“We Were Vulnerable”: Ayesha Curry Says $45 Billion Brand’s Unprecedented Behavior Gave Her Much-Needed Relief

“You have to wrap your arms around whatever it is you’re putting out there, and it truly does have to stem from a place of desire in your life,” said Ayesha Curry, when discussing her belief in succeeding in the food industry.

Stephen Curry’s wife does not have any major degree in culinary education. Despite this, her interest and quest to learn propelled and motivated her to have her own chain of restaurants. She has published cookbooks and runs cooking shows. Ayesha even got into the wine industry with her sister-in-law, Sydel. The challenges were tough, but the duo fortunately received the support they needed.

Ayesha and Sydel recently came on as guests on the ‘Food People by Bon Appetit’ podcast. They discussed their journey with Domaine Curry, which they established in 2018. After working on it for 5 years, Ayesha and Sydel eventually sold the company to Constellation Brands. Reports reveal that the sale took place in the lower eight figures. The $45.15 billion market cap holding company has acquired several other wine and beer brands, too. Therefore, they may have initially come off as an intimidating presence!

However, the Currys appreciated that the acquisition allowed them to be more involved in the wine-making process. On top of that, the welcome they received from the executives made the process surprisingly easier.

“What I remember, our first meeting, walking in and looking at the room and being like ‘We are surrounded by fierce women right now.’ And, we hadn’t been in that situation before,” said Ayesha Curry. “And then, we do a deep dive into our meeting like, ‘Hey, this is what things are going to look like going forward. And, they were listening to us, and we were like ‘This is new!’”

Ayesha appreciated this: “We finally had a voice, and we had legs to stand on, and then, you know, we were vulnerable with them about our learning process through the winemaking. They were like, ‘We’re taking you with us’, hook our arm, and let’s go.”

Highlighting the reported low “black representation” in the wine community, Sydel appreciated the efforts her sister-in-law put into Domaine Curry. She was glad to be “led by someone like her, who is passionate about breaking the barriers of black women”. Despite this, getting help from Constellation Brands was a much-needed relief. Their winemaking expertise helped them immensely.

“So, it’s been an educational process, but they’ve also empowered us on the back ends to be like, ‘No, you know what you’re talking about, and you can go out and speak to your brand in a confident way,’” Ayesha Curry continued. “And so, we’ve just loved every second of this so far.” It is her love for food that has brought her into the food business and also to publishing cookbooks.

In 2016, Ayesha had a conversation with GMA co-anchor Robin Roberts about her first cookbook, “The Seasoned Life.” Ayesha had told Roberts that her passion for cooking was formed from childhood. “Growing up I just remember always being in the kitchen …,” she said, adding that food “gets people talking and it makes people feel things and that’s why I love it so much.” And she has the support from Stephen in that.

“It was Stephen who one day said, ‘Everybody’s always asking for your recipes … Why don’t you start a blog?'” Ayesha recalled. The success of that blog led to the book. Asked what she hoped readers would get from ‘The Seasoned Life,’ Ayesha replied: “I want them to know that it’s never that serious. And it doesn’t have to be perfect … But it can be delicious and it can be quick and it can be easy.” When Stephen was asked how he felt about her book, the NBA phenom replied: “It’s unbelievable because it’s her passion.”

It was a very good thing that Ayesha and Sydel were able to get some help in their venture. After all, Domaine Curry means much more to the two powerful women than just a simple business venture.

Sydel and Ayesha Curry credit wine brand for representing the women

A few weeks ago, Ayesha and Sydel Curry hosted a team of interviewers, including one from ‘Essence’, for dinner. And of course, a dinner hosted by them would be remiss without a bottle of Domaine Curry Wine being opened! For Stephen Curry’s wife and sister, memorable moments took place when they were surrounded and sheltered by the other women in their lives. The occasional bottle of wine also found itself present in those moments… As a result, Domaine Curry stood out as a tribute to them.

“We really wanted to amplify the legacy of women in our family,” said Sydel during the interview. “There are some really strong, amazing women that we are lucky to call our mothers, lucky to call aunties, grandmas, and so we wanted to celebrate them, but also leave a legacy for my daughter and my nieces.”

Ayesha is a mother of two daughters, while Sydel has a 15-month-old daughter named Daryn. She and Damion Lee are now expecting their 3rd kid! Therefore, there is no better form of inspiration for the children than to see their loving mothers be successful! Who knows? Maybe they would grow up to make a name for themselves in the wine industry too!