After a long and popping first season, we’re taking a short break to recharge, relax, and raise funds for season two!
E40: The Pav to Success (w/ Preeti Mistry)
Soleil catches up with Oakland chef and restaurateur Preeti Mistry, and they chat about culinary school, how the food industry falls short of its meritocratic ideals, the culture of abuse in restaurants, and what it means to live your politics.
E37: Minnesota Nice (w/ Amalia Nicholson and Aubry & Kale Walch)
E32: Because I Don't have Papers (w/ Armando Ibañez)
Bonus Episode: The Pushback against White Supremacy in Portland
E29: Anh Luu Gives You Wings
E25: Do What You Wanna (w/ Ruby Tandoh)
Soleil gets on the phone with food writer and British baking genius Ruby Tandoh to discuss her upcoming mental health zine, the toxicity of wellness culture, and the healing power of food writing.
E21: New Look, Same Great Taste (w/ Alan Montecillo & Juan Ramirez)
Our killer founding producer and editor, Alan Montecillo, is leaving us (and Portland) to work as a producer on the 21st, a news and culture talk show from Illinois Public Media. In this episode, we say goodbye to Alan and introduce our new producer and editor, Juan Ramirez.
E20: Talking in New Orleans in the Age of Trump (w/ Maurice Ruffin)
E19: Soleil's First Restaurant Job
E18: Fries Before Guys (w/ Randa Jarrar)
Zahir interviews Arab-American writer Randa Jarrar, author of the new collection of short stories Him, Me, Muhammad Ali. Randa has a lot of insightful things to say about Palestinian food, growing up in Kuwait during the First Gulf War, body image and what it means to be a fat femme, and much more.
E17: Hari Kondabolu Eats Beef
E16: And You Tried to Change, Didn't You? (w/ Salimatu Amabebe)
How does it feel when your body doesn't fit the Western definition of "desirable," when no one around you looks the way you look, when taking up space seems like an imposition? For this episode, we wanted to consider these questions in the context of eating disorders and how living in a racialized body complicates the mainstream narrative of who gets them. Our guest, Portland-based pop-up chef and caterer Salimatu Amabebe, was kind enough to speak with us about her experience with eating problems and how it informs her own body consciousness, her feelings about desirability, and her career as an independent chef.
Why This Show Matters
We've launched another crowdfunder! Instead of talking about why you should open your wallet for us, Alan collected three of his favorite clips from our podcast.
E15: The Stories We Tell (w/ Isaac Fitzgerald)
In this episode, we interview Buzzfeed Books Editor Isaac Fitzgerald about his new book, Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos. The book, which features beautiful illustrations by Wendy Macnaughton, is out now. Isaac and Soleil share tattoo stories, both of which are very good. In addition to talking about the book, we grill Isaac on what it takes to be a good ally and gatekeeper in the publishing industry, which is so very homogenous.
We Just Need A Minute
E14: What's So Political About Food Photography? (w/ Celeste Noche)
Food photography is just about showcasing food... right? In this episode, we talk with freelance photographer Celeste Noche about how an art as "neutral" as modern food photography can actually be loaded with signifiers of race, gender, and class.
E13: Food Tech Goes Home (w/ Charley Wang)
The CEO of Josephine, an up-and-coming food tech company, explains how his version of the sharing economy can bolster home cooking, empower small-scale entrepreneurs, and combat gentrification. He believes that food tech can do more than simply provide a product in an ultra-convenient and commodified way, and that there's room for food justice and labor rights, too.
E12: It's Time For Solutions (w/ Nicole Taylor)
On this episode, we talked with food writer and cookbook author Nicole Taylor about popularity of Southern food, and its roots in black history that are often erased in a trend-driven food landscape. We also delve into the homogeneity of food media itself, by talking through actionable steps we need in order to move the race and food conversation forward.
E11: Pho is the New Pho (w/ Jenny Yang)
Or, #NeverPhogetNeverPhogive! Soleil embarked on our first OFF-SITE INTERVIEW and caught up with comedian and writer Jenny Yang this past weekend. She produced and starred in "PBJ is the New Grilled Cheese," a brilliant send-up of that pho video that everyone's been talking about. (AKA the food media's regularly scheduled announcement that they don't give a fuck about us!) Soleil and Jenny talk about community, staying in touch with one's culture, and what it means to respond to racism with art.