Cooking Up Consciousness Podcast

Zoe speaks with New York Times bestselling cookbook author Julia Turshen about her childhood, the impact of diet culture and media culture growing up, her lifelong work in food, her latest cookbook, her current farm job, her work with Equity At The Table (EATT) and God’s Love we Deliver

Zoe speaks with Samah Dada, cookbook author and founder of her blog DADAEATS, about her childhood love of dolphins, the power of representation in food and beverage media, her current love of Harry Styles and Justin Bieber, and the many food experiences that have shaped who she is.

Zoe speaks with Amber Crowder, a returning citizen who wishes to destigmatize and humanize what it means to be formerly incarcerated. They speak about Amber’s incarceration experience, her work through The Been Down Project, her entrepreneurship, and prison food.

Zoe speaks with culinary historian, food writer, and Griot Michael W. Twitty (@thecookinggene) about third-person interpretation, African American culinary history in the Old South, genealogy and food heritage, and storytelling through foodways.

Zoe speaks with writer Alicia Kennedy about finding community and connection growing up, new food writing, ethical eating under capitalism, and her forthcoming book from Beacon Press.

Zoe speaks with Palestinian-Syrian chef Reem Assil, owner of Reem’s California based in Oakland, about her years as a labor organizer, discovering her deeply personal connection to food and her ancestry, and her team’s transition to a worker-owned cooperative model for her restaurant and bakery.

Zoe speaks to Charles Chen (@charleschentv), a co-creator of the universe and an entrepreneur democratizing wellness through his monthly subscription boxes, Masterclasses, and digital content, about loving yourself and creating space for others to do the same.

Zoe speaks with Ashtin Berry (@TheCollectress), a respected activist and educator on the frontlines of hospitality and humanity, creating safer, more inclusive spaces to have real, intersectional conversations. They talk about books and libraries, the importance of learning history, community practices and harm reduction, intersectionality, active listening, and a lifelong curiosity.

Zoe speaks with Tunde Wey, an artist, cook, and writer living between Lagos and New Orleans, about pre-chewed food, the trendiness of food justice, the title “activist,” working at Wendy’s, conversations on race, and the abundance that comes out of continued learning.

Zoe speaks with Kimberly Renee (@itskimberlyrenee), a self-taught private chef and the founder of Might Be Vegan and the award-winning national COVID-19 hunger relief program Food Love. They dive into Kimberly’s childhood activism, food relief work, calling out big brands, and access.