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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years ago

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Padma Lakshmi Is Tired of Being Delicate

Padma Lakshmi and Emiliano Marentes in El Paso | Hulu

This week on Eater’s Digest, Lakshmi discusses her new Hulu show Taste the Nation

This week on Eater’s Digest, writer, Top Chef host, and executive producer Padma Lakshmi discusses her new show Taste the Nation and why it’s so needed right now. Her show focuses on immigrant cuisines across America and explores the history, culture, politics, people, and the often forgotten or overlooked contributions to our national foodways.

Lakshmi also talks about her need for creative control on this show and her desire to be herself and to show women as full humans, instead of as sweet sidekicks. “I was tired of women having to be delicate, or kind of coquettish, or sweet, or well-dressed. I’m sick of fucking wearing heels,” says Lakshmi. “I did my own makeup. I lived in my car. I didn’t have a trailer or anything. And it was so liberating.”

Then, Eater Chicago’s Ashok Selvam catches us up on the latest out of his city, including the controversy surrounding lauded restaurant Fat Rice, new to-go booze laws, and the general vibe of restaurant-goers as the city opens up.

Listen and subscribe to Eater’s Digest on Apple Podcasts and read the full transcript of our interview below.

Amanda Kludt:

Padma Lakshmi, welcome to the show. Congratulations on your new show. Can you talk a little bit about the impetus for the idea behind the show, how the development process went?

PL:

Sure. It’s basically a direct result of my work with the American Civil Liberties Union. I started working with them shortly after the election in early 2017. At that time, there were a lot of things being said in the media and out of Washington that were really vilifying to immigrants. And as an immigrant myself, I took great offense to that. And concurrently during that process, I was working with my producing partner, David Smith of Part 2 Pictures, and we were going to do an immigration show, because of all this information. And then separately, I was doing a cookbook. And I showed him the research that I had compiled. And he thought we should combine the two projects. The idea behind the show is to go to a community and pick one dish that may or may not be really what they eat, but is in the larger consciousness what we think of when we think of that cuisine traditionally.

And so using that dish is kind of a Trojan Horse to get me embedded into this community. And for 14 years of my life, I’ve been talking about some very highfalutin food on Top Chef. And I knew for a fact that that’s not how most people eat regularly in their lives. And so as someone who’s not a chef, and is a home cook and writer, I wanted to explore on the ground, what people were eating in those different communities. And use that to talk about some deeper issues. Because food is of course, excuse me, fetishized in our culture. But for most people it’s tied with a lot of nostalgia, and identity and emotions. And so I wanted to use food to get to those issues.

Daniel Geneen:

Yeah.

AK:

I noticed in one of the episodes, you’re on the border town of El Paso and you’re talking to a restaurant owner who employees all of these Mexican chefs and cooks, and is an avid Trump supporter. And in the scene you are holding hands and trying to have this conversation. And I was wondering, what does she feel like in this moment, because you are so resistant to Trump and his administration. And yet you are learning through the conversation what his point is.

PL:

I thought it was important to have him in the show. Again, while it’s not a piece of journalism, I think it improved my credibility if I try to be as impartial as I can and show both sides. So I wanted that interview very badly. I was warned that Maynard was cantankerous, moody, profane, politically incorrect and maybe even racist. I think he had intimidated my field producer a lot. And I felt badly for her for putting her in that pre-interview situation. And so I was kind of ready for everything and I really wanted the interview. So I was just, again, going at it with just be fluid and see what he gives you. He grabbed my hand very early on. It was awkward. It was so awkward, but I have uncles like that in my family.

… I think Maynard, especially others in his generation, but also in our generation. I’m almost 50. I think there’s a disconnect for a lot of people on policy versus the actual human exchange of daily life.

And he talks about his employees like his family. And he, I’m sure doesn’t pay them what they should be paid, but I’m also sure that they get paid more by Maynard than they would if they had that same job in Juarez. And so I wanted to look at how these twin cities, who have always kind of existed in a symbiotic relationship with each other. It’s a right of passage for every high schooler to kind of go and party in Juarez. I mean, Maynard’s daughter herself told me that when she had her graduation party, she didn’t want to have it in El Paso. She wanted to have it in Juarez, because that’s what was cool.

And then Juarez got dangerous and stuff. But the actual locals have always had this give and take. Much like in New York where there’s so many people coming in from Brooklyn, from New Jersey, from Queens to the city, working and leaving. And all the cool restaurants are now in Brooklyn. It’s in a way a form of that. And so these laws that are handed down from Washington have completely... So I wanted to see again how these lofty notions that are often made devoid of getting to know the people they actually directly affect do affect those people.

DG:

It seems like you didn’t want to make any kind of hard and fast point about it. And you just wanted to let them have a platform so that all of these people could just say what their day-to-days are like interacting with each other. And then he says, “I’m going to vote for Trump, because what option do I have?” And obviously the implication is, well hey, it’s going to, I mean, even that action makes it so your employees have to spend a lot longer at the border every day. But I feel like you don’t say those things explicitly in the thing, right? Is that a conscious...

PL:

My job was not to be there as an ACLU representative, trying to convince him that his behavior was wrong. My job in that instance, I believe was to document his authentic point of view without trying to manipulate it. If the camera was off and we had time and I didn’t have to go to my next location, I might have sat there and been like, “You’re foolish.”

DG:

In the cold.

PL:

It’s a different conversation that I have when he’s like... You also have to be mindful that you’re in his space. You’ve asked to talk to him, you’ve asked his employees to stop working or talk to me outside on their lunch breaks. So there’s a certain just graciousness that I felt I needed to have.

DG:

I appreciate that though, because I feel like for years, everyone in the media or everyone online, or everyone, maybe people who are particularly vocal who go to the store are telling him he’s full of shit. And then it reinforces what he already thinks about the other side.

PL:

And about the media.

DG:

Yeah.

PL:

Yeah.

AK:

I think also... I don’t know if you all remember Bourdain’s episode where he went to West Virginia and was talking to those people there about what it was like to work in the mines. And this isn’t the exact same thing, but there is a parallel where sometimes you’d need to show these people in their environments and hear what they have to say. And that’s how you can make some sort of progress.

PL:

I know for a fact that I wouldn’t have gotten to know him as well if I tried to talk to him rather than just listen to what he had to say. And that’s why I was there. I wasn’t there because I wanted my audience to know my opinion. I was there because I wanted my audience to be exposed to people like Maynard, to be exposed to people like Rosa in the Peruvian episode. And those are the people that make up this country. That’s what this country is like. And a lot of people, especially in media live on either coasts, and they’re insulated in a way to their own detriment. And so for me, I wanted to come away from the series changed, because I knew... Or just educated. Just more informed.

PL:

And I knew that if I didn’t let them speak, then the point of doing the show would have been lost.

AK:

Were there other-

PL:

... Because I’ve seen a lot of shows like that. And we’ve all seen millions of travel shows. And they’re all nice. And they all take a survey of what’s cool, or hip, or delicious, or what are the hidden gems in a particular city. And that’s great. And that’s kind of a lifestyle show that I’ve done before early in my career, that I really love also consuming. But I wanted this food show to have greater cultural meaning, at least to me. If I was going to do a second TV show and be away from my kid, I wanted it to be worth it.

AK:

It seems like historically not a lot of people get the opportunity to do a smart cultural show about food. Outside of Bourdain’s history, you don’t see a ton of shows like that. And I’m wondering, what has that been like from the inside? Do you see that changing? Was it really hard to get this green-lit?

PL:

That’s a great question. Yeah, I see it changing. I think a big shift was... And a big beautiful instance of it was Samin’s show. Never did you see a woman doing that. You have a lot of examples of men, kind of these male chefs swashbuckling all over the world. And that’s what Tony’s show is about. In another way, Andrew Zimmern is coming at it from another angle. Then Marcus Samuelsson is coming at it from a PBS angle. And then Alton Brown is coming at it from a scientific angle. But they’re all men. And when people first started talking to me about the show or I would talk to them, they’d be like, “It’s like Bourdain.” And I would say, “Well, I was friends with Tony for 20 years.” Not great friends, but I saw him consistently in my life.

And that show only works because of Tony. Because that show relies so much on his personality. I mean, he basically wrote that show in voiceover. And he did that show for 12 years on the Travel Channel, pretty much the way he wanted to in a very low-fi way. This show cannot be that. It cannot be Andrew Zimmern show. It cannot be any of those other shows I mentioned, because I’m not those people. I love travel. I couldn’t do what I do if my life hasn’t been full of travel. First as a child who, traveled between cultures. But also in my early career. So I wanted to be able to do that as a woman. I was tired of women having to be delicate, or kind of coquettish, or sweet, or well-dressed. I’m sick of fucking wearing heels.

I did my own makeup. I lived in my car. I didn’t have a trailer or anything. And it was so liberating. And at some point... Yeah, I mean, I had a makeup artist for some of the episodes. And at some point... I love her. She’s a great makeup artist. And I still use her. But I know for a fact that when you’re trying to capture an environment, the less of a footprint you have, the better. So I just had to make that choice. And I’m vain like everybody else. I want to look pretty. I’m not all of a sudden claiming I don’t care about what I look like. But I wanted the freedom to be crass. I wanted to swear. I wanted to have the full experience that I would have if the camera wasn’t on. And somewhere between the show being bought by Hulu and us going into edit of the episodes, Disney bought Hulu.

And so I was really worried, because I know that after I was seeing memos saying “We really see the show as a co-viewing show. Much like Top Chef.” The kids in the family can watch it with grownups. And I just wanted to make sure I said, “This is an adult show.” I have a kid and I’m always looking for things I can watch with my 10-year-old. So I get it. But I wanted the freedom to be how I am. I don’t know if you guys have watched the Chinese episode yet.

AK:

Not yet.

PL:

There were things in that episode that were going to be cut, that I had to fight to keep in, because we never see women being sexual. Except to try to attract the audience or try to seduce else. We never see people... I’ve not seen a lot of women who are on TV, and who play themselves, who are just all the things that all human beings are. And I knew that the more myself I was, or tried to be, the more that my guests on my show, my interview subjects would be themselves. And I needed to show myself if I wanted them to show me.

DG:

And was it hard at first, because you obviously have insane level of reps doing Top Chef stuff, and it seems like you probably would have gotten into a rhythm in that world and in the way that you act on that set. So was it hard to break?

PL:

It wasn’t hard for me. For so many years with the American public has seen of me is such a narrow version of my personality. And that’s a function of the format of Top Chef. For me to do my job well, it requires me sublimating my personality a lot, because I want to get to the guest judges and what they think. I want to get information out of the contestants, et cetera. There’s so much business to happen that people didn’t really get to see what I was like. I’ve done TV outside of Top Chef. Albeit, a long time ago, because I’ve been doing Top Chef for 14 years. But I’ve worked in different countries. I worked in different languages on live television. So that wasn’t hard. That wasn’t hard at all, because I was dying to do that.

DG:

Right.

PL:

The main thing for me with this show is for good or bad, I wanted creative control. I didn’t want somebody else to tell me how to be. I was not thinking of, okay, I have to be totally different than I am on Top Chef, or I wanted to be more comfortable, which is why my wardrobe is what it is versus what it is on Top Chef. And also would have been inappropriate in a lot of situations I was in. But I really just wanted to be free. I didn’t want to have any artifice. I just wanted to ask the questions and just get the answers. And I wanted that human connection.

I wanted to get to know these people. And given the choice between going to a white tablecloth tasting menu at the best restaurant in any city or having a food truck crawl, I would choose the latter, because that’s what my tastes run naturally toward. I have great respect for Michelin Star chefs. I know the skill and tactical execution involved in that kind of dining. I respect it. I value it. I just, on my own time, I’m not interested in it anymore, or as much. Nearly as much. I’m interested in how most people in the world eat.

DG:

You never hear people say... Who spend years and years in the kind of Michelin level communities. You never hear them say, “I’ve just spent so much time in these communities and it’s really increased my love for it. And I want to spend more time.”

AK:

Some people though, they stay in it. So many of these people.

DG:

They stay, but they’re never like, “I’m more excited now than I’ve ever been about a four hour meal.”

PL:

Yeah. Yeah.

AK:

I follow you on Twitter and you’re very vocal about your political beliefs and opinions. And I’m wondering, would you want to explore a show that’s even more overtly political talking about what food and politics mean, especially in this moment?

PL:

Sure, I would. I mean, let’s hope enough people watch and enjoy Taste The Nation. And that I get that opportunity. I started my hosting career in Italy on a live show, and there was no tape delay, and it wasn’t about food. It was just one of those big variety shows. And I was part of a bigger cast. And I was sort of the sidekick to the main host. And I learned a lot on that show. And I really enjoy the spontaneous conversation of live television. There’s nothing to beat it., The title of this show is not an accident. It’s a play on Face The Nation. And I would love a show like that. But not even that just explores food and politics, although that is of course a natural jumping point. And by the way, and a very deep well from which to call conversation.

But I feel like we’ve gotten so polarized. In media there’s a formula, someone’s pushing a book, or an album, or a show. And they come on and they talk about that. And it’s all very pre-rehearsed. But I would love to do a show that has... And I’ve tried to pitch the show forever, by the way. A show where you have people from all, two or three guests from different walks of life. So you have like Shaquille O’Neal, and Lorde, and Aziz Ansari, I’m making this up obviously. And the conversation between these three people and having that. And there are shows that have tried to do that, but I don’t think anyone has found a way to crack that nut. And that’s a show I would feel excited to watch and participate in as well or host, because it’s what I do in my own living room.

I don’t go out to eat as much as people think I do. But I love to have dinner parties. And I love to curate a guest list. To me, that’s my jam. That is wonderful. And to just introduce people to each other and to hear them speak, because I want to learn. I want to learn how to be funny from Aziz. I want to learn how to be well-informed and right from David Remnick. I want to be able to understand whatever it is. And so bringing those people together is exciting to me. And I think in the next phase of my career, I would like to make a decent living doing what I naturally do for free in my own life.

AK:

Do you think this moment will lead to more opportunities like that, for a show like that, or for, I don’t know, a better representation in TV in general?

PL:

I hope so. When I was waiting for our conversation to start, we were just reading Business Insider.

AK:

It’s dark.

PL:

It’s very dark. And you would think that it would be easy for me to get coverage, because I’ve been on TV for 14 years. Top Chef is in 60 countries. I feel like I’ve earned the right to actually have some copy space in some big food magazines. But I couldn’t get arrested at Bon Appétit, and now I know why.

AK:

Yeah.

PL:

And you hate that, or I hate that. As a Brown person, as a woman, I hate having to explain why I can’t crack a certain nut with that excuse. But when you feel like you have this undertow, this invisible force that you cannot square with any of your actions, or what can I do? Then you start to be like, “Oh, okay.” Because nobody wants to say that. I mean, gross. You don’t want to blame your inability to achieve something that you think is important on that kind of stuff. So it embarrasses you. It embarrasses you to even talk about it.

AK:

And I think the people in power just kind of ignore it because they don’t believe it. And so you need... But when you see so many people with the exact same experience, saying the exact same thing-

PL:

... I mean, what the hell?

AK:

It’s like these people feel gaslit that they’re not being listened to. And it’s like, wait, this is everywhere.

PL:

I cannot believe that it was... That you don’t pay one person the same as you pay the other person for doing the exact same work. I get, hopefully if someone has more experience and more stuff on their resume, they make a different paycheck than somebody who’s starting out. But fuck, that is just blatant racism and sexism. And it’s illegal.

AK:

Yeah, absolutely. It’s horrifying. And I think in this moment, we’re learning about so many industries, and specific companies and brands that have a lot of reckoning to do. And oftentimes, I hope in these moments, it leads to better people getting better opportunities. And better people getting in the room.

PL:

Me too. Yeah. I mean, I have to admit that one time I went to some Persian restaurant in San Diego, and for some reason somebody at Bon Appétit wrote a really long article about that meal that I put on Instagram. But that was just random. Maybe Adam wasn’t looking very hard that day. Yeah, somebody was golfing. But that happens. That shit happens all the time. And it’s good that it’s coming out. I’m happy. No one wants anyone’s career to be ruined, but I’m glad people are making a stink. My neighborhood was totally trashed, completely fucking trashed in the looting and stuff. And it’s fine. I really don’t care. I care much more about the people who had the courage to, in spite of COVID, go out there and demonstrate and protest. Every now and then society needs a seizure, society needs some kind of shock. And it’s unfortunate that it’s on the backs of these black men.

AK:

Absolutely. And to go back to the show, you talk about immigrant cuisines. And one of them is the Gullah Geechee community. And I think that’s important to include whenever you’re talking about the foods that make up America.

PL:

Definitely. That episode was really important to me. It was probably the episode I did the most amount of research for. We filmed this time last year or a little bit later, maybe in August. It was really hot in Charleston. That’s all I remember. But I really enjoyed that episode, because we never think about African American cuisine as having its ancestry and roots in another continent, the way we look at immigrant cuisine. But it obviously does. It is forced migration. And so I was sick of seeing African American food just painted with a broad brush of soul cooking, or Southern food, or whatever. And I wanted to see what was it, in as much as it’s possible, separated from its white colonial ties. And when I was in Charleston with Top Chef, I met BJ Dennis and we became friends. And like I said on Top Chef, we don’t have time to go into a lot of history because of the competition that we have to show.

But we did attribute dinner to Edna Lewis at Middleton Place. And we got a lot of flack for going to what used to be a plantation. And so I wanted to go back there actually, because we can either avoid it and be like, we’re not going to justify that location with our presence. Or we can go there and we can face it and say, “This ugly episode in our history is part of our legacy too.” And so, that whole episode is really, really important to me. Also, about the different African cultures and the theory that certain enslaved people were sought after because of their rice cultivation knowledge. And that the Carolina rice industry declined right after Juneteenth. Right after the end of slavery and that’s not an accident.

AK:

Well, it’s truly excellent. And we hope all of our listeners check it out on Hulu, starting June 18th now.

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Padma Lakshmi and Emiliano Marentes in El Paso | Hulu

This week on Eater’s Digest, Lakshmi discusses her new Hulu show Taste the Nation

Listen and subscribe to Eater’s Digest on Apple Podcasts and read the full transcript of our interview below.

Amanda Kludt:

Padma Lakshmi, welcome to the show. Congratulations on your new show. Can you talk a little bit about the impetus for the idea behind the show, how the development process went?

PL:

Daniel Geneen:

Yeah.

AK:

PL:

DG:

PL:

DG:

In the cold.

PL:

DG:

PL:

And about the media.

DG:

Yeah.

PL:

Yeah.

AK:

PL:

And I knew that if I didn’t let them speak, then the point of doing the show would have been lost.

AK:

Were there other-

PL:

AK:

PL:

AK:

Not yet.

PL:

DG:

PL:

DG:

Right.

PL:

DG:

AK:

Some people though, they stay in it. So many of these people.

DG:

They stay, but they’re never like, “I’m more excited now than I’ve ever been about a four hour meal.”

PL:

Yeah. Yeah.

AK:

PL:

AK:

Do you think this moment will lead to more opportunities like that, for a show like that, or for, I don’t know, a better representation in TV in general?

PL:

I hope so. When I was waiting for our conversation to start, we were just reading Business Insider.

AK:

It’s dark.

PL:

AK:

Yeah.

PL:

AK:

And I think the people in power just kind of ignore it because they don’t believe it. And so you need... But when you see so many people with the exact same experience, saying the exact same thing-

PL:

... I mean, what the hell?

AK:

It’s like these people feel gaslit that they’re not being listened to. And it’s like, wait, this is everywhere.

PL:

AK:

PL:

AK:

PL:

AK:

Well, it’s truly excellent. And we hope all of our listeners check it out on Hulu, starting June 18th now.

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umnachtung · 7 years ago

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Disney princess survey

#1 Favourite Princess Jasmine and Mulan for sure. Honorable mention: Megara

#2 Favourite Prince Roger from 101 Dalmatian, Kuzco UUUHH Milo?

#3 Favourite Couple Bob Parr and Helen Parr - The Incredibles

#4 Least Favourite Princess Anna, Ariel (which used to be my fave as a kid. now she is just very :/// )

#5 Least Favourite Prince John Smith

#6 Least Favourite Couple John and Pocahontas and Anna and Kristoff

#7 Favourite Dress/Outfit Tianas 20s style outfits are really nice and I like Anitas and Cruella de Vil’s outfits too. Also science Izma.

#8 Least Favourite Dress/Outfit Elsa’s snow queen outfit is a huge let down for me. I love the Snowqueen story and this dress is just so very MEH

#9 A Princess Who Inspires You Mulan, Tiana

#10 Worst Decision Made by a Princess Don’t even get me started. Ariel’s decision of wanting to become a human because of that one dude she liked the legs of is like so dumb tbh.

#11 A Villain You Feel Was Justified in Their Treatment of [the] Princess/Prince All of them have very terrible moralities trying to get back at people so much younger than them but Izma is probably the one’s behavior I would justify the most since Kuzco is a lil shit.

#12 A Princess You Would Like to Trade Places With Merida maybe? I mean Scotland? A big ass horse? Not being forced into a weird romance? Heck yeah.

#13 A Princess Whose Life You Would Hate to Have Many of them seem to be real bad if you take into consideration the times they live in lol. But maybe Ariel since I really like shoes and she can’t exactly wear those with her mermaid tail???

#14 A Princess You Think is a Bad Role Model for Young Girls The classic ones for sure. Just stand around, look pretty, Let the prince save you. Don’t fight your own fights.

#15 Favourite Tiara I’m gonna go with Jasmine because I always liked that huge-ass gemstone.

#16 Favourite Song Sung by a Princess (can include duets) Mulan ‘reflection’ -> same Megara “I wont say I’m in love”

#17 Least Favourite Song Sung by a Princess (can include duets)

“Let it go.”

#18 The Princess With Whom You Would Be Best Friends Megara. We can shit talk about guys. Maybe also Kida. I would wanna know more about Atlantis pls.

#19 The Princess With Whom You Would Be Frenemies I am not much about fighting with friends but maybe having sass-offs with Jasmine is fun idk

#20 The Princess You Would Openly Hate and Be Enemies With Anna and Ariel :I

#21 The Princess You Would Dress As for a Halloween/Costume I don’t like wearing dresses much. Give me more princesses in pants then we talk.

#22 List Three Admirable Qualities About the Princess You Named on Question number #4 Anna: cares for her sister, goofy, red-head (lol)

Ariel: redhead, redhead, redhead

#23 A Princess You Feel Didn’t Deserve Her Happy Ending I wouldn’t exactly define “getting married to a prince dude” a happy ending anyway but...Ariel probably. She is too young??? Like girl, go out explore the ocean?

#24 The Happy Ending You Feel Didn’t Make Sense/Was Too Easy Anna. Like, somehow it was just there? -> same

#25 Favourite Sidekick Genie all the way

#26 Most Interesting Story Mulan, Merida

#27 Best Singing Voice IDK

#28 Edge of your seat: The Moment You Find Most Exciting When Mulan cuts her hair and steals her father’s uniform to go to war in his name.

#29 If You Were a Disney Princess, What Would Your Story Be? potato artist trying to find a job, maybe some cool stuff with a secret magical world and ADVENTURE and very meta stuff about the animation industry lolol

#30 What Do You Want to See from the Next Disney Princess? Has short hair and doesn’t care much about if she is attractive or not. Gets a transformation scene but decides to not give in to social beauty standards. Also doesn’t pick this new flat bread guy she meets but idk has a cool fun friend since forever whom she likes???

#survey

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happymetalgeek · 5 years ago

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British four-piece rock band COLLATERAL are set to release their highly anticipated eponymous debut album on 21 February 21, 2020. The album is released by Roulette Media Records and distributed worldwide through Cargo and is available for pre-order now.

January 31st saw the release of their new single “Merry Go Round.”.

Collateral are special guests on Jared James Nichols’ February and March 2020 UK Tour as well as on Skid Row’s European 2020 Tour, Phil X & The Drills UK March 2020 Tour and H.e.a.t’s UK Tour 2020 with Vega and Mason Hill. Tickets are available from www.collateralofficial.com

Collateral have been busy in the studio since the release of their debut EP ‘4 Shots!’ which was originally released on November 17, 2018 and featured the single ‘Midnight Queen’. After the single got to the top of the Australian Radio Charts, it was then added to the main playlist on Planet Rock; the UK’s biggest classic rock radio station (the single appears on the band’s upcoming debut album).

The exciting and flamboyant Kent-based rock and roll band are comprised of Angelo Tristan (lead vocals, guitar), Todd Winger (guitar), Jack Bentley-Smith (bass) and Ben Atkinson (drums).

Todd Winger Photo Credit: Rob Nankivell

Jack Bentley Smith Photo Credit: Rob Nankivell

Ben Atkinson Photo Credit: Rob Nankivell

Angelo Tristan Photo Credit: Rob Nankivell

On May 3, 2019, Collateral released their next single, ‘Lullaby’ which was the first new song taken from their highly anticipated debut album. The single was accompanied by a live style music video which was celebrated by Planet Rock and was premiered on their official website.

After the release of the ‘4 Shots!’ EP, Collateral worked relentlessly to keep the momentum going. They won a Camden Rocks Festival competition out of 20,000 bands to play the main stage at the Electric Ballroom on June 1, 2019. A few months later, they won a competition between 40 bands at the Ramblin’ Man Rumble to play the Rising Stage at the Ramblin’ Man Fair festival 2019. The band drew the biggest crowd when they played the Rising Stage at Ramblin’ Man.

One of their most exciting achievements for Collateral in 2019, was when they won a competition out of 200,000 entrants to support Jon Bon Jovi on his Runaway to Paradise Mediterranean Cruise departing Barcelona to Majorca on August 26th.

Now, Collateral’s hotly tipped debut album is likely to propel them next level. A lot of people don’t know what to expect from the new album, as the band have been tight-lipped about the new songs. Collateral have created a state-of-the-art rock album that will enable fans to feel the blood, sweat and glory that went into the recording of every song.

Angelo Tristan (Vocals, Guitar). Photo Credit: © Rob Nankivell

Todd Winger (Guitar). Photo Credit: © Rob Nankivell

“We wanted to stay away from the normal rules that apply to what you can and cannot put on an album,” says front man Angelo Tristan. “The album contains all of our inspirations, and nothing’s has been diluted. I’m very influenced by country music which is evident in the song ‘About This Boy’. Jack is heavily influenced by 80’s rock on tracks like ‘Mr Big Shot’ and ‘Promiseland’.

“One of the more Southern style tracks on the album is “Merry-Go-Round.” It’s a reflection of Todd’s inspiration from bands that include Black Stone Cherry and Cadillac Three. Our drummer, Ben, comes from a far heavier metal background which really gives the songs their powerful edge.

“The album is comprised of nine songs – all killer and no filler. The recording of this album was an amazing experience from the get-go. To finally see this record come to life was remarkable. I hope the fans will share the same excitement we had when we made the album. Buckle up. We’re in for one helluva ride!”

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM & SINGLE

INSTANT GRAT TRACK “LULLABY: LIVE AT THE BLACKHEART” WHEN PRE-ORDERING THE ALBUM

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM & SINGLE

ALBUM TRACKLISTING

1. MR BIG SHOT 2. PROMISELAND 3. MERRY GO ROUND 4. IN IT FOR LOVE 5. LULLABY 6. MIDNIGHT QUEEN 7. GET BACK TO YOU 8. WON’T STOP ME DREAMING 9. ABOUT THIS BOY

TRACK BY TRACK

Collateral’s front man, Angelo Tristan, breaks down the songs on the new album track by track.

1. MR BIG SHOTThis was one of those songs that really grew into something it was never intended to be. What started out as something that was supposed to mock the way we see ourselves; ended up being such a heavy gritty song that really held its own when it came to narrowing stuff down to go on the album. Mr Big Shot started out as a bit of an inside joke, because that’s what people assume you think of yourself when you’re in a band. But we took that vibe, turned it into something fun, charming and full of innuendos.

2. PROMISELAND

This one really meant something to us. Sometimes as a songwriter, you write about a subject that you hold particularly close to your heart. The state of the music industry is something that we all have worries about. Music venues are closing, people singing songs that they didn’t write or don’t understand. It’s as if everyone is scared to be themselves. Coincidentally, one of the lyrics is “Tearing down the Borderline.” A month after we wrote it, the Borderline venue in London announced they were closing.

3. MERRY-GO-ROUND

Collectively, when this song was written, the band had some stuff going on. When it never rains, it pours. We wanted to write something that not only made our listeners feel like they could get through whatever life was throwing their way, but also that we are all going through it with them, too. It’s a keep-on-keeping-on kind of track.

4. IN IT FOR LOVE

This one is amongst the first few songs I ever wrote. That was twelve years ago, and it has changed so much, it’s almost like when you bump into an old school friend and catch up over a beer, and you’re like, “Wow, I’m so glad to see you doing so well man!” We changed the song so much from the initial laid-back, carefree track that it was, we changed the tempo in the choruses because well, why not?! It really changed the vibe of the song and from there with Ben smashing it on drums it just became a bit of a revolution.

5. LULLABY

This track really laid the foundations for the album, it was written at a time where certain members that are no longer with us, really weren’t giving it their all. We were frustrated and really just wanted to write something four on the floor, hard hitting with bad-ass angry riffs that would get crowds singing along. It’s from the same vein as Promised Land, but except from a first-person perspective which also added a new angle and diversity to the way we write which is always interesting.

6. MIDNIGHT QUEEN

I remember wanting to write something to help a close friend who had gone through a bad relationship and she needed to know she’d done the right thing by walking away. We’ve all been there, and sometimes the right thing is the hardest thing. But having something upbeat to listen to when you’re going through that can make a difference. Being influenced by The Eagles, it was the first song where we really explored that country rock vibe and really ran with it.

7. GET BACK TO YOU

The inspiration is pretty obvious. I miss both my girls so much when I’m away and it does feel like an endless run of beds that aren’t your own and places that are unfamiliar. Ask anyone, when you’re away, the thought of getting back home is what gets you through. Being heavily influenced by Bon Jovi as you may or may not have heard; I wanted to have an “Always” under our belts for when the heavens open midway through a concert; we want to get those lighters in the air!

8. WON’T STOP ME DREAMING

This song evolved so much within its first stages it ended up as three different tracks split up in the end. We had so much fun writing it. We joked that it was a chorus generator, we came up with so many different choruses off the back of the verses in this song. It’s probably the most pop rock song on the album. The initial inspiration for this song came from us reading a review of one of our shows where the guy said something like, “I’ve seen it all before.” We just decided to have a little bit of fun with that.

9. ABOUT THIS BOY

This song took a long time to write because it was personal. Writing songs, regardless of their content, can be as if you are tearing your heart out and painting a canvas for everyone to see the way you really are. For a longtime this track was an unfinished sketch. I just couldn’t figure out where I wanted to go with it. Eventually it wrote itself, it couldn’t be forced. It was autobiographical. As a child, I’d listen to my Mum singing to the Dixie Chicks whilst she was cooking or cleaning. The music shaped me, not only as a musician, but also as a human being. I wanted to express that in this song. For me it was all about going back to my roots and self-reflecting on what was important in my life.

2020 UK TOUR DATES

TICKETS: WWW.COLLATERALOFFICIAL.COM

JARED JAMES NICHOLS UK TOUR SPRING 2020 TICKETS VIA: MYTICKET & SEETICKETS

Eventim (Bilston Only) | AltTickets (Nottingham Only) Solid Ents (Grimsby Only) | Ticketmaster & Tickets Scotland (Glasgow Only)

The Robin 2, Bilston

Tuesday 25th February 2020

Eventim Tickets – http://bit.ly/2qzm3o6 SeeTickets – http://bit.ly/2Pq9dDl Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 20 – 28 Mount Pleasant, Wolverhampton, Bilston WV14 7LJ www.therobin2.com

Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

Wednesday 26th February 2020

Alttickets – http://bit.ly/2pNEXHH SeeTickets – http://bit.ly/2N6DKDa Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Masonic Pl, Goldsmith St, Nottingham NG1 5LB www.rescuerooms.com

Yardbirds Rock, Grimsby

Thursday 27th February 2020

MyTicket – http://bit.ly/364lSBq Solid Ents Tickets – http://bit.ly/2p0fYks Facebook Church St, Grimsby DN32 7DD http://yardbirdsrocks.co.uk

Think Tank, Newcastle

Friday 28th February 2020

Tickets – http://bit.ly/31I6QxV SeeTickets – http://bit.ly/362ad6a Facebook | Twitter Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EP www.thinktankncl.co.uk

The Garage 2, Glasgow

Saturday 29th February 2020

Ticketmaster – http://bit.ly/32JD90Y Tickets Scotland – http://bit.ly/31NmnfQ Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 490 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3LW https://garageglasgow.co.uk

The Crauford Arms, Milton Keynes

Sunday 1st March 2020

Seetickets – http://bit.ly/2Wsnbpr Tel: 01908 313864 Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 59 Stratford Rd, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, MK12 5LT www.thecraufurdarms.com

Soup Kitchen, Manchester

Friday 27th March 2020

MyTicket – http://bit.ly/2BDYYD5 SeeTickets – http://bit.ly/31LJ8km Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 31-33 Spear St, Manchester M1 1DF https://soupkitchenmcr.co.uk

The Dome, Tufnell Park, London

Saturday 28th March 2020

MyTicket – http://bit.ly/2BBIITc SeeTickets – http://bit.ly/31CmcUM Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 178 Junction Rd, Tufnell Park, London N19 5QQ www.dometufnellpark.co.uk

Exchange, Bristol

Sunday 29th March 2020

MyTicket – http://bit.ly/2BBIXh4 SeeTickets – http://bit.ly/361viO5 Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 72 – 73 Old Market St, Bristol BS2 0EJ www.exchangebristol.com

PHIL X & THE DRILLS MARCH 2020 UK TOUR

Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

Tuesday 3rd March 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Masonic Pl, Goldsmith St, Nottingham NG1 5LB www.rescuerooms.com

The Fleece, Bristol

Wednesday 4th March 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 12 St Thomas St, Bristol BS1 6JJ https://thefleece.co.uk

The Underworld, London

Friday 6th March 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 174 Camden High St, Camden Town, London NW1 0NE www.theunderworldcamden.co.uk

Rebellion, Manchester

Saturday 7th March 2020

Facebook | Instagram 2B Whitworth St W, Manchester M1 5WZ www.rebellion.club

King Tut’s, Glasgow

Monday 9th March 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 272A St Vincent St, Glasgow G2 5RL www.kingtuts.co.uk

The Caves, Edinburgh

Tuesday 10th March 2020

Facebook | Twitter 8-10 Niddry St S, Edinburgh EH1 1NS http://unusualvenuesedinburgh.com

O2 Academy 2, Liverpool

Wednesday 11th March

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 11-13 Hotham St, Liverpool L3 5UF https://academymusicgroup.com

O2 Academy 3, Birmingham

Thursday 12th March 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 16-18 Horse Fair, Birmingham B1 1DB https://academymusicgroup.com

SKID ROW EUROPEAN TOUR 2020

KARMøYGEDDON Metal Festival, Kopervik, Norway

Thursday 30th April 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Hovedgata 27, 4250 Kopervik, Norway www.karmoygeddon.no

John Dee, Oslo, Norway

Friday 1st May 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Torggata 16, 0181 Oslo, Norway www.rockefeller.no

Sondrehallen, Orkanger, Norway

Saturday 2nd May 2020

Orkdalsveien 340, 7300 Orkanger https://orklaevents.hoopla.no

Batschkapp, Frankfurt, Germany

Monday 4th May 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Gwinnerstraße 5, 60388 Frankfurt am Main, Germany https://batschkapp.tickets.de

Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Tuesday 5th May 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Klosterwall 11, 20095 Hamburg, Germany https://markthalle-hamburg.de

Fabrik, Bruchsal, Germany

Wednesday 6th May 2020

Facebook | Instagram Kinzigstraße 5, 76646 Bruchsal, Germany https://www.fabrik-bruchsal.de

The Circus, Helsinki, Finland

Friday 8th May 2020

Facebook Salomonkatu 1–3, 00100 Helsinki, Finland www.thecircus.fi

Castell Roc, Chepstow, UK

Friday 14th August 2020

Facebook Chepstow Castle, 1 Bridge St, Chepstow NP16 5EY www.castell-roc.co.uk

H.E.A.T MAY 2020 UK TOUR PLUS GUESTS VEGA, MASON HILL & COLLATERAL

Wolverhampton, KK’s Steel Mill

Thursday 28th May 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Starworks Warehouse, Frederick St WV2 4DU www.kkssteelmill.co.uk

London, The Garage

Friday 29th May 2020

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 20-22 Highbury Corner, Highbury East, London N5 1RD http://thegarage.london

Swansea, Patti Pavilion

Saturday 30th May 2020

Facebook Mumbles Rd, Swansea SA1 4PQ www.pattipavilion.co.uk

NEWS: @collateralrocks Big News With New Single, debut Album & Tours with @JJNicholsMusic @TheRealPhilX @OfficialSkidRow & @heatsweden @Peter_Noble @Noble_PR @RouletteMusicUK @CargoRecords British four-piece rock band COLLATERAL are set to release their highly anticipated eponymous debut album on…

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years ago

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Padma Lakshmi and Emiliano Marentes in El Paso | Hulu This week on Eater’s Digest, Lakshmi discusses her new Hulu show Taste the Nation This week on Eater’s Digest, writer, Top Chef host, and executive producer Padma Lakshmi discusses her new show Taste the Nation and why it’s so needed right now. Her show focuses on immigrant cuisines across America and explores the history, culture, politics, people, and the often forgotten or overlooked contributions to our national foodways. Lakshmi also talks about her need for creative control on this show and her desire to be herself and to show women as full humans, instead of as sweet sidekicks. “I was tired of women having to be delicate, or kind of coquettish, or sweet, or well-dressed. I’m sick of fucking wearing heels,” says Lakshmi. “I did my own makeup. I lived in my car. I didn’t have a trailer or anything. And it was so liberating.” Then, Eater Chicago’s Ashok Selvam catches us up on the latest out of his city, including the controversy surrounding lauded restaurant Fat Rice, new to-go booze laws, and the general vibe of restaurant-goers as the city opens up. Listen and subscribe to Eater’s Digest on Apple Podcasts and read the full transcript of our interview below. Amanda Kludt: Padma Lakshmi, welcome to the show. Congratulations on your new show. Can you talk a little bit about the impetus for the idea behind the show, how the development process went? PL: Sure. It’s basically a direct result of my work with the American Civil Liberties Union. I started working with them shortly after the election in early 2017. At that time, there were a lot of things being said in the media and out of Washington that were really vilifying to immigrants. And as an immigrant myself, I took great offense to that. And concurrently during that process, I was working with my producing partner, David Smith of Part 2 Pictures, and we were going to do an immigration show, because of all this information. And then separately, I was doing a cookbook. And I showed him the research that I had compiled. And he thought we should combine the two projects. The idea behind the show is to go to a community and pick one dish that may or may not be really what they eat, but is in the larger consciousness what we think of when we think of that cuisine traditionally. And so using that dish is kind of a Trojan Horse to get me embedded into this community. And for 14 years of my life, I’ve been talking about some very highfalutin food on Top Chef. And I knew for a fact that that’s not how most people eat regularly in their lives. And so as someone who’s not a chef, and is a home cook and writer, I wanted to explore on the ground, what people were eating in those different communities. And use that to talk about some deeper issues. Because food is of course, excuse me, fetishized in our culture. But for most people it’s tied with a lot of nostalgia, and identity and emotions. And so I wanted to use food to get to those issues. Daniel Geneen: Yeah. AK: I noticed in one of the episodes, you’re on the border town of El Paso and you’re talking to a restaurant owner who employees all of these Mexican chefs and cooks, and is an avid Trump supporter. And in the scene you are holding hands and trying to have this conversation. And I was wondering, what does she feel like in this moment, because you are so resistant to Trump and his administration. And yet you are learning through the conversation what his point is. PL: I thought it was important to have him in the show. Again, while it’s not a piece of journalism, I think it improved my credibility if I try to be as impartial as I can and show both sides. So I wanted that interview very badly. I was warned that Maynard was cantankerous, moody, profane, politically incorrect and maybe even racist. I think he had intimidated my field producer a lot. And I felt badly for her for putting her in that pre-interview situation. And so I was kind of ready for everything and I really wanted the interview. So I was just, again, going at it with just be fluid and see what he gives you. He grabbed my hand very early on. It was awkward. It was so awkward, but I have uncles like that in my family. … I think Maynard, especially others in his generation, but also in our generation. I’m almost 50. I think there’s a disconnect for a lot of people on policy versus the actual human exchange of daily life. And he talks about his employees like his family. And he, I’m sure doesn’t pay them what they should be paid, but I’m also sure that they get paid more by Maynard than they would if they had that same job in Juarez. And so I wanted to look at how these twin cities, who have always kind of existed in a symbiotic relationship with each other. It’s a right of passage for every high schooler to kind of go and party in Juarez. I mean, Maynard’s daughter herself told me that when she had her graduation party, she didn’t want to have it in El Paso. She wanted to have it in Juarez, because that’s what was cool. And then Juarez got dangerous and stuff. But the actual locals have always had this give and take. Much like in New York where there’s so many people coming in from Brooklyn, from New Jersey, from Queens to the city, working and leaving. And all the cool restaurants are now in Brooklyn. It’s in a way a form of that. And so these laws that are handed down from Washington have completely... So I wanted to see again how these lofty notions that are often made devoid of getting to know the people they actually directly affect do affect those people. DG: It seems like you didn’t want to make any kind of hard and fast point about it. And you just wanted to let them have a platform so that all of these people could just say what their day-to-days are like interacting with each other. And then he says, “I’m going to vote for Trump, because what option do I have?” And obviously the implication is, well hey, it’s going to, I mean, even that action makes it so your employees have to spend a lot longer at the border every day. But I feel like you don’t say those things explicitly in the thing, right? Is that a conscious... PL: My job was not to be there as an ACLU representative, trying to convince him that his behavior was wrong. My job in that instance, I believe was to document his authentic point of view without trying to manipulate it. If the camera was off and we had time and I didn’t have to go to my next location, I might have sat there and been like, “You’re foolish.” DG: In the cold. PL: It’s a different conversation that I have when he’s like... You also have to be mindful that you’re in his space. You’ve asked to talk to him, you’ve asked his employees to stop working or talk to me outside on their lunch breaks. So there’s a certain just graciousness that I felt I needed to have. DG: I appreciate that though, because I feel like for years, everyone in the media or everyone online, or everyone, maybe people who are particularly vocal who go to the store are telling him he’s full of shit. And then it reinforces what he already thinks about the other side. PL: And about the media. DG: Yeah. PL: Yeah. AK: I think also... I don’t know if you all remember Bourdain’s episode where he went to West Virginia and was talking to those people there about what it was like to work in the mines. And this isn’t the exact same thing, but there is a parallel where sometimes you’d need to show these people in their environments and hear what they have to say. And that’s how you can make some sort of progress. PL: I know for a fact that I wouldn’t have gotten to know him as well if I tried to talk to him rather than just listen to what he had to say. And that’s why I was there. I wasn’t there because I wanted my audience to know my opinion. I was there because I wanted my audience to be exposed to people like Maynard, to be exposed to people like Rosa in the Peruvian episode. And those are the people that make up this country. That’s what this country is like. And a lot of people, especially in media live on either coasts, and they’re insulated in a way to their own detriment. And so for me, I wanted to come away from the series changed, because I knew... Or just educated. Just more informed. PL: And I knew that if I didn’t let them speak, then the point of doing the show would have been lost. AK: Were there other- PL: ... Because I’ve seen a lot of shows like that. And we’ve all seen millions of travel shows. And they’re all nice. And they all take a survey of what’s cool, or hip, or delicious, or what are the hidden gems in a particular city. And that’s great. And that’s kind of a lifestyle show that I’ve done before early in my career, that I really love also consuming. But I wanted this food show to have greater cultural meaning, at least to me. If I was going to do a second TV show and be away from my kid, I wanted it to be worth it. AK: It seems like historically not a lot of people get the opportunity to do a smart cultural show about food. Outside of Bourdain’s history, you don’t see a ton of shows like that. And I’m wondering, what has that been like from the inside? Do you see that changing? Was it really hard to get this green-lit? PL: That’s a great question. Yeah, I see it changing. I think a big shift was... And a big beautiful instance of it was Samin’s show. Never did you see a woman doing that. You have a lot of examples of men, kind of these male chefs swashbuckling all over the world. And that’s what Tony’s show is about. In another way, Andrew Zimmern is coming at it from another angle. Then Marcus Samuelsson is coming at it from a PBS angle. And then Alton Brown is coming at it from a scientific angle. But they’re all men. And when people first started talking to me about the show or I would talk to them, they’d be like, “It’s like Bourdain.” And I would say, “Well, I was friends with Tony for 20 years.” Not great friends, but I saw him consistently in my life. And that show only works because of Tony. Because that show relies so much on his personality. I mean, he basically wrote that show in voiceover. And he did that show for 12 years on the Travel Channel, pretty much the way he wanted to in a very low-fi way. This show cannot be that. It cannot be Andrew Zimmern show. It cannot be any of those other shows I mentioned, because I’m not those people. I love travel. I couldn’t do what I do if my life hasn’t been full of travel. First as a child who, traveled between cultures. But also in my early career. So I wanted to be able to do that as a woman. I was tired of women having to be delicate, or kind of coquettish, or sweet, or well-dressed. I’m sick of fucking wearing heels. I did my own makeup. I lived in my car. I didn’t have a trailer or anything. And it was so liberating. And at some point... Yeah, I mean, I had a makeup artist for some of the episodes. And at some point... I love her. She’s a great makeup artist. And I still use her. But I know for a fact that when you’re trying to capture an environment, the less of a footprint you have, the better. So I just had to make that choice. And I’m vain like everybody else. I want to look pretty. I’m not all of a sudden claiming I don’t care about what I look like. But I wanted the freedom to be crass. I wanted to swear. I wanted to have the full experience that I would have if the camera wasn’t on. And somewhere between the show being bought by Hulu and us going into edit of the episodes, Disney bought Hulu. And so I was really worried, because I know that after I was seeing memos saying “We really see the show as a co-viewing show. Much like Top Chef.” The kids in the family can watch it with grownups. And I just wanted to make sure I said, “This is an adult show.” I have a kid and I’m always looking for things I can watch with my 10-year-old. So I get it. But I wanted the freedom to be how I am. I don’t know if you guys have watched the Chinese episode yet. AK: Not yet. PL: There were things in that episode that were going to be cut, that I had to fight to keep in, because we never see women being sexual. Except to try to attract the audience or try to seduce else. We never see people... I’ve not seen a lot of women who are on TV, and who play themselves, who are just all the things that all human beings are. And I knew that the more myself I was, or tried to be, the more that my guests on my show, my interview subjects would be themselves. And I needed to show myself if I wanted them to show me. DG: And was it hard at first, because you obviously have insane level of reps doing Top Chef stuff, and it seems like you probably would have gotten into a rhythm in that world and in the way that you act on that set. So was it hard to break? PL: It wasn’t hard for me. For so many years with the American public has seen of me is such a narrow version of my personality. And that’s a function of the format of Top Chef. For me to do my job well, it requires me sublimating my personality a lot, because I want to get to the guest judges and what they think. I want to get information out of the contestants, et cetera. There’s so much business to happen that people didn’t really get to see what I was like. I’ve done TV outside of Top Chef. Albeit, a long time ago, because I’ve been doing Top Chef for 14 years. But I’ve worked in different countries. I worked in different languages on live television. So that wasn’t hard. That wasn’t hard at all, because I was dying to do that. DG: Right. PL: The main thing for me with this show is for good or bad, I wanted creative control. I didn’t want somebody else to tell me how to be. I was not thinking of, okay, I have to be totally different than I am on Top Chef, or I wanted to be more comfortable, which is why my wardrobe is what it is versus what it is on Top Chef. And also would have been inappropriate in a lot of situations I was in. But I really just wanted to be free. I didn’t want to have any artifice. I just wanted to ask the questions and just get the answers. And I wanted that human connection. I wanted to get to know these people. And given the choice between going to a white tablecloth tasting menu at the best restaurant in any city or having a food truck crawl, I would choose the latter, because that’s what my tastes run naturally toward. I have great respect for Michelin Star chefs. I know the skill and tactical execution involved in that kind of dining. I respect it. I value it. I just, on my own time, I’m not interested in it anymore, or as much. Nearly as much. I’m interested in how most people in the world eat. DG: You never hear people say... Who spend years and years in the kind of Michelin level communities. You never hear them say, “I’ve just spent so much time in these communities and it’s really increased my love for it. And I want to spend more time.” AK: Some people though, they stay in it. So many of these people. DG: They stay, but they’re never like, “I’m more excited now than I’ve ever been about a four hour meal.” PL: Yeah. Yeah. AK: I follow you on Twitter and you’re very vocal about your political beliefs and opinions. And I’m wondering, would you want to explore a show that’s even more overtly political talking about what food and politics mean, especially in this moment? PL: Sure, I would. I mean, let’s hope enough people watch and enjoy Taste The Nation. And that I get that opportunity. I started my hosting career in Italy on a live show, and there was no tape delay, and it wasn’t about food. It was just one of those big variety shows. And I was part of a bigger cast. And I was sort of the sidekick to the main host. And I learned a lot on that show. And I really enjoy the spontaneous conversation of live television. There’s nothing to beat it., The title of this show is not an accident. It’s a play on Face The Nation. And I would love a show like that. But not even that just explores food and politics, although that is of course a natural jumping point. And by the way, and a very deep well from which to call conversation. But I feel like we’ve gotten so polarized. In media there’s a formula, someone’s pushing a book, or an album, or a show. And they come on and they talk about that. And it’s all very pre-rehearsed. But I would love to do a show that has... And I’ve tried to pitch the show forever, by the way. A show where you have people from all, two or three guests from different walks of life. So you have like Shaquille O’Neal, and Lorde, and Aziz Ansari, I’m making this up obviously. And the conversation between these three people and having that. And there are shows that have tried to do that, but I don’t think anyone has found a way to crack that nut. And that’s a show I would feel excited to watch and participate in as well or host, because it’s what I do in my own living room. I don’t go out to eat as much as people think I do. But I love to have dinner parties. And I love to curate a guest list. To me, that’s my jam. That is wonderful. And to just introduce people to each other and to hear them speak, because I want to learn. I want to learn how to be funny from Aziz. I want to learn how to be well-informed and right from David Remnick. I want to be able to understand whatever it is. And so bringing those people together is exciting to me. And I think in the next phase of my career, I would like to make a decent living doing what I naturally do for free in my own life. AK: Do you think this moment will lead to more opportunities like that, for a show like that, or for, I don’t know, a better representation in TV in general? PL: I hope so. When I was waiting for our conversation to start, we were just reading Business Insider. AK: It’s dark. PL: It’s very dark. And you would think that it would be easy for me to get coverage, because I’ve been on TV for 14 years. Top Chef is in 60 countries. I feel like I’ve earned the right to actually have some copy space in some big food magazines. But I couldn’t get arrested at Bon Appétit, and now I know why. AK: Yeah. PL: And you hate that, or I hate that. As a Brown person, as a woman, I hate having to explain why I can’t crack a certain nut with that excuse. But when you feel like you have this undertow, this invisible force that you cannot square with any of your actions, or what can I do? Then you start to be like, “Oh, okay.” Because nobody wants to say that. I mean, gross. You don’t want to blame your inability to achieve something that you think is important on that kind of stuff. So it embarrasses you. It embarrasses you to even talk about it. AK: And I think the people in power just kind of ignore it because they don’t believe it. And so you need... But when you see so many people with the exact same experience, saying the exact same thing- PL: ... I mean, what the hell? AK: It’s like these people feel gaslit that they’re not being listened to. And it’s like, wait, this is everywhere. PL: I cannot believe that it was... That you don’t pay one person the same as you pay the other person for doing the exact same work. I get, hopefully if someone has more experience and more stuff on their resume, they make a different paycheck than somebody who’s starting out. But fuck, that is just blatant racism and sexism. And it’s illegal. AK: Yeah, absolutely. It’s horrifying. And I think in this moment, we’re learning about so many industries, and specific companies and brands that have a lot of reckoning to do. And oftentimes, I hope in these moments, it leads to better people getting better opportunities. And better people getting in the room. PL: Me too. Yeah. I mean, I have to admit that one time I went to some Persian restaurant in San Diego, and for some reason somebody at Bon Appétit wrote a really long article about that meal that I put on Instagram. But that was just random. Maybe Adam wasn’t looking very hard that day. Yeah, somebody was golfing. But that happens. That shit happens all the time. And it’s good that it’s coming out. I’m happy. No one wants anyone’s career to be ruined, but I’m glad people are making a stink. My neighborhood was totally trashed, completely fucking trashed in the looting and stuff. And it’s fine. I really don’t care. I care much more about the people who had the courage to, in spite of COVID, go out there and demonstrate and protest. Every now and then society needs a seizure, society needs some kind of shock. And it’s unfortunate that it’s on the backs of these black men. AK: Absolutely. And to go back to the show, you talk about immigrant cuisines. And one of them is the Gullah Geechee community. And I think that’s important to include whenever you’re talking about the foods that make up America. PL: Definitely. That episode was really important to me. It was probably the episode I did the most amount of research for. We filmed this time last year or a little bit later, maybe in August. It was really hot in Charleston. That’s all I remember. But I really enjoyed that episode, because we never think about African American cuisine as having its ancestry and roots in another continent, the way we look at immigrant cuisine. But it obviously does. It is forced migration. And so I was sick of seeing African American food just painted with a broad brush of soul cooking, or Southern food, or whatever. And I wanted to see what was it, in as much as it’s possible, separated from its white colonial ties. And when I was in Charleston with Top Chef, I met BJ Dennis and we became friends. And like I said on Top Chef, we don’t have time to go into a lot of history because of the competition that we have to show. But we did attribute dinner to Edna Lewis at Middleton Place. And we got a lot of flack for going to what used to be a plantation. And so I wanted to go back there actually, because we can either avoid it and be like, we’re not going to justify that location with our presence. Or we can go there and we can face it and say, “This ugly episode in our history is part of our legacy too.” And so, that whole episode is really, really important to me. Also, about the different African cultures and the theory that certain enslaved people were sought after because of their rice cultivation knowledge. And that the Carolina rice industry declined right after Juneteenth. Right after the end of slavery and that’s not an accident. AK: Well, it’s truly excellent. And we hope all of our listeners check it out on Hulu, starting June 18th now. from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3eqyqqM

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