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"content": "\u003cp>In my former life as a UC Berkeley student, the industrial blocks around Gilman Street in West Berkeley never seemed to offer much outside of Pyramid Brewing — which was one of the first microbreweries in the region but, sadly, \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/pyramid-alehouses-berkeley-location-shuts-down-2-1/\">no longer exists\u003c/a>. Admittedly, I don’t remember visiting Gilman very often in those days, unless I needed to reach the freeway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent years, however, \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2023/04/14/berkeley-natural-wine-guide\">a sparkling concentration of wineries and breweries\u003c/a> have emerged to revitalize this particular stretch of the neighborhood, turning sparse lots into an inviting space to imbibe natural wines and explore a constant rotation of the Bay Area’s latest food pop-ups. And I’m here for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The area — anchored around the intersection of Gilman and Fifth — offers a combination of outdoor seating, chill warehouse vibes and a mingling of young families and hipster adults in an easily overlooked sliver of the East Bay. It’s an ideal location for something like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ureliospizza/?hl=en\">Urelio’s\u003c/a>, a pop-up \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/pizza\">pizzeria\u003c/a> on wheels run from the back of a 1989 Ford F-250. Owners Samuel Ciccarelli and Rosie Dooley toss their pizzas all over the East Bay, but they most frequently appear at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/broccellars/?hl=en\">Broc Cellars\u003c/a>, one of West Berkeley’s most popular upstart wineries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re a pizza traditionalist infatuated with the classically thin Neapolitan crust, then Urelio’s is definitely your kind of slice. Envision an oven-fresh, fire-kissed chewiness with simple, quality toppings. Without question, Ciccarelli, the main pizza chef, has perfected the balance of old-world favorites like the classic margherita and marinara. He also obsesses over seasonal showcases, including a corn, mushroom and lemon pie this summer, and an experimental rendition of vitello tonnato (an elegant Italian dish of veal with tuna sauce).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While slammed with orders on a hot July afternoon, Ciccarelli and his team turned naturally leavened sourdough into wood-flamed perfection with nothing more than a bundle of fresh ingredients, patience and a love for excellent pie-making. Here’s what Ciccarelli had to say about his journey from working as a cook in high-end kitchens around the country to shoveling pizzas from the back of his truck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931322\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13931322\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-800x541.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a Urelio's Pizza shirt takes a pizza out of an oven that is attached to a pick up truck at an outdoor food pop-up in Berkeley\" width=\"800\" height=\"541\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-800x541.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-1020x690.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-768x519.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-1536x1039.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam.jpg 1893w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sam Ciccarelli patiently stokes the fire and handles pizza making from a self-built oven at Urelio’s. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>ALAN CHAZARO: I get the sense that Urelio’s is a tribute to someone important in your life. What’s your connection to that name?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931313\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 480px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13931313 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_dough_720.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a Urelio's Pizza shirt stretches pizza dough at an outdoor food pop-up in Berkeley\" width=\"480\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_dough_720.jpg 480w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_dough_720-160x240.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Naturally leavened dough is prepared for the oven. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAM CICCARELLI:\u003c/b> That’s my great-grandfather’s name. He used to live in Modesto on our family ranch and we’d go to his house for big family gatherings. Full tables of pasta, salad, tri-tip. My earliest food memories were always at his house as a central gathering place. It felt proper to pay respect to him and the atmosphere he curated for the family. His parents immigrated here from Italy, first to San Jose, then Modesto. Back then, they had a family farm that grew almonds and walnuts. Urelio lived on that farm throughout his life, and now my grandfather lives on the ranch. They sold the orchards but still live on the property.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Did you grow up in Modesto as well?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I grew up in Modesto, but a lot of our family lives in the Bay Area. I spent summers in San Francisco at my aunt and uncle’s apartment, right near Ghirardelli Square. I would skate around there and eat food. It left a big impression on me. I’ve been fortunate to travel to other places, but every time I visit a new city it makes me reflect on how much I love the Bay and want to invest in this community. My partner, Rosie, feels the same. We’ve both always wanted to have a restaurant in San Francisco, and that’s still our goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You began by working at restaurants in New York City, and later at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. What was your role there, and what drew you towards pizza making?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My role changed quite a bit at Chez over my four years there. I was an intern at first, then I worked the line — the pizza oven, the grill, the salad station. I always loved pizza. My first job ever was at a place in Modesto that served tapas and pizza. We always ordered pizza there, and it was owned by family friends. I had never really thought too much about making it, though, until I had exposure at Chez. My partner Rosie and I met while working there. When we went on dates, she’d always take us out to pizza places. I realized later on that she was listening to me more than I was listening to myself, since I always talked about pizza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the pandemic, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Chez-Panisse-Berkeley-takeout-sandwiches-Waters-15446533.php\">Chez began doing a marketplace\u003c/a> because of shelter in place, there came a time when we were going to do pizzas, and the chefs asked me to help get that off the ground. To go from not working with food for months and then being in front of the oven again, starting fires, making pizzas every day, it was a major outlet that I wanted to focus on. Pizza is such a common ground for people. It’s approachable for anyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931309\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13931309\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a Urelio's Pizza shirt places toppings on pizzas at an outdoor food pop-up in Berkeley\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Urelio’s uses naturally leavened dough with seasonal California ingredients. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Have you ever been to Italy?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I still have family there along the Adriatic in a tiny fishing village. They visited us about 10 years ago. I’ve been to Europe and interned at Noma in Copenhagen, but I actually haven’t been to Italy yet. We’re due to visit it soon and plan to go on our honeymoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You operate Urelio’s from a mobile oven attached to a modified Ford F-250 truck. Tell me about the oven — and about the truck — and how it all came together for you.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I knew I really wanted to make pizza and was thinking of a way to get our product out. In a world with a lot of pizza makers doing similar things, I was thinking of doing something different. I’ve always liked classic stuff — old cars, things like that. At first I was thinking of making a pizza trailer, but I’d seen that, and I didn’t even have a trailer. But my family used to have a Ford truck on the family ranch. It’s a simple, clean look. I wondered about building an oven on a truck like that. It’s one of the only vehicles that can actually hold the weight. So I bought [a Ford F-250] from a dairy farmer in Petaluma. That was the first piece for us, and then we conceptualized the oven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931324\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13931324\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"a vintage Ford pick up with a Urelio's Pizza logo on the passenger door\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Urelio’s 1989 Ford F-250 reminds Ciccareli of his great grandfather’s life as a Modesto farmer. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How does one build and install a pizza oven on a truck?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13928196,arts_13917120,arts_13930138']\u003c/span>It’s a lot of work. I bought the core of the oven precast, and we mounted it onto the truck bed and built from there. What goes into building it, you can use a steel core or refractory cement. There’s a specific one I love from Italy. The floor is one piece so there’s no cracks, and it’s better for heat retention and not allowing cold spots. I have no masonry experience, so I couldn’t cast it myself. So you can buy the core and the internal dome. You get about 1,200 pounds of oven. Then you do the rest: a plate on the bottom, vibration isolators under that. You weld a mold around it to hold it all in place. We used aircraft cables over that. It’s fully on the plate. It’ll only come off with a forklift if I unbolt it first.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have another job, so it was a lot to do whenever we could. My friend who helped would come over after his job, and then we’d work on the oven at night with headlamps. It took about two months to build it and make it usable. It was a great workout for the tendons in my wrist and arms that I never even knew I had.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>It seems laborious, but clearly the results are delicious. What draws you to the grind of making wood-fired pizzas without taking any shortcuts?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love the romance of it. It feels primal to take a fire in an oven and tend it through the day and then try to control it and make a product that already can be wild, especially when it’s naturally leavened. There’s levels to the details you have to pay attention to. Like making art. If you throw too many logs, the temperature spikes and it won’t come out right. There’s a delicate balance, and I feel connected to that craft. Using fire was one of the first ways pizza was made in Naples. I think it’s cool to be connected to those roots. There’s always tweaks to be made, but if it’s just right — the proofing, the fire, the balanced toppings, a crispy oven bake, the timing — it feels perfect. It’s too nice of an end product to be okay with anything less than that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931310\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13931310\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a Urelio's Pizza shirt slices a baloney and cheese pizza at an outdoor food pop-up in Berkeley\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A whole pie is freshly sliced at Urelio’s. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On weeknights my family usually just orders Little Caesars, but I appreciate the artistry and delicacy of the craft.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a place for everything. I love all pizza. I’ll eat it all. That’s the fun thing. There are so many pizza genres. They’re all different kinds of expressions. I personally just love the wood fire. Starting the fire every morning is so peaceful. You continually stoke it for the entire day. It’s a careful balance. You might notice the oven dipping, so you have to choose a certain size of log. Or it might be too intense and you have to scale back. I have to split logs ahead of time and sort them by size at home, and then I stack them in a certain way by the truck so I know which ones to use depending on what the fire needs when I’m on the line. If there are lots of customers that day and I have to pump out more pizzas, I’ll toss in the biggest log. Those kinds of things. It’s a fun challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What are your thoughts on the Bay Area’s pizza scene overall, and who — besides yourself — makes your favorite pies?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is having a pizza moment right now. There’s lots of attention on it. Rosie and I love going to \u003ca href=\"https://www.rosepizzeria.com/\">Rose Pizzeria\u003c/a> in Berkeley. It’s a cozy family spot with tasty stuff and great wine. I also enjoy \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thatsouttasight/?hl=en\">Outta Sight Pizza\u003c/a> in the Tenderloin. It’s a slice shop. Super cool. It’s run by some skaters, and I used to skateboard, so I like that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13928196/pizza-supreme-being-sourdough-punk-rock-skateboard-merch-sacramento\">connection between pizza makers and people into skating\u003c/a>, punk, surfing. I feel that connection and admire seeing it from afar. I also love Pollara, although \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2023/6/12/23758287/berkeley-pollara-pizzeria-closing\">I heard they’re moving back to New Jersey\u003c/a>. Oh, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pizzeriadelfina/?hl=en\">Delfina\u003c/a>. That’s a classic San Franciscan spot I ate at growing up. One of the people who trained me at Chez worked there for a long time. It’s sentimental.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ureliospizza/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Urelio’s Pizza\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> operates on a limited pop-up schedule with rotating locations around the East Bay. \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ureliospizza.com/\">\u003ci>Check their page for details\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> about upcoming events.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In my former life as a UC Berkeley student, the industrial blocks around Gilman Street in West Berkeley never seemed to offer much outside of Pyramid Brewing — which was one of the first microbreweries in the region but, sadly, \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/pyramid-alehouses-berkeley-location-shuts-down-2-1/\">no longer exists\u003c/a>. Admittedly, I don’t remember visiting Gilman very often in those days, unless I needed to reach the freeway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent years, however, \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2023/04/14/berkeley-natural-wine-guide\">a sparkling concentration of wineries and breweries\u003c/a> have emerged to revitalize this particular stretch of the neighborhood, turning sparse lots into an inviting space to imbibe natural wines and explore a constant rotation of the Bay Area’s latest food pop-ups. And I’m here for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The area — anchored around the intersection of Gilman and Fifth — offers a combination of outdoor seating, chill warehouse vibes and a mingling of young families and hipster adults in an easily overlooked sliver of the East Bay. It’s an ideal location for something like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ureliospizza/?hl=en\">Urelio’s\u003c/a>, a pop-up \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/pizza\">pizzeria\u003c/a> on wheels run from the back of a 1989 Ford F-250. Owners Samuel Ciccarelli and Rosie Dooley toss their pizzas all over the East Bay, but they most frequently appear at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/broccellars/?hl=en\">Broc Cellars\u003c/a>, one of West Berkeley’s most popular upstart wineries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re a pizza traditionalist infatuated with the classically thin Neapolitan crust, then Urelio’s is definitely your kind of slice. Envision an oven-fresh, fire-kissed chewiness with simple, quality toppings. Without question, Ciccarelli, the main pizza chef, has perfected the balance of old-world favorites like the classic margherita and marinara. He also obsesses over seasonal showcases, including a corn, mushroom and lemon pie this summer, and an experimental rendition of vitello tonnato (an elegant Italian dish of veal with tuna sauce).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While slammed with orders on a hot July afternoon, Ciccarelli and his team turned naturally leavened sourdough into wood-flamed perfection with nothing more than a bundle of fresh ingredients, patience and a love for excellent pie-making. Here’s what Ciccarelli had to say about his journey from working as a cook in high-end kitchens around the country to shoveling pizzas from the back of his truck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931322\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13931322\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-800x541.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a Urelio's Pizza shirt takes a pizza out of an oven that is attached to a pick up truck at an outdoor food pop-up in Berkeley\" width=\"800\" height=\"541\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-800x541.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-1020x690.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-768x519.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam-1536x1039.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/Sam.jpg 1893w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sam Ciccarelli patiently stokes the fire and handles pizza making from a self-built oven at Urelio’s. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>ALAN CHAZARO: I get the sense that Urelio’s is a tribute to someone important in your life. What’s your connection to that name?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931313\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 480px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13931313 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_dough_720.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a Urelio's Pizza shirt stretches pizza dough at an outdoor food pop-up in Berkeley\" width=\"480\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_dough_720.jpg 480w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_dough_720-160x240.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Naturally leavened dough is prepared for the oven. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAM CICCARELLI:\u003c/b> That’s my great-grandfather’s name. He used to live in Modesto on our family ranch and we’d go to his house for big family gatherings. Full tables of pasta, salad, tri-tip. My earliest food memories were always at his house as a central gathering place. It felt proper to pay respect to him and the atmosphere he curated for the family. His parents immigrated here from Italy, first to San Jose, then Modesto. Back then, they had a family farm that grew almonds and walnuts. Urelio lived on that farm throughout his life, and now my grandfather lives on the ranch. They sold the orchards but still live on the property.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Did you grow up in Modesto as well?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I grew up in Modesto, but a lot of our family lives in the Bay Area. I spent summers in San Francisco at my aunt and uncle’s apartment, right near Ghirardelli Square. I would skate around there and eat food. It left a big impression on me. I’ve been fortunate to travel to other places, but every time I visit a new city it makes me reflect on how much I love the Bay and want to invest in this community. My partner, Rosie, feels the same. We’ve both always wanted to have a restaurant in San Francisco, and that’s still our goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You began by working at restaurants in New York City, and later at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. What was your role there, and what drew you towards pizza making?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My role changed quite a bit at Chez over my four years there. I was an intern at first, then I worked the line — the pizza oven, the grill, the salad station. I always loved pizza. My first job ever was at a place in Modesto that served tapas and pizza. We always ordered pizza there, and it was owned by family friends. I had never really thought too much about making it, though, until I had exposure at Chez. My partner Rosie and I met while working there. When we went on dates, she’d always take us out to pizza places. I realized later on that she was listening to me more than I was listening to myself, since I always talked about pizza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the pandemic, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Chez-Panisse-Berkeley-takeout-sandwiches-Waters-15446533.php\">Chez began doing a marketplace\u003c/a> because of shelter in place, there came a time when we were going to do pizzas, and the chefs asked me to help get that off the ground. To go from not working with food for months and then being in front of the oven again, starting fires, making pizzas every day, it was a major outlet that I wanted to focus on. Pizza is such a common ground for people. It’s approachable for anyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931309\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13931309\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a Urelio's Pizza shirt places toppings on pizzas at an outdoor food pop-up in Berkeley\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_making.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Urelio’s uses naturally leavened dough with seasonal California ingredients. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Have you ever been to Italy?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I still have family there along the Adriatic in a tiny fishing village. They visited us about 10 years ago. I’ve been to Europe and interned at Noma in Copenhagen, but I actually haven’t been to Italy yet. We’re due to visit it soon and plan to go on our honeymoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You operate Urelio’s from a mobile oven attached to a modified Ford F-250 truck. Tell me about the oven — and about the truck — and how it all came together for you.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I knew I really wanted to make pizza and was thinking of a way to get our product out. In a world with a lot of pizza makers doing similar things, I was thinking of doing something different. I’ve always liked classic stuff — old cars, things like that. At first I was thinking of making a pizza trailer, but I’d seen that, and I didn’t even have a trailer. But my family used to have a Ford truck on the family ranch. It’s a simple, clean look. I wondered about building an oven on a truck like that. It’s one of the only vehicles that can actually hold the weight. So I bought [a Ford F-250] from a dairy farmer in Petaluma. That was the first piece for us, and then we conceptualized the oven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931324\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13931324\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"a vintage Ford pick up with a Urelio's Pizza logo on the passenger door\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_truck.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Urelio’s 1989 Ford F-250 reminds Ciccareli of his great grandfather’s life as a Modesto farmer. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How does one build and install a pizza oven on a truck?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>It’s a lot of work. I bought the core of the oven precast, and we mounted it onto the truck bed and built from there. What goes into building it, you can use a steel core or refractory cement. There’s a specific one I love from Italy. The floor is one piece so there’s no cracks, and it’s better for heat retention and not allowing cold spots. I have no masonry experience, so I couldn’t cast it myself. So you can buy the core and the internal dome. You get about 1,200 pounds of oven. Then you do the rest: a plate on the bottom, vibration isolators under that. You weld a mold around it to hold it all in place. We used aircraft cables over that. It’s fully on the plate. It’ll only come off with a forklift if I unbolt it first.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have another job, so it was a lot to do whenever we could. My friend who helped would come over after his job, and then we’d work on the oven at night with headlamps. It took about two months to build it and make it usable. It was a great workout for the tendons in my wrist and arms that I never even knew I had.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>It seems laborious, but clearly the results are delicious. What draws you to the grind of making wood-fired pizzas without taking any shortcuts?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love the romance of it. It feels primal to take a fire in an oven and tend it through the day and then try to control it and make a product that already can be wild, especially when it’s naturally leavened. There’s levels to the details you have to pay attention to. Like making art. If you throw too many logs, the temperature spikes and it won’t come out right. There’s a delicate balance, and I feel connected to that craft. Using fire was one of the first ways pizza was made in Naples. I think it’s cool to be connected to those roots. There’s always tweaks to be made, but if it’s just right — the proofing, the fire, the balanced toppings, a crispy oven bake, the timing — it feels perfect. It’s too nice of an end product to be okay with anything less than that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931310\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13931310\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a Urelio's Pizza shirt slices a baloney and cheese pizza at an outdoor food pop-up in Berkeley\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/urelios_mortadella_pie-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A whole pie is freshly sliced at Urelio’s. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>On weeknights my family usually just orders Little Caesars, but I appreciate the artistry and delicacy of the craft.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a place for everything. I love all pizza. I’ll eat it all. That’s the fun thing. There are so many pizza genres. They’re all different kinds of expressions. I personally just love the wood fire. Starting the fire every morning is so peaceful. You continually stoke it for the entire day. It’s a careful balance. You might notice the oven dipping, so you have to choose a certain size of log. Or it might be too intense and you have to scale back. I have to split logs ahead of time and sort them by size at home, and then I stack them in a certain way by the truck so I know which ones to use depending on what the fire needs when I’m on the line. If there are lots of customers that day and I have to pump out more pizzas, I’ll toss in the biggest log. Those kinds of things. It’s a fun challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What are your thoughts on the Bay Area’s pizza scene overall, and who — besides yourself — makes your favorite pies?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is having a pizza moment right now. There’s lots of attention on it. Rosie and I love going to \u003ca href=\"https://www.rosepizzeria.com/\">Rose Pizzeria\u003c/a> in Berkeley. It’s a cozy family spot with tasty stuff and great wine. I also enjoy \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thatsouttasight/?hl=en\">Outta Sight Pizza\u003c/a> in the Tenderloin. It’s a slice shop. Super cool. It’s run by some skaters, and I used to skateboard, so I like that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13928196/pizza-supreme-being-sourdough-punk-rock-skateboard-merch-sacramento\">connection between pizza makers and people into skating\u003c/a>, punk, surfing. I feel that connection and admire seeing it from afar. I also love Pollara, although \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2023/6/12/23758287/berkeley-pollara-pizzeria-closing\">I heard they’re moving back to New Jersey\u003c/a>. Oh, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pizzeriadelfina/?hl=en\">Delfina\u003c/a>. That’s a classic San Franciscan spot I ate at growing up. One of the people who trained me at Chez worked there for a long time. It’s sentimental.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ureliospizza/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Urelio’s Pizza\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> operates on a limited pop-up schedule with rotating locations around the East Bay. \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ureliospizza.com/\">\u003ci>Check their page for details\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> about upcoming events.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "thien-pham-family-style-graphic-novel-food-memoir-vietnamese-refugee-san-jose-hella-hungry",
"title": "Thien Pham's Graphic Novel Is an Immigration Story Told Through Food",
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"headTitle": "Thien Pham’s Graphic Novel Is an Immigration Story Told Through Food | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nothing sustains a community more than food. It’s where all memories of home begin, and it’s how anyone who has ever been separated from their roots finds a way back — eventually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">Thien Pham\u003c/a>, an Oakland-based graphic novelist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897498/mama-liu-lu-rou-fan-taiwanese-food-comic\">comics\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905153/underground-vietnamese-restaurants-social-media-san-jose\">artist\u003c/a> and high school educator, it took more than 40 years after fleeing his home country, Vietnam, to gather the right ingredients needed for his life’s work: \u003ci>Family Style\u003c/i>. Packed with life lessons about family, friendship, assimilation and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/sanjosefood\">life in San Jose\u003c/a> as a refugee, the graphic novel also serves as a love letter to his most memorable meals, from Southeast Asia to Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each chapter of the story presents a thematic dish that encapsulates Pham’s experience at the time, from the “Rice and Fish” he ate as a child refugee living on a boat to the luxurious “Steak and Potatoes” he enjoyed after first arriving to the United States — and many unexpected food combinations in between.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the book grapples with traumatic topics of forced migration and diasporic displacement, it’s largely centered on the joy of communal gathering, shared culinary knowledge and family-sustained recipes for dishes like his mother’s bánh cuốn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13930698\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058.jpg\" alt=\"Excerpted panels from a graphic novel: 1) Image of a thin rice crepe on a plate. Text reads, "Put the pork filling in the middle, then roll, fold the rice paper with the bamboo stick. 2) A woman reaches into a bowl, assembling the banch cuon. Text reads, "Top with the fried onions, garlic, and veggies." 3) She holds out a plate with the finished banh cuon. "Add fish sauce at the end. And that's it. Here, try it." 4) Another woman in a red blouse picks up a piece with chopsticks. 5) She eats it with her eyes closed in pleasure. "It tastes like home," she says. 6) The panel zooms out to show the two of them sitting in front of a small stall made up of various cooking implements. "So do you think you're ready to do this?" the woman who prepared the banh cuon asks.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2326\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-800x969.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-1020x1236.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-160x194.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-768x930.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-1268x1536.jpg 1268w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-1691x2048.jpg 1691w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s one poignant scene when Pham eats his first bag of potato chips with his family after they’ve worked as migrant field laborers picking strawberries. Later as an adult, he memorizes important dates in U.S. history in order to pass his citizenship test while eating lunch in the teacher’s lounge. Often, food is at the center of it all, helping to nourish Pham’s identity and feed his family’s aspirational immigrant dreams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the eve of his national book launch, I spoke with Pham about his memories of growing up in the Bay Area, his favorite San Jose restaurant and the beauty of being an immigrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: \u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci>Family Style \u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>is a graphic novel about food, family, diaspora, teenage angst, American assimilation and more. As a visual storyteller, where did you begin, and how long did it take to complete?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Thien Pham: \u003c/b>I’ve wanted to tell this family story for a long time, but there were things preventing me from it in the past. I never had a tight enough connection with my parents to get the full story, my art style wasn’t where I wanted it to be and I didn’t have a fresh enough perspective. Coming to America as a Vietnamese immigrant has been told before. It’s a universal immigration story, and I didn’t know how to tell it at the level I thought it could be. I needed time to figure it all out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the pandemic, it just intersected for me in a weird way. I finally spent time with my parents and talked to them about it all, and we were all old enough to talk about the truth. I also felt at that point my art was at a level that could do the story justice. When I talked to my mom, I realized that what I told her was mostly food related. As soon as I got that last piece, I knew that was the angle for me to approach it: immigration told through food. It was the missing piece; it was already inside me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After that, I just did it page by page. It was fast, in terms of drawing comics; it wasn’t agonizing or dragged out. It’s not often I get that. Maybe two or three times in my life I’ve had that feeling. That’s one of the reasons this book is so special to me. Who knows if I’ll ever have all that coming together so perfectly again? At the end of the book, there are strips of me talking to my parents and explaining how the book was created. I wanted to capture that in the book. It was magical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13930695\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1.jpg\" alt='Panels excerpted from a graphic novel: 1) A boat pulls up to a larger freighter ship. 2) A man on the boat says, \"They said they can take us as far as they can, and give us food and water for some money...\" 3) The Vietnamese refugees on the boat look stunned to receive this news. 4) They line up to receive food from a man in a baseball cap. 5) When she reaches the front of the line, one woman says, \"We have five people. Can we get some more?\" as he hands her a plate of squid and a slice of watermelon. 6) The woman and her two small children look overwhelmed as someone approaches offering two additional plates of squid and rice.' width=\"1920\" height=\"2315\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-800x965.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-1020x1230.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-160x193.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-768x926.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-1274x1536.jpg 1274w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-1699x2048.jpg 1699w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Your first graphic novel, \u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci>Sumo\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>, was published over a decade ago. When did you realize you were ready to illustrate and write \u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci>Family Style\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Everybody has stories in them, but it’s about recognizing when it’s time to share it. That’s crucial. I didn’t have any idea about my next big graphic novel. I would start and stop with things and nothing really stuck. I can only create when I feel a major emotional pull to do it. But between those graphic novels I’ve been drawing. I did short stories, \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/comic-strip-i-like-eating-2-1/\">food magazines\u003c/a>. I was always honing my craft. Through these smaller projects I really found how to tell stories in my own voice. By the time the inspiration finally hit me, I was ready in terms of art and storytelling. I was at the point I could tell the story in the style I wanted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>The book includes references to recipes related to your family’s experiences. What have you realized about the connection between food and family?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I always wanted to cook my mom’s food. I missed it. During the pandemic, you couldn’t just go to Vietnamese restaurants, so I started learning how to do it. Every day I tried to make something my mom made me when I was a kid. This is a very metaphoric thing in the book. I thought these simple meals she used to make were easy and took no time, and they were delicious. She made meals in 15 minutes for the family in between her work shifts. But when she described to me how they were made, I realized simple meals are very, very nuanced, and there are so many more things to it I never thought about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, something I thought was just fish sauce also had sugar and coconut soda and star anise. When I ate it I never picked up on those things. I realized how it mirrored our trip to America. My mom just says, “Yeah, we were on a boat and got here, and it was this and that.” But when you sit with the details, it’s like the nuance of a recipe with so much more happening. That made me realize that my parents were constantly trying to protect us when we were kids by making it look easy. Whether it’s not telling us about their hardships or making light of the work they did to provide dinner, they were trying to shield us. [pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Thien Pham\"]“Immigration and refugees are always portrayed as sad and struggling. But there is also joy, opportunity and having each other.”[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, at 48 years old, I realize what an amazing cook and person my mom was. I think I always took that for granted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What were the challenges of writing and illustrating \u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci>Family Style\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>, which invariably deals with intense immigrant hardships?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My dad surprised me when I asked him about how he maintained his hope through hardships: He said it wasn’t hard. Looking back, he’ll now admit it was tough, but in the moment he said it was so much joy and fun, even in the refugee camps while living in shacks with nothing. Because at least you have friends and family, and everyone is there and making the best of it. He recalls the refugee camps as some of his best times. When he told me that, it made me realize how immigration and refugees are always portrayed as sad and struggling. But there is also joy, opportunity and having each other. I wanted to write a story full of that hope and joy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there was a challenge, it was to convey some of the challenges while keeping a tone of joy. I didn’t want it to be about only the hardships, but seeing the fortunate side of things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13930702\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121.jpg\" alt=\"Excerpted panels from a graphic novel: 1) Kids eating lunch at a table in the cafeteria. A smiling, gap-toothed boy says, "Hey Thien! How's your first day of school going?" 2) Thien, with a perplexed expression, responds, "Okay, but for some reason everyone's calling me 'Tin.' The gap-toothed boy responds, "Ha! That's your new name! At least it sorta sounds like your name. They call me 'Tony'!" 3) Thien examines a plastic-wrapped carton of food. "What's this?" 4) While chewing, gap-toothed boy responds, "It's called sals-buree steak. Try it. I think you'll like it!" 5) Thien warily peels back the plastic wrap. 6) As prepares to put a spork-ful in his mouth, he says, "You sure? It smells funny..." "Okay, here goes..."\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-800x961.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-1020x1226.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-160x192.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-768x923.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-1278x1536.jpg 1278w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-1704x2048.jpg 1704w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Community is a major part of immigrant survival for any group. In your family’s case, you met Chu Nhan, a neighbor and social advocate, who helped you move into an apartment complex with other Viet families. I’m curious, what’s the Vietnamese community in the Bay Area currently like, and do these networks still exist for newcomers? So much has changed since your family’s arrival in 1980.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For research, I went back to that exact apartment complex where we started. It’s still very much filled with immigrants. The immigrants aren’t only Vietnamese but Hispanic and Indian as well. So it’s more diverse, but it’s still there. It’s really great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13905153,arts_13904835,arts_13926136']\u003c/span>That was one of the most defining moments of my childhood — to find a community of kids. When we first came here, we were latchkey kids in kindergarten and were home all the time. Our neighbors checked in on us, and our friends were all from around the street, and we just hung around until 9 at night when our parents finally came home from work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, I would say the South Bay is where most Vietnamese people live. But as I was writing this book and traveling around to promote it, I’m seeing Vietnamese immigrant populations all over the United States. I know of San Jose and Orange County, of course. But I recently discovered Houston has a huge population, and their food scene is amazing. Same with New Orleans. They brought Viet Cajun, which is one of my favorite things — those boils. There are pockets everywhere. I think that’s great. They all have their own flair and personality. California Vietnamese. Louisiana Vietnamese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>If you had to add a new chapter and dish to the book to reflect your current living situation, what would it be and why?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I would definitely do a sushi chapter. I’m a huge sushi fan. Or tacos. I love tacos, too. The Jalisco Marisco truck in LA is one of my favorite things to eat. Or pasta. Spaghetti can be an amazing artisan experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>As an immigrant living in the U.S., how have your experiences with food changed over time?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I used to think Chili’s was high-end (laughs). I used to think that was making it in life. Then, when I first started dating my ex-wife, she took me to a Michelin-star restaurant in San Francisco. It blew my mind, and for so long I was looking for those beautifully refined restaurants. But I’ve journeyed back to my roots and discovered the nuance of phở or a birria taco. Those kinds of things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You regularly contribute food-related comics to publications like \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/tpham\">\u003cb>KQED\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb> and the \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/author/thien-pham/\">\u003cb>\u003ci>East Bay Express\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>. You also grew up in \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13904835/san-jose-immigrant-food\">\u003cb>San Jose’s diverse immigrant food communities\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>. You’re a true OG foodie. Where do you go to eat when you’re in the mood for a soul-satisfying meal?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I go to San Jose every Saturday. I have two nephews who have a single mother, and since the oldest has been in fourth grade, I come to see them for phở. We’ve gone to the same place for 20 years now: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dacphucsanjose/\">Dac Phuc\u003c/a>. One of the nephews just got married and the other just graduated from San Jose State and got a job. And the restaurant has always been there. I think it’s the best hands down. Yelp doesn’t always agree; it’s not the most fancy place (laughs). But for me and my family, there’s no better phở. It’s nostalgia. [pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Thien Pham\"]“It’s hard to be an immigrant in America, but it’s also the best. We walk through two cultures at once. We’re raised to eat everything. Other people are missing out.”[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I just went on a trip to Detroit, and when I got home, all I wanted was Dac Phuc. I feel the most at home there. Whenever I miss those Saturdays, it knocks me off kilter. We still do it every weekend. I love San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>It’s a marathon to finish any sustained creative process, so I’m sure you’re recharging your battery. But when the time arrives, what other projects or potential book ideas do you have?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I finished \u003ci>Family Style\u003c/i> I was thinking of how to follow it up. A really cool way felt like the opposite of what I did. This book is about me as a child immigrating from Vietnam to America, but I’ve been here for 40 years now and have never been back to Vietnam. People tell me I need to eat Vietnamese food in Vietnam. I’m told I haven’t had the real thing yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, I had a life changing event when my grandma passed away. She took care of me the most in Vietnam. My relatives told me that her house, the same house where I grew up, is still there and owned by my family. I want to go back and discover the history that I don’t know about in Vietnam. I want to try the food I love at the source. It’s hard to be an immigrant in America, but it’s also the best. We walk through two cultures at once. We’re raised to eat everything. Other people are missing out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Thien Pham\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> will be reading excerpts from \u003c/i>Family Style\u003ci> at \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thien-pham-in-store-launch-for-his-new-ya-graphic-novel-family-style-tickets-546643624797\">Mrs. Dalloway’s\u003c/a> (2904 College Ave., Berkeley) on Tues., June 20 at 7 p.m. He will also appear at the \u003ca href=\"https://portal.cca.edu/events-calendar/thien-pham/\">California College of Arts\u003c/a> (1111 8th St., San Francisco) on Fri., July 14 and Hicklebee’s Bookstore (1378 Lincoln Ave., San Jose) on Sun., July 16. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Pham is currently also doing a \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cartoonists836m-exhibition-opening-tickets-612684324307\">four-month artist’s residency\u003c/a> and exhibition at 836M Gallery (836 Montgomery St., San Francisco), with a focus on the history of San Francisco’s neighborhoods.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nothing sustains a community more than food. It’s where all memories of home begin, and it’s how anyone who has ever been separated from their roots finds a way back — eventually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">Thien Pham\u003c/a>, an Oakland-based graphic novelist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897498/mama-liu-lu-rou-fan-taiwanese-food-comic\">comics\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905153/underground-vietnamese-restaurants-social-media-san-jose\">artist\u003c/a> and high school educator, it took more than 40 years after fleeing his home country, Vietnam, to gather the right ingredients needed for his life’s work: \u003ci>Family Style\u003c/i>. Packed with life lessons about family, friendship, assimilation and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/sanjosefood\">life in San Jose\u003c/a> as a refugee, the graphic novel also serves as a love letter to his most memorable meals, from Southeast Asia to Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each chapter of the story presents a thematic dish that encapsulates Pham’s experience at the time, from the “Rice and Fish” he ate as a child refugee living on a boat to the luxurious “Steak and Potatoes” he enjoyed after first arriving to the United States — and many unexpected food combinations in between.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the book grapples with traumatic topics of forced migration and diasporic displacement, it’s largely centered on the joy of communal gathering, shared culinary knowledge and family-sustained recipes for dishes like his mother’s bánh cuốn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13930698\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058.jpg\" alt=\"Excerpted panels from a graphic novel: 1) Image of a thin rice crepe on a plate. Text reads, "Put the pork filling in the middle, then roll, fold the rice paper with the bamboo stick. 2) A woman reaches into a bowl, assembling the banch cuon. Text reads, "Top with the fried onions, garlic, and veggies." 3) She holds out a plate with the finished banh cuon. "Add fish sauce at the end. And that's it. Here, try it." 4) Another woman in a red blouse picks up a piece with chopsticks. 5) She eats it with her eyes closed in pleasure. "It tastes like home," she says. 6) The panel zooms out to show the two of them sitting in front of a small stall made up of various cooking implements. "So do you think you're ready to do this?" the woman who prepared the banh cuon asks.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2326\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-800x969.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-1020x1236.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-160x194.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-768x930.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-1268x1536.jpg 1268w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg058-1691x2048.jpg 1691w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s one poignant scene when Pham eats his first bag of potato chips with his family after they’ve worked as migrant field laborers picking strawberries. Later as an adult, he memorizes important dates in U.S. history in order to pass his citizenship test while eating lunch in the teacher’s lounge. Often, food is at the center of it all, helping to nourish Pham’s identity and feed his family’s aspirational immigrant dreams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the eve of his national book launch, I spoke with Pham about his memories of growing up in the Bay Area, his favorite San Jose restaurant and the beauty of being an immigrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: \u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci>Family Style \u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>is a graphic novel about food, family, diaspora, teenage angst, American assimilation and more. As a visual storyteller, where did you begin, and how long did it take to complete?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Thien Pham: \u003c/b>I’ve wanted to tell this family story for a long time, but there were things preventing me from it in the past. I never had a tight enough connection with my parents to get the full story, my art style wasn’t where I wanted it to be and I didn’t have a fresh enough perspective. Coming to America as a Vietnamese immigrant has been told before. It’s a universal immigration story, and I didn’t know how to tell it at the level I thought it could be. I needed time to figure it all out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the pandemic, it just intersected for me in a weird way. I finally spent time with my parents and talked to them about it all, and we were all old enough to talk about the truth. I also felt at that point my art was at a level that could do the story justice. When I talked to my mom, I realized that what I told her was mostly food related. As soon as I got that last piece, I knew that was the angle for me to approach it: immigration told through food. It was the missing piece; it was already inside me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After that, I just did it page by page. It was fast, in terms of drawing comics; it wasn’t agonizing or dragged out. It’s not often I get that. Maybe two or three times in my life I’ve had that feeling. That’s one of the reasons this book is so special to me. Who knows if I’ll ever have all that coming together so perfectly again? At the end of the book, there are strips of me talking to my parents and explaining how the book was created. I wanted to capture that in the book. It was magical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13930695\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1.jpg\" alt='Panels excerpted from a graphic novel: 1) A boat pulls up to a larger freighter ship. 2) A man on the boat says, \"They said they can take us as far as they can, and give us food and water for some money...\" 3) The Vietnamese refugees on the boat look stunned to receive this news. 4) They line up to receive food from a man in a baseball cap. 5) When she reaches the front of the line, one woman says, \"We have five people. Can we get some more?\" as he hands her a plate of squid and a slice of watermelon. 6) The woman and her two small children look overwhelmed as someone approaches offering two additional plates of squid and rice.' width=\"1920\" height=\"2315\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-800x965.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-1020x1230.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-160x193.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-768x926.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-1274x1536.jpg 1274w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg006-1-1699x2048.jpg 1699w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Your first graphic novel, \u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci>Sumo\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>, was published over a decade ago. When did you realize you were ready to illustrate and write \u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci>Family Style\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Everybody has stories in them, but it’s about recognizing when it’s time to share it. That’s crucial. I didn’t have any idea about my next big graphic novel. I would start and stop with things and nothing really stuck. I can only create when I feel a major emotional pull to do it. But between those graphic novels I’ve been drawing. I did short stories, \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/comic-strip-i-like-eating-2-1/\">food magazines\u003c/a>. I was always honing my craft. Through these smaller projects I really found how to tell stories in my own voice. By the time the inspiration finally hit me, I was ready in terms of art and storytelling. I was at the point I could tell the story in the style I wanted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>The book includes references to recipes related to your family’s experiences. What have you realized about the connection between food and family?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I always wanted to cook my mom’s food. I missed it. During the pandemic, you couldn’t just go to Vietnamese restaurants, so I started learning how to do it. Every day I tried to make something my mom made me when I was a kid. This is a very metaphoric thing in the book. I thought these simple meals she used to make were easy and took no time, and they were delicious. She made meals in 15 minutes for the family in between her work shifts. But when she described to me how they were made, I realized simple meals are very, very nuanced, and there are so many more things to it I never thought about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, something I thought was just fish sauce also had sugar and coconut soda and star anise. When I ate it I never picked up on those things. I realized how it mirrored our trip to America. My mom just says, “Yeah, we were on a boat and got here, and it was this and that.” But when you sit with the details, it’s like the nuance of a recipe with so much more happening. That made me realize that my parents were constantly trying to protect us when we were kids by making it look easy. Whether it’s not telling us about their hardships or making light of the work they did to provide dinner, they were trying to shield us. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "“Immigration and refugees are always portrayed as sad and struggling. But there is also joy, opportunity and having each other.”",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, at 48 years old, I realize what an amazing cook and person my mom was. I think I always took that for granted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What were the challenges of writing and illustrating \u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci>Family Style\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>, which invariably deals with intense immigrant hardships?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My dad surprised me when I asked him about how he maintained his hope through hardships: He said it wasn’t hard. Looking back, he’ll now admit it was tough, but in the moment he said it was so much joy and fun, even in the refugee camps while living in shacks with nothing. Because at least you have friends and family, and everyone is there and making the best of it. He recalls the refugee camps as some of his best times. When he told me that, it made me realize how immigration and refugees are always portrayed as sad and struggling. But there is also joy, opportunity and having each other. I wanted to write a story full of that hope and joy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there was a challenge, it was to convey some of the challenges while keeping a tone of joy. I didn’t want it to be about only the hardships, but seeing the fortunate side of things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13930702\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121.jpg\" alt=\"Excerpted panels from a graphic novel: 1) Kids eating lunch at a table in the cafeteria. A smiling, gap-toothed boy says, "Hey Thien! How's your first day of school going?" 2) Thien, with a perplexed expression, responds, "Okay, but for some reason everyone's calling me 'Tin.' The gap-toothed boy responds, "Ha! That's your new name! At least it sorta sounds like your name. They call me 'Tony'!" 3) Thien examines a plastic-wrapped carton of food. "What's this?" 4) While chewing, gap-toothed boy responds, "It's called sals-buree steak. Try it. I think you'll like it!" 5) Thien warily peels back the plastic wrap. 6) As prepares to put a spork-ful in his mouth, he says, "You sure? It smells funny..." "Okay, here goes..."\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-800x961.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-1020x1226.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-160x192.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-768x923.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-1278x1536.jpg 1278w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/family-style-thien-pham-pg121-1704x2048.jpg 1704w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Community is a major part of immigrant survival for any group. In your family’s case, you met Chu Nhan, a neighbor and social advocate, who helped you move into an apartment complex with other Viet families. I’m curious, what’s the Vietnamese community in the Bay Area currently like, and do these networks still exist for newcomers? So much has changed since your family’s arrival in 1980.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For research, I went back to that exact apartment complex where we started. It’s still very much filled with immigrants. The immigrants aren’t only Vietnamese but Hispanic and Indian as well. So it’s more diverse, but it’s still there. It’s really great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>That was one of the most defining moments of my childhood — to find a community of kids. When we first came here, we were latchkey kids in kindergarten and were home all the time. Our neighbors checked in on us, and our friends were all from around the street, and we just hung around until 9 at night when our parents finally came home from work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, I would say the South Bay is where most Vietnamese people live. But as I was writing this book and traveling around to promote it, I’m seeing Vietnamese immigrant populations all over the United States. I know of San Jose and Orange County, of course. But I recently discovered Houston has a huge population, and their food scene is amazing. Same with New Orleans. They brought Viet Cajun, which is one of my favorite things — those boils. There are pockets everywhere. I think that’s great. They all have their own flair and personality. California Vietnamese. Louisiana Vietnamese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>If you had to add a new chapter and dish to the book to reflect your current living situation, what would it be and why?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I would definitely do a sushi chapter. I’m a huge sushi fan. Or tacos. I love tacos, too. The Jalisco Marisco truck in LA is one of my favorite things to eat. Or pasta. Spaghetti can be an amazing artisan experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>As an immigrant living in the U.S., how have your experiences with food changed over time?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I used to think Chili’s was high-end (laughs). I used to think that was making it in life. Then, when I first started dating my ex-wife, she took me to a Michelin-star restaurant in San Francisco. It blew my mind, and for so long I was looking for those beautifully refined restaurants. But I’ve journeyed back to my roots and discovered the nuance of phở or a birria taco. Those kinds of things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You regularly contribute food-related comics to publications like \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/tpham\">\u003cb>KQED\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb> and the \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/author/thien-pham/\">\u003cb>\u003ci>East Bay Express\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>. You also grew up in \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13904835/san-jose-immigrant-food\">\u003cb>San Jose’s diverse immigrant food communities\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>. You’re a true OG foodie. Where do you go to eat when you’re in the mood for a soul-satisfying meal?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I go to San Jose every Saturday. I have two nephews who have a single mother, and since the oldest has been in fourth grade, I come to see them for phở. We’ve gone to the same place for 20 years now: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dacphucsanjose/\">Dac Phuc\u003c/a>. One of the nephews just got married and the other just graduated from San Jose State and got a job. And the restaurant has always been there. I think it’s the best hands down. Yelp doesn’t always agree; it’s not the most fancy place (laughs). But for me and my family, there’s no better phở. It’s nostalgia. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I just went on a trip to Detroit, and when I got home, all I wanted was Dac Phuc. I feel the most at home there. Whenever I miss those Saturdays, it knocks me off kilter. We still do it every weekend. I love San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>It’s a marathon to finish any sustained creative process, so I’m sure you’re recharging your battery. But when the time arrives, what other projects or potential book ideas do you have?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I finished \u003ci>Family Style\u003c/i> I was thinking of how to follow it up. A really cool way felt like the opposite of what I did. This book is about me as a child immigrating from Vietnam to America, but I’ve been here for 40 years now and have never been back to Vietnam. People tell me I need to eat Vietnamese food in Vietnam. I’m told I haven’t had the real thing yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, I had a life changing event when my grandma passed away. She took care of me the most in Vietnam. My relatives told me that her house, the same house where I grew up, is still there and owned by my family. I want to go back and discover the history that I don’t know about in Vietnam. I want to try the food I love at the source. It’s hard to be an immigrant in America, but it’s also the best. We walk through two cultures at once. We’re raised to eat everything. Other people are missing out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Thien Pham\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> will be reading excerpts from \u003c/i>Family Style\u003ci> at \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thien-pham-in-store-launch-for-his-new-ya-graphic-novel-family-style-tickets-546643624797\">Mrs. Dalloway’s\u003c/a> (2904 College Ave., Berkeley) on Tues., June 20 at 7 p.m. He will also appear at the \u003ca href=\"https://portal.cca.edu/events-calendar/thien-pham/\">California College of Arts\u003c/a> (1111 8th St., San Francisco) on Fri., July 14 and Hicklebee’s Bookstore (1378 Lincoln Ave., San Jose) on Sun., July 16. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Pham is currently also doing a \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cartoonists836m-exhibition-opening-tickets-612684324307\">four-month artist’s residency\u003c/a> and exhibition at 836M Gallery (836 Montgomery St., San Francisco), with a focus on the history of San Francisco’s neighborhoods.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "chile-lindo-chilean-empanadas-mission-district-san-francisco-hella-hungry",
"title": "Chilean Empanadas Have Been a Mission District Staple for 50 Years",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are certain restaurants in the Bay Area that, for a variety of reasons, are easy to miss — often old-school eateries without the buzz or viral TikTok and Instagram accounts to lure you in from afar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But these modest establishments are just as capable of delivering culinary euphoria. In many cases, they also have decades’ worth of history waiting to be consumed. That’s exactly what the Mission’s \u003ca href=\"https://chilelindo.com/\">Chile Lindo\u003c/a> represents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since it opened in 1973, the small, independently-owned empanaderia has been a hideout for Chilean nationals. Many had come to California after being exiled from their native land under the harsh military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, who rose to power after a United States-backed military coup. Like many diasporas carrying trauma, they’ve found refuge in places like Chile Lindo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just one block east of the bustling 16th Street BART station, the shop blooms inside the Redstone Building, with a hand-painted advertisement for Chilean empanadas glossing the window. Since taking ownership in 1995, Paula Tejeda has seen her fair share of adversity, though. The restaurant’s original location is largely non-operational at the moment after a series of eviction notices, kitchen accidents and near closures throughout the pandemic. Yet somehow, Tejeda has found a way forward, as so many immigrants and children of immigrants do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, with the support of the Mission Housing Development Agency, she opened a sister location, Chile Lindo Kitchen Culture, directly across the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930164\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13930164 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A Chilean food maker stands in front of her colorful shop on 16th Street in San Francisco\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tejeda stands in front of the original Chile Lindo on 16th Street. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Although the preservation of Chile’s culture isn’t always noticeable in the Bay Area — particularly when compared to other, more visible immigrant groups — Chileans maintain a deep reverence for their homeland, rallying around national treasures like soccer, empanadas and Chilean-style hotdogs, known as “completos.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Few San Franciscans can speak to the unique history of Chile’s influence in the Mission like Tejeda can. There’s a reason her neighbors know her as “\u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2014/11/sometimes-its-not-all-about-the-empanadas/\">the Girl from Empanada\u003c/a>.” I stopped by Tejeda’s new shop to speak with her about gentrification, Chilean representation and the modern struggles of small business owners in San Francisco, all while she baked empanadas and prepared Chilenitos — cookie-sized Chilean pastries layered with wafers, dulce de leche and meringue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: What’s the history of Chile Lindo and how did you get involved in the Bay Area’s food scene?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Paula Tejeda:\u003c/b> Chile Lindo has been here since 1973. It was owned by a Chilean woman for over a decade. She sold it to another Chilean. [In 1995] I had just moved from New York City and didn’t have work. Before that, I went to Laney College and studied television production and had an internship at KTVU and KPIX. I was admitted to San Francisco State but dropped out and moved to Chile and then to NYC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[Back in San Francisco,] I was running around the neighborhood selling sandwiches. The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment was around, and they had a Latin branch called ALAS. People in the community told me to get a loan from the program, and one day I got a call that Chile Lindo was for sale. It was going to go to a Cuban, they told us, and they wanted a Chilean owner. It was rundown at the time. I didn’t have a penny to buy this. So I went to the program to get a loan, and [the owner] gave me the keys right away. Overnight, I was a business owner. I was running around the neighborhood with a basket [selling empanadas].\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930161\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13930161\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"a large baking tray of empanadas before entering the oven\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A fresh batch of Chilean empanadas. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How have you maintained your love for Chilean food and managed to run your business for nearly three decades?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2009 I joined the street food movement. I was known as “the Girl from Empanada.” I joined programs to learn about business loans and how to keep the business afloat. I had a vision to bridge the cultures of Chile and the United States. It’s always been my motivation in more ways than one. With Chile Lindo, with food, you can create a network and represent your culture. I wanted to sell food, but also to produce artists and to provide intercultural consultations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After 28 years, I’ve become a reference [point] for the link between Chile, California, the Bay Area, local artists, the Mission and North Beach. That’s very much been my motivation to keep going. To persevere as entrepreneurs, we have so many projects all the time because it’s one of the only ways to endure the hardships and losses of each day. We’re motivated by something bigger, a vision to make a difference. That has always been my drive. I know I can be an ambassador for all things Chilean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What distinguishes Chilean empanadas from neighboring varieties, including those from Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico or \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13926749/tasty-tings-jamaican-beef-patties-sf-oakland\">\u003cb>Jamaica\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The idea of anything breaded is an international concept. Chilean empanadas are kind of renowned in South America because the Chileans made it their national food. You hear a lot about the asado in Argentina. Peru has a very unique and sophisticated cuisine. Mexico as well. But for Chileans, empanadas and wine are what they have to celebrate their independence. They celebrate for a month as if it happened yesterday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Paula Tejeda\"]“I had a vision to bridge the cultures of Chile and the United States.”[/pullquote]The original difference is that [a Chilean empanada is] larger and baked. The Argentinian [style] is often deep-fried and smaller. Ours uses onions, cumin, paprika, beef, raisins, olive and a slice of hard-boiled egg. That’s called a pino, or a picadillo in some other countries. It’s labor-intensive for each product. We have always taken pride in Chilean empanadas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What other dishes do you serve that are also popular in Chile? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We serve Chilean pastries, empanadas, coffee. I just added the Chilean hot dog to the menu. It’s called “el completo” and has mayo, chopped tomatoes and avocado.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when I started at Chile Lindo, I used to prepare many traditional dishes. Sandwiches with pork, steak, avocado. A typical Chilean lunch is a nice filet of fish with potato salad and parsley. That’s universal. A Chilean salad is tomatoes with finely sliced onions and cilantro. Or celery with cubed avocado and lemon, olive oil, salt. They’re simple recipes with ingredients you can recognize anywhere but are slightly different from what you see here [in California]. Anything with avocado is Chilean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930162\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13930162\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"A Chilean hotdog, which includes avocado, mayo, and chopped tomatoes, is held out by the foodmaker\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The “completo” is a beloved Chilean hot dog. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I imagine it’s more difficult than ever to operate a small food business in San Francisco. How do today’s neighborhood challenges compare to your previous decades here? What struggles are today’s business owners and food makers dealing with?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The struggles have been one after the other, especially since COVID. Prices for rent and for payroll are going through the roof. When you sell a $3 coffee and have to pay $21 an hour, that’s hard. No one really works for less than $20 an hour [in SF]. Rents and city prices are outrageous, and it’s creating a cycle where everything is becoming unsustainable. We’ve lost customers, community, foot traffic. Buses to Silicon Valley, BART commuters, that’s all gone. That was a good part of my business.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are many factors that have been building over the years, including mental health, not just homelessness. We blame the administrations, but this has been building for decades now. It’s the corporate takeovers and lack of human relationships. The new guard doesn’t even know who I am. When I call my new distributors, they don’t call back. I’m probably an account they don’t even want to bother with. Before, my rep knew me. They cared about me. We were a community. My landlord, I used to be able to call them. Now it’s run by a management company. If you’re one day late, you get a late fee. They don’t have the 25-year relationship I had with my former landlord. Phone calls, emails, all of this means you go back and forth trying, and what do you get? Not a person, but a phone and an automated prompt. We need a permit for our awning now. I’ve been here 28 years, and now I need a permit for my awning?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had my parklet, a huge investment, during the pandemic. That was destroyed. It became a drug den with graffiti — I couldn’t keep up with it, the stress from the city that puts it on me if the vandalism isn’t cleaned up. We can’t keep repainting it. If we want to have a piano player? We need a permit. Outdoor tables? Health department. Some of these are legitimate, but for a sole proprietor, you’re one person doing operations, shopping, managing new staff, training, serving and financing. It’s not sustainable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930163\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13930163\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A small diorama replica of the restaurant Chile Lindo is displayed on the counter inside Chile Lindo\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A small diorama replica of the original Chile Lindo is displayed inside Chile Lindo Kitchen Culture. Art by Cindy De Losa. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>That’s sad to hear. I often read about small businesses that can’t survive anymore in the Bay Area.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It needs to be simplified for small business owners. Philz Coffee became what it became because he built it [in 2003]. If he tried to start today, would he be able to [do it] in our present situation? I don’t think so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of how much [small businesses] contribute, it’s a list of things: We create payroll. We train a new workforce, often students or immigrants. We buy locally from other small businesses. We provide a venue for arts that generates income for local bands and performers. We make the city interesting for tourists. We provide spaces for community members to come and go, to make friends. We pay taxes and licenses to the city. We give free food and coffee to the homeless community — we all do it, I’ve seen it with my own eyes and I do it myself. We clean sidewalks and pick up garbage. Those food delivery models? They depend on us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s all such a fragile community. If we continue being eliminated, you are really hurting everyone; it’s a domino effect. People really need to become aware of how vulnerable we are and the reasons why so many small businesses are falling through the cracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Food is definitely a place for gathering safely. How is that embodied for you at Chile Lindo?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the pandemic hit, I had to reinvent myself completely. As we are recovering from the pandemic still, I’ve now opened my new kitchen and event space. I’ve decorated Kitchen Culture with paintings, posters, artesanias. It’s all traditional. Chile is a long country, a lot of what’s representative of the north is different from the central and southern parts. I tried to include it all. I also have memorabilia from the Mission. This is a space for music, meetings, poetry, jazz and some private parties. It’s a place where community groups can cater lunch. I’m organizing my own special events as well. I’m still figuring it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930160\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13930160\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Chilean pastries are displayed on a marble counter top\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“Chilenitos” are a national dessert in Chile. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the Chilean community in the Bay Area like? Is there a particular restaurant or venue besides your own where Chileans can gather?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13926749,arts_13919032,arts_13929494']\u003c/span>There aren’t many Chilean restaurants in San Francisco. Some open and then they close. There used to be one in Berkeley called Cafe Valparaiso that was opened in support of those exiled during the dictatorship. They moved now. There used to be Sabores del Sur in Walnut Creek. They closed. Chileans don’t have such a strong presence, and they aren’t very knowledgeable of the strength of working as an immigrant group. It makes me crazy. There are some Chileans in Berkeley. There used to be a group in Stockton that got together. There’s a Chilean cultural group from the 1960s called \u003ca href=\"https://centrochilenolautaro.org/\">Chilean Centro Lautaro\u003c/a>. There are Chileans in Davis. There are Facebook groups. But we’re a little individualistic in nature, which makes us resilient and strong but [is] counterproductive in helping those in the community. The only thing that gets all the Chileans together is soccer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is also an older Chilean community here of intellectuals that goes back to the gold rush. The town of Marysville was the third largest city during the gold rush, and it was co-founded by \u003ca href=\"https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=55758\">Jose Manuel Ramirez\u003c/a>, who was Chilean. He was already wealthy and was a part of the gold rush in Europe, then went back to Chile and hired miners, since Chile has always been a mining country. They found a lot of gold here. There’s a plaque on the sidewalk next to Francis Ford Copolla’s Cafe Zoetrope and film studios, for an area called \u003ca href=\"https://sf.curbed.com/2012/10/15/10317694/chilecito-or-san-franciscos-little-chile\">Chilecito (“Little Chile”)\u003c/a>, where the Chilean miners camped.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I never knew that. Thanks for sharing this unique Bay Area history. What’s next for you at Chile Lindo?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I want to have a podcast or YouTube channel to share this kind of history. If I can outreach to the enormously diverse group of dreamers and entrepreneurs here, motivated by arts, I would like to interview people about food and the connections between Chile and California. Chile and California are actually parallel, with literally the same geography and Mediterranean weather, mountain ranges, the Pacific Ocean and the same distance from the equator. They’re a mirror image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The original \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chilelindosf/\">\u003ci>Chile Lindo\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> (2944 16th St., San Francisco\u003c/i>) \u003ci>is currently closed for renovation. Its newly opened sister location, Chile Lindo Kitchen Culture (2935 16th St.), is located across the street and is open from Thurs. to Sat. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Kitchen Culture plans to host music, poetry, performances, and community conversations. It’s available for catering and private parties.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "Chilean Empanadas at Chile Lindo Are a Mission District Staple | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are certain restaurants in the Bay Area that, for a variety of reasons, are easy to miss — often old-school eateries without the buzz or viral TikTok and Instagram accounts to lure you in from afar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But these modest establishments are just as capable of delivering culinary euphoria. In many cases, they also have decades’ worth of history waiting to be consumed. That’s exactly what the Mission’s \u003ca href=\"https://chilelindo.com/\">Chile Lindo\u003c/a> represents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since it opened in 1973, the small, independently-owned empanaderia has been a hideout for Chilean nationals. Many had come to California after being exiled from their native land under the harsh military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, who rose to power after a United States-backed military coup. Like many diasporas carrying trauma, they’ve found refuge in places like Chile Lindo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just one block east of the bustling 16th Street BART station, the shop blooms inside the Redstone Building, with a hand-painted advertisement for Chilean empanadas glossing the window. Since taking ownership in 1995, Paula Tejeda has seen her fair share of adversity, though. The restaurant’s original location is largely non-operational at the moment after a series of eviction notices, kitchen accidents and near closures throughout the pandemic. Yet somehow, Tejeda has found a way forward, as so many immigrants and children of immigrants do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, with the support of the Mission Housing Development Agency, she opened a sister location, Chile Lindo Kitchen Culture, directly across the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930164\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13930164 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A Chilean food maker stands in front of her colorful shop on 16th Street in San Francisco\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_storefront.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tejeda stands in front of the original Chile Lindo on 16th Street. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Although the preservation of Chile’s culture isn’t always noticeable in the Bay Area — particularly when compared to other, more visible immigrant groups — Chileans maintain a deep reverence for their homeland, rallying around national treasures like soccer, empanadas and Chilean-style hotdogs, known as “completos.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Few San Franciscans can speak to the unique history of Chile’s influence in the Mission like Tejeda can. There’s a reason her neighbors know her as “\u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2014/11/sometimes-its-not-all-about-the-empanadas/\">the Girl from Empanada\u003c/a>.” I stopped by Tejeda’s new shop to speak with her about gentrification, Chilean representation and the modern struggles of small business owners in San Francisco, all while she baked empanadas and prepared Chilenitos — cookie-sized Chilean pastries layered with wafers, dulce de leche and meringue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: What’s the history of Chile Lindo and how did you get involved in the Bay Area’s food scene?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Paula Tejeda:\u003c/b> Chile Lindo has been here since 1973. It was owned by a Chilean woman for over a decade. She sold it to another Chilean. [In 1995] I had just moved from New York City and didn’t have work. Before that, I went to Laney College and studied television production and had an internship at KTVU and KPIX. I was admitted to San Francisco State but dropped out and moved to Chile and then to NYC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[Back in San Francisco,] I was running around the neighborhood selling sandwiches. The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment was around, and they had a Latin branch called ALAS. People in the community told me to get a loan from the program, and one day I got a call that Chile Lindo was for sale. It was going to go to a Cuban, they told us, and they wanted a Chilean owner. It was rundown at the time. I didn’t have a penny to buy this. So I went to the program to get a loan, and [the owner] gave me the keys right away. Overnight, I was a business owner. I was running around the neighborhood with a basket [selling empanadas].\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930161\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13930161\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"a large baking tray of empanadas before entering the oven\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_empanadas-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A fresh batch of Chilean empanadas. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How have you maintained your love for Chilean food and managed to run your business for nearly three decades?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2009 I joined the street food movement. I was known as “the Girl from Empanada.” I joined programs to learn about business loans and how to keep the business afloat. I had a vision to bridge the cultures of Chile and the United States. It’s always been my motivation in more ways than one. With Chile Lindo, with food, you can create a network and represent your culture. I wanted to sell food, but also to produce artists and to provide intercultural consultations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After 28 years, I’ve become a reference [point] for the link between Chile, California, the Bay Area, local artists, the Mission and North Beach. That’s very much been my motivation to keep going. To persevere as entrepreneurs, we have so many projects all the time because it’s one of the only ways to endure the hardships and losses of each day. We’re motivated by something bigger, a vision to make a difference. That has always been my drive. I know I can be an ambassador for all things Chilean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What distinguishes Chilean empanadas from neighboring varieties, including those from Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico or \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13926749/tasty-tings-jamaican-beef-patties-sf-oakland\">\u003cb>Jamaica\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The idea of anything breaded is an international concept. Chilean empanadas are kind of renowned in South America because the Chileans made it their national food. You hear a lot about the asado in Argentina. Peru has a very unique and sophisticated cuisine. Mexico as well. But for Chileans, empanadas and wine are what they have to celebrate their independence. They celebrate for a month as if it happened yesterday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The original difference is that [a Chilean empanada is] larger and baked. The Argentinian [style] is often deep-fried and smaller. Ours uses onions, cumin, paprika, beef, raisins, olive and a slice of hard-boiled egg. That’s called a pino, or a picadillo in some other countries. It’s labor-intensive for each product. We have always taken pride in Chilean empanadas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What other dishes do you serve that are also popular in Chile? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We serve Chilean pastries, empanadas, coffee. I just added the Chilean hot dog to the menu. It’s called “el completo” and has mayo, chopped tomatoes and avocado.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when I started at Chile Lindo, I used to prepare many traditional dishes. Sandwiches with pork, steak, avocado. A typical Chilean lunch is a nice filet of fish with potato salad and parsley. That’s universal. A Chilean salad is tomatoes with finely sliced onions and cilantro. Or celery with cubed avocado and lemon, olive oil, salt. They’re simple recipes with ingredients you can recognize anywhere but are slightly different from what you see here [in California]. Anything with avocado is Chilean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930162\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13930162\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"A Chilean hotdog, which includes avocado, mayo, and chopped tomatoes, is held out by the foodmaker\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_hot_dog-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The “completo” is a beloved Chilean hot dog. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I imagine it’s more difficult than ever to operate a small food business in San Francisco. How do today’s neighborhood challenges compare to your previous decades here? What struggles are today’s business owners and food makers dealing with?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The struggles have been one after the other, especially since COVID. Prices for rent and for payroll are going through the roof. When you sell a $3 coffee and have to pay $21 an hour, that’s hard. No one really works for less than $20 an hour [in SF]. Rents and city prices are outrageous, and it’s creating a cycle where everything is becoming unsustainable. We’ve lost customers, community, foot traffic. Buses to Silicon Valley, BART commuters, that’s all gone. That was a good part of my business.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are many factors that have been building over the years, including mental health, not just homelessness. We blame the administrations, but this has been building for decades now. It’s the corporate takeovers and lack of human relationships. The new guard doesn’t even know who I am. When I call my new distributors, they don’t call back. I’m probably an account they don’t even want to bother with. Before, my rep knew me. They cared about me. We were a community. My landlord, I used to be able to call them. Now it’s run by a management company. If you’re one day late, you get a late fee. They don’t have the 25-year relationship I had with my former landlord. Phone calls, emails, all of this means you go back and forth trying, and what do you get? Not a person, but a phone and an automated prompt. We need a permit for our awning now. I’ve been here 28 years, and now I need a permit for my awning?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I had my parklet, a huge investment, during the pandemic. That was destroyed. It became a drug den with graffiti — I couldn’t keep up with it, the stress from the city that puts it on me if the vandalism isn’t cleaned up. We can’t keep repainting it. If we want to have a piano player? We need a permit. Outdoor tables? Health department. Some of these are legitimate, but for a sole proprietor, you’re one person doing operations, shopping, managing new staff, training, serving and financing. It’s not sustainable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930163\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13930163\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A small diorama replica of the restaurant Chile Lindo is displayed on the counter inside Chile Lindo\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_model.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A small diorama replica of the original Chile Lindo is displayed inside Chile Lindo Kitchen Culture. Art by Cindy De Losa. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>That’s sad to hear. I often read about small businesses that can’t survive anymore in the Bay Area.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It needs to be simplified for small business owners. Philz Coffee became what it became because he built it [in 2003]. If he tried to start today, would he be able to [do it] in our present situation? I don’t think so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of how much [small businesses] contribute, it’s a list of things: We create payroll. We train a new workforce, often students or immigrants. We buy locally from other small businesses. We provide a venue for arts that generates income for local bands and performers. We make the city interesting for tourists. We provide spaces for community members to come and go, to make friends. We pay taxes and licenses to the city. We give free food and coffee to the homeless community — we all do it, I’ve seen it with my own eyes and I do it myself. We clean sidewalks and pick up garbage. Those food delivery models? They depend on us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s all such a fragile community. If we continue being eliminated, you are really hurting everyone; it’s a domino effect. People really need to become aware of how vulnerable we are and the reasons why so many small businesses are falling through the cracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Food is definitely a place for gathering safely. How is that embodied for you at Chile Lindo?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the pandemic hit, I had to reinvent myself completely. As we are recovering from the pandemic still, I’ve now opened my new kitchen and event space. I’ve decorated Kitchen Culture with paintings, posters, artesanias. It’s all traditional. Chile is a long country, a lot of what’s representative of the north is different from the central and southern parts. I tried to include it all. I also have memorabilia from the Mission. This is a space for music, meetings, poetry, jazz and some private parties. It’s a place where community groups can cater lunch. I’m organizing my own special events as well. I’m still figuring it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13930160\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13930160\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Chilean pastries are displayed on a marble counter top\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/chile_lindo_chilenitos.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“Chilenitos” are a national dessert in Chile. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the Chilean community in the Bay Area like? Is there a particular restaurant or venue besides your own where Chileans can gather?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>There aren’t many Chilean restaurants in San Francisco. Some open and then they close. There used to be one in Berkeley called Cafe Valparaiso that was opened in support of those exiled during the dictatorship. They moved now. There used to be Sabores del Sur in Walnut Creek. They closed. Chileans don’t have such a strong presence, and they aren’t very knowledgeable of the strength of working as an immigrant group. It makes me crazy. There are some Chileans in Berkeley. There used to be a group in Stockton that got together. There’s a Chilean cultural group from the 1960s called \u003ca href=\"https://centrochilenolautaro.org/\">Chilean Centro Lautaro\u003c/a>. There are Chileans in Davis. There are Facebook groups. But we’re a little individualistic in nature, which makes us resilient and strong but [is] counterproductive in helping those in the community. The only thing that gets all the Chileans together is soccer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is also an older Chilean community here of intellectuals that goes back to the gold rush. The town of Marysville was the third largest city during the gold rush, and it was co-founded by \u003ca href=\"https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=55758\">Jose Manuel Ramirez\u003c/a>, who was Chilean. He was already wealthy and was a part of the gold rush in Europe, then went back to Chile and hired miners, since Chile has always been a mining country. They found a lot of gold here. There’s a plaque on the sidewalk next to Francis Ford Copolla’s Cafe Zoetrope and film studios, for an area called \u003ca href=\"https://sf.curbed.com/2012/10/15/10317694/chilecito-or-san-franciscos-little-chile\">Chilecito (“Little Chile”)\u003c/a>, where the Chilean miners camped.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I never knew that. Thanks for sharing this unique Bay Area history. What’s next for you at Chile Lindo?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I want to have a podcast or YouTube channel to share this kind of history. If I can outreach to the enormously diverse group of dreamers and entrepreneurs here, motivated by arts, I would like to interview people about food and the connections between Chile and California. Chile and California are actually parallel, with literally the same geography and Mediterranean weather, mountain ranges, the Pacific Ocean and the same distance from the equator. They’re a mirror image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The original \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chilelindosf/\">\u003ci>Chile Lindo\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> (2944 16th St., San Francisco\u003c/i>) \u003ci>is currently closed for renovation. Its newly opened sister location, Chile Lindo Kitchen Culture (2935 16th St.), is located across the street and is open from Thurs. to Sat. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Kitchen Culture plans to host music, poetry, performances, and community conversations. It’s available for catering and private parties.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "hyphy-iceez-icee-slushy-filipino-hip-hop-mission-district-sf",
"title": "\"Tell Me When To Mango\": Hyphy Iceez Pours Nostalgia in a Cup",
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"headTitle": "“Tell Me When To Mango”: Hyphy Iceez Pours Nostalgia in a Cup | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I first heard the hyphy anthem “Tell Me When to Go” in 2006.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back then, I was a freshman in community college and an active member of L.U.C.H.A., a student-led group for first-generation youth who organized protests and cultural events around campus and in surrounding Bay Area communities. After one late-night session, we all packed into the kitchen of a friend’s house in Redwood City for what quickly turned into a house party. \u003ca href=\"https://genius.com/E-40-tell-me-when-to-go-lyrics\">The moon was out with dark clouds\u003c/a>. One group member was wearing a luchador mask, shaking his skull and going wild to the bass, and somewhere there were bottles of \u003ca href=\"https://genius.com/E-40-tell-me-when-to-go-lyrics\">Jose Cuervo and 1800\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, E-40’s ambassadorial voice: “I’m from the Bay where we hyphy and go dumb. From the soil where them rappers be getting their lingo from.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GZbaXdK8Js\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I wasn’t the same person after that. My generation was shaped by Keak da Sneak and 40 Water’s declarations of vices and partying on \u003ci>My Ghetto Report Card\u003c/i>. It defined an upbeat tempo for our region and instilled a pride we haven’t let go of since.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Very few Baydestrians represent that intersection in time more than Jonathan Toledo. Born in 1989, he is — in his own words — “the last of a dying breed.” A San Francisco-raised Filipino Mexican, the dude is a full-time father and Goodwill employee by day, and a creative foodmaker who supplies the vibes by night. Though I didn’t know Toledo growing up, he feels like a familiar soul — someone who could’ve been involved in my fledgling circle of friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like so many of us during that time, Toledo grew up under the trunk-rattling guidance of the hyphy gods, learning how to maneuver his way through a ruthlessly gentrifying Bay Area landscape while still cultivating his roots. Now, he’s flipping his life experiences into a side business: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/hyphyiceez/?hl=en\">Hyphy Iceez\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With homemade flavors like “Tell Me When to Mango,” “Mainey Manzana” and “The Lemon Ayyyyye,” the bootstrap operation has been popping up at various rec centers, family events and markets around the 415, 510 and 408 with Toledo’s signature “Iceez.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As warm weather (theoretically) approaches our foggy horizon, Toledo will be outside serving up cold, slushy treats for kids and adults alike. Catch him pouring up his own variation of 18 dummy juice and handing out life lessons about the only place he’s ever called home: The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: Where did you get the idea for Hyphy Iceez, and when did it launch?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jonathan Toledo: \u003c/b>Really, I started my first business in 2018 — \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehiphopbouncehouse/\">The Hip Hop Bounce House\u003c/a>. It’s a jumper with a bluetooth speaker and disco lights, a turn-up jumper (laughs). My first year was just about learning everything, and my second year I had plans to grow. But the pandemic hit, and that put a stop to it all. Throughout that time I started thinking about what else I could do business-wise. One day, I was kicking it at Dolores Park with my girl. It was warm outside and vendors were walking around selling coconuts and hella other things, and I was thinking it could be dope to have Icees out here — you know, frozen drinks. From there I applied my experience [gained] from the first business. Within four months of that moment, I had my very first [Icee] machine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928812\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13928812 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-800x1200.jpg\" alt='a slushy machine used for making \"Hyphy Iceez\" ' width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hyphy Iceez started in the summer of 2020 with nothing more than a slushy machine. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>It sounds like you really had to pivot from your original plans. Where did it go from there, and how did you turn that into something bigger?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around that time I was really on the drawing board with coming up with my new business name. I had some ideas, but when I thought of Hyphy Iceez, that was it. For me, it’s nostalgic. It’s about putting my twist on a classic, making it my own by adding a childhood staple to Bay Area culture. That’s how I got the business running and started. Then it was really just putting myself out there, doing pop-ups. I wouldn’t always be able to set up at an event, but I would sell outside on the sidewalks. Sometimes, they would invite me in because they would see people coming in with my drinks. I was consistent and persistent. From there my connection really built with different community organizations in San Francisco. It’s the biggest blessing to have that resource.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s always a lot of love. It’s not always about the sales, but just about the experience and making the most out of it. It’s always well received. It’s the Bay. We know hyphy. It’s a household name. It’s just about building unity regardless of what city or area you’re from. We just know how to turn it into a good time and create a positive experience. With everything in close proximity and accessible around the Bay — you got AC Transit, MUNI, BART — it’s important to get out and realize we’re all the same and the culture is everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Are there any community orgs who were particularly influential?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kidsclub.org/\">Boys and Girls Club of SF\u003c/a>. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.ltfrespuestalatina.com/\">Latino Task Force\u003c/a>. Those are the two that were consistently big supporters. I’m always trying to give back when I can. I’ve had other nonprofits reach out to me and ask me to donate my services. Bro, I’m a super small business. That would be breaking the bank for me, I can’t even do that (laughs). But when I can, I try to hook them up in other ways. I’m a Director of Operations at Goodwill, so I can connect them and create opportunities, help them set up tables, provide job resources, things like that. If it doesn’t work out with the Iceez, the bigger picture is still to support the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You grew up in the Mission. How has that shaped you and your business ideas?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up here, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13907726/e-40-goon-with-the-spoon-bay-area-rappers-food-entrepreneurs-hustle\">it’s full of hustlers\u003c/a>. By hustlers I mean people who are going to go out and get it by any means, regardless. Find a way. Make it happen. Before I did any of this, when I was a teenager, I was stealing car radios, car speakers, and that was one of my first hustles. Selling bootleg CDs. Downloading everything off Limewire. If a CD came out, I’d write down the track list at Target and then go home and download it and sell it. That’s a hustler culture, a mentality. Seeing that in the Bay, and from my family, I had to find a way to apply that to something bigger. That was a large influence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other aspect is about remixing things and making it your own. The Bay been doing that. A lot of people have pulled inspiration out of Bay culture, right? Through that, you learn how to align yourself and keep it authentic. It’s how we grew up — being able to keep it going and lit for future generations. One of my ultimate goals, bro, is to open up a storefront with a whole hyphy theme. But realistically that might not happen in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928811\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13928811 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A foodmaker serves cold slushies to a group of young children at an outdoor cultural event in San Francisco\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Toledo serves a group of children in the Mission District during a free cultural event in October. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You went from stealing car radios as a youth to becoming a regional director for Goodwill? That’s major. What’s your blueprint for success?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right now, I oversee the main warehouse and transportation fleets all over the Bay Area’s [nine] counties. That’s 169 employees who report to me. But I started with Goodwill in a program for at-risk youth 12 years ago and got an entry level position in the warehouse. At that time, the program was called RAMP, and it was a job readiness program. It was dope. They helped to prepare me how to apply for jobs, how to interview, stuff like that. They provided professional attire, mock interviews, the basic fundamentals of communication. They taught me the importance of accountability and punctuality.[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Jonathan Toledo\"]‘In the Bay, it’s all about making it your own … by creating your own remix.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you weren’t brought up with those skill sets, you don’t really think about it. That’s kind of what helped me start up my first business, to be honest. Going through the program and learning about the store, becoming a manager. I realized if I can help run another person’s business, I can run my own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What was your biggest challenge during that transition?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not really having that financial literacy. I’ve learned — over years — I’ve learned through lessons. Originally, I would self-fund everything out-of-pocket with cash and not really think about building up my credit or looking into business credit cards. Things like that. The other night I was checking my emails and I saw a deadline for a small business grant, and the deadline was the next day. So I said fuck that and stayed up all night to apply. I might not get it, but I [filled out the application].\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finding and knowing about those resources is important. Every event, I learn more about being efficient, about presentation. I’m always open to learning and adapting, making changes and improving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928810\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13928810\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"A close up photo of a green slushy treat in a cup\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Toledo takes his inspiration from a lifetime of Bay Area memories, including his mom’s graduation from UC Berkeley, which has a bear as a mascot. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I can’t end this interview without asking the main question: Who are your favorite hyphy rappers, and do you still listen to them? Why is it important to keep that alive?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13907726,arts_13922141,arts_13913201']\u003c/span>Of course. Keak da Sneak, E-40, Too Short, Mistah F.A.B., Mac Dre. San Quinn, for sure, in that era especially. The 2000s, he was coming consistent, non-stop. Yaddamean. There’s so many rappers and Bay artists, the list goes on and on. My kids listen to it through me, but I got a wide range of music that I mess with. I can go from oldies to R&B to rap to hyphy. It’s old-school player shit. We’ll be listening to Spanish music, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hyphy is still going on, but it’s not as prominent. Did you see Mistah F.A.B. and them are throwing \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86UW5FKUSDc\">The Hyphy Era Tour\u003c/a>? There’s also a cat on IG, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bigfolkspop/\">BigFolksPop\u003c/a>, we just chop it up, and I appreciate all his skits. They’re basically from the hyphy era, like waiting at the bus stop and seeing a Lightning McQueen backpack or [stoned] Spongebob shirt. The gangsta Spongebob. In the Bay, it’s all about making it your own. It goes back to that idea of making things unique by creating your own remix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Have you looked at our logo for Hyphy Iceez? It’s made by my friend, a local graphic designer, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chrystianguillermo/\">Chrystian Guillermo\u003c/a>, but it’s inspired by Cal Berkeley. My mom is an alumni from UC Berkeley. That’s a big part of the Bay, just like hyphy. It’s about making those connections and keeping that representation. So people see it and they know.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/hyphyiceez/\">\u003ci>Hyphy Iceez\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is available for private events and can be found serving various community orgs around the Bay Area. Currently, they are part of Frisco Fridays in partnership with \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/_city_chopped_/\">\u003ci>City Chopped\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> and \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/made.in.the.city/\">\u003ci>Made in the City\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>. Check their pages for listings on where and when they will be serving food and hyphy-themed drinks one Friday per month.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I first heard the hyphy anthem “Tell Me When to Go” in 2006.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back then, I was a freshman in community college and an active member of L.U.C.H.A., a student-led group for first-generation youth who organized protests and cultural events around campus and in surrounding Bay Area communities. After one late-night session, we all packed into the kitchen of a friend’s house in Redwood City for what quickly turned into a house party. \u003ca href=\"https://genius.com/E-40-tell-me-when-to-go-lyrics\">The moon was out with dark clouds\u003c/a>. One group member was wearing a luchador mask, shaking his skull and going wild to the bass, and somewhere there were bottles of \u003ca href=\"https://genius.com/E-40-tell-me-when-to-go-lyrics\">Jose Cuervo and 1800\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, E-40’s ambassadorial voice: “I’m from the Bay where we hyphy and go dumb. From the soil where them rappers be getting their lingo from.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/2GZbaXdK8Js'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/2GZbaXdK8Js'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I wasn’t the same person after that. My generation was shaped by Keak da Sneak and 40 Water’s declarations of vices and partying on \u003ci>My Ghetto Report Card\u003c/i>. It defined an upbeat tempo for our region and instilled a pride we haven’t let go of since.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Very few Baydestrians represent that intersection in time more than Jonathan Toledo. Born in 1989, he is — in his own words — “the last of a dying breed.” A San Francisco-raised Filipino Mexican, the dude is a full-time father and Goodwill employee by day, and a creative foodmaker who supplies the vibes by night. Though I didn’t know Toledo growing up, he feels like a familiar soul — someone who could’ve been involved in my fledgling circle of friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like so many of us during that time, Toledo grew up under the trunk-rattling guidance of the hyphy gods, learning how to maneuver his way through a ruthlessly gentrifying Bay Area landscape while still cultivating his roots. Now, he’s flipping his life experiences into a side business: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/hyphyiceez/?hl=en\">Hyphy Iceez\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With homemade flavors like “Tell Me When to Mango,” “Mainey Manzana” and “The Lemon Ayyyyye,” the bootstrap operation has been popping up at various rec centers, family events and markets around the 415, 510 and 408 with Toledo’s signature “Iceez.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As warm weather (theoretically) approaches our foggy horizon, Toledo will be outside serving up cold, slushy treats for kids and adults alike. Catch him pouring up his own variation of 18 dummy juice and handing out life lessons about the only place he’s ever called home: The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: Where did you get the idea for Hyphy Iceez, and when did it launch?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jonathan Toledo: \u003c/b>Really, I started my first business in 2018 — \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehiphopbouncehouse/\">The Hip Hop Bounce House\u003c/a>. It’s a jumper with a bluetooth speaker and disco lights, a turn-up jumper (laughs). My first year was just about learning everything, and my second year I had plans to grow. But the pandemic hit, and that put a stop to it all. Throughout that time I started thinking about what else I could do business-wise. One day, I was kicking it at Dolores Park with my girl. It was warm outside and vendors were walking around selling coconuts and hella other things, and I was thinking it could be dope to have Icees out here — you know, frozen drinks. From there I applied my experience [gained] from the first business. Within four months of that moment, I had my very first [Icee] machine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928812\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13928812 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-800x1200.jpg\" alt='a slushy machine used for making \"Hyphy Iceez\" ' width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_machine-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hyphy Iceez started in the summer of 2020 with nothing more than a slushy machine. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>It sounds like you really had to pivot from your original plans. Where did it go from there, and how did you turn that into something bigger?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around that time I was really on the drawing board with coming up with my new business name. I had some ideas, but when I thought of Hyphy Iceez, that was it. For me, it’s nostalgic. It’s about putting my twist on a classic, making it my own by adding a childhood staple to Bay Area culture. That’s how I got the business running and started. Then it was really just putting myself out there, doing pop-ups. I wouldn’t always be able to set up at an event, but I would sell outside on the sidewalks. Sometimes, they would invite me in because they would see people coming in with my drinks. I was consistent and persistent. From there my connection really built with different community organizations in San Francisco. It’s the biggest blessing to have that resource.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s always a lot of love. It’s not always about the sales, but just about the experience and making the most out of it. It’s always well received. It’s the Bay. We know hyphy. It’s a household name. It’s just about building unity regardless of what city or area you’re from. We just know how to turn it into a good time and create a positive experience. With everything in close proximity and accessible around the Bay — you got AC Transit, MUNI, BART — it’s important to get out and realize we’re all the same and the culture is everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Are there any community orgs who were particularly influential?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kidsclub.org/\">Boys and Girls Club of SF\u003c/a>. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.ltfrespuestalatina.com/\">Latino Task Force\u003c/a>. Those are the two that were consistently big supporters. I’m always trying to give back when I can. I’ve had other nonprofits reach out to me and ask me to donate my services. Bro, I’m a super small business. That would be breaking the bank for me, I can’t even do that (laughs). But when I can, I try to hook them up in other ways. I’m a Director of Operations at Goodwill, so I can connect them and create opportunities, help them set up tables, provide job resources, things like that. If it doesn’t work out with the Iceez, the bigger picture is still to support the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You grew up in the Mission. How has that shaped you and your business ideas?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up here, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13907726/e-40-goon-with-the-spoon-bay-area-rappers-food-entrepreneurs-hustle\">it’s full of hustlers\u003c/a>. By hustlers I mean people who are going to go out and get it by any means, regardless. Find a way. Make it happen. Before I did any of this, when I was a teenager, I was stealing car radios, car speakers, and that was one of my first hustles. Selling bootleg CDs. Downloading everything off Limewire. If a CD came out, I’d write down the track list at Target and then go home and download it and sell it. That’s a hustler culture, a mentality. Seeing that in the Bay, and from my family, I had to find a way to apply that to something bigger. That was a large influence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other aspect is about remixing things and making it your own. The Bay been doing that. A lot of people have pulled inspiration out of Bay culture, right? Through that, you learn how to align yourself and keep it authentic. It’s how we grew up — being able to keep it going and lit for future generations. One of my ultimate goals, bro, is to open up a storefront with a whole hyphy theme. But realistically that might not happen in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928811\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13928811 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A foodmaker serves cold slushies to a group of young children at an outdoor cultural event in San Francisco\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_kids.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Toledo serves a group of children in the Mission District during a free cultural event in October. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You went from stealing car radios as a youth to becoming a regional director for Goodwill? That’s major. What’s your blueprint for success?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right now, I oversee the main warehouse and transportation fleets all over the Bay Area’s [nine] counties. That’s 169 employees who report to me. But I started with Goodwill in a program for at-risk youth 12 years ago and got an entry level position in the warehouse. At that time, the program was called RAMP, and it was a job readiness program. It was dope. They helped to prepare me how to apply for jobs, how to interview, stuff like that. They provided professional attire, mock interviews, the basic fundamentals of communication. They taught me the importance of accountability and punctuality.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you weren’t brought up with those skill sets, you don’t really think about it. That’s kind of what helped me start up my first business, to be honest. Going through the program and learning about the store, becoming a manager. I realized if I can help run another person’s business, I can run my own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What was your biggest challenge during that transition?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not really having that financial literacy. I’ve learned — over years — I’ve learned through lessons. Originally, I would self-fund everything out-of-pocket with cash and not really think about building up my credit or looking into business credit cards. Things like that. The other night I was checking my emails and I saw a deadline for a small business grant, and the deadline was the next day. So I said fuck that and stayed up all night to apply. I might not get it, but I [filled out the application].\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finding and knowing about those resources is important. Every event, I learn more about being efficient, about presentation. I’m always open to learning and adapting, making changes and improving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928810\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13928810\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"A close up photo of a green slushy treat in a cup\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/hyphy_iceez_close-up-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Toledo takes his inspiration from a lifetime of Bay Area memories, including his mom’s graduation from UC Berkeley, which has a bear as a mascot. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I can’t end this interview without asking the main question: Who are your favorite hyphy rappers, and do you still listen to them? Why is it important to keep that alive?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>Of course. Keak da Sneak, E-40, Too Short, Mistah F.A.B., Mac Dre. San Quinn, for sure, in that era especially. The 2000s, he was coming consistent, non-stop. Yaddamean. There’s so many rappers and Bay artists, the list goes on and on. My kids listen to it through me, but I got a wide range of music that I mess with. I can go from oldies to R&B to rap to hyphy. It’s old-school player shit. We’ll be listening to Spanish music, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hyphy is still going on, but it’s not as prominent. Did you see Mistah F.A.B. and them are throwing \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86UW5FKUSDc\">The Hyphy Era Tour\u003c/a>? There’s also a cat on IG, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bigfolkspop/\">BigFolksPop\u003c/a>, we just chop it up, and I appreciate all his skits. They’re basically from the hyphy era, like waiting at the bus stop and seeing a Lightning McQueen backpack or [stoned] Spongebob shirt. The gangsta Spongebob. In the Bay, it’s all about making it your own. It goes back to that idea of making things unique by creating your own remix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Have you looked at our logo for Hyphy Iceez? It’s made by my friend, a local graphic designer, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chrystianguillermo/\">Chrystian Guillermo\u003c/a>, but it’s inspired by Cal Berkeley. My mom is an alumni from UC Berkeley. That’s a big part of the Bay, just like hyphy. It’s about making those connections and keeping that representation. So people see it and they know.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/hyphyiceez/\">\u003ci>Hyphy Iceez\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is available for private events and can be found serving various community orgs around the Bay Area. Currently, they are part of Frisco Fridays in partnership with \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/_city_chopped_/\">\u003ci>City Chopped\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> and \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/made.in.the.city/\">\u003ci>Made in the City\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>. Check their pages for listings on where and when they will be serving food and hyphy-themed drinks one Friday per month.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "mishmish-vegan-palestinian-pop-up",
"title": "Mishmish Reimagines Family-Style Palestinian Bites for Bay Area Vegans",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love the East Bay. On a spring afternoon, you can wander into an Oakland punk bar with an outdoor patio to enjoy a cocktail with a longtime friend and discuss the rise of artificial intelligence with a stranger at your table — all while sharing plates of fattoush (an Arabic salad) and foul medammes (a fava bean dip served with oil and pita bread) beneath the hazy sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Slow moments like this are welcomed in our fast-paced world — a chance to check in, make new connections and nourish a sense of self-care and community through an exchange of cultural lessons and life experiences. And, at least for this particular dive bar pop-up, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mishmishsouq/\">Mishmish\u003c/a> — Michelle Nazzal’s take on vegan Palestinian recipes with a Bay Area lens — is at the center of it all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Historically, \u003ca href=\"https://decolonizepalestine.com/intro/palestine-throughout-history/\">Palestine and its diaspora have had to fight to resist erasure and preserve their identity\u003c/a>. Nazzal’s grandparents immigrated from Palestine to San Francisco in the 1960s, and her family has long used food as a way to sustain themselves and those around them. After opening Arabic markets around the city, the family eventually moved to Petaluma, where Nazzal grew up taking notes on her grandmother’s cooking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Nazzal, who is mixed white and Palestinian, food transcends a mere meal. Instead, it becomes a way to acknowledge the resilience of others, a conduit to pass down sacred knowledge and a gathering point for intergenerational optimism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After stopping by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elismilehighclub/\">Eli’s Mile High Club\u003c/a> — where the pop-up ran throughout April — to experience Mishmish, I asked Nazzal about her connection to Palestine, Northern California and her grandmother’s recipes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: Let’s start with “Mishmish.” What does that concept mean for you, and how did it turn into a food pop-up?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Michelle Nazzal: \u003c/b>It’s something that’s very personal to me. It means “apricot” in Arabic. [But it’s also] a nickname my grandpa gave me as a kid. People in my family call me that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I was putting together Mishmish, it started out in a different format. I was a graphic designer [at the time] and I was thinking of ways to document food. I spent time with my grandma and wanted to catalog it. It started out as a [PDF] cookbook project, a personal thing with family photos and things like that. It sort of became a thing where I made food for friends, and they asked if I had a pop-up. My parents had a grocery and deli around San Francisco but I hadn’t thought about getting into making food. It’s different [from the family’s market]. It’s Palestinian and vegan. A lot of Palestinian food is innately vegan, but I took time to change recipes that are usually meat-centric. It started out in 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928353\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928353\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large.jpeg\" alt=\"a tray of Palestinian food is served at an outdoor patio in Oakland\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Foul medammes and fattoush served with a sweet pastry and pita bread. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In thinking about how I want Mishmish to feel, it’s welcoming and community-based. Providing things that are authentic and mostly traditional and hard to find, things I grew up with that are weird and niche, like jameed, a dried yogurt ball. It’s a really big process, but there’s no vegan version of that. I want to figure that out and offer it. Having my own twist on things that I’ve discovered and played around with as a vegan [that incorporate] other Arabic flavors as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Are apricots common in Palestinian food?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apricots are used frequently in desserts. You can get it in Turkish delight, puddings are made from or topped with it, compotes, jams. [It’s used] as a sweet component. There’s also a saying in Arabic, “Bukra fil mish-mish.” The season for apricots is so quick. They ripen and go bad really quickly. It’s a saying everyone always says. It’s like saying “when pigs fly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>When did your family migrate from Palestine to the Bay Area, and in what ways has food been passed on throughout that transition?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I grew up with this food because of my grandma. My grandparents immigrated here in the ‘60s with a rich culture and background and all their recipes. When \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-n-votes-for-partition-of-palestine\">the partition happened in the ‘40s\u003c/a>, my grandma was expelled from the land, which is now Tel Aviv. They decided they wanted to give the family a bit of a better life. A lot of [Palestinians] moved in the ‘60s. My family moved directly to San Francisco, around Cole Valley. They lived in one building, one family per floor, but all our family was together. My dad got to grow up with his first cousins in the same building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928382\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928382\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1.jpg\" alt='Old black-and-white photo of a woman standing inside a deli/market; a neon sign in back reads, \"Burgie!\"' width=\"1920\" height=\"1321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-800x550.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-1020x702.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-768x528.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-1536x1057.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nazzal’s grandmother, Laurain Nazzal, inside the market her family used to run at 41st and Balboa in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Michelle Nazzal)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My grandma grew up on a farm in Jericho, raising her food and livestock. The perspective she brings to [foodmaking] is from her region. My grandma taught me how to break down a vegetable or animal [because] it all has a purpose. We honor it. There’s something special about that. She showed me how to make a lot of things fully from scratch. There’s a tenderness and slowness to that. It can take multiple days; it’s involved and hands-on to prepare a big dish. It’s so community-based and community-oriented. Palestinians have a connection to the soil and agriculture which has been passed down through generations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up in the diaspora and having never gone to Palestine has been challenging, so my direct connection is through food and recipes. That’s how I connect to ancestral things I’ve inherited from my family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Why is it important for you to serve Palestinian food in today’s Bay Area?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s so much erasure happening with Palestine — the people, culture, land. Being in diaspora, you’re one step removed from everything, and the further you get and water it down, the more it gets diluted and starts disappearing. In the diaspora, it’s a good idea for us to represent those roots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928383\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928383\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal.jpg\" alt=\"Tattooed woman wearing black plastic gloves prepares a plate of rice inside a restaurant kitchen.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nazzal says she wants to introduce diners to Palestinian dishes that go beyond the usual hummus and shawarma. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My family comes from a Christian background, and there are a lot of Christian Palestinians in the Bay — especially in San Francisco, San Jose. If we went to a market, we knew people were Palestinian but it was never broadly announced. It’s challenging to honor your background as a small business owner, making sure it doesn’t affect your business. It was more challenging perhaps to do that back then, but it’s important to me to make that an essential part of what I’m doing. I don’t shy away from it. I have a punk and anarchist background so it’s important to honor that. Sharing my food, that’s important. Removing Palestine from it isn’t doing justice to the sacrifices my family has made.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What challenges have you faced as a Palestinian American food maker?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When people think of places like the Arab region there tends to be a stereotype about the people or how the food will taste. With Arab food people default to shawarma, falafel, hummus. But there’s so much nuance to our food. It’s challenging when you have a pop-up because there are certain expectations to [serve] things like hummus. But I don’t always want to give that to people. I want to share dishes I grew up with that are special to me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the most popular item you serve at Mishmish? And what’s an example of a traditional Palestinian dish that represents comfort for you?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928355\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1366px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928355\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1366\" height=\"2048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large.jpeg 1366w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-800x1199.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-1020x1529.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-160x240.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-768x1151.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-1025x1536.jpeg 1025w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1366px) 100vw, 1366px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bazella, a carrot and green pea stew, served at Mishmish. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My cashew labneh is a big hit. People who are lactose intolerant or maybe have never had labneh before love it. I’ve been a vegetarian for a long time and went vegan five or six years ago. I had to figure out how to replace knafeh, which is a cheese-based dessert, and labneh [with vegan substitutes]. That’s really special for me to share with people who have a similar background to experience and invoke those memories, but also for those who haven’t had it before to introduce those flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Depending upon where you’re from in Palestinian, there are very regional dishes. Labneh is, traditionally, yogurt that has been salted over time and fermented for over a week or so. Knafeh is very Palestinian, from Nablus. My family uses sweet and salty cheese and dough, like shredded filo, with orange powder and butter for a crunchy effect. It gets baked and dusted in sugar — it’s syrupy, very sweet, salty, crunchy. Depending on which region you’re from, they will make it differently. In Gaza they don’t use cheese; they make more of a baklava filling with spiced walnuts and pistachios. But it’s specifically Palestinian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are variations [of similar dishes in other regions]. Labneh, hummus, falafel — a lot of people in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, they all make similar food. But it’s important to highlight things that are specific to your culture, to make those differentiations. That’s important to me with Mishmish — to make dishes that have inspirations, maybe from Persian food or other Arab countries that are adjacent to Palestine, but I want to make sure to make that differentiation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928354\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 750px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928354\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/KU86MpD2.jpg-medium.jpeg\" alt=\"a menu for Mishmish, a Palestinian pop-up, offers a variety of family-style plates\" width=\"750\" height=\"1104\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/KU86MpD2.jpg-medium.jpeg 750w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/KU86MpD2.jpg-medium-160x236.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mishmish offers a rotating array of Palestinian and SSWANA-inspired vegan foods. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How has growing up in San Francisco and Petaluma influenced your approach to food?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I sometimes take special trips around the Bay to get something I’m specifically looking for. I remember being a kid and taking Muni with my grandma and going to different Filipino vendors to find things that are similar in our cultures. My grandma would find the closest possible thing to use in her cooking. That’s really special — being able to adapt and support other people and cultures. It’s a cool cross-cultural way of honoring food. It gives you a wider appreciation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few businesses here are an inspiration for me. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/queens_sf/?hl=en\">Queens\u003c/a> in San Francisco, a Korean market. They make and vend Korean foods and ingredients you can’t really find anywhere else. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reemscalifornia/\">Reem’s\u003c/a>, of course, is an amazing Arab street food place and bakery. I love their idea of creating equitable workplaces for people. That’s important to how I structure my business and how I want to hire and provide a safe work environment for people who are paid well. I also like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/liondancecafe/\">Lion Dance\u003c/a> — they’re a vegan Singaporean restaurant here in Oakland. I appreciate their approach. One of the owners is Singaporean and the other is Italian, so they’ve created a beautiful menu that honors the authenticity of their foods and cultures. I celebrate that and want to see that more for SSWANA people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s SSWANA?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13918017,arts_13925984,arts_13920581']\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13918017/jeweled-rice-art-persian-food-sswana-middle-eastern-pop-up\">SSWANA\u003c/a> means South Asian, Southwest Asian and North African. When you think of Middle Eastern versus SSWANA, SSWANA is actually more accurate. Middle Eastern is a colonized word and term that was created by people who aren’t Arab. I’m trying to help change that narrative by changing my vocabulary. I’ve had a wild experience filling out my ethnicity on census forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>That’s dope, I didn’t know that. I think specificity is important for the liberation of all groups. What’s next on your food journey?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It feels good to see where I’ve gone without any [formal] cooking background. I’ve cooked with my family throughout my life, but by figuring out how to make food to order and things like that, I’ve made progress. I’m always wondering: What feels good? How do I want to move forward? What that means for me right now is I’ll probably move away from the pop-up format and go into farmers markets and package my food and eventually keep building toward my brick-and-mortar grocery and deli. When I first started out I didn’t have the intention of it being a full-blown food project, but it went on that trajectory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.mishmishsouq.com/\">\u003ci>Mishmish\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> operates as a roaming pop-up around the Bay Area. \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mishmishsouq/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Check online\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> for updates on locations and menus. They appear every second Sunday of the month at Birba Wine Bar (458 Grove St., San Francisco) from 1–8 p.m. They will also pop up at\u003c/i> \u003ci>Millennium Restaurant (5912 College Ave., Oakland) on Sun., May 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Abacus Row (1256 Mason St., San Francisco) on Sat., June 24, time TBD.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Michelle Nazzal is expanding the Bay Area's vocabulary of Palestinian food beyond the usual hummus and shawarma.",
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"title": "Mishmish Reimagines Family-Style Palestinian Bites for Bay Area Vegans | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love the East Bay. On a spring afternoon, you can wander into an Oakland punk bar with an outdoor patio to enjoy a cocktail with a longtime friend and discuss the rise of artificial intelligence with a stranger at your table — all while sharing plates of fattoush (an Arabic salad) and foul medammes (a fava bean dip served with oil and pita bread) beneath the hazy sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Slow moments like this are welcomed in our fast-paced world — a chance to check in, make new connections and nourish a sense of self-care and community through an exchange of cultural lessons and life experiences. And, at least for this particular dive bar pop-up, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mishmishsouq/\">Mishmish\u003c/a> — Michelle Nazzal’s take on vegan Palestinian recipes with a Bay Area lens — is at the center of it all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Historically, \u003ca href=\"https://decolonizepalestine.com/intro/palestine-throughout-history/\">Palestine and its diaspora have had to fight to resist erasure and preserve their identity\u003c/a>. Nazzal’s grandparents immigrated from Palestine to San Francisco in the 1960s, and her family has long used food as a way to sustain themselves and those around them. After opening Arabic markets around the city, the family eventually moved to Petaluma, where Nazzal grew up taking notes on her grandmother’s cooking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Nazzal, who is mixed white and Palestinian, food transcends a mere meal. Instead, it becomes a way to acknowledge the resilience of others, a conduit to pass down sacred knowledge and a gathering point for intergenerational optimism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After stopping by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elismilehighclub/\">Eli’s Mile High Club\u003c/a> — where the pop-up ran throughout April — to experience Mishmish, I asked Nazzal about her connection to Palestine, Northern California and her grandmother’s recipes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: Let’s start with “Mishmish.” What does that concept mean for you, and how did it turn into a food pop-up?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Michelle Nazzal: \u003c/b>It’s something that’s very personal to me. It means “apricot” in Arabic. [But it’s also] a nickname my grandpa gave me as a kid. People in my family call me that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I was putting together Mishmish, it started out in a different format. I was a graphic designer [at the time] and I was thinking of ways to document food. I spent time with my grandma and wanted to catalog it. It started out as a [PDF] cookbook project, a personal thing with family photos and things like that. It sort of became a thing where I made food for friends, and they asked if I had a pop-up. My parents had a grocery and deli around San Francisco but I hadn’t thought about getting into making food. It’s different [from the family’s market]. It’s Palestinian and vegan. A lot of Palestinian food is innately vegan, but I took time to change recipes that are usually meat-centric. It started out in 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928353\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928353\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large.jpeg\" alt=\"a tray of Palestinian food is served at an outdoor patio in Oakland\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/uag2vFZW.jpg-large-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Foul medammes and fattoush served with a sweet pastry and pita bread. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In thinking about how I want Mishmish to feel, it’s welcoming and community-based. Providing things that are authentic and mostly traditional and hard to find, things I grew up with that are weird and niche, like jameed, a dried yogurt ball. It’s a really big process, but there’s no vegan version of that. I want to figure that out and offer it. Having my own twist on things that I’ve discovered and played around with as a vegan [that incorporate] other Arabic flavors as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Are apricots common in Palestinian food?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apricots are used frequently in desserts. You can get it in Turkish delight, puddings are made from or topped with it, compotes, jams. [It’s used] as a sweet component. There’s also a saying in Arabic, “Bukra fil mish-mish.” The season for apricots is so quick. They ripen and go bad really quickly. It’s a saying everyone always says. It’s like saying “when pigs fly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>When did your family migrate from Palestine to the Bay Area, and in what ways has food been passed on throughout that transition?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I grew up with this food because of my grandma. My grandparents immigrated here in the ‘60s with a rich culture and background and all their recipes. When \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-n-votes-for-partition-of-palestine\">the partition happened in the ‘40s\u003c/a>, my grandma was expelled from the land, which is now Tel Aviv. They decided they wanted to give the family a bit of a better life. A lot of [Palestinians] moved in the ‘60s. My family moved directly to San Francisco, around Cole Valley. They lived in one building, one family per floor, but all our family was together. My dad got to grow up with his first cousins in the same building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928382\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928382\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1.jpg\" alt='Old black-and-white photo of a woman standing inside a deli/market; a neon sign in back reads, \"Burgie!\"' width=\"1920\" height=\"1321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-800x550.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-1020x702.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-768x528.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Tete_RichmondMarket-1-1536x1057.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nazzal’s grandmother, Laurain Nazzal, inside the market her family used to run at 41st and Balboa in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Michelle Nazzal)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My grandma grew up on a farm in Jericho, raising her food and livestock. The perspective she brings to [foodmaking] is from her region. My grandma taught me how to break down a vegetable or animal [because] it all has a purpose. We honor it. There’s something special about that. She showed me how to make a lot of things fully from scratch. There’s a tenderness and slowness to that. It can take multiple days; it’s involved and hands-on to prepare a big dish. It’s so community-based and community-oriented. Palestinians have a connection to the soil and agriculture which has been passed down through generations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up in the diaspora and having never gone to Palestine has been challenging, so my direct connection is through food and recipes. That’s how I connect to ancestral things I’ve inherited from my family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Why is it important for you to serve Palestinian food in today’s Bay Area?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s so much erasure happening with Palestine — the people, culture, land. Being in diaspora, you’re one step removed from everything, and the further you get and water it down, the more it gets diluted and starts disappearing. In the diaspora, it’s a good idea for us to represent those roots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928383\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928383\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal.jpg\" alt=\"Tattooed woman wearing black plastic gloves prepares a plate of rice inside a restaurant kitchen.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/mishmish_nazzal-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nazzal says she wants to introduce diners to Palestinian dishes that go beyond the usual hummus and shawarma. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My family comes from a Christian background, and there are a lot of Christian Palestinians in the Bay — especially in San Francisco, San Jose. If we went to a market, we knew people were Palestinian but it was never broadly announced. It’s challenging to honor your background as a small business owner, making sure it doesn’t affect your business. It was more challenging perhaps to do that back then, but it’s important to me to make that an essential part of what I’m doing. I don’t shy away from it. I have a punk and anarchist background so it’s important to honor that. Sharing my food, that’s important. Removing Palestine from it isn’t doing justice to the sacrifices my family has made.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What challenges have you faced as a Palestinian American food maker?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When people think of places like the Arab region there tends to be a stereotype about the people or how the food will taste. With Arab food people default to shawarma, falafel, hummus. But there’s so much nuance to our food. It’s challenging when you have a pop-up because there are certain expectations to [serve] things like hummus. But I don’t always want to give that to people. I want to share dishes I grew up with that are special to me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the most popular item you serve at Mishmish? And what’s an example of a traditional Palestinian dish that represents comfort for you?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928355\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1366px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928355\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1366\" height=\"2048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large.jpeg 1366w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-800x1199.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-1020x1529.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-160x240.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-768x1151.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/5HOA9KqO.jpg-large-1025x1536.jpeg 1025w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1366px) 100vw, 1366px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bazella, a carrot and green pea stew, served at Mishmish. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My cashew labneh is a big hit. People who are lactose intolerant or maybe have never had labneh before love it. I’ve been a vegetarian for a long time and went vegan five or six years ago. I had to figure out how to replace knafeh, which is a cheese-based dessert, and labneh [with vegan substitutes]. That’s really special for me to share with people who have a similar background to experience and invoke those memories, but also for those who haven’t had it before to introduce those flavors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Depending upon where you’re from in Palestinian, there are very regional dishes. Labneh is, traditionally, yogurt that has been salted over time and fermented for over a week or so. Knafeh is very Palestinian, from Nablus. My family uses sweet and salty cheese and dough, like shredded filo, with orange powder and butter for a crunchy effect. It gets baked and dusted in sugar — it’s syrupy, very sweet, salty, crunchy. Depending on which region you’re from, they will make it differently. In Gaza they don’t use cheese; they make more of a baklava filling with spiced walnuts and pistachios. But it’s specifically Palestinian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are variations [of similar dishes in other regions]. Labneh, hummus, falafel — a lot of people in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, they all make similar food. But it’s important to highlight things that are specific to your culture, to make those differentiations. That’s important to me with Mishmish — to make dishes that have inspirations, maybe from Persian food or other Arab countries that are adjacent to Palestine, but I want to make sure to make that differentiation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13928354\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 750px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13928354\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/KU86MpD2.jpg-medium.jpeg\" alt=\"a menu for Mishmish, a Palestinian pop-up, offers a variety of family-style plates\" width=\"750\" height=\"1104\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/KU86MpD2.jpg-medium.jpeg 750w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/KU86MpD2.jpg-medium-160x236.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mishmish offers a rotating array of Palestinian and SSWANA-inspired vegan foods. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How has growing up in San Francisco and Petaluma influenced your approach to food?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I sometimes take special trips around the Bay to get something I’m specifically looking for. I remember being a kid and taking Muni with my grandma and going to different Filipino vendors to find things that are similar in our cultures. My grandma would find the closest possible thing to use in her cooking. That’s really special — being able to adapt and support other people and cultures. It’s a cool cross-cultural way of honoring food. It gives you a wider appreciation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few businesses here are an inspiration for me. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/queens_sf/?hl=en\">Queens\u003c/a> in San Francisco, a Korean market. They make and vend Korean foods and ingredients you can’t really find anywhere else. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reemscalifornia/\">Reem’s\u003c/a>, of course, is an amazing Arab street food place and bakery. I love their idea of creating equitable workplaces for people. That’s important to how I structure my business and how I want to hire and provide a safe work environment for people who are paid well. I also like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/liondancecafe/\">Lion Dance\u003c/a> — they’re a vegan Singaporean restaurant here in Oakland. I appreciate their approach. One of the owners is Singaporean and the other is Italian, so they’ve created a beautiful menu that honors the authenticity of their foods and cultures. I celebrate that and want to see that more for SSWANA people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s SSWANA?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13918017/jeweled-rice-art-persian-food-sswana-middle-eastern-pop-up\">SSWANA\u003c/a> means South Asian, Southwest Asian and North African. When you think of Middle Eastern versus SSWANA, SSWANA is actually more accurate. Middle Eastern is a colonized word and term that was created by people who aren’t Arab. I’m trying to help change that narrative by changing my vocabulary. I’ve had a wild experience filling out my ethnicity on census forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>That’s dope, I didn’t know that. I think specificity is important for the liberation of all groups. What’s next on your food journey?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It feels good to see where I’ve gone without any [formal] cooking background. I’ve cooked with my family throughout my life, but by figuring out how to make food to order and things like that, I’ve made progress. I’m always wondering: What feels good? How do I want to move forward? What that means for me right now is I’ll probably move away from the pop-up format and go into farmers markets and package my food and eventually keep building toward my brick-and-mortar grocery and deli. When I first started out I didn’t have the intention of it being a full-blown food project, but it went on that trajectory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.mishmishsouq.com/\">\u003ci>Mishmish\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> operates as a roaming pop-up around the Bay Area. \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mishmishsouq/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Check online\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> for updates on locations and menus. They appear every second Sunday of the month at Birba Wine Bar (458 Grove St., San Francisco) from 1–8 p.m. They will also pop up at\u003c/i> \u003ci>Millennium Restaurant (5912 College Ave., Oakland) on Sun., May 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Abacus Row (1256 Mason St., San Francisco) on Sat., June 24, time TBD.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "davey-jones-deli-sandwiches-sausalito-hella-hungry",
"title": "Davey Jones Deli is Sausalito’s Hidden Sandwich Paradise",
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"headTitle": "Davey Jones Deli is Sausalito’s Hidden Sandwich Paradise | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a certain feeling of escape whenever I cross the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge into the more affluent areas of the North Bay, where ocean views extend peacefully from the base of Mount Tamalpais towards the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco’s glittered skyline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet behind every Instagram-worthy glamour shot in these high-end destinations, there’s also a blue-collar grit: sailors, dock workers, immigrants, farm laborers, wanderers and the general working class who’ve taken refuge away from the larger nearby cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Davey Jones Deli is an example of that — an old-school sandwich shop inside a Sausalito liquor store on the literal edge of land, founded by a man who lives on a boat. It’s where the “waterfront people” go to eat, stock up on fishing supplies and pick up their favorite alcohols. It’s not exactly where you’d expect to find some of the North Bay’s best sandos. But it’s where X marks the spot, and for much of the Bay Area, this quirky nautical eatery is only a short drive (or ferry ride) away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The veteran sandwich maker and owner, David “Davey Jones” Johnson, is more seaman than landwalker, and perhaps the friendliest pirate soul you’ll ever meet. (He might even draw you a map of the area and label it a “treasure map,” divulging his favorite locations for local walks with ocean views).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m a part of the waterfront, the working waterfront,” he says. “People live on boats and work with their hands. And then there’s the wealth of the hills. But this is part of the waterfront here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside the shop you can explore crab traps, octopus hooks, snatch swivels, rope and an array of other fishermen’s equipment while waiting to load up on a barbecue brisket sandwich or veggie delight stuffed between sourdough. Afterward, it’s worth wandering around the surrounding area to enjoy the nearby vistas for an ideal lunch. Trust me, even if the treasure isn’t the kind that pirates bury, those views are worth the trip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927895\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13927895\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop.jpg\" alt=\"A cook prepares a sandwich in a deli kitchen\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-800x500.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-1020x638.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-160x100.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-768x480.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-1536x960.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Johnson, the owner of Davey Jones Deli, prepares a sandwich. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Here’s the skinny on how this sailor built a paradise for sandwich lovers in an unlikely hideout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: So Davey Jones isn’t your name, huh? Where did that come from?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>David Johnson:\u003c/b> Growing up I was David. Dave sounded too much like a farmer from Iowa, where I grew up. After college, I spent four years in South Africa, working. My partner was a fisherman, I was a sailor. We were running a bar in a jungle. He asked me if I’d met Davey Jones. I just said yeah, that I did. So everyone started calling me that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You ran a bar in a jungle?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yeah, it was wild. My buddy was building a community and he wanted to create something for backpackers. I just wanted to hang around. We helped out by taking the tourist money and giving it back to the community. I imported my food and sold a lot of local fish. We had a little fish market with peanuts and fruits and things. Off the grid. Heated our own water. We had a hundred people using toilets and showers. We’d compost everything and work with the locals and became self-sustainable. We talk about organic food in the U.S.? That was no comparison. That experience taught me about DIY, build it yourself. Use what you got. The deli is like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927899\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13927899 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"an employee at Davey Jones Deli prepares a whole roasted turkey\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An employee at Davey Jones Deli prepares a whole roasted turkey before the lunch hour rush arrives. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’ve been operating Davey Jones Deli for 13 years now — how did that happen? How did you end up in Sausalito? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I kept going back to boating, tried to live in New Orleans, Milwaukee, always on a boat in places that had water. The Great Lakes. All up and down the East Coast. Prince Edward Islands. Boston, Philly, Charleston. The great East Coast cities by the sea. At one point, in 2009, I was working on a yacht in Yoruba. I was on Facebook and got connected to my best friend from high school, who’s now my wife. She was living on a houseboat in Sausalito. I’d never considered it and had never been [to San Francisco]. I said, why not?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first, I had no idea where I was. I didn’t know Sausalito was a rich city. I just knew there were farms, and I used that to my advantage. I found a reasonable houseboat situation, and my plan was to just sell soup to my neighbors, which I did for a while. [At the time] I would just be breezing through the bait shop to buy firewood, and the owner approached me to run his deli one day. I never noticed it before, to be honest; the lights were always off. It was covered in grease, and I just laughed it off and didn’t take it seriously. But after thinking about it, I went back. I decided to run it my own way, with poetic license. I was a chef at the time. My personal clients were not happy since they thought it was gross. They thought I’d spend a couple of years there and attract investors and just move on, but it has been so comfortable and I’ve been here ever since. I walk to work and it’s a super diverse community — one of the most racially diverse spots in southern Marin. I like that East Coast bodega vibe. It’s loud, fun, unlikely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>When did your passion for food making begin?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It started while working on educational tall ships. There’s one in Sausalito called the Matthew Turner. We take students and scientists out. I actually have a degree in Environmental Science, and I wanted to be a captain at one point. But this one time, we had a terrible cook, and it just destroyed our bodies (laughs). I took over and served some healthier organic foods and inadvertently became a sea cook. It’s tricky with our budget — there isn’t much money in nonprofit, educational tall ships. A lot of wheeling and dealing in port towns. You get creative — meeting fishermen, getting clammers and steamers by trades, finding unlikely food places.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927898\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13927898\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-800x533.jpg\" alt='a handdrawn \"treasure map\" with local sites to visit' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Johnson’s hand-drawn ‘treasure map.’ \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Did you have any cooking experience before that?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I cooked my way through college. I didn’t just work anywhere. I was interested in particular scenes and worked my way through some cool restaurants. I picked up knife skills, things like that. I had \u003ci>The Joy of Cooking\u003c/i> memorized by the time I was on the sea. I started working at a vegetarian restaurant back then near the university. Imagine quinoa in Iowa in ‘98. Seitan burritos. Things like that. It’s not like today. We were next to a university, and here I am in the courtyard serving shiitake corn soup and people are asking me about sodium. We had some really challenging customers. But you take that to sea. You can’t have everything you want. And food should make you feel well emotionally, spiritually, economically, physically — you shouldn’t live on a militant diet forever. Chicken dumplings will get you right, know what I mean?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927942\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13927942\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A middle-aged woman in glasses stands behind sa deli counter, her blonde hair tied in a bun.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A deli employee is ready take down a sandwich order. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We’re here to nourish people and give. It’s all about giving. Whoever is trying to prove themselves with food, I’m not interested. My 75-year-old neighbor will roast the hell out of a chicken, that’s what I’m into. The best food is at home, hands down. I only go to restaurants when I’m lazy or for social reasons, maybe the food makes me feel good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.331fish.com/\">Fish\u003c/a> — that’s a restaurant here in Sausalito — it makes me feel amazing. It’s sustainable with crazy views, but don’t go in the middle of a rush. Hit that up in the side hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You have creatively named sandwiches on \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.daveyjonesdeli.com/menu\">\u003cb>your menu\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb> with a notable array of options — from the housemade hummus in the “Vulcan Wrap” to the veggielicious “Kerouwhack” or the BBQ brisket and bacon in the “Mr. L.” Where do these original names and ideas come from?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I hate sandwiches named after famous people like athletes (laughs). These are named after staff workers and former employees. Each one reminds me of them. Mr. L was a staff member here, who was re-entering society. He would just make sandwiches. Kerouwahck came from a fun guy, Pinky — he wanted to become a vegetarian, so he made that [sandwich] as a savory and sweet affair. These workers pretty much invented the sandwiches themselves using my kits. Some of them were jokes. A guy came in the door once and stared at all the ingredients on the menu for about 10 minutes, then ordered his sandwich. We named it after him, and will name them [after customers] if they’re fucking clever. [That particular customer] just looked like someone’s uncle, so that’s what we named it “Uncle’s.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We only have two rules here. Rule #1: no fire, no fryer. Rule #2: no additives or preservatives. That’s why we’re not in the salami game. I like it, but it’s not very healthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927900\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13927900\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap.jpg\" alt=\"David Johnson prepares a vegan wrap in his deli's kitchen\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Johnson prepares a vegan ‘Vulcan Wrap,’ the most popular item on the menu. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>San Francisco is famous for its sourdough loaves. Where does Davey Jones get bread from?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our local bakery is \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/san-rafael-bakery-celebrates-100-years-of-making-sourdough/\">Bordenave [a 105-year-old bakery in San Rafael]\u003c/a>. Their bread is local; they’re our neighbors. Sourdough rolls are hard, and if we’re putting 16 ingredients in, it just squishes out. We rip most of the bread out of the middle to add more spinach, sprouts, cucumbers, nutrients. We can stuff delicious veggies over the bread. [Bread is] just a wrapper. The business of sandwiches is an expression of self. Dr. Jones is a bit different — we don’t do sandwiches at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s Dr. Jones?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s private catering I do on beaches, barbecues on the waterfront or on boats, picnics on Angel Island, that sort of stuff. I do it all around Sonoma, Napa — outdoor cooking. The deli can only pay my bills, and I like to travel internationally, so I like to cater. We have a website called \u003ca href=\"https://www.portandprovisions.com/\">Port and Provisions\u003c/a> that just highlights our catering cohort, nothing serious. We don’t answer emails or phones. I just like being an outdoor chef. It’s not a company, just me and some chef friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"David Johnson\"]“One night, I was working late and the sandwich gods whispered in my ear and said, ‘Bro, you’re a sandwich deli.’ When the sandwich gods speak directly to you, you listen.”[/pullquote]\u003cb>What’s the secret for making a perfect Bay Area sandwich?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, here’s a secret: Sandwiches are not really a passion of mine. I make them a lot when I travel, especially at my mom’s house. It’s lazy food. There are sandwich aficionados on Instagram, and I love that they love it that much. But I don’t go out of my way for a sandwich. When I was trying to figure out what the deli was, I was doing smoothies, porridge, quiche, lasagnas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One night, I was working late and the sandwich gods whispered in my ear and said, “Bro, you’re a sandwich deli.” When the sandwich gods speak directly to you, you listen. At that point, I started to wonder about the world’s best sandwiches: the Reuben, Cuban, so on. I started out making the famous ones. I got busier and had too many ingredients so had to pare it down. We have no fire, no frying, no additives here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927897\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 720px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13927897 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_fishing_720.jpg\" alt=\"an array of fishermen's supplies available inside a liquor store in Sausalito\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_fishing_720.jpg 720w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_fishing_720-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An array of fishermen’s supplies are available inside New Bait Shop Market. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13926749,arts_13909648,arts_13899700']\u003c/span>It’s not really about the sandwiches; I’m just a pretty good cook, and I’m nice to my people, and that is more magic than anything. I thought I might work in environmental remediation or environmental justice at one point but got no responses to any of the several hundred applications I sent out. It was like a “whoops” when I became a chef. It’s been comfy though — no commute, space for my catering. [The food industry] can be very brutal, so I have to also take care of myself. Watching those rotator cuffs (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigrants come here and build a restaurant or work in kitchens, and we [Americans] tell our kids that it’s not honorable to sweep or mop — that being in food isn’t honorable. But my uncle once told me that the only honorable work on this planet is food — farming — and it’s true. They’re the only real producers. Everyone else is just taking and being a user. I don’t think there’s any honor in the craft of charging subscription fees (laughs). I’d just like people to honor chefs and the kitchen rather than hoping kids can do something better. Food is our first basic need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-12127869 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://www.daveyjonesdeli.com/\">Davey Jones Deli\u003c/a> is located inside New Bait Shop Market (1 Gate 6 Rd., Sausalito). The deli is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (or until sold out). \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a certain feeling of escape whenever I cross the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge into the more affluent areas of the North Bay, where ocean views extend peacefully from the base of Mount Tamalpais towards the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco’s glittered skyline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet behind every Instagram-worthy glamour shot in these high-end destinations, there’s also a blue-collar grit: sailors, dock workers, immigrants, farm laborers, wanderers and the general working class who’ve taken refuge away from the larger nearby cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Davey Jones Deli is an example of that — an old-school sandwich shop inside a Sausalito liquor store on the literal edge of land, founded by a man who lives on a boat. It’s where the “waterfront people” go to eat, stock up on fishing supplies and pick up their favorite alcohols. It’s not exactly where you’d expect to find some of the North Bay’s best sandos. But it’s where X marks the spot, and for much of the Bay Area, this quirky nautical eatery is only a short drive (or ferry ride) away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The veteran sandwich maker and owner, David “Davey Jones” Johnson, is more seaman than landwalker, and perhaps the friendliest pirate soul you’ll ever meet. (He might even draw you a map of the area and label it a “treasure map,” divulging his favorite locations for local walks with ocean views).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m a part of the waterfront, the working waterfront,” he says. “People live on boats and work with their hands. And then there’s the wealth of the hills. But this is part of the waterfront here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside the shop you can explore crab traps, octopus hooks, snatch swivels, rope and an array of other fishermen’s equipment while waiting to load up on a barbecue brisket sandwich or veggie delight stuffed between sourdough. Afterward, it’s worth wandering around the surrounding area to enjoy the nearby vistas for an ideal lunch. Trust me, even if the treasure isn’t the kind that pirates bury, those views are worth the trip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927895\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13927895\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop.jpg\" alt=\"A cook prepares a sandwich in a deli kitchen\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-800x500.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-1020x638.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-160x100.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-768x480.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_david_johnson_crop-1536x960.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Johnson, the owner of Davey Jones Deli, prepares a sandwich. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Here’s the skinny on how this sailor built a paradise for sandwich lovers in an unlikely hideout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: So Davey Jones isn’t your name, huh? Where did that come from?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>David Johnson:\u003c/b> Growing up I was David. Dave sounded too much like a farmer from Iowa, where I grew up. After college, I spent four years in South Africa, working. My partner was a fisherman, I was a sailor. We were running a bar in a jungle. He asked me if I’d met Davey Jones. I just said yeah, that I did. So everyone started calling me that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You ran a bar in a jungle?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yeah, it was wild. My buddy was building a community and he wanted to create something for backpackers. I just wanted to hang around. We helped out by taking the tourist money and giving it back to the community. I imported my food and sold a lot of local fish. We had a little fish market with peanuts and fruits and things. Off the grid. Heated our own water. We had a hundred people using toilets and showers. We’d compost everything and work with the locals and became self-sustainable. We talk about organic food in the U.S.? That was no comparison. That experience taught me about DIY, build it yourself. Use what you got. The deli is like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927899\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13927899 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"an employee at Davey Jones Deli prepares a whole roasted turkey\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_turkey-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An employee at Davey Jones Deli prepares a whole roasted turkey before the lunch hour rush arrives. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’ve been operating Davey Jones Deli for 13 years now — how did that happen? How did you end up in Sausalito? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I kept going back to boating, tried to live in New Orleans, Milwaukee, always on a boat in places that had water. The Great Lakes. All up and down the East Coast. Prince Edward Islands. Boston, Philly, Charleston. The great East Coast cities by the sea. At one point, in 2009, I was working on a yacht in Yoruba. I was on Facebook and got connected to my best friend from high school, who’s now my wife. She was living on a houseboat in Sausalito. I’d never considered it and had never been [to San Francisco]. I said, why not?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first, I had no idea where I was. I didn’t know Sausalito was a rich city. I just knew there were farms, and I used that to my advantage. I found a reasonable houseboat situation, and my plan was to just sell soup to my neighbors, which I did for a while. [At the time] I would just be breezing through the bait shop to buy firewood, and the owner approached me to run his deli one day. I never noticed it before, to be honest; the lights were always off. It was covered in grease, and I just laughed it off and didn’t take it seriously. But after thinking about it, I went back. I decided to run it my own way, with poetic license. I was a chef at the time. My personal clients were not happy since they thought it was gross. They thought I’d spend a couple of years there and attract investors and just move on, but it has been so comfortable and I’ve been here ever since. I walk to work and it’s a super diverse community — one of the most racially diverse spots in southern Marin. I like that East Coast bodega vibe. It’s loud, fun, unlikely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>When did your passion for food making begin?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It started while working on educational tall ships. There’s one in Sausalito called the Matthew Turner. We take students and scientists out. I actually have a degree in Environmental Science, and I wanted to be a captain at one point. But this one time, we had a terrible cook, and it just destroyed our bodies (laughs). I took over and served some healthier organic foods and inadvertently became a sea cook. It’s tricky with our budget — there isn’t much money in nonprofit, educational tall ships. A lot of wheeling and dealing in port towns. You get creative — meeting fishermen, getting clammers and steamers by trades, finding unlikely food places.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927898\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13927898\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-800x533.jpg\" alt='a handdrawn \"treasure map\" with local sites to visit' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_map.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Johnson’s hand-drawn ‘treasure map.’ \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Did you have any cooking experience before that?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I cooked my way through college. I didn’t just work anywhere. I was interested in particular scenes and worked my way through some cool restaurants. I picked up knife skills, things like that. I had \u003ci>The Joy of Cooking\u003c/i> memorized by the time I was on the sea. I started working at a vegetarian restaurant back then near the university. Imagine quinoa in Iowa in ‘98. Seitan burritos. Things like that. It’s not like today. We were next to a university, and here I am in the courtyard serving shiitake corn soup and people are asking me about sodium. We had some really challenging customers. But you take that to sea. You can’t have everything you want. And food should make you feel well emotionally, spiritually, economically, physically — you shouldn’t live on a militant diet forever. Chicken dumplings will get you right, know what I mean?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927942\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13927942\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A middle-aged woman in glasses stands behind sa deli counter, her blonde hair tied in a bun.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey-jones_worker-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A deli employee is ready take down a sandwich order. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We’re here to nourish people and give. It’s all about giving. Whoever is trying to prove themselves with food, I’m not interested. My 75-year-old neighbor will roast the hell out of a chicken, that’s what I’m into. The best food is at home, hands down. I only go to restaurants when I’m lazy or for social reasons, maybe the food makes me feel good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.331fish.com/\">Fish\u003c/a> — that’s a restaurant here in Sausalito — it makes me feel amazing. It’s sustainable with crazy views, but don’t go in the middle of a rush. Hit that up in the side hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You have creatively named sandwiches on \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.daveyjonesdeli.com/menu\">\u003cb>your menu\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb> with a notable array of options — from the housemade hummus in the “Vulcan Wrap” to the veggielicious “Kerouwhack” or the BBQ brisket and bacon in the “Mr. L.” Where do these original names and ideas come from?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I hate sandwiches named after famous people like athletes (laughs). These are named after staff workers and former employees. Each one reminds me of them. Mr. L was a staff member here, who was re-entering society. He would just make sandwiches. Kerouwahck came from a fun guy, Pinky — he wanted to become a vegetarian, so he made that [sandwich] as a savory and sweet affair. These workers pretty much invented the sandwiches themselves using my kits. Some of them were jokes. A guy came in the door once and stared at all the ingredients on the menu for about 10 minutes, then ordered his sandwich. We named it after him, and will name them [after customers] if they’re fucking clever. [That particular customer] just looked like someone’s uncle, so that’s what we named it “Uncle’s.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We only have two rules here. Rule #1: no fire, no fryer. Rule #2: no additives or preservatives. That’s why we’re not in the salami game. I like it, but it’s not very healthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927900\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13927900\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap.jpg\" alt=\"David Johnson prepares a vegan wrap in his deli's kitchen\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_wrap-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Johnson prepares a vegan ‘Vulcan Wrap,’ the most popular item on the menu. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>San Francisco is famous for its sourdough loaves. Where does Davey Jones get bread from?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our local bakery is \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/san-rafael-bakery-celebrates-100-years-of-making-sourdough/\">Bordenave [a 105-year-old bakery in San Rafael]\u003c/a>. Their bread is local; they’re our neighbors. Sourdough rolls are hard, and if we’re putting 16 ingredients in, it just squishes out. We rip most of the bread out of the middle to add more spinach, sprouts, cucumbers, nutrients. We can stuff delicious veggies over the bread. [Bread is] just a wrapper. The business of sandwiches is an expression of self. Dr. Jones is a bit different — we don’t do sandwiches at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s Dr. Jones?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s private catering I do on beaches, barbecues on the waterfront or on boats, picnics on Angel Island, that sort of stuff. I do it all around Sonoma, Napa — outdoor cooking. The deli can only pay my bills, and I like to travel internationally, so I like to cater. We have a website called \u003ca href=\"https://www.portandprovisions.com/\">Port and Provisions\u003c/a> that just highlights our catering cohort, nothing serious. We don’t answer emails or phones. I just like being an outdoor chef. It’s not a company, just me and some chef friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "“One night, I was working late and the sandwich gods whispered in my ear and said, ‘Bro, you’re a sandwich deli.’ When the sandwich gods speak directly to you, you listen.”",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the secret for making a perfect Bay Area sandwich?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, here’s a secret: Sandwiches are not really a passion of mine. I make them a lot when I travel, especially at my mom’s house. It’s lazy food. There are sandwich aficionados on Instagram, and I love that they love it that much. But I don’t go out of my way for a sandwich. When I was trying to figure out what the deli was, I was doing smoothies, porridge, quiche, lasagnas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One night, I was working late and the sandwich gods whispered in my ear and said, “Bro, you’re a sandwich deli.” When the sandwich gods speak directly to you, you listen. At that point, I started to wonder about the world’s best sandwiches: the Reuben, Cuban, so on. I started out making the famous ones. I got busier and had too many ingredients so had to pare it down. We have no fire, no frying, no additives here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13927897\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 720px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13927897 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_fishing_720.jpg\" alt=\"an array of fishermen's supplies available inside a liquor store in Sausalito\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_fishing_720.jpg 720w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/davey_jones_fishing_720-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An array of fishermen’s supplies are available inside New Bait Shop Market. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>It’s not really about the sandwiches; I’m just a pretty good cook, and I’m nice to my people, and that is more magic than anything. I thought I might work in environmental remediation or environmental justice at one point but got no responses to any of the several hundred applications I sent out. It was like a “whoops” when I became a chef. It’s been comfy though — no commute, space for my catering. [The food industry] can be very brutal, so I have to also take care of myself. Watching those rotator cuffs (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigrants come here and build a restaurant or work in kitchens, and we [Americans] tell our kids that it’s not honorable to sweep or mop — that being in food isn’t honorable. But my uncle once told me that the only honorable work on this planet is food — farming — and it’s true. They’re the only real producers. Everyone else is just taking and being a user. I don’t think there’s any honor in the craft of charging subscription fees (laughs). I’d just like people to honor chefs and the kitchen rather than hoping kids can do something better. Food is our first basic need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-12127869 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://www.daveyjonesdeli.com/\">Davey Jones Deli\u003c/a> is located inside New Bait Shop Market (1 Gate 6 Rd., Sausalito). The deli is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (or until sold out). \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>generation\u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci> local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jamaican beef patties are one of those foods you can only truly appreciate if you’ve ever lived outside of the Bay Area. Hefty enough to satiate your stomach, compact enough to grub on while walking to the bus stop and packing enough kick to light up your taste buds, these patties are a quintessentially Caribbean street food that West Coast cities generally lack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until I migrated to the East Coast, where the Caribbean population is far more sizable than it is in California, that I fell in love with the gold-flaked zing of the Jamaican patty. Similar to an empanada, the patties are warm, spicy, beefed up and — very importantly — affordable enough to buy with whatever dollar bills you have crinkled up in your pockets. Often stuffed with various combinations of meats or veggies, Jamaican patties are a versatile vessel for deliciousness. They got me through my coldest winters in Boston and proved to be a worthy substitute for the street tacos I sorely missed, especially after late-night functions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since returning to the Bay, I’ve noticed the lack of Caribbean patties here. I missed them. So you can understand my excitement when I found Tasty Tings, a one-woman pop-up run by Bayview born-and-raised Alyssa Magdaluyo, who was vending the Jamaican baked goods on a sidewalk in Oakland. I immediately stopped what I was doing, crossed the street and ordered a few to take home to my wife, who misses Jamaican beef patties even more than I do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13926981\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13926981\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner.jpg\" alt=\"The owner of Tasty Tings poses in front of a sign for her Jamaican food pop up.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1908\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-800x795.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-1020x1014.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-160x159.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-768x763.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-1536x1526.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alyssa Magdaluyo poses at a food pop-up event. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Tasty Tings)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Magdaluyo, who is a mix of Jamaican, Filipina, Chinese and Creole heritages, uses her food as a way to console herself and others. “I love eating,” she says. “But also I love being able to feed. To be able to share food with others is the most comforting experience.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what the 28-year-old had to say about her Frisco flavors — served with a dash of Caribbean fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: You’re a full-time food hustler. How did you get into foodmaking?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alyssa Magdaluyo: \u003c/b>I just love cooking. I’m the youngest of three siblings. By the time I was born my mom was over cooking. It was always make-your-own-dinner night. The fridge was always stocked, so that was an entryway into cooking. Growing up, I’ve always wanted [to own] a bakery or restaurant or to be a food columnist, but living in San Francisco is hella expensive to eat out all the time. Cooking became a survival thing and a way to eat food I can’t afford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Why did you start Tasty Tings?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I wanted to hit up Jamaica, the motherland — but then COVID happened. I hit up the Philippines before that though. I also visited New Orleans since I’m Creole. Since I couldn’t go to Jamaica, I started experimenting more with patties, and I put it on social media. People just wanted to keep eating my food. This is my third official year since shelter in place. Every year I’m just surprised. I think I’ll have to get a job serving again, but my people and my community have always held me and supported me. Like damn, I make really good food, and I hold it to the standards of any job I’ve ever had.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tell us about the Jamaican-style patties you serve.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s like an empanada. I do a lentil one — lentils stewed in coconut cream and garlic. You can tell I’m Filipino because of all the garlic (laughs). I love the mushroom, too. It’s spicy jerk mushroom and bell peppers. Sometimes I be making it a little too spicy ‘cause the marinade gets absorbed into the dough (laughs). The beef and cheese are really popular. I like cheese, so I’m always trying to add more cheese. The shrimp one is really fire — jerk shrimp with cheese. It has caramelized leeks and bell peppers. And curry chicken was my other favorite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every year I try to do another [flavor] and perfect it. I usually do a sweet one for fun — coconut condensed milk and bananas. I wanna do a plantain one, a spicy one. But it would be hella dense. I’m trying to mix it up this year. October is Filipino Heritage Month, and I do try to do Filipino flavors, like longaniza. It’s longaniza pork in spicy papaya salad with an egg. It’s difficult putting that together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13926977\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13926977\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A Jamaican beef patty on a wooden table\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A classic Jamaican beef patty from Tasty Tings. \u003ccite>(Elliott Alexander)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your process for making a batch of patties?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have a prep station at my house. It’s in my living room. It’s all super small-batch. I can probably yield 150 max. I usually just get everything from the store — Mandela or Berkeley Bowl, they have all those special seasonings. I used the smoked salt for the chicken and the jerk because it gives it that flavor since I can’t barbecue mushrooms. Jerk is like Jamaican-style barbecue, basically. I’m trying to infuse those flavors without actually grilling. I just be going crazy looking at patties after that (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You proudly grew up in San Francisco. How does that influence your approach?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13925984,arts_13922141,arts_13926878']I went to school in Pac Heights, and all my classmates were Chinese. And I lived in Bayview where all my neighbors were Black. They each saw me as the other. I just rolled with it. I lived on a hill, right in the middle, so I just created a balance. Took what I liked and kept it pushing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being from the city and watching it change all the time, especially from living in Bayview, you see it all change, and it’s disheartening. Police corruption, community issues. I like to walk down 24th Street to remember I live here, I’m from here. That’s a mental health walk for me. I’m so grateful. SF breaks my heart so much, but I still love it. It’s like a relationship. I ride so hard for being on this land, but it’s disheartening when it doesn’t want to push you forward also.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You often collaborate with local artists, including \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13910221/family-not-a-group-san-francisco-rap\">\u003cb>Family Not A Group\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>, the San Francisco collective. What’s your connection to them?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I fucking love FNG. Shout out to all 17 of y’all. I honestly have a personal relationship with everyone in FNG. Just from being raised in this city. The artist hub [in San Francisco] is so small. It makes sense for us to use our platforms to help each other. I wouldn’t be where I’m at without having the support of my community. It’s a beautiful space to be a part of. I’ve known \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thejenset/?hl=en\">DJ Jenset\u003c/a> since we were 15. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/everybodylovezmike/\">Mike Evans\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/baghead.fng/\">Baghead\u003c/a> I knew from when we were in the Mario Woods Coalition together. I love being around them. Seeing them all together is even better because we’ve shared experiences together. FNG reminds me that we exist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/justice4mariowoodscoalition/\">\u003cb>Mario Woods Coalition\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a grip of people combating police brutality. We had meetings and set up protest dates. Being in that space helped me. I didn’t really have a group of friends in my community until I went to those meetings. Thank god I wasn’t the only one worrying about this. I was happy I found a safe space where we were trying to do something about it and not just being terrorized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s one thing about San Francisco you think outsiders might not understand?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s pushed out so many people. [But] the community is what makes it beautiful. It’s not Lands End hype. [That’s] so fake. This isn’t what people are here for. They want the art, the music, the community leaders, the muralists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Alyssa Magdaluyo\"]“I think of it not like a capitalistic transaction but an energy exchange. I’ll nourish you, and you help me nourish myself.”[/pullquote]I honestly got evicted out of my family home five years ago, and I came to Oakland. I didn’t think I would enjoy it… well that’s not true. I just love my home [in SF]. But I’ve learned about a new community, and Oakland holds it down. I’m eternally grateful to stay in the Bay. But I love my home and being able to feed you guys and go to all these cool shows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Do you have any favorite beef patty hideouts in the Bay Area besides your own?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I honestly haven’t had many beef patties in the Bay. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/peachespatties/?hl=en\">Peaches Patties\u003c/a> — she was at Outside Lands. Those are freakin’ good. I honestly went to New York and did some research and development (laughs). There’s this one in New York, I wish i could tell you where it was, a Senegalese spot; they make these curry goat patties. So good. But I’m not handling goat. That’s just next level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What are the realities of operating a pop-up food business in the Bay?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just trying to find a balance between handling and saving my mental health and physical health and not burning out — having better boundaries. I can’t overextend myself and make 250 patties to sell out. I’m staying in my lane of 100 to 50 small-batch [so I can] have a real connection with the people I’m vending to rather than having only a transactional moment. I didn’t start it for that. This was a passion project to share comfort with friends and my community [during the pandemic], and it extended to a lot of people who needed food vendors. I think of it not like a capitalistic transaction but an energy exchange. I’ll nourish you, and you help me nourish myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Follow \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tasty_tings/\">\u003ci>Tasty Tings\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> on Instagram for announcements on pop-up events and locations around the Bay Area. Catering is also available; send inquiries to \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"mailto:tastytings@gmail.com\">\u003ci>tastytings@gmail.com\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003cb>generation\u003c/b>\u003cb>\u003ci> local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jamaican beef patties are one of those foods you can only truly appreciate if you’ve ever lived outside of the Bay Area. Hefty enough to satiate your stomach, compact enough to grub on while walking to the bus stop and packing enough kick to light up your taste buds, these patties are a quintessentially Caribbean street food that West Coast cities generally lack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until I migrated to the East Coast, where the Caribbean population is far more sizable than it is in California, that I fell in love with the gold-flaked zing of the Jamaican patty. Similar to an empanada, the patties are warm, spicy, beefed up and — very importantly — affordable enough to buy with whatever dollar bills you have crinkled up in your pockets. Often stuffed with various combinations of meats or veggies, Jamaican patties are a versatile vessel for deliciousness. They got me through my coldest winters in Boston and proved to be a worthy substitute for the street tacos I sorely missed, especially after late-night functions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since returning to the Bay, I’ve noticed the lack of Caribbean patties here. I missed them. So you can understand my excitement when I found Tasty Tings, a one-woman pop-up run by Bayview born-and-raised Alyssa Magdaluyo, who was vending the Jamaican baked goods on a sidewalk in Oakland. I immediately stopped what I was doing, crossed the street and ordered a few to take home to my wife, who misses Jamaican beef patties even more than I do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13926981\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13926981\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner.jpg\" alt=\"The owner of Tasty Tings poses in front of a sign for her Jamaican food pop up.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1908\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-800x795.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-1020x1014.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-160x159.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-768x763.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty-tings-owner-1536x1526.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alyssa Magdaluyo poses at a food pop-up event. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Tasty Tings)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Magdaluyo, who is a mix of Jamaican, Filipina, Chinese and Creole heritages, uses her food as a way to console herself and others. “I love eating,” she says. “But also I love being able to feed. To be able to share food with others is the most comforting experience.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what the 28-year-old had to say about her Frisco flavors — served with a dash of Caribbean fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: You’re a full-time food hustler. How did you get into foodmaking?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alyssa Magdaluyo: \u003c/b>I just love cooking. I’m the youngest of three siblings. By the time I was born my mom was over cooking. It was always make-your-own-dinner night. The fridge was always stocked, so that was an entryway into cooking. Growing up, I’ve always wanted [to own] a bakery or restaurant or to be a food columnist, but living in San Francisco is hella expensive to eat out all the time. Cooking became a survival thing and a way to eat food I can’t afford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Why did you start Tasty Tings?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I wanted to hit up Jamaica, the motherland — but then COVID happened. I hit up the Philippines before that though. I also visited New Orleans since I’m Creole. Since I couldn’t go to Jamaica, I started experimenting more with patties, and I put it on social media. People just wanted to keep eating my food. This is my third official year since shelter in place. Every year I’m just surprised. I think I’ll have to get a job serving again, but my people and my community have always held me and supported me. Like damn, I make really good food, and I hold it to the standards of any job I’ve ever had.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tell us about the Jamaican-style patties you serve.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s like an empanada. I do a lentil one — lentils stewed in coconut cream and garlic. You can tell I’m Filipino because of all the garlic (laughs). I love the mushroom, too. It’s spicy jerk mushroom and bell peppers. Sometimes I be making it a little too spicy ‘cause the marinade gets absorbed into the dough (laughs). The beef and cheese are really popular. I like cheese, so I’m always trying to add more cheese. The shrimp one is really fire — jerk shrimp with cheese. It has caramelized leeks and bell peppers. And curry chicken was my other favorite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every year I try to do another [flavor] and perfect it. I usually do a sweet one for fun — coconut condensed milk and bananas. I wanna do a plantain one, a spicy one. But it would be hella dense. I’m trying to mix it up this year. October is Filipino Heritage Month, and I do try to do Filipino flavors, like longaniza. It’s longaniza pork in spicy papaya salad with an egg. It’s difficult putting that together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13926977\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13926977\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A Jamaican beef patty on a wooden table\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/tasty_tings_beef.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A classic Jamaican beef patty from Tasty Tings. \u003ccite>(Elliott Alexander)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your process for making a batch of patties?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have a prep station at my house. It’s in my living room. It’s all super small-batch. I can probably yield 150 max. I usually just get everything from the store — Mandela or Berkeley Bowl, they have all those special seasonings. I used the smoked salt for the chicken and the jerk because it gives it that flavor since I can’t barbecue mushrooms. Jerk is like Jamaican-style barbecue, basically. I’m trying to infuse those flavors without actually grilling. I just be going crazy looking at patties after that (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You proudly grew up in San Francisco. How does that influence your approach?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>I went to school in Pac Heights, and all my classmates were Chinese. And I lived in Bayview where all my neighbors were Black. They each saw me as the other. I just rolled with it. I lived on a hill, right in the middle, so I just created a balance. Took what I liked and kept it pushing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being from the city and watching it change all the time, especially from living in Bayview, you see it all change, and it’s disheartening. Police corruption, community issues. I like to walk down 24th Street to remember I live here, I’m from here. That’s a mental health walk for me. I’m so grateful. SF breaks my heart so much, but I still love it. It’s like a relationship. I ride so hard for being on this land, but it’s disheartening when it doesn’t want to push you forward also.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You often collaborate with local artists, including \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13910221/family-not-a-group-san-francisco-rap\">\u003cb>Family Not A Group\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>, the San Francisco collective. What’s your connection to them?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I fucking love FNG. Shout out to all 17 of y’all. I honestly have a personal relationship with everyone in FNG. Just from being raised in this city. The artist hub [in San Francisco] is so small. It makes sense for us to use our platforms to help each other. I wouldn’t be where I’m at without having the support of my community. It’s a beautiful space to be a part of. I’ve known \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thejenset/?hl=en\">DJ Jenset\u003c/a> since we were 15. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/everybodylovezmike/\">Mike Evans\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/baghead.fng/\">Baghead\u003c/a> I knew from when we were in the Mario Woods Coalition together. I love being around them. Seeing them all together is even better because we’ve shared experiences together. FNG reminds me that we exist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/justice4mariowoodscoalition/\">\u003cb>Mario Woods Coalition\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a grip of people combating police brutality. We had meetings and set up protest dates. Being in that space helped me. I didn’t really have a group of friends in my community until I went to those meetings. Thank god I wasn’t the only one worrying about this. I was happy I found a safe space where we were trying to do something about it and not just being terrorized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s one thing about San Francisco you think outsiders might not understand?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s pushed out so many people. [But] the community is what makes it beautiful. It’s not Lands End hype. [That’s] so fake. This isn’t what people are here for. They want the art, the music, the community leaders, the muralists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "“I think of it not like a capitalistic transaction but an energy exchange. I’ll nourish you, and you help me nourish myself.”",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>I honestly got evicted out of my family home five years ago, and I came to Oakland. I didn’t think I would enjoy it… well that’s not true. I just love my home [in SF]. But I’ve learned about a new community, and Oakland holds it down. I’m eternally grateful to stay in the Bay. But I love my home and being able to feed you guys and go to all these cool shows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Do you have any favorite beef patty hideouts in the Bay Area besides your own?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I honestly haven’t had many beef patties in the Bay. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/peachespatties/?hl=en\">Peaches Patties\u003c/a> — she was at Outside Lands. Those are freakin’ good. I honestly went to New York and did some research and development (laughs). There’s this one in New York, I wish i could tell you where it was, a Senegalese spot; they make these curry goat patties. So good. But I’m not handling goat. That’s just next level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What are the realities of operating a pop-up food business in the Bay?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just trying to find a balance between handling and saving my mental health and physical health and not burning out — having better boundaries. I can’t overextend myself and make 250 patties to sell out. I’m staying in my lane of 100 to 50 small-batch [so I can] have a real connection with the people I’m vending to rather than having only a transactional moment. I didn’t start it for that. This was a passion project to share comfort with friends and my community [during the pandemic], and it extended to a lot of people who needed food vendors. I think of it not like a capitalistic transaction but an energy exchange. I’ll nourish you, and you help me nourish myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Follow \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tasty_tings/\">\u003ci>Tasty Tings\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> on Instagram for announcements on pop-up events and locations around the Bay Area. Catering is also available; send inquiries to \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"mailto:tastytings@gmail.com\">\u003ci>tastytings@gmail.com\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "SF's Queer, Filipina-Owned Chocolate Shop Celebrates Love Year-Round",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have a bite-sized confession to make: I originally planned to write about San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kokakchocolates/\">Kokak Chocolates\u003c/a> last month for Valentine’s Day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, the LGBTQ woman-owned chocolate business was preparing to debut a love-themed set of flavors, including “Heat of the Moment,” which is a combo of dark and white chocolates with Mexican Comapeño chiles sourced from the woman-owned \u003ca href=\"https://www.boonvillebarn.com/\">Boonville Barn Collective\u003c/a>. But I wasn’t able to make it happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be fair, my first child was born just days ahead of my scheduled interview with Carol Gancia, the self-taught Filipina chocolatier who founded Kokak — so I spent the following weeks, including Valentine’s Day, with a small, heartwarming human in my arms instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Kokak, it turns out, is just as good in March as it is in February — or any time of year, for that matter. In fact, having to wait that extra month infused me with even more desire to taste the premium Bay Area chocolates, which are filled with joy and spices in all their flavorful forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With creative options that defy the conventional notions of chocolate — Kokak’s seasonal flavors include pizza and ramen, for example — Gancia doesn’t play it safe. Instead, she enjoys challenging herself to push past her comfort zone, a trait she gained when she first immigrated to California from her native Philippine islands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rooted in her vibrant Asian Pacific heritage and driven by a passion to connect with ancestral flavors through rare, organic ingredients like \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190916-the-worlds-most-exquisite-chocolate\">Ecuadorian Nacional cacao\u003c/a>, Kokak is more than just chocolates. It’s a way, Gancia says, to tell others, “I love you just the way you are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>ALAN CHAZARO: When did your appreciation for chocolates first begin?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>CAROL GANCIA: \u003c/b>I grew up on the Philippine islands. I was lucky, being from a middle-class family, to have an uncle who was a sought-after engineer. He got contracts that had him travel abroad, around Western Europe, where they have quality chocolates. He would bring them back home — dark chocolate, mint, even liqueurs. I had a chance to taste those, not realizing my love of chocolate came from him. I [later] realized chocolate is a memory, a happy memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13925997\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13925997\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"dried mangoes dipped in chocolates\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tropical flavors like these chocolate-dipped dried mangoes are inspired by Carol Gancia’s upbringing on the Philippine islands. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How did that translate into you becoming a professional chocolatier?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I make chocolates in the form of truffles and bars. I do it every day with two other chocolatiers. The kind of shop we have is tropically inspired and based on my background. We’re a couple blocks from Castro Street on 18th and Sanchez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I was growing up, chocolate was in the background; I always had chocolate in my pockets. But I started out as a journalist broadcasting in the Philippines. I got involved in video production and continued that work in the U.S. [after moving here in 2004]. I even worked as a producer for “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/checkplease\">Check, Please! Bay Area\u003c/a>” on KQED. I produced for Jacques Pépin, and that helped me improve my palette. You read the recipe, and plan it out with the executive producer. That’s how I learned informally about the culinary world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was still producing, and after 20 years — about five years ago — I was eager to do something different that I would be scared about. I was too complacent [as a video producer]. I wanted to feel what it was like to start something and be clueless. I decided to learn about chocolates and sell on the side until it became a full business [in 2020]. Sometimes I still don’t know what I’m doing. I’m still learning, and I still operate a video production business.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13925999\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13925999\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A tray of colorfully decorated chocolates at Kokak in San Francisco\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A preview of the seasonal Easter chocolates that will be available at Kokak this month. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What does the word “kokak” represent for you?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kokak literally means “ribbit” in English. I was conceptualizing the name of my shop and noticing the [other] chocolate brands and names. It was usually last names or serious words. I wanted to make a splash, [since] I had no background in chocolate. I chose Kokak and added an exclamation point because I wanted to represent myself and who I am. I studied in the Philippines, and my campus had lily pads, beautiful flowers, ponds and frogs. Kokak reminds me of my home — the wonderful tropical life. It’s a conversation starter as well. Customers ask me what it means, and I can tell the story of the Philippine islands. My shop is more than selling chocolates. It’s an experience, a borrowed memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Your Filipina heritage is an important aspect of your identity. Tell us about how that emerges in your variety of chocolate flavors.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think of kalamansi — it’s a lime in the Philippines and is abundant there. My mom would make me hot kalamansi juice when I was sick. But in the summer, it was served cold, like lemonade. We included that as a popular flavor at Kokak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Carol Gancia\"]“My shop is more than selling chocolates. It’s an experience, a borrowed memory.”[/pullquote]We opened our shop during the pandemic, and we had a lot of time to think. We had about 50 recipes I created from the start, and we rotate that throughout the year. My favorite is our guava truffle — all made from scratch. Coconut pie is another. There’s a place in the southern part of metro Manila where they make buko pies — coconut pies. They’re not sweet, they’re just full of coconut meat. That’s a memory and an inspiration for our truffles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Do you serve anything besides chocolate?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also have our cacao porridge. Growing up in the Philippines, every Christmas season we make champurrado — it’s a [beverage] mix of chocolate and rice. A long time ago, in the 1500s, there was trade happening between the Philippines and Mexico. Mexico brought chocolates to us. Back then, most [Filipinos] were rice farmers. It’s a testament to the friendship between Mexicans and Filipinos — champurrado. That’s available year round, and we offer dine-in at our shop as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your connection to the Bay Area, and how is that reflected in your business?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As far as flavors, we have Earl Grey, which is a very San Francisco afternoon tea I enjoy with the ladies. I don’t always get to do that much these days (laughs). I looked for Earl Grey and infused it with berry and chocolate for the filling. The Earl Grey tea we use is organic, fair trade and local. We also have coffee truffles, and the coffee is local.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13925998\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13925998\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-800x1200.jpg\" alt='a t-shirt at Kokak reads: \"love is love is love is chocolate is love...\"' width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“Love Is Chocolate Is Love” t-shirt at Kokak. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As much as we can, we keep our ingredients local. I can get tea from the grocery, but we find really premium teas from here. Same with our dairy. You don’t want your truffles to taste faint. Our truffles stay fresh, and the flavors are punchy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also identify as an LGBTQ shop and ship all over the country with our Pride-inspired chocolates. One of my favorite things is reading note cards that we write to ship for our customers. One customer wrote, “Dear [Anonymous], I love you just the way you are. From Mom.” It made me teary-eyed. And made me realize I was in the right place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Who are some of your favorite chocolatiers right now in Northern California?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I like chocolates not just for flavor but also meaning. I like to support female chocolatiers, too. The reality is that if you sum up all the chocolate makers, it’s still very male dominated. There are two [local chocolatiers] who are my competition but also my friends: \u003ca href=\"https://www.socolachocolates.com/\">Socola\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.jadechocolates.com/\">Jade Chocolates\u003c/a>. We meet up every once in a while. We’ve done events and have camaraderie. I love this industry because of that. In the video production business it’s competitive. But in chocolate, we help each other. We’re excited to see each other at the pop-up events. It’s supportive in a weird way. That’s motivating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>For someone like me, who doesn’t usually go out of their way for chocolates, what makes Kokak worthwhile?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13923127,arts_13919707,arts_13914042']I’m a small business owner. I never dreamed about earning billions of dollars and growing an empire. I enjoy the human-to-human touch. I want to connect with people. We’re already making less profit than a factory setting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I made a tough decision that cut into our profitability [with] our biggest ingredient, which is a rare cacao. It’s the first domestically grown cacao tree [in the world] from several thousand years back. I let that melt slowly in my mouth and imagine what our ancestors were tasting years and years ago. This rare [Nacional] cacao in Ecuador is grown for flavor, not yield. A lot of chocolate growers sell ingredients for much cheaper, but they are from chocolate strains that were grown for volume production. Flavor is less of a priority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nacional wins over that. The genetics of the chocolate that we use is the same as our ancestors tasted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Kokak Chocolates (3901 18th St., San Francisco) is open Tues. 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wed. through Sun. 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "SF's Queer, Filipina-Owned Chocolate Shop Celebrates Love Year-Round in the Castro | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have a bite-sized confession to make: I originally planned to write about San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kokakchocolates/\">Kokak Chocolates\u003c/a> last month for Valentine’s Day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, the LGBTQ woman-owned chocolate business was preparing to debut a love-themed set of flavors, including “Heat of the Moment,” which is a combo of dark and white chocolates with Mexican Comapeño chiles sourced from the woman-owned \u003ca href=\"https://www.boonvillebarn.com/\">Boonville Barn Collective\u003c/a>. But I wasn’t able to make it happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be fair, my first child was born just days ahead of my scheduled interview with Carol Gancia, the self-taught Filipina chocolatier who founded Kokak — so I spent the following weeks, including Valentine’s Day, with a small, heartwarming human in my arms instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Kokak, it turns out, is just as good in March as it is in February — or any time of year, for that matter. In fact, having to wait that extra month infused me with even more desire to taste the premium Bay Area chocolates, which are filled with joy and spices in all their flavorful forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With creative options that defy the conventional notions of chocolate — Kokak’s seasonal flavors include pizza and ramen, for example — Gancia doesn’t play it safe. Instead, she enjoys challenging herself to push past her comfort zone, a trait she gained when she first immigrated to California from her native Philippine islands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rooted in her vibrant Asian Pacific heritage and driven by a passion to connect with ancestral flavors through rare, organic ingredients like \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190916-the-worlds-most-exquisite-chocolate\">Ecuadorian Nacional cacao\u003c/a>, Kokak is more than just chocolates. It’s a way, Gancia says, to tell others, “I love you just the way you are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>ALAN CHAZARO: When did your appreciation for chocolates first begin?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>CAROL GANCIA: \u003c/b>I grew up on the Philippine islands. I was lucky, being from a middle-class family, to have an uncle who was a sought-after engineer. He got contracts that had him travel abroad, around Western Europe, where they have quality chocolates. He would bring them back home — dark chocolate, mint, even liqueurs. I had a chance to taste those, not realizing my love of chocolate came from him. I [later] realized chocolate is a memory, a happy memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13925997\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13925997\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"dried mangoes dipped in chocolates\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_mango-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tropical flavors like these chocolate-dipped dried mangoes are inspired by Carol Gancia’s upbringing on the Philippine islands. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How did that translate into you becoming a professional chocolatier?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I make chocolates in the form of truffles and bars. I do it every day with two other chocolatiers. The kind of shop we have is tropically inspired and based on my background. We’re a couple blocks from Castro Street on 18th and Sanchez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I was growing up, chocolate was in the background; I always had chocolate in my pockets. But I started out as a journalist broadcasting in the Philippines. I got involved in video production and continued that work in the U.S. [after moving here in 2004]. I even worked as a producer for “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/checkplease\">Check, Please! Bay Area\u003c/a>” on KQED. I produced for Jacques Pépin, and that helped me improve my palette. You read the recipe, and plan it out with the executive producer. That’s how I learned informally about the culinary world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was still producing, and after 20 years — about five years ago — I was eager to do something different that I would be scared about. I was too complacent [as a video producer]. I wanted to feel what it was like to start something and be clueless. I decided to learn about chocolates and sell on the side until it became a full business [in 2020]. Sometimes I still don’t know what I’m doing. I’m still learning, and I still operate a video production business.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13925999\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13925999\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A tray of colorfully decorated chocolates at Kokak in San Francisco\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_truffles.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A preview of the seasonal Easter chocolates that will be available at Kokak this month. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What does the word “kokak” represent for you?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kokak literally means “ribbit” in English. I was conceptualizing the name of my shop and noticing the [other] chocolate brands and names. It was usually last names or serious words. I wanted to make a splash, [since] I had no background in chocolate. I chose Kokak and added an exclamation point because I wanted to represent myself and who I am. I studied in the Philippines, and my campus had lily pads, beautiful flowers, ponds and frogs. Kokak reminds me of my home — the wonderful tropical life. It’s a conversation starter as well. Customers ask me what it means, and I can tell the story of the Philippine islands. My shop is more than selling chocolates. It’s an experience, a borrowed memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Your Filipina heritage is an important aspect of your identity. Tell us about how that emerges in your variety of chocolate flavors.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think of kalamansi — it’s a lime in the Philippines and is abundant there. My mom would make me hot kalamansi juice when I was sick. But in the summer, it was served cold, like lemonade. We included that as a popular flavor at Kokak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>We opened our shop during the pandemic, and we had a lot of time to think. We had about 50 recipes I created from the start, and we rotate that throughout the year. My favorite is our guava truffle — all made from scratch. Coconut pie is another. There’s a place in the southern part of metro Manila where they make buko pies — coconut pies. They’re not sweet, they’re just full of coconut meat. That’s a memory and an inspiration for our truffles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Do you serve anything besides chocolate?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also have our cacao porridge. Growing up in the Philippines, every Christmas season we make champurrado — it’s a [beverage] mix of chocolate and rice. A long time ago, in the 1500s, there was trade happening between the Philippines and Mexico. Mexico brought chocolates to us. Back then, most [Filipinos] were rice farmers. It’s a testament to the friendship between Mexicans and Filipinos — champurrado. That’s available year round, and we offer dine-in at our shop as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your connection to the Bay Area, and how is that reflected in your business?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As far as flavors, we have Earl Grey, which is a very San Francisco afternoon tea I enjoy with the ladies. I don’t always get to do that much these days (laughs). I looked for Earl Grey and infused it with berry and chocolate for the filling. The Earl Grey tea we use is organic, fair trade and local. We also have coffee truffles, and the coffee is local.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13925998\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13925998\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-800x1200.jpg\" alt='a t-shirt at Kokak reads: \"love is love is love is chocolate is love...\"' width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/kokak_shirt-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“Love Is Chocolate Is Love” t-shirt at Kokak. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As much as we can, we keep our ingredients local. I can get tea from the grocery, but we find really premium teas from here. Same with our dairy. You don’t want your truffles to taste faint. Our truffles stay fresh, and the flavors are punchy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also identify as an LGBTQ shop and ship all over the country with our Pride-inspired chocolates. One of my favorite things is reading note cards that we write to ship for our customers. One customer wrote, “Dear [Anonymous], I love you just the way you are. From Mom.” It made me teary-eyed. And made me realize I was in the right place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Who are some of your favorite chocolatiers right now in Northern California?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I like chocolates not just for flavor but also meaning. I like to support female chocolatiers, too. The reality is that if you sum up all the chocolate makers, it’s still very male dominated. There are two [local chocolatiers] who are my competition but also my friends: \u003ca href=\"https://www.socolachocolates.com/\">Socola\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.jadechocolates.com/\">Jade Chocolates\u003c/a>. We meet up every once in a while. We’ve done events and have camaraderie. I love this industry because of that. In the video production business it’s competitive. But in chocolate, we help each other. We’re excited to see each other at the pop-up events. It’s supportive in a weird way. That’s motivating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>For someone like me, who doesn’t usually go out of their way for chocolates, what makes Kokak worthwhile?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>I’m a small business owner. I never dreamed about earning billions of dollars and growing an empire. I enjoy the human-to-human touch. I want to connect with people. We’re already making less profit than a factory setting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I made a tough decision that cut into our profitability [with] our biggest ingredient, which is a rare cacao. It’s the first domestically grown cacao tree [in the world] from several thousand years back. I let that melt slowly in my mouth and imagine what our ancestors were tasting years and years ago. This rare [Nacional] cacao in Ecuador is grown for flavor, not yield. A lot of chocolate growers sell ingredients for much cheaper, but they are from chocolate strains that were grown for volume production. Flavor is less of a priority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nacional wins over that. The genetics of the chocolate that we use is the same as our ancestors tasted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Kokak Chocolates (3901 18th St., San Francisco) is open Tues. 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wed. through Sun. 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "A Power Rangers-Inspired Ramen Shop Is Mastering the Art of Kick-Ass Noodles",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you scan ramen threads on Reddit or Twitter, you’ll find the occasional hater who claims that the Bay Area’s ramen “sucks” or is “overrated” (particularly when compared to LA’s offerings). I don’t \u003ci>completely\u003c/i> disagree with those statements. Many times I’ve been told about a top ramen joint in NorCal only to be underwhelmed by spaghetti-like noodles or an odd ratio of toppings that overpower the actual ramen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Occasionally, though, I’ll find a spot here that reminds me of the top-tier ramen I experienced during a trip to Tokyo, where each brothy spoonful delivered a soulful warmth that transcended any language barrier.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s exactly the kind of good vibe I found at \u003ca href=\"https://nokaramen.com/\">Noka Ramen\u003c/a> in Oakland’s Jack London Square. You may recall the restaurant going viral last fall, when its staff stopped a man from assaulting a woman inside the dining room — \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ppirapokin/status/1581147164591329280\">while dressed up as Power Rangers\u003c/a>. As the story made the rounds on social media, it also brought attention to the eatery’s flamboyant staff and quirky decor. The establishment’s most essential element — its actual ramen — was given a well-deserved signal boost, too. They haven’t held back any punches since then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since it opened in the summer of 2022, Noka has been serving up some of the tastiest (and spiciest) ramen in the East Bay. The colorful shop has mastered the art of flavorful presentation, with its stylish Power Ranger–themed tiki drinks, anime playing in the background and over-the-top menu items like the Ikari Steak Ramen, which features slow–cooked beef rib confit, creamy spicy miso and a splash of 151 rum that’s been lit on fire ($36).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13923844\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13923844\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"an employee at Noka Ramen wears his uniform while serving a customer\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A server at Noka Ramen embodies the restaurant’s stylish vibe. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But for me, it’s the simpler ramen dishes that keep me coming back for more. The spicy miso ramen, in particular, is one of the fiercest broths I’ve found in the Bay and packs more than enough heat (hack: order the shishito pepper appetizer and mix some of its spicy sauce into your bowl for an extra kick).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What helps Noka stand out from the competition is the vision of Pop-Kasem Saengsawang, the creative owner of a local Thai restaurant mini-empire that includes \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thaifarmhouse/?hl=en\">Farmhouse Kitchen\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sonandgarden/?hl=en\">Son & Garden\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/daughterthaikitchen/?hl=en\">Daughter Thai Kitchen\u003c/a>. With the help of Kenichi Ota, the consultant and teacher behind the Los Angeles-based \u003ca href=\"https://www.ramenschoolusa.com/\">Ramen School USA\u003c/a>, Saengsawang is now adding his own spin to the ramen circuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what the two collaborators and friends had to say about serving noodles on the docks of the Frisco Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>ALAN CHAZARO: You both grew up in Asia before immigrating to California. What brought you here, and what has been your experience with the U.S. food industry?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>POP-KASEM SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>I’m originally from Thailand. I moved to the States with the hope of becoming Bill Gates (laughs). I was a computer scientist and moved here to continue my studies. During college, I had to start working and learn how to live on my own. I worked in a kitchen and served as a manager for six years and fell in love with food. I opened my first restaurant back then, but only nine months later it closed down (laughs). I was 26 years old. It was a Japanese sushi restaurant. My chef taught me a lot about raw fish, sauces and to care about the traditions. It was all new to me. One day my chef didn’t show up, and I realized that I didn’t understand it well enough, that I needed to learn more. Eventually I opened Farmhouse Kitchen. It was fun. My wife [Ing Kumo] and I enjoyed that, because it was totally us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>KENICHI OTA: \u003c/b>I came 18 years ago and started working at a Japanese grocery shop in San Jose. I eventually opened a ramen shop of my own, but I had some issues at the time and had to return to Japan, so I closed it down. Five years ago, after I returned, I wanted to enter the ramen market, but nobody was making the sort of ramen that I wanted to make. I decided that I could help others who wanted to learn how to make ramen. I thought, let’s try to support the restaurants who have a passion for Japanese food and products and who want to learn to make it. That’s when I started to do consulting and teaching.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Why did you decide to open Noka? Why ramen?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>After the pandemic, I learned a lot about comfort food and what people wanted. I was always dreaming about a noodle bar for so long. I grew up in Thailand, [where] the two key ingredients are rice and noodles. I had time to learn and study during [the pandemic]. I went to different noodle shops, tried to get a feel, talked to the chefs. But I didn’t have the answers until I found Ken. The way he taught me is to jump in and make it your own experience. I feel like it’s something that I really enjoyed and could adapt and turn into my own recipes. With his knowledge and help, we created a beautiful broth and chewy noodles. I didn’t want my ramen shop to feel like traditional ramen, so I added lobster, short ribs, those kinds of things to the menu. I didn’t want to mix with Thai or anything else, though. I wanted it to be Japanese ramen. Over many months, Ken returned to check the recipe and make it better. I’m super grateful for him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>OTA: \u003c/b>For Japanese people, ramen is an important part of food. I started making ramen about 14 years ago. I was working at the grocery store and making ramen there. I was working with ramen chefs to make it and started going to outside events and pop-ups as well. People think ramen is just general. But it’s a whole process with many varieties and styles. It’s about details and careful directions, but the whole process is enjoyable. It’s not stressful for me. Making ramen is simply fun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13923843\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13923843\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"a bowl of spicy miso ramen, with spicy ground pork, egg, corn and more\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Spicy Miso Ramen (spicy ground pork, chili paste, bamboo shoot, corn, egg, thin noodles) is a personal favorite for this writer. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Where did the whole Power Rangers concept come from?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>The Power Rangers idea is about having fun, first of all. It’s also a good look. I grew up with Japanese cosplay, so I really enjoy the Power Rangers. The Power Rangers don’t have just one guy or person — it’s a team. That was our goal. Then my wife, Ing Kumo, created the Power Ranger cocktail. When we bring it out, the server might do the Power Ranger move (chops the air). We might as well wear it and have fun. For our shyest servers, they become different people when they wear it. Customers can’t see you. It changed the way they walked from when they would dress regularly. It just brings a unique experience to everyone — customers and workers. At first everyone laughed and didn’t want to wear it. But now they love to pick their colors each week: pink, black, green, white.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Noka Ramen \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ppirapokin/status/1581147164591329280\">\u003cb>went viral last year\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb> after an incident involving staff members dressed as Power Rangers — when your employees helped to end a physical altercation in public. How did you all deal with that and in what ways did it affect the community?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>The first couple of days I told everyone I don’t want to say that we were heroes. I don’t want to twist it since we weren’t really sure what was going on with the gentleman and lady who were fighting in our restaurant. Our goal is to protect our customers, always. The cosplay heroes were the story that day by coincidence. My manager pushed the guy out of the restaurant. It’s difficult because we don’t expect our staff to fight like that. It’s dangerous. There is one instance in San Francisco where a worker was stabbed because they ran after a customer who didn’t pay. I told everyone that we didn’t want to celebrate or share what happened because it’s a tricky situation. When \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2022/10/18/23411764/noka-ramen-power-rangers-oakland\">the media came\u003c/a>, I didn’t want to put my workers in the spotlight. What if the man came back and tried to attack my workers? So we focused on what we serve, how we value the customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Pop-Kasem Saengsawang\"]“Our goal is to protect our customers, always. It’s difficult because we don’t expect our staff to fight like that. It’s dangerous. … So we focused on what we serve, how we value the customers.”[/pullquote]We went to court as witnesses, and we had to make sure the woman who was attacked got the support she needed. We hired a lawyer to make sure that one of our employees wasn’t involved [with any charges]. We were just trying to protect ourselves and everyone. That guy who attacked went to other locations nearby; he was also at Plank, and the police were involved there and arrested him. We don’t want our employees to be in those situations, but we appreciate the community that keeps supporting us because they feel like it was a heroic thing. It turned out positive. In Oakland, we have many people who are protecting the community and making sure no one gets hurt here in this city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>That incident brought a lot of positive attention to Noka and put it on many people’s radars as a ramen destination. What are your thoughts on the ramen scene in the Bay Area, and what is Noka doing differently, besides dressing up as Power Rangers, to stand out?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>OTA: \u003c/b>There is high-quality ramen in San Francisco, and there is a huge market in the Bay Area. It’s competitive for the United States. Noka is joining that market later, so Pop and I talked about concepts. We don’t need to only follow the exact authentic recipes. It’s not our goal. Our goal is to have ramen lovers come back; maybe they’re new to ramen. We focused on the mix of American people here and what we could do to make them like Noka. That’s how we approached it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>To my understanding, when people experience something and they enjoy it, they want to return because they liked it, whether it’s traditional or non-traditional. Some people grew up with ramen being cooked at home by mom. Noka Ramen can’t recreate that. Noka Ramen is about bringing a fun new experience. Ramen is about joy and we try our best to represent that feeling. Of course, we can’t replicate the most traditional. It can’t ever be exactly like home-cooked ramen. There are too many factors. So we focus on providing a good experience with noodles with love and joy. That’s the concept.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We don’t like to compare ourselves with others. Every ramen [shop] has their own unique story of making ramen. Some restaurants here are owned by Koreans, so they add kimchi. Some are Chinese-owned and have catfish or ingredients mixed from Chinese culture. That’s great. The generations that grew up with mixed cultures can adapt and adventure easier. But I told Ken that I wanted Noka to be Japanese without any Thai [influence].\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13923845\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13923845\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-800x1200.jpg\" alt='a neon \"Noka\" sign hangs in front of the restaurant at night' width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Noka, which is the Thai owner’s ode to Japanese cosplay and culinary traditions, translates into “farmhouse.” \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the secret to making good ramen?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>OTA: \u003c/b>My teaching program is about making everything from scratch and using premium ingredients. Everything from scratch, including appetizers and other dishes. Lots of people use [pre-made] concentrated stuff, and the broth isn’t as good. Or [they use] cheap ingredients. We use so many steps to make our ramen that it’s almost too much to follow (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13922141,arts_13898743,arts_13908798']\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>We probably use about 40 pounds of bones or more in each batch of our broth, and it takes about six hours just to make the broth. Ken brought his technique to Noka, which is the high-pressure machine. We use that, too. Ken imported that from Japan. Traditional style uses an open-faced pot, but this high-pressure pot pushes all the ingredients into water and makes it super creamy. That makes it different and isn’t a common technique here. Ken’s [noodle] recipe is really unique. It’s high-end flour imported from Japan. I also purchased a noodle machine from Japan. Everything is written in Japanese and I can’t read it (laughs). Google Translate didn’t help. Ken came in and showed us the steps and how to operate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I thought you could just buy noodles and put it in a broth (laughs). Not at all. It’s all worth it though. I want our customers to eat with love. That’s our goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Besides Noka, where is your favorite place to get ramen in the Bay Area?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>My spot to go for ramen is Nagi Ramen in San Mateo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>OTA: \u003c/b>Yes, Nagi is good. Very unique ramen. They come from Japan. I enjoy it. But also I have to say: Go Noka!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://nokaramen.com/\">\u003ci>Noka Ramen\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is open Mon. through Fri. from 11 a.m.–2 pm and 5–9 p.m., and Sat. and Sun. from noon–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m. The restaurant is located at 90 Franklin St. in Oakland.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you scan ramen threads on Reddit or Twitter, you’ll find the occasional hater who claims that the Bay Area’s ramen “sucks” or is “overrated” (particularly when compared to LA’s offerings). I don’t \u003ci>completely\u003c/i> disagree with those statements. Many times I’ve been told about a top ramen joint in NorCal only to be underwhelmed by spaghetti-like noodles or an odd ratio of toppings that overpower the actual ramen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Occasionally, though, I’ll find a spot here that reminds me of the top-tier ramen I experienced during a trip to Tokyo, where each brothy spoonful delivered a soulful warmth that transcended any language barrier.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s exactly the kind of good vibe I found at \u003ca href=\"https://nokaramen.com/\">Noka Ramen\u003c/a> in Oakland’s Jack London Square. You may recall the restaurant going viral last fall, when its staff stopped a man from assaulting a woman inside the dining room — \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ppirapokin/status/1581147164591329280\">while dressed up as Power Rangers\u003c/a>. As the story made the rounds on social media, it also brought attention to the eatery’s flamboyant staff and quirky decor. The establishment’s most essential element — its actual ramen — was given a well-deserved signal boost, too. They haven’t held back any punches since then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since it opened in the summer of 2022, Noka has been serving up some of the tastiest (and spiciest) ramen in the East Bay. The colorful shop has mastered the art of flavorful presentation, with its stylish Power Ranger–themed tiki drinks, anime playing in the background and over-the-top menu items like the Ikari Steak Ramen, which features slow–cooked beef rib confit, creamy spicy miso and a splash of 151 rum that’s been lit on fire ($36).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13923844\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13923844\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"an employee at Noka Ramen wears his uniform while serving a customer\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_uniform.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A server at Noka Ramen embodies the restaurant’s stylish vibe. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But for me, it’s the simpler ramen dishes that keep me coming back for more. The spicy miso ramen, in particular, is one of the fiercest broths I’ve found in the Bay and packs more than enough heat (hack: order the shishito pepper appetizer and mix some of its spicy sauce into your bowl for an extra kick).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What helps Noka stand out from the competition is the vision of Pop-Kasem Saengsawang, the creative owner of a local Thai restaurant mini-empire that includes \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thaifarmhouse/?hl=en\">Farmhouse Kitchen\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sonandgarden/?hl=en\">Son & Garden\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/daughterthaikitchen/?hl=en\">Daughter Thai Kitchen\u003c/a>. With the help of Kenichi Ota, the consultant and teacher behind the Los Angeles-based \u003ca href=\"https://www.ramenschoolusa.com/\">Ramen School USA\u003c/a>, Saengsawang is now adding his own spin to the ramen circuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what the two collaborators and friends had to say about serving noodles on the docks of the Frisco Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>ALAN CHAZARO: You both grew up in Asia before immigrating to California. What brought you here, and what has been your experience with the U.S. food industry?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>POP-KASEM SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>I’m originally from Thailand. I moved to the States with the hope of becoming Bill Gates (laughs). I was a computer scientist and moved here to continue my studies. During college, I had to start working and learn how to live on my own. I worked in a kitchen and served as a manager for six years and fell in love with food. I opened my first restaurant back then, but only nine months later it closed down (laughs). I was 26 years old. It was a Japanese sushi restaurant. My chef taught me a lot about raw fish, sauces and to care about the traditions. It was all new to me. One day my chef didn’t show up, and I realized that I didn’t understand it well enough, that I needed to learn more. Eventually I opened Farmhouse Kitchen. It was fun. My wife [Ing Kumo] and I enjoyed that, because it was totally us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>KENICHI OTA: \u003c/b>I came 18 years ago and started working at a Japanese grocery shop in San Jose. I eventually opened a ramen shop of my own, but I had some issues at the time and had to return to Japan, so I closed it down. Five years ago, after I returned, I wanted to enter the ramen market, but nobody was making the sort of ramen that I wanted to make. I decided that I could help others who wanted to learn how to make ramen. I thought, let’s try to support the restaurants who have a passion for Japanese food and products and who want to learn to make it. That’s when I started to do consulting and teaching.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Why did you decide to open Noka? Why ramen?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>After the pandemic, I learned a lot about comfort food and what people wanted. I was always dreaming about a noodle bar for so long. I grew up in Thailand, [where] the two key ingredients are rice and noodles. I had time to learn and study during [the pandemic]. I went to different noodle shops, tried to get a feel, talked to the chefs. But I didn’t have the answers until I found Ken. The way he taught me is to jump in and make it your own experience. I feel like it’s something that I really enjoyed and could adapt and turn into my own recipes. With his knowledge and help, we created a beautiful broth and chewy noodles. I didn’t want my ramen shop to feel like traditional ramen, so I added lobster, short ribs, those kinds of things to the menu. I didn’t want to mix with Thai or anything else, though. I wanted it to be Japanese ramen. Over many months, Ken returned to check the recipe and make it better. I’m super grateful for him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>OTA: \u003c/b>For Japanese people, ramen is an important part of food. I started making ramen about 14 years ago. I was working at the grocery store and making ramen there. I was working with ramen chefs to make it and started going to outside events and pop-ups as well. People think ramen is just general. But it’s a whole process with many varieties and styles. It’s about details and careful directions, but the whole process is enjoyable. It’s not stressful for me. Making ramen is simply fun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13923843\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13923843\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"a bowl of spicy miso ramen, with spicy ground pork, egg, corn and more\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_spicy-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Spicy Miso Ramen (spicy ground pork, chili paste, bamboo shoot, corn, egg, thin noodles) is a personal favorite for this writer. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Where did the whole Power Rangers concept come from?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>The Power Rangers idea is about having fun, first of all. It’s also a good look. I grew up with Japanese cosplay, so I really enjoy the Power Rangers. The Power Rangers don’t have just one guy or person — it’s a team. That was our goal. Then my wife, Ing Kumo, created the Power Ranger cocktail. When we bring it out, the server might do the Power Ranger move (chops the air). We might as well wear it and have fun. For our shyest servers, they become different people when they wear it. Customers can’t see you. It changed the way they walked from when they would dress regularly. It just brings a unique experience to everyone — customers and workers. At first everyone laughed and didn’t want to wear it. But now they love to pick their colors each week: pink, black, green, white.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Noka Ramen \u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ppirapokin/status/1581147164591329280\">\u003cb>went viral last year\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb> after an incident involving staff members dressed as Power Rangers — when your employees helped to end a physical altercation in public. How did you all deal with that and in what ways did it affect the community?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>The first couple of days I told everyone I don’t want to say that we were heroes. I don’t want to twist it since we weren’t really sure what was going on with the gentleman and lady who were fighting in our restaurant. Our goal is to protect our customers, always. The cosplay heroes were the story that day by coincidence. My manager pushed the guy out of the restaurant. It’s difficult because we don’t expect our staff to fight like that. It’s dangerous. There is one instance in San Francisco where a worker was stabbed because they ran after a customer who didn’t pay. I told everyone that we didn’t want to celebrate or share what happened because it’s a tricky situation. When \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2022/10/18/23411764/noka-ramen-power-rangers-oakland\">the media came\u003c/a>, I didn’t want to put my workers in the spotlight. What if the man came back and tried to attack my workers? So we focused on what we serve, how we value the customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>We went to court as witnesses, and we had to make sure the woman who was attacked got the support she needed. We hired a lawyer to make sure that one of our employees wasn’t involved [with any charges]. We were just trying to protect ourselves and everyone. That guy who attacked went to other locations nearby; he was also at Plank, and the police were involved there and arrested him. We don’t want our employees to be in those situations, but we appreciate the community that keeps supporting us because they feel like it was a heroic thing. It turned out positive. In Oakland, we have many people who are protecting the community and making sure no one gets hurt here in this city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>That incident brought a lot of positive attention to Noka and put it on many people’s radars as a ramen destination. What are your thoughts on the ramen scene in the Bay Area, and what is Noka doing differently, besides dressing up as Power Rangers, to stand out?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>OTA: \u003c/b>There is high-quality ramen in San Francisco, and there is a huge market in the Bay Area. It’s competitive for the United States. Noka is joining that market later, so Pop and I talked about concepts. We don’t need to only follow the exact authentic recipes. It’s not our goal. Our goal is to have ramen lovers come back; maybe they’re new to ramen. We focused on the mix of American people here and what we could do to make them like Noka. That’s how we approached it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>To my understanding, when people experience something and they enjoy it, they want to return because they liked it, whether it’s traditional or non-traditional. Some people grew up with ramen being cooked at home by mom. Noka Ramen can’t recreate that. Noka Ramen is about bringing a fun new experience. Ramen is about joy and we try our best to represent that feeling. Of course, we can’t replicate the most traditional. It can’t ever be exactly like home-cooked ramen. There are too many factors. So we focus on providing a good experience with noodles with love and joy. That’s the concept.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We don’t like to compare ourselves with others. Every ramen [shop] has their own unique story of making ramen. Some restaurants here are owned by Koreans, so they add kimchi. Some are Chinese-owned and have catfish or ingredients mixed from Chinese culture. That’s great. The generations that grew up with mixed cultures can adapt and adventure easier. But I told Ken that I wanted Noka to be Japanese without any Thai [influence].\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13923845\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13923845\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-800x1200.jpg\" alt='a neon \"Noka\" sign hangs in front of the restaurant at night' width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/noka_sign-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Noka, which is the Thai owner’s ode to Japanese cosplay and culinary traditions, translates into “farmhouse.” \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s the secret to making good ramen?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>OTA: \u003c/b>My teaching program is about making everything from scratch and using premium ingredients. Everything from scratch, including appetizers and other dishes. Lots of people use [pre-made] concentrated stuff, and the broth isn’t as good. Or [they use] cheap ingredients. We use so many steps to make our ramen that it’s almost too much to follow (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>We probably use about 40 pounds of bones or more in each batch of our broth, and it takes about six hours just to make the broth. Ken brought his technique to Noka, which is the high-pressure machine. We use that, too. Ken imported that from Japan. Traditional style uses an open-faced pot, but this high-pressure pot pushes all the ingredients into water and makes it super creamy. That makes it different and isn’t a common technique here. Ken’s [noodle] recipe is really unique. It’s high-end flour imported from Japan. I also purchased a noodle machine from Japan. Everything is written in Japanese and I can’t read it (laughs). Google Translate didn’t help. Ken came in and showed us the steps and how to operate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I thought you could just buy noodles and put it in a broth (laughs). Not at all. It’s all worth it though. I want our customers to eat with love. That’s our goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Besides Noka, where is your favorite place to get ramen in the Bay Area?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>SAENGSAWANG: \u003c/b>My spot to go for ramen is Nagi Ramen in San Mateo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>OTA: \u003c/b>Yes, Nagi is good. Very unique ramen. They come from Japan. I enjoy it. But also I have to say: Go Noka!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://nokaramen.com/\">\u003ci>Noka Ramen\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is open Mon. through Fri. from 11 a.m.–2 pm and 5–9 p.m., and Sat. and Sun. from noon–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m. The restaurant is located at 90 Franklin St. in Oakland.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "cellskis-big-mafi-burgers-come-with-a-side-of-sf-rap-history",
"title": "Cellski’s Big Mafi Burgers Come With a Side of SF Rap History",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A group of true San Franciscans is easy to spot in the Bay Area wild. Usually, they’re wearing some OG Frisco gear — like an all-gold satin 49ers jacket and Giants fitted brim — and have someone rolling a blunt in the passenger seat of a nearby Buick or Chevy, doors open and music blaring onto the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That was the vibe at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bigmafiburgers/\">Big Mafi Burger\u003c/a>’s recent pop-up at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cookiessf/\">Cookies\u003c/a> in Hayward, where San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cellski415/\">Cellski\u003c/a> came out to supply his culinary goods. Never one to pass up a Bay Area collaboration, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a>, the S.F. rapper who co-owns Cookies, created his own recipe for the event: The Berner Burger featured jalapeños and barbecue sauce grilled and served on your choice of burger (turkey, beef, vegan) and bun (sesame, brioche, wheat) — all “mashed” into a stack of one, two or three flattened patties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not the first time \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13907726/e-40-goon-with-the-spoon-bay-area-rappers-food-entrepreneurs-hustle\">local rap artists have ventured into the food game\u003c/a>. Most recently, East Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/22NDWAYS/status/1590126226978791424\">ALLBLACK announced his “ALLBLACK Burger”\u003c/a> — featuring black buns, imported black cheddar, Hennessy and Patron sauce and candied brown sugar bacon — which sold out to fans at the rapper’s latest show. Still available at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ibsberkeley/?hl=en\">I.B.’s in Berkeley\u003c/a>, it goes to show how the rap game feeds the Bay in more ways than one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though I wasn’t able to catch ALLBLACK’s food debut, I came through to Cookies to show Big Mafi Burgers some love. The first bite was as saucy and flavorful as a ‘90s rap anthem. Here’s what the 415’s “Mr. Predicter” had to say about his love of music and food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13922640\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13922640\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-800x533.jpg\" alt='the rapper, Cellski, stands in front of a sign on the street that says \"Big Mafi Burgers\"' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">SF rapper Cellski at Cookies for his Big Mafi Burger pop-up in Hayward. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>ALAN CHAZARO:\u003c/strong> Tell us about Big Mafi Burger. When did you open and what’s on your menu?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>CELLSKI:\u003c/strong> We opened in October, but it’s an idea I came up with years ago. The food industry is real big right now so I decided to put my burger to the test. I’m using my grandmother’s recipe and wanted the world to taste that. She used to make the best muthafuckin’ burgers, rest in peace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We use up to six spices — our beef recipe uses five and the turkey burger has extra seasoning. Our style is the mash burger. Everyone is doing the smash burger now, but we don’t smash it, we mash it. That’s our signature. I went with the mash style because of the sear and crust on the meat. When you mash it like that, you gotta turn it so [that] it spreads out and it cooks all the way down and then you get that crispy outer layer. Once you flip it and add that cheese? It all just melts in your mouth (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our most popular item is The Big Mafi Burger, which has chopped onions and green bell peppers mixed in with the meat patty to bring out more flavor. That’s a hood burger from the projects that we used to do — like a seasoned meatloaf. I also use my secret sauce for that. I learned how to make sauce from Beep’s, my favorite burger spot in the neighborhood. It’s in Lakeview, where I grew up. A friend taught me how to make [the sauce] when she worked there back in the day. I added my own little whoop to it, made it my own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lakeview seems to produce a lot of good cooks — that’s also where a founding member of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13916044/sucka-free-soul-the-vegan-hood-chefs-honor-southern-heritage-with-a-frisco-twist\">The Vegan Hood Chefs\u003c/a> is from.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re like little sisters to me. I spoke with them [about starting Big Mafi Burgers]. Anything I do, I study it before I jump in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>You have an album playfully titled \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/25MKCvouaBw8nNnBKcUyoJ\">\u003cb>\u003ci>Canadian Bacon & Hashbrowns\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/a>. When did you get involved in food-making? What’s your connection to it?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That all comes from my grandmother’s kitchen. Her and my mom cooked the best food in my life, and I learned from them both. My grandma’s tacos didn’t taste like nobody else’s. Her burgers. Her soul food. It was just different. I would sit in the kitchen with her when I could and learn her recipes. I knew she wouldn’t always be around so I wrote it down. I tried it. I perfected it. I even used to cook for her later in life. If you \u003cem>know me \u003c/em>know me, you know I can really get down in the kitchen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eZGFh-_ZHg\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>You’ve had a long career in rap. How did you get started and what’s been your experience making music in the Bay Area?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I started rapping back in the 90s. I’ve been around rap music all my life. My uncle was a drummer — his band practiced in my grandma’s garage and I was always around it. He gave me a drum machine when I was a kid and I just got into music and producing. I’ve done lots of projects with hella artists in the Bay. I’ve been in this game for 30 years. I put my first record out in 1995 [Mr. Predicter]. I was about 18 years old.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I grew up under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13916721/sucka-free-history-with-dregs-one\">Cougnut, the greatest Frisco rapper ever\u003c/a>. He was young but I watched him do it. He put me on my first tour. Whenever he performed he let me come out and do my songs. That’s my big bro. Rest his soul. His mom and my mom was real close, even before rapping. It made sense when he made it big that I would come up with him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frisco Kid was another dude from my neighborhood, too. They was both my influences. Also, shout out Too $hort. Huey MC. The Miller and Budweiser — it used to be them two dudes battling back in the day. That’s real Frisco history right there. That’s some 1987 shit (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why is supporting other locally-owned businesses — like Mistah Fab’s Dope Era Clothing and Berner’s Cookies — important to you?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got a small community of Bay Area artists and influencers; we all try to stick together and push each other. It’s very important, even when there’s separation behind the scenes — neighborhood politics, shit like that. But I don’t deal with that, I’m older now. As far as the community of us out here, it’s beautiful. I’m just trying to boost people’s spirits up. That’s what I’m here for. I’m the big bro. I’ve been around Bern and Fab since the beginning of they shit. Bern and I started our brands around the same time. That’s my people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>There has been a wave of Bay Area rappers going into the food and beverage industry. Why do you think that is?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As you get older, things change. Rap is cool, but I’ve been doing it 30 years. I got to build businesses outside of that. My fans can come to this now. As a whole rap community, we get fans from each other, and that brings more awareness to what we’re all doing. You get older, you know. I’m in my 40s. We got our core fanbases but those checks ain’t what they used to be for me. It’s just different. I started a streetwear clothing line 10 years ago, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbcbrand.com/shop-1?page=2\">Chemical Baby\u003c/a>. I also got an equity cannabis license with \u003ca href=\"https://www.2tookfarms.com/\">2Took Farms\u003c/a> and we distribute with Cookies. I’m juggling a few businesses, bro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13922642\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13922642\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-800x533.jpg\" alt='a cook \"mashes\" a burger patty by flattening it with an iron press on the grill' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cook at Big Mafi Burger “mashes” two beef patties on the grill. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s next for Big Mafi Burgers?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re doing pop-ups right now but we’re working on getting a ghost kitchen in SoMa next year. We’ll be doing takeout from that location, and we’ll announce that at the start of 2023. Hopefully we can get us a brick-and-mortar one day. That’s our goal. But for now I’m also working on a deli, Celly’s Deli, and a soul food kitchen, Eassie Mae’s soul food, which are all my grandmother’s recipes. We’ll be running it all out of the same kitchen. People can come through and pick up, or get delivery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re doing a pop-up with Vegan Mob in a few weeks with an all-vegan menu. We’re also doing First Fridays at Dope Era again. We sold out the first time. I’ll also be selling burgers in the 49ers parking lot. I’m performing at the game this Sunday [11/27], so they told me to pull up with the burgers. We do private parties and events, too. We’ll be off during the holidays but we’ll be back in January and then get into the new kitchen. Once we get in there we’ll be on a roll, baby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bigmafiburgers/\">\u003ci>Big Mafi Burgers\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is currently serving at pop-up events around the Bay. They will appear next at the Byxbee Park toy drive (2375 Embarcadero Rd, Palo Alto) on Dec. 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A group of true San Franciscans is easy to spot in the Bay Area wild. Usually, they’re wearing some OG Frisco gear — like an all-gold satin 49ers jacket and Giants fitted brim — and have someone rolling a blunt in the passenger seat of a nearby Buick or Chevy, doors open and music blaring onto the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That was the vibe at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bigmafiburgers/\">Big Mafi Burger\u003c/a>’s recent pop-up at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cookiessf/\">Cookies\u003c/a> in Hayward, where San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cellski415/\">Cellski\u003c/a> came out to supply his culinary goods. Never one to pass up a Bay Area collaboration, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berner415/?hl=en\">Berner\u003c/a>, the S.F. rapper who co-owns Cookies, created his own recipe for the event: The Berner Burger featured jalapeños and barbecue sauce grilled and served on your choice of burger (turkey, beef, vegan) and bun (sesame, brioche, wheat) — all “mashed” into a stack of one, two or three flattened patties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not the first time \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13907726/e-40-goon-with-the-spoon-bay-area-rappers-food-entrepreneurs-hustle\">local rap artists have ventured into the food game\u003c/a>. Most recently, East Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/22NDWAYS/status/1590126226978791424\">ALLBLACK announced his “ALLBLACK Burger”\u003c/a> — featuring black buns, imported black cheddar, Hennessy and Patron sauce and candied brown sugar bacon — which sold out to fans at the rapper’s latest show. Still available at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ibsberkeley/?hl=en\">I.B.’s in Berkeley\u003c/a>, it goes to show how the rap game feeds the Bay in more ways than one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though I wasn’t able to catch ALLBLACK’s food debut, I came through to Cookies to show Big Mafi Burgers some love. The first bite was as saucy and flavorful as a ‘90s rap anthem. Here’s what the 415’s “Mr. Predicter” had to say about his love of music and food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13922640\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13922640\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-800x533.jpg\" alt='the rapper, Cellski, stands in front of a sign on the street that says \"Big Mafi Burgers\"' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6274-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">SF rapper Cellski at Cookies for his Big Mafi Burger pop-up in Hayward. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>ALAN CHAZARO:\u003c/strong> Tell us about Big Mafi Burger. When did you open and what’s on your menu?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>CELLSKI:\u003c/strong> We opened in October, but it’s an idea I came up with years ago. The food industry is real big right now so I decided to put my burger to the test. I’m using my grandmother’s recipe and wanted the world to taste that. She used to make the best muthafuckin’ burgers, rest in peace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We use up to six spices — our beef recipe uses five and the turkey burger has extra seasoning. Our style is the mash burger. Everyone is doing the smash burger now, but we don’t smash it, we mash it. That’s our signature. I went with the mash style because of the sear and crust on the meat. When you mash it like that, you gotta turn it so [that] it spreads out and it cooks all the way down and then you get that crispy outer layer. Once you flip it and add that cheese? It all just melts in your mouth (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our most popular item is The Big Mafi Burger, which has chopped onions and green bell peppers mixed in with the meat patty to bring out more flavor. That’s a hood burger from the projects that we used to do — like a seasoned meatloaf. I also use my secret sauce for that. I learned how to make sauce from Beep’s, my favorite burger spot in the neighborhood. It’s in Lakeview, where I grew up. A friend taught me how to make [the sauce] when she worked there back in the day. I added my own little whoop to it, made it my own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lakeview seems to produce a lot of good cooks — that’s also where a founding member of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13916044/sucka-free-soul-the-vegan-hood-chefs-honor-southern-heritage-with-a-frisco-twist\">The Vegan Hood Chefs\u003c/a> is from.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re like little sisters to me. I spoke with them [about starting Big Mafi Burgers]. Anything I do, I study it before I jump in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>You have an album playfully titled \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/25MKCvouaBw8nNnBKcUyoJ\">\u003cb>\u003ci>Canadian Bacon & Hashbrowns\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/a>. When did you get involved in food-making? What’s your connection to it?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That all comes from my grandmother’s kitchen. Her and my mom cooked the best food in my life, and I learned from them both. My grandma’s tacos didn’t taste like nobody else’s. Her burgers. Her soul food. It was just different. I would sit in the kitchen with her when I could and learn her recipes. I knew she wouldn’t always be around so I wrote it down. I tried it. I perfected it. I even used to cook for her later in life. If you \u003cem>know me \u003c/em>know me, you know I can really get down in the kitchen.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/7eZGFh-_ZHg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/7eZGFh-_ZHg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>You’ve had a long career in rap. How did you get started and what’s been your experience making music in the Bay Area?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I started rapping back in the 90s. I’ve been around rap music all my life. My uncle was a drummer — his band practiced in my grandma’s garage and I was always around it. He gave me a drum machine when I was a kid and I just got into music and producing. I’ve done lots of projects with hella artists in the Bay. I’ve been in this game for 30 years. I put my first record out in 1995 [Mr. Predicter]. I was about 18 years old.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I grew up under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13916721/sucka-free-history-with-dregs-one\">Cougnut, the greatest Frisco rapper ever\u003c/a>. He was young but I watched him do it. He put me on my first tour. Whenever he performed he let me come out and do my songs. That’s my big bro. Rest his soul. His mom and my mom was real close, even before rapping. It made sense when he made it big that I would come up with him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frisco Kid was another dude from my neighborhood, too. They was both my influences. Also, shout out Too $hort. Huey MC. The Miller and Budweiser — it used to be them two dudes battling back in the day. That’s real Frisco history right there. That’s some 1987 shit (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why is supporting other locally-owned businesses — like Mistah Fab’s Dope Era Clothing and Berner’s Cookies — important to you?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got a small community of Bay Area artists and influencers; we all try to stick together and push each other. It’s very important, even when there’s separation behind the scenes — neighborhood politics, shit like that. But I don’t deal with that, I’m older now. As far as the community of us out here, it’s beautiful. I’m just trying to boost people’s spirits up. That’s what I’m here for. I’m the big bro. I’ve been around Bern and Fab since the beginning of they shit. Bern and I started our brands around the same time. That’s my people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>There has been a wave of Bay Area rappers going into the food and beverage industry. Why do you think that is?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As you get older, things change. Rap is cool, but I’ve been doing it 30 years. I got to build businesses outside of that. My fans can come to this now. As a whole rap community, we get fans from each other, and that brings more awareness to what we’re all doing. You get older, you know. I’m in my 40s. We got our core fanbases but those checks ain’t what they used to be for me. It’s just different. I started a streetwear clothing line 10 years ago, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbcbrand.com/shop-1?page=2\">Chemical Baby\u003c/a>. I also got an equity cannabis license with \u003ca href=\"https://www.2tookfarms.com/\">2Took Farms\u003c/a> and we distribute with Cookies. I’m juggling a few businesses, bro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13922642\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13922642\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-800x533.jpg\" alt='a cook \"mashes\" a burger patty by flattening it with an iron press on the grill' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG_6208-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cook at Big Mafi Burger “mashes” two beef patties on the grill. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s next for Big Mafi Burgers?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re doing pop-ups right now but we’re working on getting a ghost kitchen in SoMa next year. We’ll be doing takeout from that location, and we’ll announce that at the start of 2023. Hopefully we can get us a brick-and-mortar one day. That’s our goal. But for now I’m also working on a deli, Celly’s Deli, and a soul food kitchen, Eassie Mae’s soul food, which are all my grandmother’s recipes. We’ll be running it all out of the same kitchen. People can come through and pick up, or get delivery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re doing a pop-up with Vegan Mob in a few weeks with an all-vegan menu. We’re also doing First Fridays at Dope Era again. We sold out the first time. I’ll also be selling burgers in the 49ers parking lot. I’m performing at the game this Sunday [11/27], so they told me to pull up with the burgers. We do private parties and events, too. We’ll be off during the holidays but we’ll be back in January and then get into the new kitchen. Once we get in there we’ll be on a roll, baby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bigmafiburgers/\">\u003ci>Big Mafi Burgers\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is currently serving at pop-up events around the Bay. They will appear next at the Byxbee Park toy drive (2375 Embarcadero Rd, Palo Alto) on Dec. 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not every day that an outdoor dining spot pops up in the back cuts of Richmond. But near the Chevron refinery and train yards, tucked between the marina’s port and Highway 580, you’ll find a new gathering place for food, drinks and live music: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/richmondbackyard/\">the Backyard\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hidden in an unassuming lot behind the \u003ca href=\"https://www.acehardware.com/store-details/17792\">Whale Point Marine & Hardware\u003c/a> store — where day laborers, fishermen and construction workers pull up for specialty work wear and supplies — the Backyard feels like a quirky oasis surrounded by industrial grit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With lawn games, spacious outdoor seating, a music system that slaps, a large stage, palm trees and splashes of vibrant color that pop in contrast to the surrounding steel and chain-link fences, the venue promises to be a fun, family-friendly place to chill while grubbing on burgers, sandwiches and small shared bites. There’s a plan to project movies at night, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the Backyard’s grand opening two weeks ago, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/khruangbin/\">Khruangbin\u003c/a>’s psychedelic guitar riffs blared from surrounding speakers to a small crowd of patrons, who — like me — lined up outside of the business’s converted Airstream trailer to order lunch. Even on its first day, the spot was already serving as a restful gathering place for construction workers, young parents, elderly couples and anyone else who needed a break. As 16-wheelers rumbled along Cutting Boulevard, I soaked in a rare beam of sunshine and grubbed on “the Backyard Burger,” a classic cheeseburger with pickled onions and special house sauce served on an Acme bun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It all felt appropriately Richmond — seeing cranes and shipping containers across the street while enjoying a no-frills burger that was cooked up in a food truck next to a gravelly lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13921652\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13921652\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"a burger and order of fries on a paper tray on a table at an outdoor eatery in Richmond\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Backyard Burger is a staple menu item. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Backyard’s arrival signals the addition of yet another food joint outside of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887986/exploring-richmonds-taco-corridor-and-more-with-luke-tsai\">Richmond’s traditional food corridors\u003c/a> like 23rd St., where Mexican and Central American flavors are as abundant as they are in the Mission and Fruitvale. It’s a sign of Richmond’s growing craft food and beverage scene happening along the city’s periphery, where small businesses like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13914400/el-garage-armistice-brewing-mangonada-beer-richmond\">Armistice Brewing\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eastbrotherbeer/\">East Brother Beer\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1035426537/far-west-cider-co/\">Far West Cider\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rockyislandoysterco/\">Rocky Island Oyster Co.\u003c/a> have all found a home, despite being relatively out of sight and off the grid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As with many independent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101891054/finding-amazing-food-in-unlikely-places\">food businesses that are located in unexpected places\u003c/a>, the Backyard runs the risk of being overlooked (see: Black Star Pirate BBQ, the barbecue destination in nearby Point San Pablo that \u003ca href=\"https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/10/04/black-star-pirate-bbq-in-richmonds-san-pablo-harbor-to-close-in-november/\">recently lost its lease\u003c/a>). But the Backyard owner Emmet Kauffman, a San Francisco born-and-bred entrepreneur, is used to the grind and ready to embrace the challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what the painter-turned-backyard-chef has to say about Richmond’s latest spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>ALAN CHAZARO: \u003c/b>Congratulations on opening this month. Tell us about the Backyard and your vision for this new space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>EMMET KAUFFMAN:\u003c/b> I want the Backyard to be a place for people to feel comfortable to come and not just have to buy a burger. If you need a place to hang out with your kids and let them run around and you want some small bites, you can do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu right now is simple, tight and delicious. I’m focusing on those hearty, number one items that people want. We have a solid breakfast menu in an industrial area. This is for your working-class people. You can pull up and get a breakfast sandwich with cheddar cheese, fluffy egg and sausage or bacon. You can add avocado and other toppings. We also have a breakfast box which is a deconstructed breakfast sandwich, with more eggs and a hash brown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For lunch, we currently have two solid burgers: a Santa Fe burger and the Backyard burger. We have a BLT and a grilled cheese, too. We’re using Acme Bread from Berkeley, which is delicious. We also serve tartines [the restaurant’s take on a bruschetta], and we’re getting ready to expand that soon. Currently we have the margherita tartine. That’s my speciality: a bruschetta with goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, balsamic. It’s like a fresh pizza. We also have avocado [toast] — micro greens, sauteed tomatoes, honey drizzle. We offer charcuterie boards, too — we call it a “cutting board,” since we’re on Cutting Blvd. in Richmond — but only on the weekends. It serves about four — a full spread with brie, salami, nuts, fruits. Something fun to share.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My dream restaurant would be like something in Barcelona. A full spread, tapas style. Fancy breads, tartines. That’s the direction we’re going in, and we’re just settling into our capacity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>When did your interest in food making begin?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was born and raised in San Francisco, and I was never the best at school. My mom tried getting me in programs that I could click with. She knew I had a passion for cooking. She got me into a program in Marin. They did an event at the Fillmore Jazz Festival when I was 17. I worked with Chef David Lawrence at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/1300onfillmore/\">1300 on Fillmore\u003c/a>, and he spotted me out of everyone and told me to come back the next day. He had me make sweet potato gnocchi. I was a senior in high school, and he hired me to work on the line on the weekends without prior experience. That was it for me. I was there for three and a half years. In between that, my dad had his house remodeled, and the paint contractor was looking for workers. I got a job at a painting company when I was 19 and was working both jobs, 80- to 90-hour weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13921654\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13921654 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-800x533.jpg\" alt='a large mural that reads \"the Backyard\" is painted on the side of a wall in a large, outdoor space to eat' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Owner Emmet Kauffman, who used to be a painter, created the mural for the Backyard. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How did your work as a painter complement your growth in the food industry?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went into painting full time and started managing a paint company [in San Francisco] at 19. I had a ton of experience, for about three years. Then I stopped painting and worked at Alexander’s Steakhouse, which had a Michelin star at the time. I got experience there, then joined the California National Guard. I focused on my military training. When I was 21, I started my own painting company [\u003ca href=\"http://kmanskreations.com/\">Kman’s Kreations\u003c/a>] and was in the National Guard for six years. I kept running my paint company for 10 years. COVID shook that up, and I wanted to rethink things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was priced out of San Francisco. A few years ago I moved to Richmond and saw an opportunity. The military allowed me to move to Richmond with the VA Loan. I fell in love here and took a leap by going back to my roots and passion with cooking. I’ve had over 10 years of experience running a business, building employees, working with clients and customers. This is my new passion project at 31. I still have time to fail (laughs). Food is the best kind of building. You can build it and then eat it and taste it. You can tweak it. It’s a form of art. It reminds me of painting in a way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Do you still operate your painting business in San Francisco?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>COVID hit, and everyone went their own ways. I continued working on my own for the past two years. I got a text the other day to come paint a house (laughs). I actually have a product I invented called \u003ca href=\"https://www.sprayersaver.com/\">Sprayer Saver\u003c/a>. It’s a simple product that my brother and I started. It holds your bucket at an angle so you can get all that paint when you’re using a paint sprayer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Is that how you ended up behind the Whale Point Marine & Hardware store? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13909648,arts_13914400,arts_13920831']Definitely. I’ve spent a lot of money at that hardware store (laughs). When I had the idea of creating [the Backyard], I was looking at other areas, but this area in Richmond was perfect. There is a lot getting built and bought very quickly here. I had a relationship with Jay [owner of Whale Point & Marine Hardware] because of my experience in painting. They also sell my product [Sprayer Saver]. He shot my idea down at first, but then a few days later he changed his mind and was down. That was it. I signed a contract and built it out as quickly as possible. It took me five months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I did everything by myself: the fence, the mural, digging the palm trees, putting up the pergola and the foundation, moving everything, setting up the food trailers. It’s a true passion project. My dad would come out and water the palm trees when I was out of town. My brother helped put the fence together. My family is a big support. They’re all in San Francisco still but helped me get here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What other events and surprises are you planning for the Backyard? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a week or two we’d like to book some live musicians. We’re figuring out a movie aspect as well. There are old, funky movies from the ’40s and ’50s that are in the public domain that we could project once it gets dark. The overall feel that I really want our neighbors to get is this being their own backyard. This is a regular spot to just hang out. No need to spend a ton of money when you go out. We’ll have bands, beer and wine soon. We want this to be a space that can be rented for events, with custom menus, too. We can create a special menu for you. Stuff like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13921651\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13921651\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"an order of avocado toast is served on a paper tray\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The avocado tartine is topped with micro greens, sautéed tomatoes, avocado and honey drizzle. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What do you like about living in Richmond compared to San Francisco? How did you end up on this side of the Bay Bridge?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a better way to see the City. I didn’t have a ton of money, but enough to get a starter home here. I was driving around the Bay looking at homes, and I liked Richmond the most, especially down by the Marina. The opportunity presented itself, and I’m glad I ended up here. It reminds me of the Dogpatch [in San Francisco]. About 20 years ago [in what’s now Dogpatch], you could climb into abandoned industrial buildings. I always had a fondness for that. But now it’s like a hotspot in the city. That’s crazy to me. That’s how I see Richmond as a whole, from the industrial side. It’s like the last holdout in the Bay Area. There’s an opportunity for growth. That whole ferry area is growing. I have a fondness for what Frisco used to be, and this reminds me of that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What motivates you to run a food business in the Bay Area, despite the high costs?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seven generations in California. Our great-great-grandfather was the 13th senator of California. My mom was born in San Francisco. This runs in my blood. My blood runs gold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/richmondbackyard/\">\u003ci>The Backyard\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is located at 205 Cutting Blvd., Richmond, behind Whale Point Marine & Hardware. It’s open Mon. through Thu. 8 a.m.–4 p.m. and Fri. through Sun. 8 a.m.–6 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not every day that an outdoor dining spot pops up in the back cuts of Richmond. But near the Chevron refinery and train yards, tucked between the marina’s port and Highway 580, you’ll find a new gathering place for food, drinks and live music: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/richmondbackyard/\">the Backyard\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hidden in an unassuming lot behind the \u003ca href=\"https://www.acehardware.com/store-details/17792\">Whale Point Marine & Hardware\u003c/a> store — where day laborers, fishermen and construction workers pull up for specialty work wear and supplies — the Backyard feels like a quirky oasis surrounded by industrial grit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With lawn games, spacious outdoor seating, a music system that slaps, a large stage, palm trees and splashes of vibrant color that pop in contrast to the surrounding steel and chain-link fences, the venue promises to be a fun, family-friendly place to chill while grubbing on burgers, sandwiches and small shared bites. There’s a plan to project movies at night, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the Backyard’s grand opening two weeks ago, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/khruangbin/\">Khruangbin\u003c/a>’s psychedelic guitar riffs blared from surrounding speakers to a small crowd of patrons, who — like me — lined up outside of the business’s converted Airstream trailer to order lunch. Even on its first day, the spot was already serving as a restful gathering place for construction workers, young parents, elderly couples and anyone else who needed a break. As 16-wheelers rumbled along Cutting Boulevard, I soaked in a rare beam of sunshine and grubbed on “the Backyard Burger,” a classic cheeseburger with pickled onions and special house sauce served on an Acme bun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It all felt appropriately Richmond — seeing cranes and shipping containers across the street while enjoying a no-frills burger that was cooked up in a food truck next to a gravelly lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13921652\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13921652\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"a burger and order of fries on a paper tray on a table at an outdoor eatery in Richmond\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_burger.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Backyard Burger is a staple menu item. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Backyard’s arrival signals the addition of yet another food joint outside of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887986/exploring-richmonds-taco-corridor-and-more-with-luke-tsai\">Richmond’s traditional food corridors\u003c/a> like 23rd St., where Mexican and Central American flavors are as abundant as they are in the Mission and Fruitvale. It’s a sign of Richmond’s growing craft food and beverage scene happening along the city’s periphery, where small businesses like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13914400/el-garage-armistice-brewing-mangonada-beer-richmond\">Armistice Brewing\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eastbrotherbeer/\">East Brother Beer\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1035426537/far-west-cider-co/\">Far West Cider\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rockyislandoysterco/\">Rocky Island Oyster Co.\u003c/a> have all found a home, despite being relatively out of sight and off the grid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As with many independent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101891054/finding-amazing-food-in-unlikely-places\">food businesses that are located in unexpected places\u003c/a>, the Backyard runs the risk of being overlooked (see: Black Star Pirate BBQ, the barbecue destination in nearby Point San Pablo that \u003ca href=\"https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/10/04/black-star-pirate-bbq-in-richmonds-san-pablo-harbor-to-close-in-november/\">recently lost its lease\u003c/a>). But the Backyard owner Emmet Kauffman, a San Francisco born-and-bred entrepreneur, is used to the grind and ready to embrace the challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what the painter-turned-backyard-chef has to say about Richmond’s latest spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>ALAN CHAZARO: \u003c/b>Congratulations on opening this month. Tell us about the Backyard and your vision for this new space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>EMMET KAUFFMAN:\u003c/b> I want the Backyard to be a place for people to feel comfortable to come and not just have to buy a burger. If you need a place to hang out with your kids and let them run around and you want some small bites, you can do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The menu right now is simple, tight and delicious. I’m focusing on those hearty, number one items that people want. We have a solid breakfast menu in an industrial area. This is for your working-class people. You can pull up and get a breakfast sandwich with cheddar cheese, fluffy egg and sausage or bacon. You can add avocado and other toppings. We also have a breakfast box which is a deconstructed breakfast sandwich, with more eggs and a hash brown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For lunch, we currently have two solid burgers: a Santa Fe burger and the Backyard burger. We have a BLT and a grilled cheese, too. We’re using Acme Bread from Berkeley, which is delicious. We also serve tartines [the restaurant’s take on a bruschetta], and we’re getting ready to expand that soon. Currently we have the margherita tartine. That’s my speciality: a bruschetta with goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, balsamic. It’s like a fresh pizza. We also have avocado [toast] — micro greens, sauteed tomatoes, honey drizzle. We offer charcuterie boards, too — we call it a “cutting board,” since we’re on Cutting Blvd. in Richmond — but only on the weekends. It serves about four — a full spread with brie, salami, nuts, fruits. Something fun to share.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My dream restaurant would be like something in Barcelona. A full spread, tapas style. Fancy breads, tartines. That’s the direction we’re going in, and we’re just settling into our capacity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>When did your interest in food making begin?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was born and raised in San Francisco, and I was never the best at school. My mom tried getting me in programs that I could click with. She knew I had a passion for cooking. She got me into a program in Marin. They did an event at the Fillmore Jazz Festival when I was 17. I worked with Chef David Lawrence at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/1300onfillmore/\">1300 on Fillmore\u003c/a>, and he spotted me out of everyone and told me to come back the next day. He had me make sweet potato gnocchi. I was a senior in high school, and he hired me to work on the line on the weekends without prior experience. That was it for me. I was there for three and a half years. In between that, my dad had his house remodeled, and the paint contractor was looking for workers. I got a job at a painting company when I was 19 and was working both jobs, 80- to 90-hour weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13921654\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13921654 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-800x533.jpg\" alt='a large mural that reads \"the Backyard\" is painted on the side of a wall in a large, outdoor space to eat' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_mural.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Owner Emmet Kauffman, who used to be a painter, created the mural for the Backyard. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How did your work as a painter complement your growth in the food industry?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I went into painting full time and started managing a paint company [in San Francisco] at 19. I had a ton of experience, for about three years. Then I stopped painting and worked at Alexander’s Steakhouse, which had a Michelin star at the time. I got experience there, then joined the California National Guard. I focused on my military training. When I was 21, I started my own painting company [\u003ca href=\"http://kmanskreations.com/\">Kman’s Kreations\u003c/a>] and was in the National Guard for six years. I kept running my paint company for 10 years. COVID shook that up, and I wanted to rethink things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was priced out of San Francisco. A few years ago I moved to Richmond and saw an opportunity. The military allowed me to move to Richmond with the VA Loan. I fell in love here and took a leap by going back to my roots and passion with cooking. I’ve had over 10 years of experience running a business, building employees, working with clients and customers. This is my new passion project at 31. I still have time to fail (laughs). Food is the best kind of building. You can build it and then eat it and taste it. You can tweak it. It’s a form of art. It reminds me of painting in a way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Do you still operate your painting business in San Francisco?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>COVID hit, and everyone went their own ways. I continued working on my own for the past two years. I got a text the other day to come paint a house (laughs). I actually have a product I invented called \u003ca href=\"https://www.sprayersaver.com/\">Sprayer Saver\u003c/a>. It’s a simple product that my brother and I started. It holds your bucket at an angle so you can get all that paint when you’re using a paint sprayer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Is that how you ended up behind the Whale Point Marine & Hardware store? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Definitely. I’ve spent a lot of money at that hardware store (laughs). When I had the idea of creating [the Backyard], I was looking at other areas, but this area in Richmond was perfect. There is a lot getting built and bought very quickly here. I had a relationship with Jay [owner of Whale Point & Marine Hardware] because of my experience in painting. They also sell my product [Sprayer Saver]. He shot my idea down at first, but then a few days later he changed his mind and was down. That was it. I signed a contract and built it out as quickly as possible. It took me five months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I did everything by myself: the fence, the mural, digging the palm trees, putting up the pergola and the foundation, moving everything, setting up the food trailers. It’s a true passion project. My dad would come out and water the palm trees when I was out of town. My brother helped put the fence together. My family is a big support. They’re all in San Francisco still but helped me get here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What other events and surprises are you planning for the Backyard? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a week or two we’d like to book some live musicians. We’re figuring out a movie aspect as well. There are old, funky movies from the ’40s and ’50s that are in the public domain that we could project once it gets dark. The overall feel that I really want our neighbors to get is this being their own backyard. This is a regular spot to just hang out. No need to spend a ton of money when you go out. We’ll have bands, beer and wine soon. We want this to be a space that can be rented for events, with custom menus, too. We can create a special menu for you. Stuff like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13921651\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13921651\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"an order of avocado toast is served on a paper tray\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/backyard_avocado_toast.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The avocado tartine is topped with micro greens, sautéed tomatoes, avocado and honey drizzle. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What do you like about living in Richmond compared to San Francisco? How did you end up on this side of the Bay Bridge?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a better way to see the City. I didn’t have a ton of money, but enough to get a starter home here. I was driving around the Bay looking at homes, and I liked Richmond the most, especially down by the Marina. The opportunity presented itself, and I’m glad I ended up here. It reminds me of the Dogpatch [in San Francisco]. About 20 years ago [in what’s now Dogpatch], you could climb into abandoned industrial buildings. I always had a fondness for that. But now it’s like a hotspot in the city. That’s crazy to me. That’s how I see Richmond as a whole, from the industrial side. It’s like the last holdout in the Bay Area. There’s an opportunity for growth. That whole ferry area is growing. I have a fondness for what Frisco used to be, and this reminds me of that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What motivates you to run a food business in the Bay Area, despite the high costs?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seven generations in California. Our great-great-grandfather was the 13th senator of California. My mom was born in San Francisco. This runs in my blood. My blood runs gold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/richmondbackyard/\">\u003ci>The Backyard\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is located at 205 Cutting Blvd., Richmond, behind Whale Point Marine & Hardware. It’s open Mon. through Thu. 8 a.m.–4 p.m. and Fri. through Sun. 8 a.m.–6 p.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "treats-by-b-cannabis-infused-cakes-cookies-pop-up-bakery-oakland-san-leandro-portland",
"title": "Gold-Covered Vegan Treats Sparkle for this East Bay Baker",
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"headTitle": "Gold-Covered Vegan Treats Sparkle for this East Bay Baker | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It doesn’t get more saucy than Brea “Slim” Gladney. Walking into her family’s home in San Leandro — where they relocated to from East Oakland over a decade ago — you’ll find the Warriors game playing in the background and all the playerish vibes of someone who cooks up game for a living. Though Gladney currently resides in Portland, Oregon, she regularly returns home to tap in with her folks and distribute baked treats at various pop-ups, smoke shops and private functions through her business, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/treatsbyb/\">Treats by B\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes Gladney distinctive is her passion and creativity in the kitchen: peach cobbler dessert tacos, sherbet ube geode cakes, raspberry cupcakes with rose flower frosting, vegan fried chicken and waffle tacos, cannabis-infused cinnamon buns and more — often with gold flakes sprinkled generously as a garnish. For her, baking and cooking are artforms, which she often freestyles in the moment to make original, one-off goodies. Everything she makes is from scratch — the dough, frosting, butter, oils — and she customizes every detail to the customer’s needs and preferences (see: cannabis optional).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like one of early her influences, Too $hort, Gladney is “out the trunk” with it, selling from inside her family’s home, posting up with tents in driveways and pulling up to smoker’s events to feed anyone who might have the munchies. “I’m on my Girl Scout shit,” Gladney says about the informal ways she distributes her baked creations to Bay Area treat-seekers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During my visit to her family’s home, Gladney’s mother — a supportive advocate whom Gladney credits as her “number one fan, for sure” — was nearby, providing space and encouragement. It’s clear that happiness and homestyle comfort are major ingredients in anything made by “Slim,” whose pop-up business has been going for nearly a decade. Here’s what this foodmaker had to say about her journey so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>KQED: How did Treats by B start out and what sort of goods do you serve?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a business I started almost 10 years ago, a platform for myself to express my art through food. I have a bit of an art background — I’ve always needed some crayons or watercolors and paper, and I also went to the Art Institute of San Francisco for photography. I’ve always needed to do things with my hands, including baking and cooking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[Treats by B] is basically founded on me creating outlandish things. I’m a kitchen creative. There isn’t really one thing that I’m limited to doing. I bake, cook, make medicinal products, butter, oils, infusions. It all goes hand in hand and is made from scratch. There’s no limit to what I might make and I’m finding ways to merge things: the chicken and waffle taco, for example. It’s savory and sweet, and dabbles into all my interests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Edibles also go organically with my treats. I’m intrigued by that industry. I’ve been doing it for about eight years, and it gives me more opportunities to explore. My best friend encouraged me to turn what I do in the kitchen into a business and people started asking me about it, so I hit my cousin up who does graphic design. I’m from the Bay but this kind of got started in LA, when I was visiting down there. My cousin came up with the name, logo and pattern. Here we are a decade later with the same thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13920854\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13920854\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"a row of peach cobbler dessert tacos are lined up in Gladney's home kitchen\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A row of peach cobbler dessert tacos are lined up in Gladney’s home kitchen. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your approach to baking? It seems fluid and laid-back.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a freestyle for me. I don’t always know what I’m going to make. People ask me to make custom cakes. That’s my style. I like to give people something they might not always see. I’m not saying I’m the greatest cake decorator in the world, but I’m me. Depending on the day and what I have available, I’ll make something off that. Maybe I have matcha, crystals and glitter, so I’ll turn that into something. It’s more fun that way. It doesn’t limit me or give me strict boundaries. When you’re dealing with people’s orders, I like the idea of being custom, making it personal, because I can’t really make a mistake. If something has exact specifications, then there might be disappointment when they get it. I don’t want people to expect something that isn’t me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’ve lived in Portland for three years now, but you return to the Bay often. What’s it like to run your business from two cities, and how do you balance that?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It works together, especially when it comes to business. Both places can be booming, but if one is doing better than the other, it gives me a chance to move around. I move where the money is. I initially got up to Portland after visiting a friend. I was making banana loafs at the time and thought it would be a good fit in Oregon after seeing someone already had theirs in store. Within six hours of me being there I was already smelling opportunities. We went around to different food carts and I noticed what was going on in the food scene. I felt like I had a chance to do something different and add to it all. I moved in after that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My business is heavily based off \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/treatsbyb/\">my social media\u003c/a>. Being on a budget and trying to start a business, I was limited with resources, which made me more creative in the kitchen. A lot of my meals might’ve looked extravagant, but they were basic ingredients with a creative touch. Being in two places just helps me spread what I do, which I prefer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’re focused on plant-based options and vegan ingredients. What are the benefits of veganism and how did you first get into it?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My good friend Lola has been vegan since high school. She pushed me in this direction. In 2014, I was on Facebook, and she posted a flyer about Vegan Street Fair in LA. I wanted to do it, so I reached out to the coordinators and got set up with that. From there I got accepted and paid my fee. I had never made anything vegan or plant-based in my life, but we’ve figured it out (laughs). I started small, but eventually was making stuff for events for thousands of people in my home kitchen. I’ve made over 2,000 vegan cupcakes in a week using my home oven. I’d go with a hundred cases of 12-count cupcakes to events. That’s a lot for one person in that type of kitchen. But I was passionate. Raspberry, banana, strawberry, green tea, coconut almond. I did it all through trial and error. That put knowledge in my belt for plant-based products. During that time, I started altering my own diet and went vegan myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Everything really kicked off and I decided to do strictly plant-based when I moved to Portland. I got connected with Jewan, from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/itsplantbasedpapi/?hl=en\">Plant Based Papi\u003c/a>, and started doing vegan desserts there. The product was softer, sweeter, more moist. It even looked and tasted better. Plant-based products are slightly more expensive, but they last longer. Oat milk can last for about two months. Dairy milk has a short shelf time. It expires faster. Even my butter and frostings, the consistency came out better. I didn’t even tell my customers initially and they were raving about it, so I eventually told them (laughs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/CeekmYMvDv3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You do lots of custom, one-off treats — like your Pink Champagne Geode Cake (pictured above). Describe some of your favorite items and clients. What makes your creations distinct?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are two types of cakes I make: buttercream cakes (frosting) and fondant (fun 3D molds). A favorite client I make cakes for is \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/galore/?hl=en\">Galore\u003c/a>. They’re based in LA. I got connected with them a few years ago, I just reached out and they were totally with it. They gave me free range. They’d throw parties and some celebrities would attend, and they’d ask me to make cakes with people’s names on it and stuff like that. I’d make them in the Bay and take them all the way to LA for a weekend. I’ve worked with outlets like BET. I also did something for \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/victoriamonet/?hl=en\">Victoria Monét\u003c/a>’s birthday after she worked with Ariana Grande, who attended. I made a \u003ca href=\"https://www.pinterest.com/pin/505036545705530261/\">“Burn Book” cake\u003c/a> from Mean Girls and cupcakes that resembled Victoria’s work. I went to the party and met them both, and they were very happy with the product.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oh, I’ve also shipped cakes from Portland to the Bay. Shipping cakes is a thing (laughs). I wasn’t sure how to make it work at first. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/CTvbzYMJuAs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\">This one cake took two full days\u003c/a>, hand painted, and I used an airbrush to incorporate pieces that reflected the person’s lifestyle. They wanted guns, money, an eightball, an ashtray and other symbols about where they’re from. They had recently lost a family member, so I added that as well. That’s about $1,000 total. With shipping, labor, ingredients. It’s not cheap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’re heavily rooted in the Bay Area, having worked with local figures like Juan Toscano-Anderson before. What’s your connection to the culture here, beyond even just food?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juan was a client. His mom’s 50th birthday was on June 1, and I was on my way to Portland that day. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/ByTeobeAxNf/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D\">I finished the cake for his mom\u003c/a> right before leaving. She really loved that cake. Overall, I’ve just been around a lot of people here over the years. I used to do photography, so that helped me meet people in the scene. That got me out to shows for people like SchoolBoy Q, when I was working at Converse. I was shooting events and meeting people around the Bay. Shooting shows was a way for me to attend events on a different side of things. I’ve done 2 Chainz at Fox Theater, SZA in the City, Ab Soul, music festivals. It paid off because now I take all my own photos of the food. Staging, lighting, all that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13920855\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13920855\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Brea Gladney and her mother both stand in front of their home in San Leandro, while Brea holds one of her vegan fried chicken waffle tacos\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The baker and her mother stand in front of their home, where it all started for the Gladney 10 years ago. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What struggles do independent foodmakers like yourself face? Do you have advice for anyone interested in this profession?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My 10-year-anniversary is next year. I started this business at my mom’s house in San Leandro. I was talking to my best friend one day, thinking about doing an event in LA. I had no idea about anything. It was about $700 for the permits. That’s when I started to learn about the different types of permits you need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As far as running a business, you need to get some things to get started, but it wasn’t that complicated. I needed a kitchen, and I found out that I don’t necessarily need all the extra stuff to start off. I share that with other bakers who wanna start. If you go to the health department, you can get started from your house. You can get a permit based on the products you make and income you get. Since then I’ve been doing this for a long time, just trial and error. Self taught. And with my mom as my biggest sponsor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What events do you have coming up? Where can people find you?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13920483,arts_13919032,arts_13916044']\u003c/span>A lot of this happens here in the Bay, but also in Portland. When I’m in the Bay, just follow my posts and reach out. I’ve been doing \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the_firemarket2/?hl=en\">The Fire Market\u003c/a> a few Saturdays a month recently. You can get things there that are [cannabis] infused, or not. I really appreciate that market. It’s very organized, a safe space and a lot of fun. It’s a community. We look out for each other, and it gives me a sort of home base outside of my home. Sometimes you have to be careful about letting everyone know where you’re at, especially as a woman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Honestly, my goal is to never open anything full-time; I do not like the public like that (laughs). I like creating products and putting it out on my own timeline. I do have cookies that are plant-based, and those are really shipping friendly. You can get things like that at any time. Or you can make requests, and that’s cool, and that’s where the custom orders come in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love pop-ups, too. It’s kind of like a shoe release, and I post on my website where and when to get it. If you catch me, you catch me (laughs). I’ll have something really nice for you though. I’m currently working on a Cookies ’n Ube cake for my next event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Treats by B is \u003ca href=\"https://www.treatsbybrea.com/\">available online\u003c/a>. Gladney’s next Bay Area appearances will be on Friday, Oct. 28 in San Leandro and Saturday, Oct. 29 at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the_firemarket/?hl=en\">The Fire Market\u003c/a> in East Oakland. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/treatsbyb/\">Message her\u003c/a> for address information, future events and shipping queries.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Treats by B's outlandish vegan cakes, cookies and dessert tacos are a Bay Area original. ",
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"title": "Gold-Covered Vegan Treats Sparkle for this East Bay Baker | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>¡Hella Hungry! is a column about Bay Area foodmakers, exploring the region’s culinary cultures through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It doesn’t get more saucy than Brea “Slim” Gladney. Walking into her family’s home in San Leandro — where they relocated to from East Oakland over a decade ago — you’ll find the Warriors game playing in the background and all the playerish vibes of someone who cooks up game for a living. Though Gladney currently resides in Portland, Oregon, she regularly returns home to tap in with her folks and distribute baked treats at various pop-ups, smoke shops and private functions through her business, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/treatsbyb/\">Treats by B\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes Gladney distinctive is her passion and creativity in the kitchen: peach cobbler dessert tacos, sherbet ube geode cakes, raspberry cupcakes with rose flower frosting, vegan fried chicken and waffle tacos, cannabis-infused cinnamon buns and more — often with gold flakes sprinkled generously as a garnish. For her, baking and cooking are artforms, which she often freestyles in the moment to make original, one-off goodies. Everything she makes is from scratch — the dough, frosting, butter, oils — and she customizes every detail to the customer’s needs and preferences (see: cannabis optional).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like one of early her influences, Too $hort, Gladney is “out the trunk” with it, selling from inside her family’s home, posting up with tents in driveways and pulling up to smoker’s events to feed anyone who might have the munchies. “I’m on my Girl Scout shit,” Gladney says about the informal ways she distributes her baked creations to Bay Area treat-seekers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During my visit to her family’s home, Gladney’s mother — a supportive advocate whom Gladney credits as her “number one fan, for sure” — was nearby, providing space and encouragement. It’s clear that happiness and homestyle comfort are major ingredients in anything made by “Slim,” whose pop-up business has been going for nearly a decade. Here’s what this foodmaker had to say about her journey so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">********\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>KQED: How did Treats by B start out and what sort of goods do you serve?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a business I started almost 10 years ago, a platform for myself to express my art through food. I have a bit of an art background — I’ve always needed some crayons or watercolors and paper, and I also went to the Art Institute of San Francisco for photography. I’ve always needed to do things with my hands, including baking and cooking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[Treats by B] is basically founded on me creating outlandish things. I’m a kitchen creative. There isn’t really one thing that I’m limited to doing. I bake, cook, make medicinal products, butter, oils, infusions. It all goes hand in hand and is made from scratch. There’s no limit to what I might make and I’m finding ways to merge things: the chicken and waffle taco, for example. It’s savory and sweet, and dabbles into all my interests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Edibles also go organically with my treats. I’m intrigued by that industry. I’ve been doing it for about eight years, and it gives me more opportunities to explore. My best friend encouraged me to turn what I do in the kitchen into a business and people started asking me about it, so I hit my cousin up who does graphic design. I’m from the Bay but this kind of got started in LA, when I was visiting down there. My cousin came up with the name, logo and pattern. Here we are a decade later with the same thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13920854\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13920854\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"a row of peach cobbler dessert tacos are lined up in Gladney's home kitchen\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_dessert-tacos-closeup.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A row of peach cobbler dessert tacos are lined up in Gladney’s home kitchen. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your approach to baking? It seems fluid and laid-back.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a freestyle for me. I don’t always know what I’m going to make. People ask me to make custom cakes. That’s my style. I like to give people something they might not always see. I’m not saying I’m the greatest cake decorator in the world, but I’m me. Depending on the day and what I have available, I’ll make something off that. Maybe I have matcha, crystals and glitter, so I’ll turn that into something. It’s more fun that way. It doesn’t limit me or give me strict boundaries. When you’re dealing with people’s orders, I like the idea of being custom, making it personal, because I can’t really make a mistake. If something has exact specifications, then there might be disappointment when they get it. I don’t want people to expect something that isn’t me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’ve lived in Portland for three years now, but you return to the Bay often. What’s it like to run your business from two cities, and how do you balance that?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It works together, especially when it comes to business. Both places can be booming, but if one is doing better than the other, it gives me a chance to move around. I move where the money is. I initially got up to Portland after visiting a friend. I was making banana loafs at the time and thought it would be a good fit in Oregon after seeing someone already had theirs in store. Within six hours of me being there I was already smelling opportunities. We went around to different food carts and I noticed what was going on in the food scene. I felt like I had a chance to do something different and add to it all. I moved in after that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My business is heavily based off \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/treatsbyb/\">my social media\u003c/a>. Being on a budget and trying to start a business, I was limited with resources, which made me more creative in the kitchen. A lot of my meals might’ve looked extravagant, but they were basic ingredients with a creative touch. Being in two places just helps me spread what I do, which I prefer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’re focused on plant-based options and vegan ingredients. What are the benefits of veganism and how did you first get into it?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My good friend Lola has been vegan since high school. She pushed me in this direction. In 2014, I was on Facebook, and she posted a flyer about Vegan Street Fair in LA. I wanted to do it, so I reached out to the coordinators and got set up with that. From there I got accepted and paid my fee. I had never made anything vegan or plant-based in my life, but we’ve figured it out (laughs). I started small, but eventually was making stuff for events for thousands of people in my home kitchen. I’ve made over 2,000 vegan cupcakes in a week using my home oven. I’d go with a hundred cases of 12-count cupcakes to events. That’s a lot for one person in that type of kitchen. But I was passionate. Raspberry, banana, strawberry, green tea, coconut almond. I did it all through trial and error. That put knowledge in my belt for plant-based products. During that time, I started altering my own diet and went vegan myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Everything really kicked off and I decided to do strictly plant-based when I moved to Portland. I got connected with Jewan, from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/itsplantbasedpapi/?hl=en\">Plant Based Papi\u003c/a>, and started doing vegan desserts there. The product was softer, sweeter, more moist. It even looked and tasted better. Plant-based products are slightly more expensive, but they last longer. Oat milk can last for about two months. Dairy milk has a short shelf time. It expires faster. Even my butter and frostings, the consistency came out better. I didn’t even tell my customers initially and they were raving about it, so I eventually told them (laughs).\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>You do lots of custom, one-off treats — like your Pink Champagne Geode Cake (pictured above). Describe some of your favorite items and clients. What makes your creations distinct?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are two types of cakes I make: buttercream cakes (frosting) and fondant (fun 3D molds). A favorite client I make cakes for is \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/galore/?hl=en\">Galore\u003c/a>. They’re based in LA. I got connected with them a few years ago, I just reached out and they were totally with it. They gave me free range. They’d throw parties and some celebrities would attend, and they’d ask me to make cakes with people’s names on it and stuff like that. I’d make them in the Bay and take them all the way to LA for a weekend. I’ve worked with outlets like BET. I also did something for \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/victoriamonet/?hl=en\">Victoria Monét\u003c/a>’s birthday after she worked with Ariana Grande, who attended. I made a \u003ca href=\"https://www.pinterest.com/pin/505036545705530261/\">“Burn Book” cake\u003c/a> from Mean Girls and cupcakes that resembled Victoria’s work. I went to the party and met them both, and they were very happy with the product.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oh, I’ve also shipped cakes from Portland to the Bay. Shipping cakes is a thing (laughs). I wasn’t sure how to make it work at first. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/CTvbzYMJuAs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\">This one cake took two full days\u003c/a>, hand painted, and I used an airbrush to incorporate pieces that reflected the person’s lifestyle. They wanted guns, money, an eightball, an ashtray and other symbols about where they’re from. They had recently lost a family member, so I added that as well. That’s about $1,000 total. With shipping, labor, ingredients. It’s not cheap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’re heavily rooted in the Bay Area, having worked with local figures like Juan Toscano-Anderson before. What’s your connection to the culture here, beyond even just food?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juan was a client. His mom’s 50th birthday was on June 1, and I was on my way to Portland that day. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/ByTeobeAxNf/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D\">I finished the cake for his mom\u003c/a> right before leaving. She really loved that cake. Overall, I’ve just been around a lot of people here over the years. I used to do photography, so that helped me meet people in the scene. That got me out to shows for people like SchoolBoy Q, when I was working at Converse. I was shooting events and meeting people around the Bay. Shooting shows was a way for me to attend events on a different side of things. I’ve done 2 Chainz at Fox Theater, SZA in the City, Ab Soul, music festivals. It paid off because now I take all my own photos of the food. Staging, lighting, all that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13920855\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13920855\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Brea Gladney and her mother both stand in front of their home in San Leandro, while Brea holds one of her vegan fried chicken waffle tacos\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/treats-by-b_mom.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The baker and her mother stand in front of their home, where it all started for the Gladney 10 years ago. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What struggles do independent foodmakers like yourself face? Do you have advice for anyone interested in this profession?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My 10-year-anniversary is next year. I started this business at my mom’s house in San Leandro. I was talking to my best friend one day, thinking about doing an event in LA. I had no idea about anything. It was about $700 for the permits. That’s when I started to learn about the different types of permits you need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As far as running a business, you need to get some things to get started, but it wasn’t that complicated. I needed a kitchen, and I found out that I don’t necessarily need all the extra stuff to start off. I share that with other bakers who wanna start. If you go to the health department, you can get started from your house. You can get a permit based on the products you make and income you get. Since then I’ve been doing this for a long time, just trial and error. Self taught. And with my mom as my biggest sponsor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What events do you have coming up? Where can people find you?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>A lot of this happens here in the Bay, but also in Portland. When I’m in the Bay, just follow my posts and reach out. I’ve been doing \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the_firemarket2/?hl=en\">The Fire Market\u003c/a> a few Saturdays a month recently. You can get things there that are [cannabis] infused, or not. I really appreciate that market. It’s very organized, a safe space and a lot of fun. It’s a community. We look out for each other, and it gives me a sort of home base outside of my home. Sometimes you have to be careful about letting everyone know where you’re at, especially as a woman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Honestly, my goal is to never open anything full-time; I do not like the public like that (laughs). I like creating products and putting it out on my own timeline. I do have cookies that are plant-based, and those are really shipping friendly. You can get things like that at any time. Or you can make requests, and that’s cool, and that’s where the custom orders come in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love pop-ups, too. It’s kind of like a shoe release, and I post on my website where and when to get it. If you catch me, you catch me (laughs). I’ll have something really nice for you though. I’m currently working on a Cookies ’n Ube cake for my next event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12904247 aligncenter\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Treats by B is \u003ca href=\"https://www.treatsbybrea.com/\">available online\u003c/a>. Gladney’s next Bay Area appearances will be on Friday, Oct. 28 in San Leandro and Saturday, Oct. 29 at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/the_firemarket/?hl=en\">The Fire Market\u003c/a> in East Oakland. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/treatsbyb/\">Message her\u003c/a> for address information, future events and shipping queries.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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