The Racist Sandwich Podcast

Latest Episodes:

E47: Bird's Nest (w/ Liana Aghajanian) Apr 25, 2018

Show notes

In part one, Soleil, Zahir, and Juan meet for the first time at La Cocina Conference in San Francisco and Soleil shares some exciting news.

In part two, we commemorate Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day by interviewing journalist Liana Aghajanian about what it was like to come to the US as a refugee from Iran, how the Armenian genocide impacted Armenian food, and what exactly a dowel is.

Produced by Juan Ramirez. Music by Blue Dot Sessions and AF the Naysayer.

E46: Kitchen Spanish (w/ Emily Hunsberger) Apr 11, 2018

Show notes

It's our first reported episode of the season! Emily Hunsberger, who hosts the Spanish-language podcast Tertulia, brings us this great story about Kitchen Spanish, the unique pidgin spoken among Spanish-speaking and English-speaking staff in restaurant kitchens. While interviewing food workers in Grand Rapids, Mich., Emily discovered that the ability and willingness to communicate across language barriers have become especially critical today in the United States where the immigration debate under the Trump Administration is escalating. Also in this episode: we hear from host Soleil about her own experience speaking Kitchen Spanish and about that one time producer Juan Ramirez got in trouble in school for saying a bad word.

Note: Because this episode is about the unique kind of Spanish that's spoken in restaurants, there are long stretches of Spanish dialogue throughout the piece. Emily paraphrases and interjects wherever she can, but we wanted to preserve those conversations as much as possible.

Produced by Stephanie Kuo and Juan Ramirez. Music by AF the Naysayer and Blue Dot Sessions.

E45: Becoming an American Writer (w/ Alexander Chee) Mar 28, 2018

Show notes

In this episode, Zahir interviews the award-winning writer Alexander Chee about his new essay collection "How to Write an Autobiographical Novel." Alexander speaks about his visit to Korea, what it was like to wait tables before writing his novel, and why he felt like an impostor while living in a plush New York apartment. Also on this episode, Soleil talks about her trip to Hawaii and Zahir gushes about his experience at Kundiman.

Produced by Juan Ramirez and Stephanie Kuo. Music by AF the Naysayer and Blue Dot Sessions.

LINKS DU JOUR

E44: Hell in a Bread Basket (w/ Samin Nosrat) Mar 14, 2018

Show notes

In this episode, new producer Stephanie Kuo joins Zahir to discuss an op-ed she wrote for the Dallas Observer about her complicated relationship with white-owned Asian-fusion restaurants, shame and respect for cultures outside our own. In part two, Soleil interviews the spectacular Samin Nosrat, who is a New York Times Magazine contributor, author of the bestseller Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, and all-around badass cook and teacher. They talk about Samin's new TV series, imposter syndrome and her five favorite condiments. Tune in to hear more!

Produced by Stephanie Kuo and Juan Ramirez. Music by AF the Naysayer and Blue Dot Sessions.

E43: Eat Pickles Get Ripped (w/ Carmen Maria Machado) Feb 28, 2018

Show notes

We are excited to kick off season two of our podcast! In part one, Soleil and Zahir talk about missing Taco Bell and gush about our roller coaster ride of a Kickstarter campaign. In part two, guest interviewer Emilly Prado interviews Carmen Maria Machado, the National Book Award-nominated author of the short story collection, Her Body and Other Parties. Carmen and Emilly discuss body image, policing food, villainesses, and pickles. Tune in to hear more!

Produced by Juan Ramirez and Stephanie Kuo. Music by AF the Naysayer and Blue Dot Sessions.

Bonus Episode: Ohio Against the World (with Hanif Abdurraqib) Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

Zahir interviews poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib about his new collection of essays called "They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us." Hanif speaks about growing up in Ohio, how the city's Black population has been displaced, and why Black-owned restaurants are critical at a time in which, to quote one of his poems, "the Black boy already begins to disappear from head-to-toe."

E42: Break Time Dec 16, 2017

Show notes

After a long and popping first season, we're taking a short break to recharge, relax, and raise funds for season two! Thank you for listening to Racist Sandwich, and huge thanks to the collaborators, guests, and friends who all helped us along the way. It has been an incredible run for these first-time podcasters.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

E41: Only White Men Get to Be Geniuses (w/ Jen Agg) Dec 06, 2017

Show notes

Today's guest is the one, the only Jen Agg—the Toronto, Canada-based restaurateur who, in a lot of ways, has been imposed with a sort of Cassandra role in the food media. She's been sounding the alarm on the toxic and often violent masculinity that infests the food industry for years. She even went so far as to organizing a one-night conference on patriarchy in the restaurant world in 2015. She describes herself as "vigilantly pro-conflict"—her memoir, which came out earlier this year, is literally called, I Hear She's a Real Bitch. And yet… what has changed for women in the food industry since she started ringing that bell? Tune in as we hash out all this and more!

E40: The Pav to Success (w/ Preeti Mistry) Nov 29, 2017

Show notes

Soleil catches up with Oakland chef and restaurateur Preeti Mistry, and they chat about culinary school, how the food industry falls short of its meritocratic ideals, the culture of abuse in restaurants, and what it means to live your politics. Zahir gets really into the punniness of Mistry's book, The Juhu Beach Club Cookbook.

Produced by Juan Ramirez. Music by Blue Dot Sessions and AF the Naysayer.

LINKS DU JOUR

Dear White Chefs: Stop Talking, Start Listening

White Man Gets on Soapbox

How a Culture of Aggression Blinds the Restaurant Industry to Abuse

EP39: Namaste Motherfucker (with Mitali Desai and Naben Ruthnum) Nov 15, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, we address the politics of the word "curry." In part one, Barnard College student Mitali Desai shares her poem "Chicken Tikka Masala" about being bullied at her predominantly white school. In part two, we interview the Toronto based writer Naben Ruthnum about his new book "Curry" which unpacks the history, and the limitations, of the word "curry."

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