"Been a goon with the spoon since a teenager."
Earl “E-40” Stevens is a multiplatinum hip-hop artist, spirits entrepreneur and chef that hails from Vallejo, California. Over the course of his 33-year career in the music industry, E-40 has released a slew of smash studio albums, collaborations and hit singles, including “Choices (Yup)," “U and Dat (feat T-Pain & Kandi Girl),” “Snap Yo Fingers (feat Lil Jon),” and “Tell Me When To Go,” among many others.
His passion for the culinary arts stems from his childhood upbringing in the inner city. With his mother balancing three jobs, E-40 took the initiative to teach himself how to cook and equipped himself with the tools and recipes to prepare hearty meals for his siblings. During his teenage years, he landed a position at a high-end restaurant, where he learned to make gourmet meals – such as chicken cordon bleu and sauteed mussels with wine sauce and butter – that spurred his interest in food to this day.
"Cooking is an art, and I am an artist."
E-40 eventually leveraged his connections in the hip-hop world to pivot into the culinary industry and establish “Goon With The Spoon,” a brand portfolio of various food products.
Most recently, he collaborated with Justin Kinder of Kinders Meats, Deli and BBQ to leverage his expertise in the meat industry and help launch the brand’s inaugural sausage line.
The inspiration for the “Goon With The Spoon” brand name came from E-40’s music catalog. As a musician, he rapped about being a “Goon With The Spoon” in songs like “Back in Business” and “I Get Down (feat B-Legit)” as an innovative metaphor to describe his entrepreneurial hustle and ambition.
What's Next?
E-40 never stops creating, both in the studio and in the kitchen, making him a true artist and entrepreneur.
Beyond releasing products under “Goon With The Spoon,” E-40 also has aspirations to create cookbooks, develop cooking shows and open restaurants to expand his culinary brand. In the coming months, he also plans to launch skewers and pre-packaged meals under the “Goon With The Spoon” umbrella.
Make sure to follow the Goon's instagram, you never know what magic E-40 will cook up next!