Episode 4: Sarah Thompson
AIR DATE: MAY 3RD, 2021
In episode four, we talk to Sarah Thompson. A culinary school attendee, who like a lot of our guests, has worked in multiple roles in restaurants and coffeeshops. She learned how to brew beer before heading off to New Zealand for a year to learn charcuterie. Since she’s been back in the states, Sarah has been putting together all that she has learned under the moniker, Tall Poppy Projects, making delicious, mouthwatering, fatty biscuits and bagels and so much more. We talk about reciprocal collaboration within and outside of the food world and how personal history can inspire your goals. This conversation with Sarah gave us a larger view of how service workers are treated in other countries - like New Zealand - where Sarah worked for several years. But also that while people are provided better job security and better wages, it doesn’t mean those countries aren’t still problematic in their wealth distribution or their treatment of native people, immigrants, and people of color. We also touch on Adesola’s favorite concept to shit on fusion food (read, most hated concept). How it is often synonymous with cultural appropriation and how prevalent that is in Philadelphia’s restaurant scene. We dive into the controversy over Mission Taqueria’s team of chefs uninvitedly inspecting the kitchen and questioning the head chef and owner of South Philly Barbacoa, Cristina Martinez and then copying her barbacoa recipe for their restaurant.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Head chef and owner of South Philly Barbacoa, Cristina Martinez wrote about the experience in 2016 of the controversy over Mission Taqueria’s team of chefs copying her barbacoa recipe for their restaurant. in an article called “Don’t Call It Barbacoa”
Eater has an article about the same controversy
Sarah talked about the persisting racism that exists in places where people believe the concept has been wiped out. Please do yourself a favor and learn more about the Maori people.
Sarah talks about her involvement in two local Philadelphia organizations that try to provide equity in the service industry and encourage collaboration.
- 215 People’s Alliance : a multi-racial collaborative dedicated to fighting for equity and justice in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Coalition for Restaurant Safety and Health : “ We provide education through intersectional sexual
harassment prevention trainings, legal guidance on implementing anti-harassment policies, and resources on how
workers can build solidarity and organize their workplaces.”
