Teyana Taylor's Thanksgiving dinner is a labor of love, as the star of "One Battle After Another" revealed in an exclusive interview with E! News at ELLE's 2025 Women in Hollywood Celebration in Los Angeles on November 17. She declared her intention to roll up her sleeves and prepare a homemade meal for her family and friends, adamantly refusing to bring in outside help for the celebratory feast. "I don't ever want to see a caterer for Thanksgiving," she said. "That's one thing I just cannot do."
But the 34-year-old, who was honored alongside the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Emily Blunt, and Hailee Steinfeld at the event, emphasized that her hands-on approach to the holiday is primarily to allow her to make the most of the occasion. "It's not knocking anybody else," she explained, "but for me, I feel like that's the time to cook with your family, see them, feel them, laugh with them, and create new memories."
Teyana's dinner guests are definitely in for a treat, as she is currently enrolled in culinary school to elevate her skills in the kitchen. "I'm cooking everything," she shared. "Turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, a little bit of collard greens, candied yams, baked macaroni and cheese. We go all the way there."
The "Gonna Love Me" singer also has a special dish in store for her daughters Iman "Junie," 9, and Rue Rose, 5, whom she shares with ex-husband Iman Shumpert. "My kids love Cajun pasta, so I gotta make Cajun pasta," she continued. "We cook a little bit of everything."
Aside from food, Teyana has much to be thankful for this holiday season. Her latest album Escape Room earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album earlier this month, marking her first-ever nod at the ceremony. Though the exciting news came at a less-than-opportune moment—"When I first heard, I had on a Korean facial mask, so I couldn't move my face," she shared with E!—she was still able to express her joy through prayer and laughter with her family. "Being able to call my family and pray, be happy, cry, laugh, all of the things," she added, "that's enough for me."
