BONUS: That's a Wrap!
Racist Sandwich
When we relaunched in October 2019, we had no idea what kind of a season it would be. Looking back at our episodes, we’re proud of the work we’ve done – just the two of us (and Jess!). And we’re so bummed that we’re leaving you right now, when all this *gestures wildly* is still unfolding, and while many of you may be hurting and needing respite in podcasts the most. We’ll be back in no time, promise. With more conversations, stories and collaborations. In the meantime…you can always catch us on Twitter and Instagram (@raceandfood), where we’ll continue to amplify critical...
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E79: We Will Rise (w/ Zahir Janmohamed, Serena Maria Daniels, Martina Guzmán & Devita Davison)
Racist Sandwich
It's often said that the Coronavirus does not discriminate. This is true, but how the virus affects communities varies depending on the resources a community has access to and what that community has historically faced. This is especially true in Detroit, where, according to CNBC, "African Americans make up about 14 percent of Michigan’s population, but 33 percent of its coronavirus cases and 40 percent of all COVID-19 deaths." In this special episode, we welcome back co-founder and former co-host Zahir Janmohamed. He interviewed three fellow Michigan residents: Serena Maria Daniels, of...
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E78: People Need Community (w/ Candice Fortman)
Racist Sandwich
This week has been rough y'all. But we're finding small comfort in this conversation with , a Detroit-based journalist (, ) and founder of – a social group for women to have fun, be vulnerable, be free and, as the name suggests, eat pizza. The concept sounds simple, but Candice says the stories and experiences that have come out of it have made an indelible mark on their lives, especially in a world where women are often made to bear the brunt of the burden at home, at work, etc. This is a safe space, free from the "male gaze," for women – most of whom are strangers – to find community....
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E77: What Do You Write? (w/ Javier Cabral)
Racist Sandwich
This week, we sat down with The Glutster a.k.a. — Editor-in-Chief of the Taco, co-author of , and associate producer of — to talk about code-switching, food writing, and the diversity of Mexican food in Los Angeles. Javier tells us how his rebellious teenage years and eating disorder lead him to write about food and why he decided to focus on Oaxacan food, in particular. He also gives us a brief Mexican migration history into Los Angeles and how that helped shaped Cal Mex food in the area. But first, Stephanie and Juan discuss and its ramifications on Asian communities across the U.S....
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RERUN: Erasing Black Barbecue (w/ Johnny Walker, Adrian Miller, Daniel Vaughn and Brent & Juan Reaves)
Racist Sandwich
Whoa, it's been a full year since Racist Sandwich switched off the lights and took what was, then, an indefinite hiatus. We're so glad we made the decision to come back. We may be down two essential members, but we're stronger and hungrier than ever! To celebrate how far we've come, we wanted to highlight one of our proudest moments of the past year: getting nominated for a James Beard Award for our episode on the erasure of barbecue's Black roots in America. -- We're talking barbecue. It's delicious, it's trendy, it's decidedly American. But barbecue's story today has pretty huge holes. Over...
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E76: Black Vinegar is Art (w/ Stephanie H. Shih)
Racist Sandwich
This week, it's the Stephanie show! Stephanie Kuo talks to artist Stephanie H. Shih about her collection of Asian pantry items. She hand-makes everything from ceramic Chinkiang black vinegar bottles and Yakult containers to Morinaga caramel boxes and packets of instant Indomie. Through her work, Stephanie hopes to free Asian imagery from the Western gaze, which rests on clichés (ahem, the Chinese takeout box). Stephanie and Stephanie talk about childhood memories, making art that's "for us by us," and connecting to the Asian diaspora through the mundane and private items in their pantries....
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E75: I Know a Bodega When I See One (w/ Quizayra Gonzalez)
Racist Sandwich
This week, we're talking bodegas. What's a bodega? Well, for a lot of us (New Yorkers, especially), it's a corner store that sells food and other household goods. But for our guest, Quizayra Gonzalez, who grew up in a bodega, they're a lot more than that. She and Stephanie talk about how bodegas are such a thriving nexus of cultural and economic activity, how they anchored immigrant communities in the U.S., and how they're being gentrified out of their neighborhoods today. But first, Stephanie and Juan recap his epic trip to Mexico, which sparked the inevitable conversation about one of the...
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E74: Bad Kimchi (w/ Noah Cho)
Racist Sandwich
This week, we're talking about Korean food with Noah Cho, who writes "," a column on the online magazine . The name of the column says a lot: the most egregious crime against Korean food, he believes, is getting kimchi wrong. But the title also signals some of Noah's struggles with his identity as a biracial person, who didn't feel Korean enough to cook or write about Korean food "authentically." He and Stephanie talk about what it means to let go of those expectations and to make your culture and its food your own – like putting American cheese on Shin Ramyun :) But first, Stephanie and...
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E73: There's Never Been Anyone Else Like Me (w/ Soleil Ho)
Racist Sandwich
Happy New Year! We kick off 2020 with someone you may already know: our fearless founder and friend, Soleil Ho. She's about to celebrate her first anniversary at the San Francisco Chronicle, and she sits down with Stephanie and Juan to reflect on the year as the paper's new and revolutionary food critic. They talk about her favorite (and most ruffling) pieces, what it's like to eat out 350 times in a year, and how she's coped with people who aren't *ready* for her hot takes. But before all that, Stephanie and Juan have some exciting news about their travel plans this spring. Produced by...
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E72: A Tortilla is Not a Blank Slate (w/ José Ralat)
Racist Sandwich
This week, we're talking to José Ralat, the taco editor at Texas Monthly and author of the forthcoming book, American Tacos: A History and Guide. It sounds like arguably the best job in the country (and yes, it is), but it's not just about eating great tacos. José has committed the position to being as much about the history, the culture, and real voices as it is about the food itself. Juan and José chat (for a long time) about what makes for the perfect taco, the gentrification of tacos in the U.S. as well as the cost and labor behind them – which is why they deserve all the respect. And...
info_outlineThis episode is all about Somali food: sambusas, bananas with rice and...pineapple upside-down cake? In part one, Soleil sits down with Hamdi Ahmed to talk about a cookbook she co-wrote in high school. Soo Fariista (Come Sit Down) is a collection of family recipes and a portal to her childhood food memories. They discuss her favorite dishes, fusing Somali and American cuisine and how her cookbook is just one way Somalis are becoming more visible in Minnesota. In part two, we do something a little different. Racist Sandwich isn’t a cooking show, but for one day, and one day only, Soleil cooks sambusas for us! It definitely *sounds* delicious.
Produced by Stephanie Kuo and Juan Ramirez. Music by AF the Naysayer, Lee Rosevere and Blue Dot Sessions.