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
pirinç küpeşte modelleri
pirinç küpeşte modelleri
Thanks for your personal marvelous posting!
I really enjoyed reading it, you are a great author.I will
ensure that I bookmark your blog and will eventually
come back someday. I want to encourage you continue your
great job, have a nice holiday weekend!
luck8
Hi there I am so thrilled I found your web site,
I really found you by error, while I was researching on Askjeeve for something
else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say thanks for a marvelous post and a all round exciting blog (I also love
the theme/design), I don’t have time to browse it all
at the moment but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds,
so when I have time I will be back to read much more, Please do keep up the great work.
wix seo service
This Wix SEO service really helped my site climb up the Google rankings.
work from home jobs USA
This design is spectacular! You most certainly know how to keep a reader entertained.
Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well,
almost…HaHa!) Excellent job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how
you presented it. Too cool!
wixseo
Wow, I never knew Wix could rank this well with the right SEO service!
rainbet plinko demo
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this
site. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s difficult
to get that “perfect balance” between usability and visual appeal.
I must say you have done a fantastic job with this. Also, the blog loads extremely fast
for me on Internet explorer. Exceptional Blog!
ดูซีรีย์
great issues altogether, you simply won a brand new reader.
What could you recommend about your publish that you simply made a few days ago?
Any certain?
press release. page
In terms of finding entertainment online, there’s hardly anything more thrilling than spinning the reels
in an online casino. With the surge in digital gaming, users can now enjoy a wide range of slot titles without stepping outside.
If you love retro-style fruit machines or modern 5-reel video slots with epic graphics, the options are endless.Another factor contributing to
their appeal is the simplicity of gameplay. Unlike poker or blackjack, you
don’t need complex strategies. Choose your paylines,
spin, and see if luck’s on your side. It’s pure luck-based entertainment, with the chance
to win big.
For those curious about how to get started, this article
breaks it all down really well about understanding online slot odds and RTP.
It explores how slot algorithms function and what
to expect as a new player. Definitely worth a read before you spin. Read the full article here:
[insert article URL].
Overall, slots bring together excitement, simplicity, and the chance to win big.
Make sure to manage your bankroll wisely and enjoy the ride.
Good luck and happy spinning!
Spooky tee
Everything is very open with a very clear clarification of
the issues. It was definitely informative. Your site is extremely helpful.
Many thanks for sharing!
pocket option promo code
Hey there, You have done a fantastic job. I will certainly digg it and personally suggest to my friends.
I am sure they will be benefited from this web site.
eeeza 4 6ft mini children s trampoline with sound effects
Hi there, after reading this awesome paragraph i am too
happy to share my experience here with mates.
Florian
Hola! I’ve been following your web site for some time now and finally got the courage to go ahead
and give you a shout out from Porter Tx! Just wanted to mention keep up the
good work!
whiteboardcrm.com lừa đảo công an truy quét cấm người chơi tham gia
I am not sure where you are getting your information, but great topic.
I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more.
Thanks for fantastic info I was looking for this info
for my mission.
Lật đổ chính quyền 2/9
Greate pieces. Keep writing such kind of
info on your blog. Im really impressed by your site.
Hello there, You have done a great job. I’ll definitely digg it and for my part recommend to my friends.
I’m sure they will be benefited from this site.
Television free channels
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to
assert that I acquire in fact enjoyed account your blog posts.
Any way I’ll be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.
Hướng dẫn chế bơm xăng
I’m not that much of a online reader to be
honest but your sites really nice, keep it up!
I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back in the future.
Many thanks
online casino slot games
Appreciate! This thread on payout times was eye-opening. I recently joined online casino slot games and the withdrawal reached my Skrill in less than two hours. Plus the sign-up bonus of 150% helps extend the bankroll. Anyone chasing fast payouts should have a look. See you on the reels!
wholesale t shirts dubai
Good answer back in return of this difficulty with real arguments and explaining everything concerning that.
Also visit my blog post – https://Www.Dubaiuniforms.net/tshirts-supplier-dubai.htm
gembet
It’s an remarkable article designed for all the internet
viewers; they will take advantage from it I am sure.
cheap adult webcams
Hi Dear, are you in fact visiting this web page on a
regular basis, if so then you will absolutely obtain pleasant knowledge.