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ISSUE 30 | BOSTON

DEAR BOSTON

SURVIVING WITH 420 EMPTY SEATS

SEASON TO CHANGE

DIFFERENT WORLD WINE JUST SAY NO TO PLEXIGLASS

$5.00 ISBN 978-1-7357675-0-5

50500>

9 781735 767505

ÂŠ 2018 Nestle Waters North America Inc.

Chefs know that place impacts taste. Each source carries the nuances of its place of origin, bears its own terroir. With its smooth, velvety taste, Acqua Panna from the hills of Tuscany and S.Pellegrino, naturally filtered by the Italian Alps, have been enhancing the flavors of the most exceptional dishes for centuries. Chefs trust ingredients straight from the source to make the most memorable meals. Chefs trust Acqua Panna and S. Pellegrino.

THE FINE DINING WATERS THE FINE DINING WATERS

For more visit: www.sanpellegrino.com/us

THE FINE DINING WATERSTHE FINE DINING WA

In This Issue 10

16 36

SEASON TO CHANGE

Pastry Chef Mary Edinger held on to her job at Season To Taste as it necessarily transformed to Season To Go. She found she missed fine dining almost as much as she missed her colleagues.

DEAR BOSTON

A message from Ana Sortun

42 8

SURVIVING WITH 420 EMPTY SEATS

How Chef Ciro Fodera of Capo pivoted his high-volume behemoth to a successful delivery-only operation.

YES, I’M AN OWNER

Bartender and worker/owner at the cooperatively run Tanám, Kyisha Davenport shares her experiences and thoughts on women of color in hospitality leadership and breaking into bartending as a Black woman in Boston.

On the cover: Kit Collins is a multimedia artist based in Medford, Massachusetts. She specializes in illustration, custom art, site-specific murals, product design, cartooning, and teaching workshops. In addition to the cover, she designed the map on p. 86. @kitschcollin

BOSTON VOICES

In June, we reached out to the more than 75 hospitality professionals whom we had the pleasure and privilege of meeting during the several months leading up to the pandemic. We asked, “How are you holding up?” These are some of their responses.

DIFFERENT WORLD WINE

Rising Star Sommelier Jaimie Puckett checked in with fellow rockstar Boston Somms Charlie Gaeta, Haley Fortier, and Dustin Cutler to see how they’re navigating the covid crisis and planning for an uncertain future.

JUST SAY NO TO PLEXIGLASS

Co-owner of Pammy’s with her husband, Chef Chris Willis, Pam Willis talks restaurant design challenges and other restaurateur concerns in a post coronavirus world.

LETTER FROM TEAM STARCHEFS

COMFORT NOTEBOOK

BY THE NUMBERS

RISING STARS AND THE CAUSES THEY SUPPORT

I SUPPORT

AD GUIDE

RISING STARS MAP

17 12 20 24 27 31

34 17 39

CHEFS MICHAEL BERGIN formerly of The Salty Pig

ICE CREAM MAKER ALYSSA LIEBERMAN New City Microcreamery

SOPHIE GEES Oleana

SUSTAINABILITY CHARLIE FOSTER Woods Hill

PÂTISSIÈRE HANA QUON Cafe Madeleine

MICHAEL LOMBARDI SRV & KEVIN O’DONNELL Giusto Newport (formerly of SRV)

RESTAURATEUR TIFFANI FAISON Big Heart Hospitality

KOJI ALCHEMIST RICH SHIH OurCookQuest

BRIAN PASZKO Alcove

SOMMELIERS LAUREN FRIEL Rebel Rebel

ROASTER ROBERT RODRIGUEZ formerly of Night Shift Coffee

MENTOR JAMIE BISSONNETTE Toro, Coppa, & Little Donkey

GAME CHANGER TRACY CHANG PAGU

BARTENDERS WILL PIQUETTE Alcove

RYAN LOTZ Traveler Street Hospitality

JOSH ELLIOTT Toro NATHAN GOULD

formerly of O Ya

JEREMY KEAN Brassica Kitchen + Cafe

COMMUNITY SĀSHA COLEMAN & ELLIE TIGLAO Tanám

46 49

PASTRY CHEFS MICHELLE BOLAND formerly of Oak+Rowan

JAIMIE PUCKETT Boulud

formerly of Bar

StarChefs Rising Stars Supporters Symrise, Steelite International, Vitamix Commercial, Niman Ranch, S.Pellegrino, Kikkoman USA, True Aussie Lamb, Wines from Spain, Butter of Europe, TCHO Chocolate, St. Supéry, Centerline by Hobart, Compass Group, Fresh Origins, Lone Mountain Wagyu, Savencia Cheese USA, Corto Olive Co., Buffalo Trace

DEAR BOSTON BY ANA SORTUN - ILLUSTRATION BY JACLYN WARREN This time has been one of the biggest challenges of my life and career. I’m certain that the same goes for you and yours. I’ve never been very good at feeling wobbly or new at something. I’ve never been very good at pandemics or take-away. In fact, I’d never tried either before. I’ve felt as if a big wave has washed over me and left me full of more fear than I had room for. I had fight, I had flight, I had freeze. But I’m in it. I’m crawling through it. Still. Some of us cooked for hospitals. Many of us jumped on take-away and managed success of it immediately. More than a few of us are closing and not coming back. A handful are still soul searching. The lucky ones now have more outdoor seats than they ever had indoors. ALL are reorganizing while we worry about our staff that cannot collect, who pay taxes but receive nothing. We take care of each other. We’re good at that. We have to be. As customers deal with our quirky new take-out systems, it does feel like we have a little space, a little more time, and that wage gap between FOH and BOH has momentarily closed— FINALLY. We must ensure that it stays that way. These past few months, I’ve learned more about this city of amazing chefs, cooks, and restaurateurs than I have in years. I’ve admired so many of your passionate voices through advocacy. I’m in awe that you can still lead during a time when we have no leadership at the highest levels and no answers from those in charge. I’ve listened and learned about your experiences through Zoom and Town Hall and Instagram. I’ve spent less time texting and more time talking on the phone, like the old days. There’s an urge to push for a stronger sense of community and to not suffer the consequences of a lost one. We’ve helped each other. We’re good at that. We have to be. None of us like putting food in a box. No matter what you do, it looks better on a plate than in a plastic container. But, I feel a sense of purpose again. We find creative ways of doing what we can, knowing that it’s not going to be like this forever. We rest assured that restaurants are too important to a vibrant city like ours. We’ll see our dining rooms full again. We’ll hang on. We’ll adapt. We’ll change. We’re good at that. We have to be. We’re Boston.

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CHEF

TON 20

GAME CHANGER AWARD PR

ESE

NTED

LLEGRIN

P H OTO : J A C LY N WA R R E N

Tracy Chang

PAGU

From birth, Tracy Chang had a legacy layed out for her. In the 1980’s Chang’s grandmother, ChinFun Shiue, migrated from Taiwan to Boston, where she opened several restaurants, including stalwart sushi spot Tokyo Restaurant. With cooking in her blood, Chang applied to be a host at mod omakase den O Ya— the first restaurant behind James Beard Award-winning restaurateurs Tim and Nancy Cushman—while studying finance at Boston College. Instead of working the host stand, Chang became a stagiaire and after one month, moved on to prep to line to pastry cook. After graduating in 2009, Chang moved to Paris to study patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu and stage with MOF Pâtissier Nicolas Bernardé. In 2011, she received a scholarship to cook at three-Michelin-star Restaurante Martín Berasategui in San Sebastian,

Spain. Chang became the “mano derecha” to Berasategui, travelling the world, managing public relations for the chef. In 2012, she returned to Boston to care for her father (and her pug, Phoebe). Chang became a teaching fellow within Harvard University’s Science and Cooking program, and, in her spare time, collaborated with her former O Ya coworkers to create ramen pop-up Guchi’s Midnight Ramen. She went on to open her own brick and mortar in Cambridge in 2015. PAGU, a name derived from the Japanese translation of “pug,” is her translation of a soulful JapaneseSpanish restaurant, cafe, and bakery. In 2020, Chang was a semifinalist for James Beard’s “Best Chef: Northeast.” In the wake of the pandemic, she co-founded two nonprofits: Off Their Plate, which serves frontline

healthcare workers in nine cities nationwide and provides economic relief to restaurant workers; and Project Restore Us, providing the families of essential workers in low-income, high-covid areas with groceries packed by restaurants. tracypagu / gopagu Favorite kitchen tool: Nakiri or Santoku knife Tool you wish you had: The Nakiri knife from Hong Kong I've misplaced Favorite cookbook: Shunju: New Japanese Cuisine by Marcia Iwatate and Takashi Sugimoto Most important kitchen rule: Overcommunicate Places to visit for culinary travel: I’d love to return to Spain and Japan, specifically San Sebastian, Costa Brava, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hokkaido. Advice to your younger self: Be humble, curious, and take risks. Ask a lot of questions.

BOSTON 2020

INGREDIENTS

Pork-clam XO sauce, fat noodles Chef Jeremy Kean of Brassica Kitchen + Cafe Adapted by StarChefs

Pork-Clam XO Sauce: 4 quarts diced pancetta, caramelized with coconut cream over charcoal 2 cups rendered bacon fat 2 quarts surf clams, roasted 20 minutes on towels, meat cut into strips, liquor reserved (squeeze those towels), patted dry 1 quart pitted Spanish olives in brine 1 quart house árbol chile paste 2 cups black vinegar 2 cups red rice vinegar 2 cups sugar Anything else that seems good

For the Pork-Clam XO Sauce: Heat oven to 350°F. In a roasting pan, combine caramelized pancetta and bacon fat. Roast 45 minutes. Drain pancetta, reserving meat and fat separately. Roast roasted clam strips in same fat for 45 minutes. Drain, discarding fat. Return clams to pan, along with pancetta and remaining ingredients, including olive brine and clam liquor. Roast until you’re happy with it. To Assemble and Serve: On the center of a serving plate, place a couple Fat Noodle cylinders. Dress generously with XO sauce. Top with cod. Rice vinegar provided by Kikkoman USA

P H OTO : E R I N L E T T E R A

To Assemble and Serve: Fat noodles, rolled into cylinders Coconut-fried cod

METHOD

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JEREMY KEAN’S

FERMENTATION PANTRY PRIMER (For home or of fice)

Start With

Sauerkraut or kimchi provide the quickest, most successful results and are also good for your gut. You don’t have to follow the rules; utilize scraps to prevent food waste. Learn, experiment, and discover what you like. Figure out what works in your own environment, and, most importantly, pay attention to your percentage of salt.

Essential Tools

“Fermenting is a part of our history. Now with the pandemic, it feels like the start of all this fermenting is a subconscious survival method.”

Resources

(1) The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz: It’s beginner focused. Try a few things out and see if the passion grows. You’ll either start living and breathing this shit or you’ll be like eh, I don’t care. (2) Instagram personalities like Richard Shih (@ ourcookquest): If you hit a wall, just send a DM. (3) Google.

Use Your Brine

Take advantage of the brines from all your 1 A fermenting crock would be ideal. ferments. Use them the same way a French chef 2 Ingredients for whatever you’ll be fermenting. would cook with wines. Great for marinades.

3 Salt.

Remember

Failing yields far larger rewards than success. Everytime you fail, you learn something and you’re challenged to try again.

Seasonality

Flavor Booster

Reduce chicken stock, dehydrate to powder, and add a big pinch to kimchi (or whatever), make it Seasons matter for certain things. Miso is better go BAAAAAM. to start in September or October so it can slowly develop through winter, giving it time to get the science working in there that creates depth of flavor. When it does get warmer, it starts funking up, it has If it isn’t great coming right out of the structure already. I learned that if you’re going to jar, try grilling it. Yes, grilling kimchi. make kimchi in a kitchen that's 80 degrees in Grill it, chop it up, add some butter, and summer, it must go into the fridge sooner. SLATHER it over boiled corn. But it really depends on preference of

Grill It

flavor. Some like their kimchi funkyyy; others like it like seasoned vegetables.

Written by Jeremy Kean Illustrations by Becki Kozel

BOSTON 2020

YES , I'M AN

Owner

At Tanám in Somerville, Kyisha Davenport is a bartender and part of the ownership cooperative that runs the worker-owned restaurant in Union Square’s Bow Market. The food and cocktails tell the story of the Filipnx-American experience. Dining at the James Beard semifinalist spot had been interactive and communal. But since March, Tanám has been closed. Davenport, along with Chefs Ellie Tiglao and Sāsha Coleman, is working on an online interactive dining series and planning for meal delivery. We spoke with Davenport on July 10th. She was in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where she grew up. People were flocking to the streets in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Boston was in Phase 3, and, in many other parts of the country, the coronavirus was flaring up. Here’s what was on Davenport’s mind. (The following is excerpted from our conversation with Davenport, and has been edited for space, clarity, and concision.)

By Kyisha Davenp ort as t old t o StarChefs + +Illustration by Jaclyn Warren I was drawn to Boston for my career (and for that raw bar that one time, if I'm being honest). Since I was a teenager, I’ve worked primarily in hospitality. In 2012, as a bartender at the Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn, I got into labor organizing through the hospitality trade union UNITE HERE Local 100. As a shop steward—an elected on-the-job advocate—I connected with members along the East Coast. When the opportunity arose to organize with UNITE HERE Local 26 in Boston, I moved. Not long after I started, I split, pretty painfully, from the union. I've always struggled with the dynamics of political activism within hospitality. There’s deep work to be done in listening to Black women, protecting us, and respecting our leadership.

Women of Color are not trusted to lead. We aren't afforded that straight out of the gate, like our white male counterparts are. From the onset of Tanám, our leadership was constantly questioned by lenders, landlords, hospitality folks, and even guests. We had to explain ourselves day in and day out. "Yes, we are the managers. Yes, you are also speaking to the owners. Yes, all three of us are worker-owners. This is our business." These interactions happen in seconds, but when they happen multiple times in a day, it adds up. 42

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[After splitting from the union,] a friend, who now owns and operates her own spot, HASH in Chicago, referred me to her then current workplace. I applied as a bartender, but was told there were only server openings—all good, work is work. But I kept watching nonblack folks come in and work or pick up shifts. Managers came and went. I asked to train on the bar, even to stage. I was never directly told no, but there would be a new white person promoted, hired, and so on. It's like that in the industry, and definitely in Boston. I kept looking, and finally landed a bar gig (two, actually). Those ended soon, too, because I spoke up about pay, tips sharing, menu development opportunities, and work safety. I found myself being moved off the bar and back onto the floor with less shifts, less income. Long after I left those jobs, old coworkers would reach out to tell me how brave I was, that I was right for speaking up, and how they admired me. Thank you, but when I needed you, where were you? The Strong Black Woman trope is alive and well in our business. We are expected to do the heavy lifting for everyone. And if we fall, well, "You go, girl! You got this!" Part of the lived experience of Black women are the seemingly insignificant, seemingly invisible slights. We call them microaggressions, but they're actually acceptably racist behaviors. When I bartended in the Seaport, I had very short hair, having shaved it clean off some months prior. At the heart of my culture is style, switching it up, and pulling from history and my imagination to create newness. One day, we went from short curly hair, to nearly waist-length waves. Overnight, I became that much more appealing! Guests and coworkers were so much nicer. I can still hear my manager's voice, with that mix of surprise, confusion, and… There should be a word for when you know you're being exoticized. So that was work, and later that day, I went to an old job for a drink. It was still pretty early, moving but not busy. I grabbed a seat at the bar, my usual spot at the end. I waited, and waited. No greeting, no water. It takes a while to build a regular rapport at

"Women of Color need to be leading this industry, period."

bars, and for Black people and people of color, I think it's essential to how we go out. I thought I was safe at this place where I’d worked before. In actuality, I found myself back at square one. Imagine that. I literally pushed myself up onto the bar, nearly leaning over the drip rail, and called the bartender, "Hey, it's me. It's Kyi." And my guy, he says, "Kyi! I didn't recognize you!" Which is all well and good, but you only serve Black people you recognize? I'm a patron. Sitting right in your face. Ready to pay you. Why did I have to watch folks come in and be served before me? This kind of treatment is all too familiar to visibly Black and brown people. The pandemic has forced white people to sit with themselves. Their mindset is that they’re not racist. But racism is not always an overt or violent action. White people had to think about the little things they do that have added up over time, and face their own racist behavior. It’s been useful for us. Folks reached out to see how we're doing and how they can help. It was a relief. It’s extremely exhausting to show up every day and face opposition for just showing up. We were putting out three menus from a 100-square foot kitchen every day—thoughtful, fresh, explorative menus. To do that every day and still be questioned about your skill level and your position, and be held to such a higher standard, is very frustrating. Women of Color are not trusted to lead. I’ve been in the hospitality industry since 2009, and we aren't afforded that straight out of the gate, like our white, male counterparts are. Women of Color need to be leading this industry, period. When we learned of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd's murders, it was interesting to witness the response and the silence within the industry. I was surprised to read posts and articles about restaurants, organizations, and individuals that have no framework or legitimate reputation for being antiracist. I joke about it: "Did you all jump on the same Zoom or something?" If you’re just now acknowledging your whiteness and your complicity in systems that protect your whiteness, and if the day you posted this stuff is the beginning for you, then you've lived nearly all your life inflicting violence on Black people and people of color, without ever being held accountable. And then you go on to donate to these large national organizations, which is all well and good, but it’s also a cop out. The Black people you are now trying to support, are not somewhere far away. They are the very same Black people who sat at your bar, who you neglected to serve or took 30 minutes to drop a menu and a glass of water. Boston is a diverse and deeply segregated place. There are conflicting histories behind the divisions—of solidarity, of rebellion. Black and brown people have been largely pushed to the margins of the city. Open a copy of Boston Magazine and look at the restaurant listings. There are more than 60 Blackowned restaurants in the greater Boston metro area, yet Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan—three BOSTON 2020

P H OTO : E R I N L E T T E R A

R ESTAURATEUR

Tiffani Faison BIG HEART HOSPITALITY

From her first job at an ice cream shop, Tiffani Faison could not see a future without hospitality. She moved from her Santa Rosa home to San Francisco and took whatever restaurant jobs she could find, serving and bartending. In 2001, Faison moved to Boston and landed a fortuitous gig as a busser at Todd English’s Bonfire. She became attracted to the chaos of the kitchen and eventually joined the line. Faison split her time between Bonfire and Olives before travelling with English’s team to open more restaurants. She left to work the line at Chef Tony Maws’ Craigie On Maine before moving to Las Vegas for Daniel Boulud Brasserie at Wynn Resort. In 2006, Faison competed on the first season of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” placing second. Faison returned to New England as chef de cuisine of Straight Wharf in Nantucket, then reconnected with English to run 58

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Riche in New Orleans. She took a couple years off from the restaurant biz and moved to California where she worked as a private chef and a restaurant consultant. In 2008, Faison circled back to Boston for a sous chef role at Tim and Nancy Cushman’s O Ya. One year later, she joined Michela Larson to open Rocca Kitchen & Bar as executive chef. When it shuttered in 2011, the ambitious Faison competed in “Top Chef: All-Stars” and then opened her own restaurant in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood: Southern barbecue spot, Sweet Cheeks Q. Upon its success and three-star review from The Boston Globe, Faison opened Southeast Asian-inspired Tiger Mama in 2015. Now under the restaurant group name, Big Heart Hospitality, Faison has continued to take Fenway by storm. In 2018, she opened “adult snack bar” Fools Errand, and in 2019, the Italian-American Orfano.

Faison has received many accolades, including a 2020 James Beard nomination for “Best Chef: Northeast.” tiffanifaison / bighearthospitality Favorite tool: Spoon Tool you wish you had: Tandori oven Favorite cookbook: Dishoom by Kavi Thakrar, Naved Nasir, and Shamil Thakrar Favorite food resource: Other chefs, and travel Most important kitchen rule: Work clean. Favorite dish you’ve ever made: Okra and tomato stew Place to visit for culinary travel: Southern India Advice to your younger self: Hang out with pastry chefs more often

T EA M P LAYERS

Pastry Chef Dee Steffen Chinn Before becoming executive pastry chef of Big Heart Hospitality, New Hampshirite Dee Steffen Chinn trained at The Bedford Village Inn, Topper’s at the Wauwinet Inn, Café Boulud, and No. 9 Park. She spent 11 years cooking alongside Chef Ming Tsai at Blue Ginger before joining Tiffani Faison in 2017, developing dessert menus for her four Boston restaurants. Favorite tool: Mini rubber spatula Tool you wish you had: A sheeter Favorite cookbook: The Last Course by Claudia Fleming Most important kitchen rule: Organization is key. Place to visit for culinary travel: Italy, France, and Southeast Asia Advice to your younger self: Take a breath. Make yourself a priority. Find people who lift you up, not put you down.

Sommelier Charlie Gaeta In 2008, Charlie Gaeta quit his New York City job at an investment firm to follow his passion for wine and hospitality. He returned to his hometown of Lynn, Massachusetts, where he bussed tables at The Blue Ox. Gaeta worked his way up to beverage director, and in 2015, became wine director of Branch Line in Watertown. After spending two years as an independent wine consultant, Gaeta accepted a position as wine director of Tiffani Faison’s restaurant group, Big Heart Hospitality, where he curates the wine lists of Sweet Cheeks Q, Tiger Mama, Fool’s Errand, and Orfano. Favorite wine region: I've been loving the lighter-style Southern France reds from Cahors; rosés from Languedoc, in particular, Cévennes. Most underrated varietal: RIESLING...STILL! A bit more off-the-beaten-path, Mencía Most important pairing rule: A winemaker and former sommelier once told me, “I take my wine pairings very seriously...until I don't.” Wine region you'd most like to visit: Madeira On your nights off you drink: Ice. Cold. Rathaus Pilsner. A wine list you admire from afar: The Morris in San Francisco Advice to your younger self: Don't be so hard on yourself.

Bartender Brian Callahan Connecticuter Brian Callahan began bartending in 2014 at Grafton Street in Harvard Square. He joined the bar team at Tiffani Faison’s Tiger Mama in 2015 and two years later, he was promoted to beverage manager of the entire restaurant group. Callahan now oversees the cocktail menus at Big Heart Hospitality’s four restaurants. Favorite bartending resource: Death & Co’s Cocktail Codex Favorite tool: Immersion circulator Favorite cocktail to drink: Sherry Cobbler And to make: Mai Tai City whose cocktail culture you’d most like to explore : Tokyo Advice to your younger self: Just keep your head down, work hard, don’t take everything so personally, and stop worrying so much about what everyone else is doing.

BOSTON 2020

FERMENTATION WITHOUT BOUNDS Selected words from Koji Alchemist Rich Shih with recommended posts from his blog, OurCookQuest Illustrations by Becki Kozel

“I’m drawn to that aspect of fermentation and preservation where every last bit of an ingredient is used. I like to open people’s eyes to these old ideas. You can use leftover pulp, skins, scraps from vegetables and fruits to make amazake—just add water and koji.” Recommended post: "Cucumber Amazake Shaved Ice or Ice Pops"

Cucumber amazake ice pops Koji Alchemist Rich Shih of OurCookQuest Adapted by StarChefs

INGREDIENTS

METHOD:

Jasmine rice koji Cucumbers, peeled

In a large plastic bag, combine equal parts koji and cucumbers. Mix so cucumbers are coated in koji. Let sit at room temperature for five days. Transfer amakaze-infused cucumbers to a Vitamix blender. Purée. Pour purée into empty flavor ice sleeves or popsicle molds with popsicle sticks. Freeze until solid. Push or pull the pop out and enjoy!

“A bite of a dish only happens in one specific moment. That moment is always changing. Chefs appreciate that experience. It’s so heartbreaking where the industry is now. It's tragic. If you meet with any chef today, they’re still trying to find a way to help others. Even when they’re struggling themselves. It has inspired me. My pursuit is to help chefs, cooks, and people who cook well and share it.”

“Chefs are amazing craftspeople. They pay attention to so many things at once. You have to spend so much of your life dedicated to it. To be enlightened by these folks and to talk to them about product, experience, and travels is what keeps me interested.” Recommended post: "Combining Umeboshi and Hoshigaki Methods"

Recommended post: "Being Flexible with the Idea of Coffee/Tea"

“Whenever I visit chef-friends, I bring fermented products and koji, and they give me some interesting products that maybe are less desirable, possibly meant for compost or waste bins, and I play with them and bring them back.” Recommended post: "An Infusion Inspired by Foraged Grapes"

“Take a certain ingredient understood a certain way in one culture; it’s understood differently in another. Preparations developed based on survival—how people had to survive way back when, without technology, and had to preserve everything. Through those preparations, we can see how [fermentation and other preservation methods] worked in different contexts.” Recommended post: "Umeboshi Anything"

“I want people to appreciate how much work it takes for a chef/ cook to make a dish shine—the time, the technique, the effort, the research, the blood, sweat, and tears. Industry folks are hurting today and deserve a lot more respect and compensation for what they do.” Recommended post: "Artichoke Scrap Tea Kombucha"

“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Time and interest are what matter, and being able to parse out what is delicious and why. You begin to taste precision and adventure. It’s the attention to detail, passion, and care that drew me to [fermented foods].” Recommended post: "Hoshigaki Anything"