Beyond Authenticity: Food, Power and Belonging (Episode 5)

Digging into "Colonial Goods" (Episode 7)

In this episode of Foodagogy, Angeline Aow sits down with decolonization advocate Milkyas Goitom. They explore the lingering legacies of colonial history and neocolonialism in schools, examine the hidden origins of the term Kolonialwaren (colonial goods) in modern supermarket chains, and discuss the power of a humanizing curriculum to inspire ethical consumption in the next generation. About Our Guest: Milkyas Goitom Milkyas Goitom is a dedicated advocate for decolonization, working to bridge the gaps in our understanding of colonial history, neocolonialism, and systemic racism within organizations. With an extensive background in business development and community partnerships, Milkyas focuses on creating equitable opportunities for marginalized and international communities. He helps organizations and schools to critically engage with the lingering legacies of colonialism to build a more socially just and equitable future. Connect with Milkyas on LinkedIn [https://de.linkedin.com/in/milkyas-goitom-336107153]. Key Discussion Points The Cafeteria as a Cultural Code-Switcher: Milkyas reflects on his childhood in Stuttgart, navigating the "Swabian" food culture of kindergarten while maintaining his Eritrean heritage at home through dishes like Injera [https://teffco.com/pages/what-is-injera?srsltid=AfmBOopD1Z_hSn-hfHz69cS-EjwdH69g2xRV_YUjORffONj0YyJK7BCr] and Kitcha Fit-Fit [https://www.tasteatlas.com/kitcha-fit-fit#modal]. Colonialism’s Cutlery: A fascinating look at how colonial history dictates the way we eat; Milkyas notes that in Eritrea, Italian influence brought the fork and spoon, yet the cultural preference remains eating with hands for a more humanized and sensory experience. The Hidden History of Supermarkets: Unpacking the acronym behind the German supermarket giant Edeka [https://www.company-histories.com/Edeka-Zentrale-AG-Company-History.html] (German acronym for "Central Purchasing Co-op of the Association of German Retail Co-ops”), Milkyas reveals how "colonial goods" like coffee, chocolate, and “exotic” fruits remain central to Western consumption habits. The Global Power Dynamics of Sweets: An analysis of why the biggest sugar, chocolate and coffee producers are Western-based companies, benefiting from century-old colonial agreements and land originally taken through force. And the powerful political lobbyists that influence trade agreements and supply chain laws to keep profits up at the expense of humanizing and ethical production practices. Empowering the Next Generation: Milkyas shares a powerful anecdote from his own 5th-grade "religion class" that transformed his view on Fairtrade, illustrating how a humanizing pedagogy [https://sites.google.com/view/isadtf/home%20] can turn students into the change-makers we need. A Note on Language The word "crazy" is used a few times in this episode by both my guest and myself. I (Angeline Aow) acknowledge that this is an ableist term that can cause harm by trivializing mental illness and neurodivergence. This was not intentional, but intention does not remove impact. As a podcast committed to inclusion, I take responsibility and am committed to continuing to grow in my anti-ableist practice. Thank you to anyone who noticed and who holds me accountable. Join me in addressing ableism by accessing the Foodagogy Transfers resource for this episode. Quote: "Knowledge is the most powerful ingredient for change... We need to humanize ourselves more and to have more empathy for each other, because at the end we all want the same thing: a better world for all of us." — Milkyas Goitom Connect with us: 🎙️ Subscribe to Foodagogy on Substack: foodagogy.substack.com [http://foodagogy.substack.com] 💼 Connect with Angeline on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeline-aow-b0b6304/] ________________ Foodagogy is produced by EKG Collective [https://ekgcollective.com/], with editing by Gitane Reveilleau and Kirk McDavitt. Music by Paul Romaine and artwork by Xoài David. Get full access to Foodagogy at foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe [https://foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Stirring the Pot of Solidarity (Episode 6)

In this episode of Foodagogy, Angeline Aow sits down with Umtata Tybora. They delve into the intersection of Roma heritage and the kitchen, exploring how the simple act of preparing a meal can become a powerful tool for deconstructing hierarchies and building trans-local solidarity. About Our Guest: Umtata Tybora  Umtata Tybora is a Berlin-based cultural producer, performer, and anti-discrimination trainer of Roma origin. His work is situated at the intersection of art, mindfulness, and community empowerment, with a dedicated focus on creating visible and valued spaces for marginalized voices. Through impactful projects like "Cooking with Mama" and collaborations with the European Roma Institute of Arts and Culture (ERIAC), the Romani Power Theater Collective, and the Polish Roma Foundation, Umtata utilizes food and storytelling as tools to challenge dominant narratives and build trans-local solidarity.  Connect with Umtata: Instagram: @umtata7 [https://www.instagram.com/umtata7/] Explore: The "Cooking with Mama" series through @politicalkitchenberlin [https://www.instagram.com/politicalkitchenberlin/] Key Discussion Points The Kitchen as a Living Space: Umtata recalls the kitchen not as an aesthetic or calm environment, but as a "very alive space" full of movement, tension, and laughter, where care and responsibility were nurtured by the women in his family. Hierarchies and Softening: Food acts as a tool for deconstructing rigid power structures; Umtata notes that hierarchies "soften" when people engage in the communal, simple act of cutting onions or stirring a pot together. The "In-Between" Identity: Coming from both Roma and Polish backgrounds, Umtata discusses how food provided a sense of being "grounded" during a childhood where his intersecting identities felt unstable or unwelcome. Queering Tradition: Umtata explores the concept of "queering the food," which involves transcending binary gender roles in the kitchen and allowing recipes and traditions to grow and evolve rather than remaining rigid and exclusive. Surprise as a Narrative Tool: By serving "basic" dishes like cabbage and potatoes (Bigos) instead of the "exotic" meals often expected of Roma culture, Umtata uses the element of surprise to challenge stereotypes and reveal the true history of poverty, movement, and adaptation. Food as a Human Right at the Border: A profound reflection on his time providing warm meals for activists and migrants at the Polish-Belarusian border, highlighting how food restores dignity and serves as a tool for decompression during humanitarian crises. Quote: "The cultures and identities are not abstract anymore. They are not the academic concept. They're embodied... Food opens conversations about identity without forcing them." Connect with us: 🎙️ Subscribe to Foodagogy on Substack: foodagogy.substack.com [http://foodagogy.substack.com] 💼 Connect with Angeline on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeline-aow-b0b6304/] ________________ Foodagogy is produced by EKG Collective [https://ekgcollective.com/], with editing by Gitane Reveilleau and Kirk McDavitt. Music by Paul Romaine and artwork by Xoài David. Get full access to Foodagogy at foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe [https://foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Beyond Authenticity: Food, Power and Belonging (Episode 5)

In this episode of Foodagogy, Angeline Aow sits down with Berlin-based food writer, content creator, and cookbook author Sissi Chen. They delve into the intersection of heritage and the kitchen, exploring how the simple act of preparing a meal can become a powerful tool for social advocacy. About Our Guest: Sissi Chen Sissi Chen [https://eatinginberlin.com/] is a Berlin-based food writer, content creator, and cookbook author. Born in Beijing and raised in Yunnan and Vienna, she now uses her platform, Eating in Berlin, to explore Chinese home-style cooking alongside themes of cultural identity, diaspora, and belonging. Sissi is the author of the award-winning cookbook Einfach Chinesisch, which aims to make Chinese home cooking accessible to everyday German kitchens. Beyond recipes, her work focuses on reclaiming cultural narratives, challenging racism, and fostering intercultural connection. Learn more at: Eating in Berlin [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.eatinginberlin.com/] Follow Sissi on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/eatinginberlin/], Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@eatinginberlin?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] and Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@sissichen] Key Discussion Points Deep Respect for Labor and Produce – Growing up with a direct view of how animals and produce reach the table fosters a deep respect for food. Sissi describes how the cultural memory of manual labor in rice fields—where every grain represents a person working in the midday heat—instills a refusal to waste food. This traceability of food back to its source invites consumers to question origins of what we eat. The Problem with "Head-to-Tail" Trends – While modern Western gastronomy now celebrates "head-to-tail" cooking as a trend, these practices have deep roots in cultures that were previously looked down upon for eating parts like fish heads or pig ears. Sissi discusses the discomfort of seeing these traditional practices whitewashed or turned into high-profit marketing concepts without acknowledging the original cultures — and asks whose standards of excellence get to count, and why. Authenticity vs. Adaptability – Sissi defines "authenticity" as a spectrum influenced by personal experience. In her cookbook, she encourages adaptability—such as using spaghetti if wheat noodles aren't available—recognizing the flexibility of food cultures (like westernised dishes such as sweet-and-sour pork) has its own valid history of resilience and creativity. Racial Battle Fatigue and Accountability for Identity-Based Harm Sissi recounts a live radio interview where a host made a racist joke about eating dogs — but the deeper wound was what followed. The station defended it as "creative freedom," compounding the harm with a systemic refusal to take accountability. Sissi also describes something beyond this single incident: a constant bodily tension, an anticipation of harm before it even arrives — whether walking her dog in her own building or sitting down for a media interview. This is Racial Battle Fatigue: the accumulated toll of navigating racist environments daily. Causing harm doesn't make someone irredeemably racist, she notes, but denying it makes change impossible. Reclaiming the "Ethnic" Kitchen – Working in food often means being "othered" or held to rigid standards of authenticity that French or Italian cuisines are not subjected to. Sissi emphasizes the importance of taking back these narratives and educating the public on the vast diversity within Chinese cuisine, which represents 56 ethnic minorities. Books Mentioned Chen, Sissi — Einfach Chinesisch: Jeden Tag chinesisch kochen [https://eatinginberlin.com/pages/einfach-chinesisch] "I see the story of the first Chinese people coming to Germany. They didn't have access to ingredients, but they had to make a living. They had to adapt. They had to be resilient and really be creative and think outside of their box and really make something out of it, make something out of the ingredients that they had." — Sissi Chen Connect with us: 🎙️ Subscribe to Foodagogy on Substack: foodagogy.substack.com [http://foodagogy.substack.com] 💼 Connect with Angeline on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeline-aow-b0b6304/] ________________ Foodagogy is produced by EKG Collective [https://ekgcollective.com/], with editing by Gitane Reveilleau and Kirk McDavitt. Music by Paul Romaine and artwork by Xoài David. Get full access to Foodagogy at foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe [https://foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Steeping in Stories: Chai as a Bridge Across Cultures (Episode 4)

In this episode of Foodagogy, Angeline Aow sits down with storyteller, educator, and author Kevin Wilson—widely known as the "CEO of Chai." About Our Guest: Kevin Wilson Kevin Wilson is a storyteller, educator, and content creator who uses the art of chai making as a tool for connection, cultural reflection, and intercultural bridge-building. Born in Sri Lanka and having lived in Oman, Lebanon, California, and now Michigan, Kevin brings a transcultural perspective to his work. Through his engaging TikTok videos and his book The Way of Chai: Recipes for a Meaningful Life [https://www.thewayofchai.com/], Kevin explores how chai fosters mindfulness, empathy, and belonging. He is the founder of Cross Cultural Kev, a platform dedicated to creating spaces where people feel seen, known, and loved across difference. Learn more at: crossculturalkev.com [http://crossculturalkev.com] Follow Kevin on Instagram: @crossculturalkev [https://www.instagram.com/crossculturekev/] Key Discussion Points Chai as ritual and presence — Unlike coffee culture in the United States — often consumed as fuel — chai invites slowness, presence, and connection. The laborious, intimate process of making chai from scratch (water temperature, ginger, spices) is itself a form of hospitality: an invitation into the kitchen, one of the most intimate spaces we have. Food is never value-neutral — Drawing on a theologian friend's research into food and drink in scripture, Kevin reflects on how food throughout history has been used to heal or hurt, to elevate or demonize. Chai can be a tool of genuine solidarity — or subtle manipulation. Awareness of that power matters. Indirect communication as a pedagogy of change — Kevin explains why he favours indirect communication over data-driven, direct messaging. Rather than presenting information to change minds, he creates multi-sensory experiences — stories, recipes, humour — that shift what people desire and love, drawing on James K.A. Smith's thesis that we are what we love, not merely what we know. Hurry as the enemy of belonging — Kevin argues that rushing is one of society's greatest barriers to genuine connection and inclusion. Building a "tea room" — a slow, safe, unhurried space — is the prerequisite for any real bridge-building across differences. The kitchen as a portal — Inviting someone into your kitchen is a different cultural act than inviting them into your living room. It is vulnerable, intimate, and generous. This is the spirit Kevin tries to carry into every piece of content he creates. Books that Kevin mentioned: Smith, James K.A. — You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit [https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/you-are-what-you-love-the-spiritual-power-of-habit/9781587433801.html] (2016) Wilson, Kevin — The Way of Chai: Recipes for a Meaningful Life [https://www.thewayofchai.com/] "If you really want to build lasting bridges between yourself and the other, you can't just give them information. You have to provide them a space where they're seen, they're known, and they are loved." — Kevin Wilson Connect with us: 🎙️ Subscribe to Foodagogy on Substack: foodagogy.substack.com [http://foodagogy.substack.com] 💼 Connect with Angeline on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeline-aow-b0b6304/] 📬 This episode is brought to you by April Remfrey, from Remfrey Educational Consulting [https://www.remfrey.com/] — subscribe to the REC newsletter for research-informed insights and practical strategies for inclusion in international schools. ________________ Foodagogy is produced by EKG Collective [https://ekgcollective.com/], with editing by Gitane Reveilleau and Kirk McDavitt. Music by Paul Romaine and artwork by Xoài David. Get full access to Foodagogy at foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe [https://foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Pockets of Change and Exchange (Episode 3)

In Episode 3 of Foodagogy, host Angeline Aow sits down with Vicky Truong—an educator, community organizer, and founder of Pockets of Change. Together, they explore the intersection of culinary heritage and social justice. Vicky shares her personal journey growing up in a cross-cultural household with Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese roots, and explains how the universal concept of a dumpling (or "pocket") can serve as a profound tool for teaching diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools. About our Guest: Vicky Truong [https://vickytruongportfolio.wordpress.com/] is an educator and social activist. She is the founder of Pockets of Change, an initiative that uses food and communal cooking to facilitate cross-cultural exchange and promote systemic equity in educational spaces. Connect with Vicky:Instagram: Pockets of Change [https://www.instagram.com/pocketsofchange/]Key Discussion Points: The Power of Communal Cooking: Vicky reflects on her childhood in Australia, where preparing and sharing large family meals fostered deep bonds and trust. Pockets of Change: The concept of a "pocket" (like a dumpling or spring roll) exists in nearly every culture. Vicky uses this shared culinary phenomenon to bridge cultural divides and spark deep conversations about identity. Food as a Catalyst for DEI: Traditional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training in organizations often lacks deep personal resonance. Using food as a medium allows participants to reflect on their own histories, build empathy, and create genuine intercultural exchanges. Creating Psychologically Safe Spaces in Schools: By integrating diverse culinary experiences into the classroom, educators can help students of the global majority feel seen and valued, challenging dominant cultural norms and fostering true belonging. Related Research & Interests This episode drops on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March) [https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-racism-day]. Because anti-racist change-making starts interpersonally, one meal, one story, one shared table at a time. 🌍 Join a community dedicated to anti-racism: European Network Against Racism [https://enarfoundation.eu/] (ENAR) and communities for Teachers, Academics and DEI practitioners [https://enarfoundation.glueup.com/org/enarfoundation/memberships/] Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color [https://aieloc.org/] Please email links to local communities in your region to foodagogy.podcast@gmail.com [foodagogy.podcast@gmail.com] so we can add to this list. "...because of migration and what ingredients are available to a community, what can be used to fill this pocket that still allows people to hold onto something from their culture and pass it on to the next generation that they might have been displaced from" — Vicky Truong Connect with us: Are you an educator or a foodie interested in how these themes play out in the classroom? Subscribe on Substack so the next conversation lands straight in your inbox. ________________ Foodagogy is produced by EKG Collective [https://ekgcollective.com/], with editing by Gitane Reveilleau and Kirk McDavitt. Music by Paul Romaine and artwork by Xoài David. Get full access to Foodagogy at foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe [https://foodagogy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]