This interview, conducted in Los Angeles, California, is with serial entrepreneur, world-famous club owner and restaurateur, and documentarian Billy Dec who you might know from TV shows such as “Good Morning America,” where he is a regular guest.
Filmed by portrait photographer Frank Ishman and styled by Marcellas Reynolds, author of the terrific, new book Supreme Sirens: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Music, this interview was hosted in celebration of Dec’s first, award-winning documentary “Food Roots.” It had premiered the evening before in Orange County to a packed audience.
The documentary, which has earned Dec many awards at festivals around the world and global praise, explores his lifelong fascination with his Filipino heritage.
In the cinematic film, which was created by Dec’s marketing agency COACT, he travels around the Phillippines to meet members of his own family after having the epiphany that he needed to learn more about his lineage and heritage. As he explains in “Food Roots,” the creative process made his soul sing. It also brought him the grounding that he craved in a jet-set lifestyle.
The interview shows a different side of Dec, brought out by my thoughtful and intuitive questions, and demonstrates the sincerity, compassion, and deep intrigue he brought to his filmmaking process. It should inspire people around the world to pay deference to their elders, explore their genealogy, and spend time with family members who have incredible wisdom to share.
Learn more about Billy’s excellent documentary here as it is a worthy watch for sure!
