Redefining New American Cuisine – Stories from our Food Journalism Workshop

 

Food workshop participant Jerrelle Guy; photo: Keira Heu-Jwyn Chang

When Ham El-Waylly would visit Bolivia as a child he loved helping his aunt in her restaurant, slow cooking little ‘anticuchos’ or chicken hearts over dying embers, and sampling more than he sold. With an Egyptian father and a Bolivian mother, El-Waylly spent summers visiting his parents’ home countries and diligently learning his grandmothers’ specialties. El-Waylly is passionate about sharing cultural cuisines, so with his wife Sohla El-Waylly, a Bengali-American raised in LA, he plans to open a restaurant featuring the traditional dishes they each grew up eating.  In the process they hope to, “redefine new American cuisine”.

The story of Ham El-Waylly was produced by Carmen Cusido during a recent food journalism workshop led by Feet in 2 Worlds. Workshop participants from around the U.S. met some of the cooks and chefs that contribute to New York City’s diverse food culture, and learned with New York’s food scene is treasured by those searching for a taste of home.

Through the story-telling website Cowbird, Fi2W sprouted the seed called ‘Home Tastes Like…’ a collection of stories about food, family and culture. Click here to hear all the stories on Cowbird.

Click here for more food stories from Feet in 2 Worlds.

 

 

 

The Fi2W Food Journalism Workshop was supported by The Culinary Trust’s Growing Leaders Food Writing program and the International Association of Culinary Professionals foundation,

Fi2W is supported by the David and Katherine Moore Family Foundation, the Ralph E. Odgen Foundation, the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation, an anonymous donor and readers like you.

AboutFeet in Two Worlds
Feet in 2 Worlds (Fi2W) is an independent media outlet, journalism training program, and launchpad for emerging immigrant journalists and media makers of color. Our work brings positive and meaningful change to America's newsrooms and has a broader impact on how immigration is reported and the ethnic and racial composition of news organizations.