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
NeuroQuiet Reviews
I’ve been struggling with mild tinnitus for a couple of years, and it honestly
wears you down. NeuroQuiet sounds really promising, especially since it tackles
the root causes like stress and circulation. Appreciate how clearly this video explained the science behind it!
nuvo77
Great wordpress blog here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care
idee regalo di natale amiche
anal sikis siteleri 250tldenemebonusuxx.SfXkYDSirtOX
Ageless Knees Reviews
It’s great to see a program focused on real results like reducing pain and getting people moving again.
Ageless Knees sounds like a natural, effective way to regain confidence in daily activities.
Thanks for sharing this!
The Genius Switch Reviews
Thanks for the warning! I’ve seen a few ads for The Genius
Switch on random sites and almost clicked—glad I waited.
Always appreciate when a channel looks out for its viewers like this!
scrubs Uniforms
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to send you an email. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.
Feel free to visit my page; https://Www.uniform-Factory.net/medical-scrubs.html
ciondolo per cane personalizzato
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
direct view led tv
Magnificent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a weblog site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I have been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided shiny transparent concept
Buy Telegram Members
Great blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?
A theme like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog stand out.
Please let me know where you got your design. Bless you
Rose Dumolo
HOW I RECOVER MY $275,000 FROM CRYPTO SCAMMER USA.
I’m one of the fortunate individuals who ventured into the cryptocurrency market with hopes of building a nest egg for retirement. Sadly, I invested in a fraudulent platform that ended up scamming me out of approximately $275,000, not including the promised profits. I lost everything, including funds borrowed from friends in my investment quest. Just when I thought all was lost, I discovered the cryptocurrency recovery experts at JetWebHackers. They successfully helped me recover my funds within 72 hours, and I was even able to track down the scammers. I am incredibly thankful for their assistance and strongly recommend their services to anyone facing a similar situation.
Reach out to them today and turn your situation around!
WEBSITE: jetwebhackers. com
EMAIL: jetwebhackers@gmail.com
Telegram: @jetwebhackers
WhatsApp: +1 (505) 428-8792