Kimbal Musk: The Art of Cooking, Tesla, SpaceX, Zip2, and Family | Lex Fridman Podcast

Kimbal Musk is a chef, entrepreneur, and author of The Kitchen Cookbook: Cooking for Your Community. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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TRANSCRIPT:
lexfridman.com/kimbal-musk-tr...
EPISODE LINKS:
Kimbal's X: x.com/kimbal
Kimbal's Instagram: / kimbalmusk
Kimbal's Facebook: / kimbalmuskofficial
The Kitchen Cookbook: amzn.to/4ccaCoE
The Kitchen (restaurants): www.thekitchen.com/
PODCAST INFO:
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Full episodes playlist: • Lex Fridman Podcast
Clips playlist: • Lex Fridman Podcast Clips
OUTLINE:
0:00 - Introduction
1:02 - Growing up in South Africa
13:32 - Cooking
36:18 - Ingredients
43:23 - Anthony Bourdain
45:38 - Cooking school
1:01:58 - Life-threatening accident
1:16:02 - Road trip across US
1:27:45 - Zip2
1:32:28 - Tesla
1:39:53 - SpaceX
1:43:36 - Hope for the future
SOCIAL:
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[@lexfridman]

Here are the timestamps. Please check out our sponsors to support this podcast. Transcript: lexfridman.com/kimbal-musk-transcript 0:00 - Introduction & sponsor mentions: - Eight Sleep: eightsleep.com/lex to get special savings - ExpressVPN: expressvpn.com/lexpod to get 3 months free - NetSuite: netsuite.com/lex to get free product tour - BetterHelp: betterhelp.com/lex to get 10% off 1:02 - Growing up in South Africa 13:32 - Cooking 36:18 - Ingredients 43:23 - Anthony Bourdain 45:38 - Cooking school 1:01:58 - Life-threatening accident 1:16:02 - Road trip across US 1:27:45 - Zip2 1:32:28 - Tesla 1:39:53 - SpaceX 1:43:36 - Hope for the future

[@huntingkc1]

Hey Lex, please Google England's nursery as there is a Ukrainian and a Russian fruit that I grow an orchard full of.... You might want to interview Mr England, at the least ask him about a roseyanka Persimmons

[@aba9939]

Bro take it easy with the ads. This was impossible to listen to

[@davedavisness]

Please interview: Rabbi Elhanan Beck, George Galloway, Ilan Pappe, Christopher Bollyn, Mohammed El-Kurd (part 2)

[@KKKrap]

I believe rap is a great tool for making an impact on earth. I am a songwriter and would love to hear your thoughts on my wokrs.

[@albinataggart4846]

I really think you are a beautiful bright person that rarely comes along in life much less exist to break barriers to be accessible…. I can’t empathize your position in life but will make wild assumption based upon limited logic…. Please reach outside of your comfort zone of people. Like talk to people you fear . From by economic ecosystem I can’t understand what your interests are interviewing Tucker, Grimes, Kimbal, and Kayne are. I listen to Tucker and there is no one who can hold him accountable for disagreeing with him or anyone else… so they sound reasonable. Please don’t interview ppl who “use to be in the CIA”… like interview real people like real people making real differences…. How do you find them? I dunno LinkedIn? Your center of access gets more narrow as you go up… kinnda sounds lonely…. Find new people man. Like interview the guy from Iron Maiden or Hank Green or the lead singer from Rage Against the Machine… fuck Gwar would be awesome or the man who does School of Life(Brilliant BRILLIANT man). Please Lex

[@maxivy]

Just wanted to show some appreciation Lex for making it about Kimbal and his life, and not just interviewing him solely as Elon’s brother. Respect. Other interviewers didnt do this

[@topfloorroom429]

Very nicely said....

[@GOD999MODE]

Genuine, nice guy with his own set of noteworthy accomplishments. His intuition and attention to detail and overall concience is admirable.

[@saiga404]

pretty crazy thing to say about a guy that was mates with Epstein

[@etomichelverny]

My Overoverovergod

[@ramblerandy2397]

Kimbal is defintely the Yang to his brother's Yin. They love each other, have similar values, yet look at life differently. It works well.

[@lIIest]

lol, both are full of shit

[@aline_m_1976]

It's the other way around, Elon is the yang and Kimbal the yin ;-)

[@ramblerandy2397]

@@aline_m_1976I'm fine with that.

[@rott6665]

I worked for The kitchen for just over four years. As a young cook it was the perfect experience. It was my first “real” cooking job. Cool to see this interview. Thank you Lex

[@etomichelverny]

My Overoverovergod

[@meredithortiz743]

I really like this guy. He seems to be a beautiful soul. His family&friends must feel truly blessed,to have him in their lives.🥰

[@pamholloway8924]

He is also (from my understanding) working to have Colorado be the first digital currency state which will make it a lot easier to control people’s actions by controlling their access to their money.

[@SatoriRose]

I once told my father that the only thing he ever taught me was what kind of person not to be. The trauma does indeed permeate through time, but I consider it a valuable gift that helped build my character.

[@ziloj-perezivat]

Wow so dramatic.

[@eddiewawa]

I agree, but unfortunately this was for both parents.

[@calebwilliams586]

​@ziloj-perezivat did you take personal offense? Outing yourself a bit there mate

[@ziloj-perezivat]

Yeah when my daughter said she doesnt want to me like me I had to send in the paramilitary groups to take her to Siberia@@calebwilliams586

[@ctloo0808]

@@ziloj-perezivat clown

[@baxterblack3700]

Wow Kimbal comes across as such a genuine life loving person. Great interview!

[@etomichelverny]

My Overoverovergod

[@Iluvthinkers25]

Kimbal, Kimbal, Kimbal...Not what I expected. What a truly sweet and kind, nice guy. OMG-food...Just cut it out. I am slobbering while you guys talked. The peach talk is killing me. Men and talking about peaches, it can't get better than this. Way to go Lex. Lovely conversations and lovely thoughts about being a human being and inter-relating with each other. Just sweet and endearing.

[@liferethought]

Fantastic interview. Kimbal is insightful, humble, and real. Thanks Lex.

[@Kube_Dog]

He seems like a butthurt weasel.

[@mellow_frequencies]

Love what kind of energy Kimbal brings out in Lex. I think it’s pretty underestimated from the outside what role Kimbal has played in Tesla and SpaceX’s successes, he looks like a guy who can really lift a team up. Thanks for the conversation 🙏🏻

[@jackfasano7431]

He has the Elon laugh. I love it.

[@RoseReadings]

And the style of speech as well. They both have these short stops

[@Dedicated_.1]

It’s their dads laugh

[@rakishlyaskew]

that's how rich people laugh

[@jamieology2195]

@@rakishlyaskew with that reasoning how would a poor person laugh?

[@Ample17]

You Sir, you stole my comment from my head! I just wanted to write that 😂 But it's okay.

[@joncamp9126]

I really enjoyed this one, I needed an interview like this that gives me more hope in these strange times. I love his positivity! Him and his brother seem so alike yet perfectly different. I felt like I got to know him and his brother much better in this podcast. In a way that strengthens my faith in the people fighting for a brighter future! Lex really brings out the best in his guests in a way that is so unique to him. I admire how comfortable he makes his guests. I watch a lot of different podcasts and Lex is one of the best at his job!

[@barbarabenedict6760]

I love learning about Kimbal. I thinks he's a beautiful man, a deeply loving brother, and very generous human, among so many additional wonderful things! He earned every bit of his success. If you think his road has been easy, then you don't know enough about him. So happy to enjoy this latest podcast! ✨💕✨💕✨💕

[@Crypdography]

If you love learning about him your going to love learning about his ties to jeffrey epstein

[@Muchjoy..]

Just let this play and I listen.Your words are so wise.And you have the most interesting interviews ever. Thank you.Thank you so much..❤

[@ashawalker5986]

I met Kimbal a few years ago on a cruise called Summit at Sea and he seemed really decent. He was really all about the family table and I've taken that with me. Truly. I was all about minimizing suffering in our food sources and he seemed really receptive about it ❤

[@marianneosullivan7971]

Sounds like you're talking about the sense of community around meals & how it fosters connection & communication. So far as sitting in & restaurants, you can sit & relax & throw out a beam in a way & pick up what you perceive. ❤

[@sara-yw6ej]

Fantastic podcast. Keep up the amazing work. ❤

[@drystack86]

Instantly one of my all-time fav LF pods. I had heard of "Kimbal Musk" but never knew his story. Loved it!

[@Jane-yj1to]

This episode was so Joyful!

[@AncientHistorySecrets]

Great interview, thank you 🤩 🎉

[@fgabrieltomas]

Perfect compliment for brothers

[@lindataylor9683]

Absolutely!

[@kathleencole3355]

I loved this conversation. What a lovely Man . The Musk family are so easy to listen to . Very real and down to earth. Lex of course is the best interviewer. Love him .❤️

[@Crypdography]

Not sure if I would say a man with close ties to jeffrey epstein is a "lovely man" but to each their own I guess.

[@user-se1ev7my6f]

@@Crypdographydo you Not have any ability to add something of significance to the comments?

[@Crypdography]

@@user-se1ev7my6f ya that's where Google comes into play buddy.

[@OdwallaJuice.]

I really enjoyed this one. Thanks for sharing

[@rudygermain4236]

Apples from Île d'Orléans, Quebec in Fall. The best apples you can get. The only time I eat apples. When you bite in one and juices spray on your friends face, that's when I LOve them.

[@EmilySinka-ie2vj]

Ohhhh, loved this! Thank you ❤️ 😊 Nice to see and feel the relaxed environment that was created. Enjoy those eggs... I can almost taste them. 😋

[@ColbyTheOrangeTabby]

Loved the interview!

[@Nova-Rift]

Lex is a master of highlighting the most interesting aspects of his guests. Never thought I'd enjoy listening to someone talk about cooking.

[@Crypdography]

Still wish he asked him how he met jeffrey epstein and how he ended up "dating" his ex.

[@cj2103m]

Because he didn't ask him about his relationship with Jeff Epstein :D

[@JM-vh7oc]

Thoroughly enjoyed the entire conversation! Thanks.

[@Ghostmanriding]

Great interview. Nice guy.

[@TecOneself]

Ingredients are magic, cooking makes better writers too. Thanks!

[@rupertkindermann1335]

Kimbal is a wonderful person

[@jannichi6431]

Your handle photo makes us smile too😀

[@eyeofthetiger7]

Kimbal is a great guy and as perfect of a brother Elon could hope for. A fun, joyful and grounded person who's good at the simpler things of life like conversation and food.

[@fromforeststories]

Visited for the first time today. Really really understand and the atmosphere of the broadcast is very good! Your bright eyes and voice are impressive. Very nice to see your channel, Lex Fridman!

[@elliek5350]

Thank you, Lex and Kimball. Another great conversation about things that matter - and very often those are quite simple things. Thank you)

[@seanpatrickphelps]

For students that are interested in the painting business Kimbal learned from the U.S. based version is College Works Painting. Great experience for students interested in entrepreneurship or business skill development.

[@tannerhalling3100]

I had a great experience with great people here!

[@KoryFinley]

I did this internship 4 years ago! I learned a lot from that experience and met a lot of great people!

[@brettapel1827]

Loved my experience with this program! I learned more about business than any class I took in college

[@CoraWhite-le7gt]

This internship set me up for success!! I had the best experience!

[@celticfiddle7605]

Halfway through Kimball mentions scrambled eggs. It reminded me of 1970 when I was at a prestigious symphony camp in California for two weeks. They hired a chef who made the best scrambled eggs. How in the world did he get them to be so soft and tall and fluffy? One morning I watched him make them. If I remember right he first poured water in the huge skillet before he poured his egg mixture. Like Kimball said, this chef watched and waited and knew the exact moment when to start the dance with the eggs. Within a minute there they were, the perfect scrambled eggs!!🥚🥚🥚🥚

[@cspace1234nz]

....nice comment. Artful.

[@TherealBDL]

brb grabbing skillet

[@jannichi6431]

The hotel in Downtown Santee Fe, NM used to have the 'Crepery' run by a French women. What is it about eggs? Benedict, that may saying too much..Ha. A good Hollandaise is priceless!😋

[@munnik_dnb]

South Africa today is a warzone and johannesburg currently has no stable electricity, as i write this, the taps have run dry and have not been running for 24hours :)

[@georgemujuru1232]

Where in Johannesburg. I'm in Johannesburg and I have water ?

[@munnik_dnb]

closer to eastgate, but if you look online people are experiencing outages for hours or days, in random places and without warning, yet the media is not making other johannesburg residents aware of this creeping problem.

[@munnik_dnb]

also please be aware that downplaying any problem we have in this country simply because you live in an area rich enough to not be affected is also a bit troublesome , only as strong as our weakest links. @@georgemujuru1232

[@blokclok]

South Afr!ca is the gu!nea p!g going back 29 years...

[@1985NEVETS]

What's going on over there? Sorry to hear that brother love from US stay vigilant.

[@chrisandme23]

Matthew McConaughey at home:

[@Menaceblue3]

Alright alright alright!

[@user-wj9si6wu8n]

🤣🤣🤣

[@maxsmith8196]

Ok, ok, ok… 😎

[@JacksonWashburn]

No son, we have Matthew McConaughey at home

[@jacksonfolly]

Bruh!!! 💀

[@marcelkernfx]

Kimbal is awesome. Love how he talks about his passion for cooking.

[@TechLoveMusic]

What a Wonderful person, brings quite some common feelings on quite a lot of aspects

[@TheTarotDJ333]

Awesome discussion! I really enjoyed listening to Kimbal getting in deep with the positive emotional aspects of food. Food is definitely a love language and artform!✨️🌟🍽

[@karencollins1095]

Food glorious food This conversation was FANTASTIC!! Thank you Les and Kimbal great podcast My husband joined to watch 👍👍💥

[@tommy2972]

The watering hole analogy is perfect. Sometimes differences are put aside when we perform the mandatory act of eating.

[@arranpattison5809]

Yeah, it's common ground... we all need it, most of us love it and we all do it... its like neutral ground in a battle

[@Kyzyl_Tuva]

Great interview Lex. Love you guys

[@jasongreen6842]

Lex, I have been a fan since you first appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Thus, I feel that I have known you for done time, of course, others would say that I know only the on camera personality. This is typically true when it come to the TV/Internet, but I think you take pride in being open, honest and politely communicating. Your a great guy 👍 It frustrates me as an extrovert to see a good person struggling with overall social interaction as an introvert (my wife struggles as well). Just wandering when you stated people are complex and may mis judge a situation they observe incorrectly. people are complex but many introverted people that I know don’t realize we are allot more alike than we are different , at least 99% of the time. We all have the common needs such as, love, being accepted etc and all have som sort of short comings as jealousy, narcissistic tendencies, etc Extroverts realize this easily, resulting feeling more confidence in their social status. Basically, 99% of the people around you are also F***** up just like you 👍🤣👍 So RELAX AND JOIN THE PARTY 🎉

[@newfreethink]

I love this Musk family. Their life experiences have and hope they help us all to remember to love life

[@meg-kx1uo]

Loved it! Thank you for this interview ❤ Greetings from Poland

[@thekiteboatparty3568]

Wow, so amazing in just the first few min. Life changing even. Life is finite - live it!

[@idatong976]

Luckily, I watch this episode after dinner so I don't get hungry. Food is a powerful agent; too much or too little will make a person sick. Most importantly, love goes to the stomach. So nice to see you both laughing, it's contagious. "Life is better when you are laughing." - Bob Marley. Love this one a lot. Thanks for bringing Kimbal Musk to the spotlight with you Lex.❤

[@michaelkim3432]

Wowwwww!!! Quite possibly my favorite Lex interviews ever! I really got a sense of Kimbal unlike any other interview I've heard or seen. Thanks Lex! And thanks Kimbal!

[@Gardenergal]

He was so astoundingly candid.

[@marussametocharaki8377]

AH....LOVE IT THIS MYSTERIOUS ATMOSPHERE OF THESE EMPTY BARS!!!!!!! GREETINGS FROM GREECE GUYS!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!

[@aaronb7990]

🍑 I'm in Central California (farm country) and for me its peaches then cherries. Unless you have had truely tree ripened fruit its hard to even fathom how crazy good they can be. I have a Peach Tree that similarly to his are only really great for a week or two. The birds love them too 😂

[@LorenzoLamarche]

What a great soul and amazing interview! I wish it would have lasted longer, as I’m sure Kimbal has much more to tell us!

[@susankeith326]

This is his second video with Lex.

[@kimfreesland2647]

A big fan of fruits and veggies! Healthy conversation that invokes your taste buds. Kimbal brings joy to your kitchen with harmonious ingredients for a healthy gut. Love this one Lex. Good stuff!

[@feedingit]

Love your work, Lex. Thank you.

[@forthepeople1664]

Love that analysis. I used to say that you could get the energy of a city just by going to a few bars in a different neighborhood in one night/day. You really can, you get a sense of whats happening that day, the collective consciousness just permeates and tells you the macroeconomics.

[@kathleenlangenbacher4407]

The pubs in Ireland were amazing, especially for a people watcher like myself. They were friendly and so unassuming with delicious simple offerings. I have never walked into a bar in NJ by myself, but would happily go into a pub in Ireland and feel welcomed and not feel compromised. Kimbal Musk was a breath of fresh air and I also love the smell of a home grown tomato or cucumber. I so enjoyed cooking for my 15 member family, but too many have died and it’s no longer a joy just cooking for me!

[@fchassismj]

one of the best podcasts

[@user-ih2fq1ck2q]

Longtime fan of the Kitchen on Pearl Street right here 🔥

[@ralphsmith8350]

Good, thank you.

[@user-xu6je1mv1g]

This show is a lot of fun of all the lex fridman podcast I have heard. Kimbal Musk feels* very genuine.

[@mattpen7966]

Kimbals candidness about his family is refreshing

[@christinecalo5645]

I like the Lex’s comment about there’s something about food, evolutionary that it makes us vulnerable in a way that grounds us. There is an evolutionary aspect to why humans may feel more grounded and less stress when eating and this is due to the historical challenges of food scarcity. Back in the day, finding food was a big deal due to scarcity, so when we did find food, especially in safe places, it gave us a sense of security and comfort, lowering our stress levels. Plus, eating together as a community likely strengthened social bonds and cooperation, adding to that feeling of safety and well-being during meals. These evolutionary factors have shaped how we psychologically and physically respond to eating, helping us feel more grounded and at ease.

[@susankeith326]

I strongly agree!

[@svetlanaorekhova-tibbits3739]

❤I ordered the book yesterday - Amazon will deliver tonight by 10 pm. ❤ CONGRATULATIONS!!!❤

[@danielhaney9992]

Did you get it by 10PM

[@craigstewart8123]

Great interview. When it comes to his brother, I’m in both in awe of him, and at odds with him. However, with Kimbal, he’s so down to earth, humble and fun. Someone that I could easily be friends with.

[@ExecutiveZombie]

Shirley… The name of my Service Industry, Sushi Bar Bestie who comforts me when I’m sad. Service industry people are the BEST! 🥰🙏🏽

[@TobychaserTobychaser]

Delightful interview❤

[@pancongomitas7815]

Love the talks. A conversation with Bukele would be interesting.

[@GeneLake001]

Great episode. Thanks for all you do Lex.

[@_example]

Excellent Lex! 🤙

[@japorto100]

Kimbal is a humble and nice dude

[@atl123]

what a nice conversation even without a meal!

[@dlerious77]

I worked in restaurants for 20 years and to this day I still eat by myself sometimes just to have some me time. Sushi especially...it's my happy place and as nice as it is to have the company of my family the solidarity of me and the food is something special

[@susankeith326]

Same for me, retired chef and restaurant owner.. At 77, I still cook for myself almost daily, though I live alone.

[@CrystalCloudPodcast]

My mouth is watering over peaches.

[@oceantree5000]

Then go to Georgia. Best in the world. Dude’s crazy.

[@kylemartin4010]

I work in fine dining and what he says about a meal being bad, and someone being still happy, or a meal being objectively great, and a person being unhappy, speaks to the fact that you get to choose.. and restaurants are deeply psychological. Yalom, a famous psychotherapist, speaks about his garden and how people would react completely differently to it, some complementing, some denigrating, and to him it was a source of information about his clients.. The same goes in restaurants. Different people react radically differently to the same situation, and you see that it is them, not the situation, that dictates if they have a good night.

[@tricklebug]

met this guys son in florida. whole family is intriguing !

[@AJDeFazio]

Kimbal is a Champ 🤠

[@forrestnorman1114]

This family is awesome. His SquareRoot project is undervalued

[@trinabaker3186]

This was ... the best !

[@13chibears]

ANOTHER BANGER!! Lex never stops GIVING

[@braydancoe3390]

I can't wait for Lex to go to the Amazon. Peace and love from NewZealand. 😊

[@RamiroS77]

Awesome interview!

[@jorge2757]

Gracias gracias gracias 😊

[@teatime9923]

Please consider subtitles! Love your interviews!

[@shelaughs185]

No. I hate having to watch around the words. Just put on the closed captioning (cc) if you want to read what's being said.

[@teatime9923]

@@shelaughs185 Would love the option of closed captions...Yes, would love to have the option of closed captions. I am having trouble understanding many of his guests and call it FOMO...lol! shelaughs185, should not cause you any problems...

[@TheDingsBoms]

Brilliant man!

[@emikosan8712]

I really agree with Kimball about technique especially Mexican food.

[@anniebanderet]

Kimbal has a lot of wisdom. In his own way, he’s as impressive as Elon.

[@GOD999MODE]

Life is not a competition.

[@TobychaserTobychaser]

The only restaurant I would go to alone, Mexican Manhattan in San Antonio, TX it was so good. 2nd place also in San Antonio is Liberty Bar, LOVED IT but they moved it to South Town, loved it when it was by the Pearl.

[@bendrakesuni]

Agreed on limit super carbs like bread to when it’s really good quality only

[@RiviRrapper]

40:40 "Most of the time, it's some CRUMMY bread" loool Nice, Kimbal, I see what you did there.

[@TheXuism]

kimbal is a genuine human being.

[@david-fletcher]

We Need GORDON RAMSAY on here

[@lostinthought475]

With Marco Pierre white adjoining

[@user-se1ev7my6f]

Ramsay sucks

[@arigato1901]

Oh please no! There are so many much more interesting chefs than Ramsay.

[@loubo8982]

No, please!

[@TheXuism]

Uncle roger could be a chef than Ramsay

[@peekaboo6622]

Lex and Mr Kimbal, you may have heard of the following Japanese cooking lore - it came to mind as my daughter and I watched this episode: "The angrier the thought, emotion and/or intent one has while preparing wasabi, it intensifies it's spiciness/scoville." Always cook with love.

[@douglasking7509]

Great conversation on Some inside information of a very interesting person. Yeah, it’s like gossip only better.

[@jonathanwilliams6922]

Thank you Mr Friedman very cool

[@oui2611]

good to know more about kimbo slice musk

[@Sandwichism]

Not sure why this made me laugh so hard 😂

[@le4908]

40:05 I can't help but wonder if all of this gluten intolerance is a result of glyphosate being used as a desiccant on wheat crops shortly before harvest. If you're not going organic, white bread is probably a better choice than whole grain.

[@MattLeo-go6ul]

Not if u have celiac disease

[@lindataylor9683]

Yeah….

[@xsietube]

@@MattLeo-go6ul yea while I’m liking this interview, I think it’s irresponsible for him as a chef to be dismissive of gluten allergy as a diet choice.

[@jeezy0025]

It 100% is, from personal experience of friends family and just researching the timelines. Multiple people I know had massive issues with "gluten allergy" right at the time when the began using it as a desiccant on wheat. These things don't just appear out of nowhere. There has to be a cause and that cause has supposedly never been found, yeah right.

[@Merble]

@@xsietubeI agree and I know it's not what you meant but if words matter... you should be dismissive of allergies as a choice, because they are not a choice.

[@jonlivingstone]

I loved this! ❤

[@tomelarsen]

Interesting guy. Loved it

[@Eliteownage]

much love all