Celebrity chef Ayesha Curry stirs up good cheer at Convocation

TV chef Ayesha Curry whipped Liberty University students into a frenzy of “oohs,” “aahs,” and cheers on Friday as she shared stories of her life married to NBA superstar Stephen Curry and raising their two daughters in the limelight.

Ayesha Curry is the host of “Ayesha’s Homemade” on the Food Network and the author of the New York Times best-selling cookbook, “The Seasoned Life.” Her husband plays for the Golden State Warriors and is the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, two times running. Stephen Curry’s younger brother, Seth Curry, of the Dallas Mavericks, began his college career at Liberty, earning Big South Freshman of the Year Honors.

The setup for Friday’s Convocation was scaled back due to the Vines Center also hosting the Big South Women’s Volleyball Championship in the afternoon. Liberty’s Worship Collective opened up Convocation with acoustic praise before Curry settled into a living room-inspired stage set, complete with a display of her book.

“You guys should be so grateful to have such an amazing community here and this incredible environment to just worship and enjoy the Lord,” Curry said. “It is such an amazing feeling, the worship … just to have that in your back pocket every couple of days, to be able to just serve Him and worship Him, that is special. Don’t take it for granted, it is a beautiful thing.”

No stranger to talk shows, Curry talked openly about her passion for cooking and how God brought her full circle from a Food Network viewer to host. She also talked about how she and her husband met and how they manage the spotlight as a couple.

“We are still learning, and everything is happening all at once, but what keeps us going and what keeps us together is God and everything we have founded our relationship and our life on in Christ,” she said. “If we didn’t have that, we would crumble.”

After sharing how she and her husband use even small gestures to communicate with one another and remind each other to enjoy life, Curry advised the students to cherish the opportunities they are given.

“Whatever it is that you like to do, make sure you enjoy every moment of it,” Curry said. “So (if) it is me cooking a meal … I make sure that it is filled with passion and love and that I am in that moment so that I am not thinking about what is next or thinking about the mistakes that I have made. I am just focused on making what is happening right now great and memorable.”

As Convocation came to a close, David Nasser, Liberty’s senior vice president for Spiritual Development, presented Curry with a Liberty Flames Basketball jersey. She told the crowd that if she had gone to a university, “I feel like I would have chosen this one.”

Curry also surprised the students by telling them she was leaving them a gift. Before Convocation, and with help from Flames Men’s Basketball Head Coach Ritchie McKay, she prepared some dishes from her cookbook to serve in the Food Court at Reber-Thomas. The delicacies included pumpkin squares and roasted potatoes, seasoned with rosemary and lime.