Kristen Baumlier

I recently heard about the MAD Symposium, an annual gathering of few hundred writers, chefs, scientists, historians and fermentation activists in Copenhagen which is dedicated to exploring and sharing new and forgotten food knowledge.   The third MAD, which took place on August 25-26^th 2013, was dedicated to the topic of “guts.” With the theme, the organizers wanted to invoke a sense of courage and urgency in the speakers, enabling chefs and attendees to reflect on the stories and ideas that no one usually dares or gets an opportunity to tell, both literal and metaphorical. MAD was organized by chef René Redzepi and was co-curated by Momofuku chef and restaurateur David Chang and food magazine Lucky Peach.

At MAD, chefs from around the world gather and discuss the challenges and responsibilities that go beyond cooking.  Talks and discussions center on new questions to ask, and how to become more imaginative and inquisitive. One talk by Roy Choi, a chef who revolutionized food truck culture with his food trucks in L.A., was recently posted on MAD’s blog and has been getting lots of mentions on food and culture blogs.

Back in 2008, Choi and his partners, Mark Manguera and Caroline Shin-Manguera, launched a fleet of Korean-Mexican taco trucks, known as Kogi BBQ.   In his talk Choi talked about his restaurant practice, and challenged chefs to address the fact that they are mostly much only feeding privileged communities.

Choi started by talking about the 5 million people in California are hungry.  Where he lives, 65% of children live in poverty.  An additional 17% live in extreme poverty.  He went on to share stasistics about how in his neighborhood where he lives and works, low academic performance, unemployment, single parent homes are the norm, and up to 90% of residents have witnessed or been involved with violence.

He continued on to talk about food and about the unseen hunger crisis in Los Angeles.

“With so many paved roads, the nice weather, restaurants, farmer markets – it is hard to see that in many parts of the city food is supplied by liquor stores, and there are no chef-driven restaurants.  There are few supermarkets and little or no organics.  The stores that do exist have second rate or end of life produce. The restaurants that do exist are fast food.

In life, we all have an ability to make a choice.  Why can’t all these residents just drive over to the next town to get to Whole Foods and shop?  It is the fundamental belief that we all think we have these equal choices, and accessibility to have a great meal is a fallacy.  If all you see growing up is junk food processed meat, and fast food (and no vegetables and fruits), this becomes your normal food and way of eating.

Why am I saying this at a food conference with the best chefs in the world?  I believe that chefs can do anything.  We are not the richest people, but what we do and say, people follow.  We revel what makes up the super duper food world.  We are all connected of the food world, but what if there is a whole population of people right under your nose who can not eat?

We have the internet, and hyper awareness.  Things can be communicated quickly.  The food world has never been more active.  But has it changed?  Are we feeding the people who can’t afford it?  The audience has gotten younger.  We talk about food all the time more than ever.

Our prison systems have terrible food, and these are places to rehabilitate others. In 6^th generations from now, the children are not even born yet will have the same division that exists.

Do we have the guts to do something different?    What if every chef also balanced that by making food more accessible? And not just feeding the hood, but also challenging fast food. Imagine every chef in every city was doing their restaurant but also creating a kiosk in a working-class neighborhood, working with the purveyors to bring the prices down—so, instead of fast food, there would be chef-driven fast food.”

Choi worked to create a cafe at Jefferson High School in L.A., selling fruit cups and fresh drinks.  Today the project has become a cafe, and he sees it as a start to making change in his neighborhood.   You can watch his talk on the MAD blog here.

 

Links and Image Sources:

Roy Choi MAD Talk

Roy Choi –Kogi BBQ

Roy Choi’s Upcoming Book – L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food