In this episode, Chef Preeti talks with Chef Debra VanTrece about her recipe for Baby Back Ribs with Sweet Tea BBQ Sauce. Chef Deborah shares her family's rich barbecue traditions and roots in Kansas City and how they influenced the development of her rib recipe (including the potentially controversial addition of sweet tea). Deborah recounts her pivot from a flight attendant to a chef and the prevalence of racism and sexism as she worked her way up in catering. They delve into the meaning of soul food and the importance of blending global inspirations into cooking, specifically in a world where "fusion" is used frequently.

More about them:

Deborah's Website

Deborah's Instagram

Her Restaurants: Oreatha's at the Point | Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours

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In this episode, Preeti talks with Chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval, the duo behind Masala y Maíz and Marigold in Mexico City. The chefs share their unique culinary backgrounds and the melding of their heritages — Mexican, South Asian, and East African — into their cuisine. They discuss the process behind their lamb barbacoa recipe, a melding of Norma's Mexican family tradition with Saqib's South Asian flavors and spices. The discussion also explores the significance of maintaining cultural integrity while innovating with traditional recipes, avoiding the pitfalls of fusion for the sake of novelty. They also discuss the broader responsibilities of chefs in society, touching on labor rights in the restaurant industry, creating a supportive work culture, and the importance of political engagement through food.

More about them:

Norma's Website

Saqib's Website

Their restaurants Masala y Maiz | Marigold

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In this episode, Preeti engages in a flavorful discussion with British Jamaican chef, food journalist, and friend, Jacqui Sinclair, also known as the Juicy Chef. They first discuss the recipe Jacqui shared with them, which is Lorna's Cottage Pie, originally made by Jacqui's mother. The recipe is a combination of Jamaican flavors with the British classic. Jumping off from there they delve into the history of Jamaica and the influence its colonial past has had on its cuisine. Jacqui shares personal stories, including growing up black in Brighton, England, her family's influence on her cooking and love for Jamaican cuisine, her professional journey from diplomacy to culinary arts, and the creation of Nyam and Trod, a food and travel movement emphasizing Caribbean flavors. The episode also touches on Jacqui's role in promoting Jamaican food culture through Kingston Kitchen and addresses broader themes like the impact of colonialism on food, global culinary influences, and the importance of cultural preservation and representation in the culinary world.

For more from Jacqui:

Her Instagram

Her YouTube Channel

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