Food Without Borders

Simran Preeti Sethi is an award-winning journalist whose prolific work in food, education and social justice activism centers around biodiversity, sustainability and environmentalism. Her book, Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love, tells the story of changes in food and agriculture through bread, wine, chocolate, coffee and beer. Tune into today's episode to hear Simran speak about growing up Indian in the South, spending 5 years across 6 continents researching the foods in her book, and how she uses chocolate as a lens to tell stories about global issues. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Azerbaijan-born food entrepreneur and recipe developer, Uli Nasibova left the world of finance to pursue her passion making gelato and started her own thriving business, Gelateria Uli—a small-batch, from scratch gelateria in Los Angeles. Uli joins guest host Leah Kirts in the studio to chat about the world of flavors and experiences that inspire her. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we welcome Priya Krishna on the show to chat about her prolific work covering the culinary world and bringing Indian food culture to the forefront. Priya's writing has appeared in the New Yorker, NYT, and Bon Appetit, among many others, and her next cookbook "Indian-Ish" is about her mother, whom she calls "an Indian food genius." Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mayukh Sen is a staff writer at MUNCHIES, VICE'S food publication. As the child of Bengali immigrants, his work elevates overlooked immigrant stories and elucidates the connections between food, feminism, LGBTQ rights, and racial inequality. On today's show he speaks about the challenges of being a person of color in the predominantly white world of food media and how he has used his food writing career to investigate questions about his own cultural identity. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chocolate is a migrant food. Today we hear from Rabbi Debbie Prinz, author of the book On The Chocolate Trail who tells us how chocolate provided business and trade opportunities to Jewish refugees in their relocations. She is joined by Warren Klein, curator of the exhibit "Semi(te) Sweet: On Jews and Chocolate" based on Rabbi Prinz's book and currently on display at The Bernard Museum. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cristina Martinez is an undocumented Mexican immigrant who came to America in order to pay for her daughter's college tuition. While working at a restaurant in Philadelphia, she met fellow cook Ben Miller. The pair fell in love and when Cristina came forward about her illegal status to the restaurant owners, she was fired. After years of hard work, Cristina and Ben opened South Philly Barbacoa, with Cristina at the helm cooking the food she grew up with in her native Mexico. In 2016 they were named one of the best restaurants in America by Bon Appetit. Tune in to this special episode with chefs, restauranteurs, and activists, Ben and Cristina. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Immigrant Cookbook is a vibrant new collection of diverse heritage recipes that make America great. Collected and edited by Interlink publisher, Leyla Moushabeck, the cookbook will be on sale December 15th and at least five dollars from every purchase will go towards the ACLU. In studio today speaking about the book is Leyla Moushabeck along with contributors Lauryn Chin (owner of Mother-in-Law's Kimchi), Samantha Seneviratne (author of The New Sugar and Spice), and Ana Sofia Pelaez (author of The Cuban Table). Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Food Without Borders, Leah chats with two acclaimed chefs of Southern cuisine​:​ New Orleans native and restaurateur​,​ John Currence​,​ and India-born Vishwesh Bhatt​, ​executive chef​ of Currence's Snackbar in Oxford, Mississippi. Both men credit good luck and desperation ​to​ their entrance into the culinary world as college students​,​ through which they eventually became friends & collaborators. Each chef discusses the inspiration behind their approach to Southern cuisine and its broader connection to the global south—from Oxford, Mississippi to ​West India ​to​ West Africa. They talk about how current​ ​political unrest in the Trump era has altered life in and outside of the restaurant world. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born in Somalia, Hawa Hassan's family fled to a refugee camp in Kenya to escape the civil war. When she was only seven years old, Hawa was sent to Seattle to live with a family friend and start a new life in America. On today's episode of Food Without Borders, Hawa speaks about her upbringing as a refugee in the US and how her love of food and search for authentic Somali ingredients inspired her to become the founder and CEO of BasBaas, an authentic line of Somali hot sauces and chutneys made in New York. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yewande Komolafe is a food stylist and recipe developer raised in Lagos, Nigeria. After moving to the United States for college, Yewande started cooking as a way to stay connected to her African heritage and eventually enrolled in culinary school. After the election, she created the dinner series My Immigrant Food Is... as a way to speak out against the Trump administration as a proud Nigerian and former undocumented immigrant in America. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Food Without Borders, Sari is joined by Catherine Piccoli, James Boo, and Mos Gen the Poet. Catherine is the curator of MOFAD, the museum of food and drink. She speaks about the current exhibit, Chow: Making the Chinese American Restaurant which touches on themes of racism and anti-immigration sentiment that are so clearly reflected in contemporary American society. James Boo is the creator of one minute meal, an award-winning documentary series that uses food to reveal the communities, legacies, realities, and unseen forces that shape life in New York City. James talks about why he made a documentary series that focuses largely on immigrants and people of color instead of the typical chefs that represent the food world. The episode closes with a passionate performance by Mos Gen who delivers his poem Saturday Morning Cartoons.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Food Without Borders, Leah speaks with culinary historian, Michael W. Twitty, whose acclaimed new book, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South, traces the history of Southern cuisine, family ancestry, and African-American identity in the US. Leah and Michael talk about the discomfort entrenched in Southern cuisine and the cultural amnesia surrounding slavery (from rice paddies to plantation kitchens) that had previously blurred the contributions enslaved Africans made to American food culture. Michael's work peels back the layers of history, in an effort to reclaim the lost memories of his ancestors and transform our national consciousness at the intersection of race and food. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Food Without Borders, Sari sits down with Christine Sahadi Whelan, the owner of James Beard Foundation-winning gourmet Middle Eastern grocery in Brooklyn. Christine and Sari discuss the often precarious logistics of sourcing products from conflict regions in The Middle East and how both policy and war can disrupt supply chains. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born and raised in Dakar, Pierre Thiam is the executive chef of Nok by Alara in Lagos and the owner of Pierre Thiam catering in New York. He is a also a James Beard award-nominated cookbook author, an ambassador for the culinary traditions of Africa and an advocate for responsible tourism. On today's episode, Pierre tells the remarkable story of his journey from busboy to chef and restauranteur in New York City and speaks about his commitment to fonio, an ancient grain indigenous to Senegal that Pierre is working to cultivate and export. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hurricane Maria exacerbated pre-existing problems of access and equality in Puerto Rico. Food and beverage writer Alicia Kennedy and bartender Rafa García Febles join Sari in studio to speak about the crisis in Puerto Rico, how chefs are stepping up to provide relief for Puerto Ricans, and tell us what are the best ways to help.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Born in Bombay, Jehangir Mehta is the chef and owner of Grafitti, Grafitti Earth, and Me and You in NYC. On this episode of Food Without Borders, Chef Mehta speaks with Sari about his upbringing in India which has informed the no-waste ethos he practices at all of his restaurants. He also speaks about his Zorastrian customs, Persian heritage, immigration, politics, and the customized sensorial dining experiences he creates at Me and You. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The League of Kitchens is a unique cooking school in New York City where immigrant instructors teach the recipes of their origin countries to students in their own homes. On this episode of Food Without Borders, Sari is joined by League of Kitchens program manager, Sonya Kharas, and instructors Angie Vargas from Mexico and Nawida Said Hosan from Afghanistan. Tune in to find out how these talented home cooks preserve their connection to heritage by sharing their cuisine.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The debut episode of the second season of Food Without Borders features Jabber Al-Bihani and Nasser Jaber, partners at Komeeda, a platform that creates unique dining experiences that amplify the voices and cuisine of immigrant chefs. Jabber and Nasser speak about Displaced Dinners, a post-election series that gives diners an opportunity to taste the food of and hear stories from recently resettled refugees. They also talk about the upcoming Refugee Food and Art Festival that they're producing next weekend in NYC. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about food, conflict, and community. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the season finale of Food Without Borders , host Sari Kamin is joined by mother and daughter Rawia and Jumana Bashara of the restaurant Tanoreen, a blend of classical Middle Eastern home-style cooking with delicious Mediterranean aromas, located in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Tune in to hear them discuss how food is politics, in the best, most inclusive sense.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Food Without Borders , host Sari Kamin is joined in the studio by Ariel Barbouth, founder and CEO of Nuchas, which brings Argentinian food staples to NYC. In 2011, Nuchas opened its first retail location in Times Square, but it wasn't until they started their first food truck in 2012 that people started to take notice. Nuchas quickly built a reputation among the NYC street food scene, winning the Rookie of the Year Vendy Award in 2013, and in the same year opening their second retail location in Greeley Square. Barbouth's goal is to redefine the culinary concept of "hand-held foods" so that no utensils are needed, and so that the flavors appeal to all cultures, even to those with dietary restrictions, using only quality ingredients that are responsibly sourced. Food Without Borders is powered by SimplecastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Food Without Borders, Sari is joined in studio by Deepti Sharma and Carine Assouad. Deepti is the founder of Food to Eat, a platform that empowers and provides marketing services for immigrant-owned food vendors. Carine is the co-founder of Semsom, a modern Lebanese eatery inspired by the traditional flavors of her native Beirut. Tune in for a fascinating discussion about Lebanese cuisine, what its like to run a woman and immigrant owned business in the age of Trump, and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a new episode of Food Without Borders, host Sari Kamin is joined by Soleil Ho, a chef, writer, and co-host of the The Racist Sandwich podcast. Tune in to hear them discuss her assimilated upbringing, authenticity and ownership in food businesses, food media's white supremacy problem, mayonnaise, and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a special "in the field" episode of Food Without Borders, Sari and HRN engineer David Tatasciore go on a food walk of Queens with Culinary Backstreets, a tour company that highlights family-run restaurants often overlooked in big cities. Throughout the tour, Sari and David speak to immigrant vendors who started their lives over in Queens and have made it one of America's most vibrant and diverse culinary destinations.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Food Without Borders, Sari chats with Vonnie Williams, the co-founder of The Black Forks, a platform that explores all things Food and Culture through the Black lens. Vonnie started The Black Forks after spending time in PR and realizing that very few minority voices were represented in food media. Tune in to hear about Vonnie’s upbringing living with her family in Ghana and a candid conversation about food and race.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tunde Wey is a Nigerian-born chef based in New Orleans who creates dinner series meant to inspire conversations surrounding race and immigration. Wey uses food as a way to gather people and create a setting for sometimes uncomfortable conversations that transcend the typical pleasure-based dining experience. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about Wey's Nigerian heritage and his journey as a chef who sees food as a conduit for political discourse.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week’s episode of Food Without Borders, Sari is joined in studio by Krishnendu Ray, chair of the NYU Food Studies graduate department and multimedia artist and scholar, Sarah K. Khan. Krishnendu, Sarah, and Sari discuss how immigration policies of the past have affected our food system today and how street vendors may be impacted by current anti-immigrant rhetoric and beefed up deportation policies. They also discuss issues of cultural appropriation and authenticity in food.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's episode of Food Without Borders, Sari is joined by chef and author Fany Gerson of La Newyorkina. After a long trip to her native Mexico to write her first book “My Sweet Mexico” Fany returned to New York wanting to share and celebrate the amazing frozen treats & sweets of Mexico.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's episode of Food Without Borders , Sari is joined in studio by Chef Gaurav Anand. Not formally trained as a chef, Gaurav learned by watching chefs and recreating their recipes. He would stand in the kitchen for hours as the chefs cooked, picking up techniques and forming the basis for his own style. He worked with some of India’s master chefs, including leading restaurateur Jiggs Kalra, and soon had built a clientele list for his catering company and restaurant that included business leaders, politicians and celebrities.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the second episode of Food Without Borders, Sari is joined in studio by Manal Kahi. She's the founder of Eat Offbeat, a catering company staffed by refugees chefs who prepare recipes they've carried with them from their native countries -- places like Syria, Nepal, Eritrea, and Iraq. The unique dishes are delivered to adventurous New Yorkers interested in trying new foods.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the debut episode of Food Without Borders, host Sari Kamin sat down with chef and cookbook author, Aliya LeeKong. Aliya is the author of "Exotic Table: Flavors, Inspiration, and Recipes from Around the World--to Your Kitchen." She grew up in a Tanzanian and Indo-Pakistani household and has traveled the globe, learning about people from different backgrounds by tasting their food and cooking in their homes. Immigrant cuisine has always inspired Aliya's recipes, but since Trump's election, she has made it her mission to think about food as resistance. Through her #bannedfood series, Aliya is able to show solidarity for the people living in the countries targeted by Trump's executive order and educate others though food.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.