Brain Dead & Cooking with Friends

Laura has two daughters in college, and one stepson in Savannah.  She's been in sales her entire life, and finally living the dream doing the things she adores!  She is the author of 'Brain Dead in the Burbs & Cooking Your Way Back to Sanity", "Still Brain Dead & Cooking", and "Forever Brain Dead".  She just finished her first screenplay, "Walking on Lily Pads - Unfortunately a True Story", & a coffee table book about her husband Tom's record store, Vintage Vinyl  called "The Book of Vintage Vinyl - Volume One".  For the 6th year, she is very proud to be Co-Producer/Director of LTYM-STL and for the second year, "The Story Bee Show - STL...Creating a Buzz One Story at a Time."  She also starred in "Funny Girls -The Experiment" and so proud to be a part of Brain Dead & Cooking with Friends with her two BFF's Regi and Fritzie...and yes, she knows this photo makes her look like she has gas. 

Reginald (Regi’) E. Drake is a St. Louis native who has had a very diverse professional background in the fields of business and entertainment. Regi’ worked in corporate America for over 30+ stellar years at AT&T as an Area Sales, Training, and HR manager, while having a successful continuing alternative career as an entertainer/vocalist. Regi’ has performed on stage with such notables as-Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Neville Brothers, Michael McDonald, Kevin Bacon, Dramatics, SOS Band, Melba Moore, Chuck Berry, Albert King, Sheena Easton, Spinners, Roberta Flack, Phyllis Hyman, Four Tops, Marvin Hamlisch, Pieces of a Dream to name a few……But it is his love for cooking great food for loved ones that truly is his passion. Regi’ co-stars in a YouTube cooking show (with two of his best friends, Laura Edwards-Ray and Fritzie Reeves) called “Brain Dead and Cooking with Friends. The gang met each other while working at AT&T many years ago and have become “BAES” over their love to cook, eat, love, and laugh. Regi’ and Fritzie both attended the same culinary school after leaving AT&T and have their degrees in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management. Regi’ is a certified caterer under the name R-Drake Enterprises LLC and believes that his love of God and family are his two greatest assets.

Fritzie along with her best friend (husband Glenn) worked most of their lives raising their family.  She retired after working over 30 years with 'Corporate America' helping to make ends meet and to make life work for their family.  She's always been grateful for all of God’s blessings and provisions even when her corporate job came to an end through unexpected attrition.  When it was time to leave corporate, Fritzie didn’t look back.  She and Glenn agreed that she would go to culinary school to pursue what she loved…to cook.  This would be a second career as well as a ministry for them.  She went to  culinary school and excelled.  After graduating, she reconnected with two of her corporate buddies and through a short deliberation, recognized their  similar love and passion for preparing good eats.  Laura Edwards-Ray had already written two cookbook memoirs,     The Brain Dead & Cooking Series, which they would transform to include Chefs Fritzie Reeves and Regi Drake.  Long story short, they’re now this Triumphant Trio starring in their  YouTube cooking show entitled Brain Dead & Cooking with Friends.  What fun it is to truly love what you do and to adore the team you work with! 

Our relationship with Wyatt Weed and Gayle Gallagher goes way back. There is no one we love and trust more with videotaping our shows and providing the best videos than Pirate Pictures!   Pirate Pictures is a full-service production company based in the St. Louis area.  From Corporate and Non-Profit projects, to Feature Films and Music Videos, Pirate Pictures can help you promote your company, raise awareness, or help you with FX for your indie film!  For more information contact them at:  www.piratepictures.net