Lady chefs with lots to say.
This week’s newsletter is full of brilliant words from tough women.
Hello!
Happy Monday, and welcome back to our regularly scheduled programming. While on a brief health hiatus I bookmarked my favorite and most intriguing reads. They all gathered under a common theme: lady chefs with strong positions and loud voices. (My favorite!)
Here’s this week’s news, a free Monday post today because this is just a lil roundup, not piping-hot chisme. If you’d like a paid subscription, you can just shoot me a message! I only paywall gossip so that my enemies have to subscribe to know what I write about them.
Onto the news…
Locally, Hoboken is disappointed (to say the least) in how their new bike delivery ordinance is rolling out. You can read my coverage of the ordinance here.
Deliveristas haven’t exactly had it easy, but the sidewalks are full of fast, dangerous riders and residents are increasingly frustrated after the rollout of the new ‘Test and Vest’ e-bike registration requirements ceased to solve any real problems.
More coverage to come.
Chef Caroline Glover spoke out this week about ‘the current national rhetoric around foreign gangs taking over parts of Aurora’ in an Instagram post.
“The current national rhetoric around foreign gangs “taking over” parts of Aurora is disheartening and flat-out wrong. Aurora is a wonderfully diverse place with amazing food and culture to match. Our neighborhood in particular is a place that has proudly welcomed refugees from all over the world for years. Those of us who love this city and have put our hopes and dreams into it are tired of hearing from worried relatives out of state wondering how we can possibly live and work in the lawless, gang-ridden war zone that is falsely depicted by politicians and media outlets.
Our city leaders are doing too little to defend Aurora on the national stage, and to call out these racist, anti-immigrant dog whistles for what they are. Some at the top in our city are even feeding the flames of falsehood and hate for political gain. This does nothing but harm our reputation and our economy. This city deserves better leadership. Let’s be proud of where we live and work, and work to make it better.”
She opened the post with, “We have no business posting something like this…”
She absolutely does. Restaurants are the backbone of our communities, touching the lives of so many people — purveyors, growers, staff (often migrant workers themselves), guests, and more.
Chefs and owners generally have a great temperature gauge for what’s going on in our local communities. Props to Annette, as though I needed another reason to be enamored.
Chef Claudette Zepeda, one of my all-time favorites chefs to follow, was just on this episode of 9-5ish, talking about being a single mom (at age 18!) and her career as a chef. I’ve always admired her style and am always curious about how women in chef careers can manage their personal lives and kitchens, especially when kids are involved.
She also has a Substack, if you’re so inclined.
“I am creating a road for other Mexican American young mothers, single mothers, to believe that it is possible because like I said: I didn't see anyone doing what I'm doing.”
I’m obsessed with Gabrielle Hamilton, a skilled, tried-and-true New York chef and a deft writer. I’ve returned to Blood, Bones & Butter more times than I can count.
Her piece The Advice My Friend Anthony Bourdain Gave Me is a brilliant read, and likely the best culture piece Bon Ap has published in years.
It’s the most respectful piece I’ve come across since his passing, and it was a refreshing reminder of the breeze he stirred in the world of food, travel, and most importantly — kitchens.
I’m tired of gnawing at the bones of something we ought to bury — it seems we don’t know how to let the man just rest.
If you haven’t heard about the upcoming A24 biopic yet, get ready. It’s sure to stir up some controversy, particularly for the shadow legion of line cooks who would like to just let his legacy be rather than re-hash an assuredly worse version of his caricature on screen.
At least the actor in the lead role is also from New Jersey, I suppose.
Ever been curious about what goes into being a restaurant critic and reviewer?
I make it a point to avoid critiquing restaurants — I simply don’t have the stomach to judge ideas that were crafted through blood, sweat and tears, I find them all equally sacred, ephemeral and subjective. My taste doesn’t reflect everyone else’s, and I don’t like to write about it.
That’s not to say critics don’t have a hell of a job, and it’s their responsibility to help folks spend their hard-earned dollars in the right place. Reviewers have a trickier time than most as writers — how many descriptive words are there for dishes, service, and ambiance, anyway?
All that to say, I love reading reviews — and even more, I love reading about people who write reviews! Enter Mahira Rivers, former North America Michelin critic, with a sharp and easily devourable Substack, Sweet City. This essay topped my list of enjoyable reads this week.
That’s it for this week’s roundup. Next week: fun, interesting, nutrient-rich interviews with cool people!
Have a great week, best of luck out there, and happy first day of autumn! Time to avoid coworkers who seem to be getting sick... 👀
