Love can change a person and that essentially holds true for JD Vance, whose wife Usha Vance has influenced his dietary habits in a way that the one strictly non-vegetarian man now takes delight in eating various Indian veg dishes.
JD Vance had grown up in Middletown, Ohio and in his own words, as he said on The Joe Rogan Experience, aired October 31, 2024, “I’m kind of one of these people where if I don’t have a piece of meat, it’s not a complete meal.” While his wife Usha Vance grew up in Rancho Peñasquitos, an upper-middle-class San Diego suburb, she held on to her Indian roots, especially when it came to food choices.
Therefore, it is only natural that after being married for so many years and having a relationship before that, JD Vance’s eating habits have also been influenced by his wife. While Usha Vance has not publicly spoken about her dietary habits, it is known that she is a vegetarian, something that JD Vance has come to appreciate gradually.
Therefore, the man who had grown up eating meat and potatoes now knows the beautiful flavors that paneer and chickpeas can bring. Given the fact that before he met Usha he did not have much idea about vegetarian dishes, Vance talked to Joe Rogan about his disastrous attempt to make a vegetarian pizza for Usha Vance.
JD Vance candidly shared the experience, saying, “I rolled out a flat thing of crescent rolls, put raw broccoli on top of it, sprinkled ranch dressing, and stuck it in the oven for 45 minutes.” He then added, “It was disgusting.” While the pizza did not turn out as expected, JD Vance did not give up and eventually he achieved a better understanding of Indian cuisine and successfully cooked not only for his wife but also for her family.
Usha Vance talked about the same during the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee as she mentioned, “When JD met me, he approached our differences with curiosity and enthusiasm. He wanted to know everything about me, where I came from, what my life had been like.”
She further added, “Although he’s a meat and potatoes kind of guy, he adapted to my vegetarian diet and learned to cook food for my mother, Indian food. Before I knew it, he’d become an integral part of my family, a person I could not imagine living without.”
Usha’s words showed how Vance genuinely took interest in understanding her food choices and eventually adapted himself. JD Vance now actively praises paneer dishes and is also a fan of spicy chickpeas curry. Having a plant based diet from being a strict non- vegetarian not only shows his love for his wife, but also will have long term positive effects on his health.
Scroll down to see some images of JD and Usha Vance.
JD Vance visited India recently with his wife Usha Vance and their children.
JD Vance met Usha Vance at Yale.
