: What’s an “ideal” first date?

SA: My ideal first date is a meal out to a restaurant with food the man has never had before – it’s a test! If he can find food on any menu that he’d try, we are off to a good start. Plus, I like to see how he treats others and polite interaction with restaurant staff is a good indication.

RJ: Would you ever ask a guy out?

SA: If I see something I like, of course I go for it!

RJ: Do you wear sexy underwear on a first date?

SA: If I did wear sexy panties on a first date, it would be my secret. No way he’s getting that close to seeing them on a first date.

RJ: So when do you break out the sexy lingerie? 1st date? 3rd date?

SA: I’m not really into counting dates, but it takes plenty (of time) for a man to get that far with me.

RJ: What do you think is sexy in a woman?

SA: I think the typical answer is ‘confidence’. In a woman – that’s the sexiest thing. Even I can see it. When I notice a woman with curves walking tall and smiling, that’s sexy. I think most guys will agree – a pretty woman is only pretty when she is comfortable in her own skin.

RJ: What do you find sexy in a guy?

SA: When I was young, sexy was mostly about looks and how desirable a man was to others.

RJ: And now? Has your opinion changed?

SA: Now, I find a man sexy for things you cannot see – how he makes me feel, if he is confident, or the way he looks at me – all of those things are sexy to me, as I have gotten older.

RJ: What do you sleep in at night? Something sexy & silky or something cotton & comfy?

SA: Cotton & comfy!

RJ: What do you look for in your favorite bras – underwires, push-up and full coverage bras?

SA: Whatever’s comfortable and holds things together without digging into my flesh.

RJ: What about bikinis, brief and thongs?

SA: All of the above.

RJ: What are you working on now?

SA: Right now I’m working on new episodes of Cooking for Real on Food Network and recipe development for a cookbook.

RJ: And what’s next?

SA: I don’t know. I’ve worked so hard to get here that I just want to enjoy it before I evaluate the next step. The way things are now I don’t think I’ll want much more anytime soon. I am enjoying the new challenges and experiences and hope to grow in this career.

RJ: So what would you like to do that you haven’t done yet?

SA: It depends on what I have in mind for the evening’s activities! [laughs]

Catch Sunny on How’d That Get on My Plate?, Mondays at 9:30PM ET/PT, and on Cooking For Real, Sundays at 10:30AM ET/PT. You can also visit Sunny’s blog at http://sunnyanderson.blogspot.com.