Phos.will.feed.U project

(417 Words, 3 Minutes)

Phos.will.feed.U (Instagram) is a currently very open-ended project, where I’m offering my cooking and baking, and my open mind - I want to be involved in community building, help vulnerable people in a material way, meet other cooks that believe in decolinisation and liberation, help people see food and cooking differently… All in a way that honors my capacity.

If you want to collaborate, definitely reach out.

Full backstory

I’ve come to accept, being a cook is a core personality trait.

I have been interested in the kitchen since a young age. I used to always go grocery shopping with my dad, down the road from street vendors, and I’d point out to him what I want to eat tonight. As I grew older I would watch him cook and “打下手” which kind of means being his assistant. Not just my dad, the whole family places great importance on cooking good food and gathering to share food. Every Lunar new year, we will gather in my grandparents’ place and use the whole day to make the most elaborate meal of the year that we will eat for several days, containing all the kids favorite items that is too complicated to make too often, and dumplings and other traditional festive items.

I can go on about the specific food items and traditions we have in our region (山东/Shan Dong sheng), as well as how things changed over time, at another time. But this is the environment I picked up how to deal with food, how to cook, and it became a part of me.

After leaving home, there have been periods of merely cooking to survive. I’m glad I was able to start on a journey of unlearning and healing, that ultimately led me to understand that food is political, cooking is political.

Food and cooking is part of heritage and connection to ansestors. Cultural food can be appropriated. Migration, war/imperialism, capitalism and climate change plays a part on what we eat and how it changes. What ingredients and methods are ethical. Access to a good meal or knowledge around food is not equal. Food needs to meet sensory needs. Which foods or cooking methids are deemed “healthy”. Diet culture. Labour that goes into food being dismissed on many layers, both due to sexism and white supremacy (eg. Shop Bao Ngoc (@thatplaceonvictoriast) rightfully pointed out usually people associate “authentic asian food” with being cheap (although… this doesn’t seem to happen with Japanese food…? It’s all very interesting and maybe I’ll write about this one day!)).

I also had to face my own internalised biases around food. I never used to consider “go into the food industry” “professionally”, as it’s largely not respected, not “prestigesous”, and associated with a “lesser” class of people. But after learning and unlearning, especially seeing Shop Bao Ngoc, I want to “reclaim” it too. When I start to be able to sift out the ouside influence, I realised I love being a cook! And I love the feeling of giving people joy through food. It’s hard to explain percisely in words. It’s just the best thing.

So, I would love to be able to do that more often, for more people, and I’m putting that wish into the universe. There is still no set shape and set commitment level to this project, but that’s also ok! We love challenging assumptions and we love starting from ourselves.

I appreciate any and all support each of yall have given me so far, and I literally think this would develop into something soooo cool.