#TarajiInJozi: 6 things you didn't know about Taraji P. Henson
The Empire star not only performs on screen but in the kitchen too. And she’s not just your average cook either - Mary J. Blige is a big fan, specifically of her chilli dish. In an interview with Glamour, Henson says cooking is one of her passions. "I love to cook and look for recipes all the time. I make lasagna, great collard greens and I do an amazing Thanksgiving turkey.
“My signature dish is chilli. I make two types: red chilli and a white-bean chicken chilli. Every time Mary J. Blige comes to town, she requests it. She'll say, 'Taraji, are you going to make that chilli?' And when she's out of town, she'll ask me to freeze a bag and her assistant will come pick it up!"
While doing her degree, Henson worked at the Pentagon during the day and, in the evenings, she was a singing, dancing waitress on a dinner cruise called the Spirit of Washington.
In between university classes, Henson did hair at her apartment charging $20 upwards. She mentioned to Vogue magazine she drew on her experience of how to hustle and make money for her Cookie character.