Cooking Up Change: How Chefs Are Making a Difference in Our Food System

by Maria Hines on October 17, 2012

“Why did you want to be a chef?” When you’re a chef, you’re asked this question a lot. When I started cooking 24 years ago, my response was usually that I loved any and all of the following: being creative, making people happy with delicious food, working in the fast pace and controlled chaos of the professional kitchen, learning about and honoring other cultures through cuisine, playing with sharp, hot things, and that when you work in a kitchen, you never ever have to grow up.

While my love of knives and good food hasn’t lessened, in the years since I have deepened my relationship with food and my list has grown longer and more meaningful. For instance, I would add that as a chef I own my own restaurant because I want to know that every spent by my business goes toward supporting other businesses that are ethical and sustainable, I want to educate people on the pleasure and importance of eating seasonal, local, organic food—... Read more >

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In Food We Trust. Or Do We?

by Mitchell Davis on October 16, 2012

You are a conscientious shopper. You stop by the greenmarket when you can or visit Whole Foods on your way home from work. You read labels and count grams of fat. When the price doesn’t seem too out of line, you reach for organic. But do you ever question why you eat the way you do? How you’ve come to believe that some things are better or worse for you than others? For your children? For the planet?

Simply put, we trust that the food that is available to us in grocery stores, in restaurants, in schools, and at home is safe, wholesome, and nutritious. Some research suggests the food industry is the most trusted industry among consumers. And that’s the way it should be.

But an occasional outbreak of food-borne illness, an unproven nutrition claim, or an environmental incident can force us to question some things we’ve come to take for granted. What’s more, we are bombarded with information we may not even understand, let alone care about... Read more >

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It's World Food Day!

by JBF Editors on October 16, 2012

If you're familiar with Oxfam America, a non-profit devoted to ending poverty, hunger, and injustice, you might have already heard that today the organization is promoting World Food Day, a series of dinners, hosted around the globe, that seek to raise awareness of world hunger, sustainability, rising food costs, and other pressing issues. If you're just learning about it now, you can follow #WFD2012 to see photos of World Food Day gatherings and join the conversation about where your food comes from, who cultivates it, and what you can do to help make the food system more just and sustainable. You can also find a World Food Day event near you on the Oxfam America Facebook page... Read more >

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Meet JBF Leadership Award Winner Malik Yakini

by Nicole Citron on October 15, 2012

In our final countdown to Wednesday's 2012 James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards, we're introducing you to each of the five visionaries being honored for their outstanding contributions to creating a healthier, safer, and more sustainable food world. We've already filled you in on Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, Dr. Jason Clay, and Tensie Whelan—and today, we'd like you to meet:

Malik Yakini
Executive Director, Detroit Black Community Food Security Network

When Malik Yakini describes the bumper crop of organic tomatoes, kale, and salad greens that he... Read more >

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