The food industry is not exempt from the discriminatory behavior female, gender nonconforming and minority individuals are faced with. Equity at the Table (EATT) was formed to combat these imbalances. EATT is a more than a database, it’s a community within the food industry dedicated to female and GNC professionals. I had the chance to catch up with Kathryn of Cardamom and Tea, a member of EATT and a former professor of mine. We met in 2016 when Kathryn was teaching my Medieval Literature class. Our paths crossed again as I browsed EATT profiles. We spoke over email about her blog, the big move out of the East Coast and some other fun topics.
Jovania: We can both relate to the shift from academic writing into food media. I started my blog as a hobby my sophomore year of college. What inspired you to start Cardamom and Tea? What about being a food blogger appealed to you?
Kathryn: That’s so funny Jovania—it sounds like we were both blogging when you were taking my medieval lit class, and neither of us knew it! When I was teaching, I was a little secretive about it. I never ever mentioned my blog to my students, but now I kind of wish I had. There should be more room in academia for sharing our personal projects. So many professors (and grad students and undergrads!) work on creative side projects, like YA novels, blogs, memoirs, and for some reason we sometimes feel like we need to hide that part of ourselves.
I actually started blogging the semester I was teaching that class you took. Throughout grad school, I never felt like academia was quite the right fit. Once I passed my qualifying exams and started working on my dissertation, I had to really stop and take stock. I loved teaching and I love writing, but academic research wasn’t the medium for me. So writing about food and culture was a way for me to remember that I do love to write
J: You are originally from Chicago, we met in New Jersey and now, you’re living in Hong Kong which I’m super intrigued by. How did that move happen? Have you felt any struggles to adapt your recipe development process with the produce available there?
K: My husband finished his PhD about a year and a half ago, and got a job as a professor here in Hong Kong, so we jumped at the opportunity. Finding ingredients is a little tricky. There’s not a huge Middle Eastern population here, but you can find almost anything if you know where to look. A lot of Middle Eastern produce is originally from China. So, some things are even easier to find here than they are in the U.S. Plus, there’s a large South Asian community in Hong Kong, and there’s quite a lot of overlap between Iraqi and Indian cuisine. But I do cook a little differently when I’m here—I usually use more fresh produce and less dairy.
J: I noticed that talking about Middle Eastern food can sometimes spark debate. How can those of us who appreciate Middle Eastern cuisine be sensitive to the conflicts of the area?
K: That’s such a thoughtful question, and a really important one. I always try to approach food and culture with humility. I try to remember that many of the foods I write about and post about belong to many different people. Power imbalances are real and I think it’s always important to ask ourselves “Is this cultural sharing or cultural appropriation? Is this something that was taken, or something that was shared?” It’s not always an easy question to answer, but it’s an important one to think about.
J: Has anything about your relationship with blogging changed since winning Saveur’s Best New Voice Award?
Kathryn: Things have changed since winning a Saveur award, but not in the way I expected them to—going to the awards was such a meaningful experience, because I found a community of people like me. I’m like the nerdy kid who goes away to science camp one summer and finally feels a sense of belonging.
J: Food blogging is a dream job for a lot of people but not everyone understands the work that goes into it. What’s one thing you wish more people understood about what you do?
K: I’m always going back and forth about whether I want people to know about all the blood, sweat, and tears that go into every post, or whether I want to cultivate an Ina Gartenish illusion of ease and simplicity. This probably plays into the former more than the latter, but I think I most want people to know that I care immensely about posting only recipes that I love, which I’ve tinkered with and tested a million times until they’re perfect. I don’t leave details or measurements out of my recipes. There are no secret ingredients or secret tricks—my goal is to explain exactly how I made something, so you can cook and enjoy with confidence.
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