“My partner and I love, love, love sweet potato pie,” says TyNia René Brandon, who uses she/they pronouns. Although the soul food classic is closely associated with holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, for Brandon, who plays Dolores and is a member of the ensemble in Broadway’s Some Like It Hot, it’s timeless.

Lindsey Jones has always loved cooking, and although pesto was in her regular rotation before starting herb school, she now has a deeper understanding of the greens—and raw garlic—involved. “I like using a variety of herbs because you get that huge diversity of nutrients and vitamins,” she says.

Lane’s approach to cooking is closely paired with her interest in nutrition. Since leaving ABT she’s had the chance to turn that passion into a profession. In addition to guesting with companies worldwide, during the pandemic Lane received her nutrition health coach certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and now works regularly with other dancers.

Laurel Lawson, a choreographic collaborator, dancer, designer and engineer with Kinetic Light, grew up in the kitchen. Her family owned a restaurant in her native Atlanta­ and, as she got older, she made her way from working the cold station to baking bread to running the grill, squeezing in shifts before and after school.

Broughton’s oven-baked pork ribs are a favorite for holidays, game days or gatherings of family and friends. “It’s a dish that can feed multiple people, and it’s a very homey, feel-good meal” he says, adding that he sees sharing food as a chance to bring people together.

For Miriam Miller, Mondays are all about meal prep. One of Miller’s favorite dishes is her endlessly variable lentil salad, based on a recipe from her Gyrotonic instructor Emily Smith.

Charlene “Chi-Chi” Smith’s Mexican corn bread is so well known among her friends and family that it’s developed its own nickname: “MCB.” The Ladies of Hip-Hop Dance Collective member and LOHH trustee has been making this recipe for nearly 20 years.

Mark Morris Dance Group’s Nicole Sabella first developed the recipe for her Mediterranean-inspired chickpea patties while studying for her holistic health coach certification at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.