Closing the Food Disparity Gap One Food Desert at a Time
As a child when you are hungry you just run to the table with excitement, ready to eat. You do not think about where dinner comes from, it just magically appears. As someone who grew up eating anything WIC and Food Stamps, or SNAP, could buy, I was intrigued to learn more about Chef Amber Williams’ book, Surviving the Food Desert. The book shares recipes meant for the everyday cook with access to limited fresh ingredients and pantry staples.
Raised on meals pulled together by her mom from local food drive boxes, Amber is a self-taught chef who you may know from Food Network’s Supermarket Stakeout. Coming from a lineage of chefs, restaurateurs, and entrepreneurs, cooking captivated Amber at an early age. She planted herself in front of the TV, “I was stuck to the TV since I was a child, watching public access TV…[then] when we did have cable, watching Food Network.” She stalked any cooking show she could find, “When people ask me what school did I go to, I’m like ‘Oh I graduated from Food Network University.’” By the time she reached college Amber became known as the go-to person on campus for sweet treats. Her sweet sensations were in such high demand that after school one of her college friends reached out and asked Amber to make her wedding cake.
Today, after a short stint in corporate America, Amber has her own culinary business, Le Rouge, “an elevated Creole Fusion brand specializing in providing professional, customizable and unique catering solutions”. Starting super lean in the early years, Amber maintained the fire to survive on her own. “I had to define what was and what was not important, and what was and was not a necessity.”
As Amber developed her culinary career she always remembered where she came from. While teaching a culinary class at the North Texas Food Bank she also listened and learned. Attendees of her cooking classes had questions, like “What is a butternut squash?” and “How do I cook that?” The more questions came, the more she began to recognize the need for education. Not only did people in food deserts need food, but they also needed education on ways to cook the food in nutritious ways.
When Amber set out to write Surviving the Food Desert we were all in the middle of a pandemic. This time in her life inspired her not only to include recipes in the book, but there are also moments of motivation sprinkled throughout the book. Some recipes in the book are staples from her childhood such as her mom’s “Full Pack Dinner”, which is a one-pot meal or a “gift on a plate” as Amber describes it.
For anyone struggling to make something out of nothing, or trying to decide what to do with the can of beans that has been in their pantry for months, Amber says to “Be creative, don’t be afraid to substitute, use what you have, and make it your own.”
The Surviving the Food Desert Project is about “bridging accessible resources to sustainable & approachable educational programming to improve and elevate the quality of life for citizens living in food-disparaged communities in order to further close the food & health disparity gap.” Accompanying the book is a resource guide, a directory for how people can be a part of the initiative in their community and find the closest organization near them.
For any up and coming chefs who grew up with a dream like Amber’s she shares some lessons learned. “Build a community, and get up under some people; be humble, work for people, even your peers. Envision what you want for your company and define your why, don’t rely on money. Find your signature brand or dish. There are tons of resources available like the Small Business Administration, chambers of commerce, and Google.”
Surviving the Food Desert is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and more.
Discover more from Flights and Foods
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
16,317 Comments
livestream JAV HD
I know this site presents quality based posts and additional data, is
there any other website which gives these kinds of data in quality?
Call Girls Tato
Kudos! Numerous tips!
인천쓰리노
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in truth was once a enjoyment account
it. Glance advanced to more added agreeable from you!
However, how could we keep up a correspondence?
fdertol mrtokev
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. many thanks
Bathroom Installation In Hertford and Ware
Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was super long) so
I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing.
Do you have any tips and hints for newbie blog writers?
I’d genuinely appreciate it.
agen taruhan bola
I know this site presents quality based content and other material, is there any other
site which provides these stuff in quality?
Twisted Love Download Vk Free Pdf
For a book that combines high-society glamour with gritty emotional realism, choose this one. The setting is lush, but the emotions are raw. A Twisted Love PDF is a great way to enter this world. The contrast between the public faces the characters wear and their private selves is fascinating. It is a complex, multi-layered story that rewards attentive reading.
iwinclub
Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you
knew of any widgets I could add to my blog
that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience
with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything.
I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.
Pdf Music Where Is Love From Oliver Twist
Twisted Love offers a fresh take on the “bad boy, good girl” dynamic by giving both characters depth and agency. Ava is not just a damsel; she is a survivor. Alex is not just a brute; he is a brilliant strategist. Reading the Twisted Love PDF is a convenient way to experience this layered story. The conflict is driven by external threats and internal fears, creating a rich tapestry of drama. It is a book that stays with you, prompting you to pick up the rest of the series immediately.
go here
Nicely put, Regards.