Richard Sargent is an award-winning actor, director, producer, playwright and filmmaker. He has always been interested in creative cooking and decided to combine his loves into his latest book The Ultimate Chick Flick Cookbook: Fall in love with over 60 mouthwatering recipes, each inspired by the iconic romantic comedies you adore. He was nice enough to step away from the stove to share a few moments with us.
Q) What made you decide to combine your enjoyment of food and movies?
It all started by chance. I hosted movie nights with my friends and wanted to spice things up beyond just pizza and beer. So, I started recreating dishes from the movies we were watching. I had such a blast developing the recipes, and everyone had such a great time at the parties that I decided to keep the idea going.
Q) Your previous work The Horror Movie Night Cookbook was about combining scary movies and food. What made you decide to tackle chick flicks next?
To my surprise, a lot of people who loved the first book confessed they’re not actually into scary movies—and wished I wrote about romcoms instead. So I thought, why not give the people what they want? Plus I wanted to revisit some beloved films that didn’t always resonate with me with adult eyes.
Q) What do you think are the ingredients for a perfect movie night?
Good company, great food, delicious cocktails and classic movies
Q) How did your love affair with cooking start?
From a young age, I loved being in the kitchen, helping my mom and grandmas with meals. As I grew older and discovered I had a natural talent for cooking, I began experimenting more on my own—and that’s when I first started to really fall in love with it. It was challenging and fun, and it felt great when recipes came together.
Q) Did you always love chick flicks, or did you grow to appreciate them?
There were a few that I enjoyed as a kid, but I didn’t truly appreciate them until I studied the classics in my film classes. While working on this book, I grew to genuinely love many of them. They are more universal than I once thought.
Q) What are your top five movies?
That’s a tough question. My top 5 movies of all time are Magnolia, Citizen Kane, Scream, In Bruges and Mysterious Skin. My favorite chick flicks are The Sweetest Thing, Terms of Endearment, Beaches, Annie Hall and When Harry Met Sally…today, but ask me again tomorrow and my lists might be different.
Q) So besides having written books you are also an actor, director, producer, playwright, and filmmaker. Are there any other creative outlets you want to try?
Well, I’m also in an alternative rock band with my husband. I sing, write the lyrics and play a few instruments. I really want to learn the piano, but I just haven’t found the time to fully commit to lessons.
Q) What is your next project you are working on?
I’m already putting the finishing touches on the next movie cookbook, The Queer Movie Cookbook. My band The Green Winter will be releasing our new EP soon, which will be rock songs inspired by horror films, and I also hope to be working on a new film by the end of the year.
Q) If people want more information about your or your projects, where should they go? You can find me on Facebook and Instagram @moviecookbookseries
(Final four questions –we ask everybody)
Q) When the zombies take over the world where will you be?
Since malls have pretty much become extinct, you’ll find me in Costco. It has everything I’ll need until I can safely find my way to a private island.
Q ) What is your favorite Fandom?
I love horror fandom. It’s made up of some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, but we are very passionate about our genre so conversations can get a bit heated.
Q) What piece of art, be it in the form of music, a book, a film or picture, do you think people must experience before they die?
I was lucky to be walking through the streets of Venice just as a group of opera students were rehearsing, their voices echoing beautifully through the canals. That moment was absolutely life changing. If you ever find yourself in Italy, do yourself a favor and experience some opera.
Q) Give one fact that most people would not believe about you?
I was in many chick flicks myself, including “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” one of my favorite on-set experiences of all time.
Paper Phoenix ink 