Why Food?

Abena Foli: POKS Spices

Join us for a conversation with Abena Foli, who is the founder and co-owner of POKS Spices [https://www.poksspices.com/]. Abena was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa, where she lived until 2006 when she immigrated to the United States for her college education. Her passion for food comes from her farmer-father who taught her how to blend spices and to understand the culinary heritage of cooking authentic West African meals. Abena’s food science background and 10 years of corporate food industry experience exposed her to the white space in the food retail environment for West African flavors and foods. Leveraging her background, she started POKS Spices in 2016, developing Spicy Seasonings based on the West African Holy Trinity of chile, ginger, and onion. The mission of POKS Spices is to introduce the American home cook to West African flavors, and they have been featured on Good Morning Texas, The Dallas Business Journal, and Cuisine Noir Magazine. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Why Food? by becoming a member [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]! Why Food? is Powered by Simplecast [http://simplecast.com/].

Reem Assil: Arab Street Food, California Style

Join us for a conversation with renowned chef and activist Reem Assil [https://www.instagram.com/reem.assil/]. Reem is a Palestinian-Syrian chef based in Oakland, CA, and owner of the nationally acclaimed Reem’s California in Oakland. The restaurant is  Reem’s California Mission in San Francisco, inspired by Arab street corner bakeries and the vibrant communities that surround them. Reem has garnered an array of top accolades in the culinary world, including back-to-back James Beard Semifinalist nods for Best Chef: West. She is a graduate of the competitive food business incubator program, La Cocina, business leadership program Centro Community Partners, and Oakland-based business accelerator program ICA: Fund Good Jobs. Before dedicating herself to a culinary career, Reem spent over a decade as a community and labor organizer, building leadership in workers and residents to fight for living wages, affordable housing, and a voice in their jobs and their neighborhoods. Reem sits at the intersection of her three passions: food, community, and social justice. She uses food to invoke the central virtue of her Arab culture ⁠— hospitality ⁠— to build a strong, resilient, and connected community. Photo Courtesy of Lara Aburamadan. If your food media diet is fueled by HRN, sustain the future of food radiol. Become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]. Why Food? is Powered by Simplecast [http://simplecast.com/].

Ariana Tolka: Balkan Bites

Join us for a conversation with Ariana Tolka, CEO and co-founder of Balkan Bites [https://www.instagram.com/balkanbitesnyc/]. They specialize in comfort foods such as burek, a flaky, stuffed phyllo pie that is a daily staple in the Balkans and the Middle East. After years of working for marketing and non-profit organizations, she found her calling—to share and preserve Balkan culture with authentic family recipes that have been passed down through generations. If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]. Why Food? is Powered by Simplecast [http://simplecast.com/].

Bobbie Garbutt: 4th Generation Nutmeg Farmer

Join us for a conversation with Bobbie Garbutt [https://www.instagram.com/thesustenancecollective/], live from Grenada! A 4th generation cocoa and spice farmer in Grenada, Bobbie didn't envision her career in agriculture. Kicking off working life as a production assistant for a fashion label in London, her curiosity about food systems led her to jump ship and start her own catering company before the pandemic brought it to a grinding halt. The extended time spent at home allowed her to rediscover the unique significance of her mother's family farm in the Caribbean. Now working in regenerative agricultural initiatives across East Africa and Grenada, she's on a mission to inspire a movement back to the land--through making farming prosperous by rewarding good growing. Celebrate HRN’s new look and invest in the future of food radio. Become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]. Why Food? is Powered by Simplecast [http://simplecast.com/].

Samah Dada: Dada Eats

Join us for a conversation with Samah Dada [https://www.instagram.com/dadaeats/]! Samah is a New York City-based recipe developer, food photographer, and blogger behind Dada Eats [https://dadaeats.com/blog/]. Drawing from her Indian heritage and inspired by the foodscapes of London, California, and New York, she is the host of Cooking with Samah Dada [https://www.today.com/food/hashtag-cooking] on the Today Show’s digital channel. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Why Food? by becoming a member [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]! Why Food? is Powered by Simplecast [http://simplecast.com/].