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50 Comments
Helen A.
September 24, 2016
Mayukh! I was so surprised and delighted to stumble upon your byline here. Really, really excited to read your stuff -- food + pop culture, art, identity, etc. are some of the topics I find myself writing about quite a bit too. Would love to catch up with you sometime via phone or email and hear how things are going. Your fan, Helen
Yolanda T.
September 21, 2016
Welcome, it's nice to see another brown face. Love the article. Here's to more diversity!
jevyn
September 19, 2016
Really happy about this article. And like another commentator, I rarely read through food articles, mostly skimming. I think it's a great idea. There are tons of people like this writer - - and by that I mean non-white. And also, tons of folks who are sophisticated about food but like (or need) to eat. Bravo!
kathryn
September 17, 2016
Love this! First article I have read completely threw on this website. Not that I don't love food 52 it just drew me in and I'm glad it did. Have a great time in this new page. With love from Canada
sue M.
September 17, 2016
Welcome to the table. You've obviously got the writing chops. The only thing anyone needs to be informed about food is a curious interest. We all need to fuel ourselves. Why not make it a fun satisfying, cultural, historical, and social romp? I look forward to seeing this new world you discover and your perspective. Write on!
kristin T.
September 17, 2016
You come at it with a fresh new perspective and that is good. Food 52 cannot just appeal to seasoned types. BTW, I hate the word "tasty" (and the words "yummy" and "moist"). Consider yourself a foreign correspondent venturing into new territory (once you get used to it, you will get to love us natives!)
Isabel
September 17, 2016
Hi Mayukh, you really got my attention man! I couldn't stop reading and can't wait to read more! Food52 must be a good bunch of people for hiring you! There's nothing wrong with white, but when brown and all the rest get a voice we're all more exciting for it. Looking forward to more !
Briana R.
September 16, 2016
Sooo much love here! Happy to have met you! I will be looking out for all your work on the site!
rachellynnec
September 16, 2016
My guttural, ineloquent first response? YASSSS. So looking forward to reading your words here.
rohinij
September 16, 2016
What an extraordinary breath of fresh air! Best of luck, and I look forward to hearing more from you, Mayukh.
Umara A.
September 16, 2016
Good luck M! You represent where so many of us were years ago or even stand today! I love food52 and I love them more for giving your curious, brown-self a seat at thier table. We come from a rich food background but to is it was just mom's cooking that wasn't cool. We just couldn't appreciate it at an age when adolescents are simply trying to fit in. So glad you don't fit entirely and are bringing a curiousity and humor that I will look forward to more!
Sam
September 15, 2016
Good luck, Mayukh! I think you'll make a great addition to this team. I can't wait to see more of your fresh perspective. Like the previous commenter said, you are totally living my dream! Go forth and live it well for the rest of us.
Carrie
September 15, 2016
You are living my dream! I can't wait to see your future stories. I have always wanted to be a food writer, but fancy dining scares me too. I just want simple good food, nice atmosphere, easy and relaxing. So much is geared towards fine dining and fancy atmospheres, that the food gets lost in the chaos. It's a powerful industry.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Dirk S.
September 15, 2016
What an exciting perspective to bring to a food blog. You will open doors and windows to the perception of the food world most of us "regulars" never knew existed. I am sure of it and can't wait to see more from you.
Azza H.
September 15, 2016
Mayukh, thank you for pushing me to finally google "orange zest". It was a very winding search that took me through a variety of tools that provide optimum grating, how one "zests" (similar to "dish", that word) and, of course, when I can finally get my hands around a microplane and an orange. Summer is ending here in Cairo, Egypt, so oranges (about a dozen of them only) are tucked away in a corner of an inverted wooden pallet at that part of the market where you can smell the freshness seeping out of the produce. It's a zone that is to be avoided at all costs. Anyway. Summer also means that one particular citrus will be rolling into the souk in crates and crates: lemons. Or, to be honest, masquerading lemons that are actually over-ripe limes bursting with juice- proving them very hard to zest for fear of popping them and rendering them useless. Microplanes (even cheap ones that are obvious counterfeits of the trademarked ones) are very sharp. In hindsight, I should have seen that coming.
Looking forward to reading your articles about food and identity.
Best,
A fellow imposter (or is it impostor? Back to Google for me, I guess).
Looking forward to reading your articles about food and identity.
Best,
A fellow imposter (or is it impostor? Back to Google for me, I guess).
Pamela_in_Tokyo
September 15, 2016
Yeah, cool. I like to look at those fancy-pantsy dishes. LOOK being the MAIN WORD. 8 inch, 3-layered cakes with marzipan are cool to look at, but make one, ---NO WAY. I'll take a 9x13 inch pan any time. What do you EAT? What do you WANT TO EAT?
I have a friend who gags at the thought of having to eat a beet. A beet! I can not get my head around that. I came here to Japan almost 50 years ago. And that 18 year-old-girl-who-had-never-eaten-fish-much-less-raw-fish was offered raw fish, RAW FISH!!, right off the bat. I felt an sea change. Without a quibble, I opened my mouth and ate. ...and ate. So enjoy your journey. Open your eyes, open your mouth and eat. Tell us about it. I'll be looking forward to it. ;-)
I have a friend who gags at the thought of having to eat a beet. A beet! I can not get my head around that. I came here to Japan almost 50 years ago. And that 18 year-old-girl-who-had-never-eaten-fish-much-less-raw-fish was offered raw fish, RAW FISH!!, right off the bat. I felt an sea change. Without a quibble, I opened my mouth and ate. ...and ate. So enjoy your journey. Open your eyes, open your mouth and eat. Tell us about it. I'll be looking forward to it. ;-)
Tammy N.
September 15, 2016
Okay Mayukh, I see you. Very nice indeed. I actually read the entire article, so yeah, that's a good thing. Congrats, welcome and keep being you, boo ;)
Jill
September 15, 2016
Everybody eats. Everybody who eats has opinions about what they're eating -- expert opinions, Grandma/folk/tried-and-true opinions, rookie opinions. Every opinion is just as valid as the next, as long as you're not trying to teach pressure canning or advanced knife skills. There is no cultural/tribal/ethnic litmus test for energy and enthusiasm (well, there SHOULDN'T be). You keep that crisp, curious style at the forefront of your writing and you'll do great. I look forward to reading more.
Shalini
September 15, 2016
Oh, I want to read about food and pop culture, art, and most of all, identity. Nice beginning, Mayukh!
Kelly
September 15, 2016
Yessssssss! Excellent hire, Food52. I'm so psyched to read more, Mayukh. You're what's what, man.
Annada R.
September 15, 2016
Lovely article! Mayukh, yours is a much needed perspective in the land of foodies and snobs!
Tara
September 15, 2016
Thanks for introducing yourself and your perspective! I am so excited to read more from you especially on the topics you've chosen to focus. Can I maybe offer an idea? How about an article in October based on foods from horror movies? I watched Rosemary's Baby for the first time last year and the characters were having a drink called Vodka Blush. Such an intriguing name and I had never had it before! So of course that led me to look up the recipe and try it out. I love how we can find food inspiration from just about anywhere.
Kristen M.
September 15, 2016
I loved reading this, Mayukh. And don't worry, we won't start making you write all our captions, but damn, are they delightful. A++ use of the form.
ChefJune
September 15, 2016
Welcome to the "wonderful world of food writing!" I think your perspective is needed in our industry. AND you possess one very evident qualification for this job which all-too-many so-called food writers do not -- you actually WRITE well!!!
BrooklynBridget
September 15, 2016
Had the same thought exactly! Keep the WRITING in food writing, please. :-)
Julie
September 15, 2016
I love this! I also suffer from foodie imposter syndrome, as a semi-recently hired writer for a kitchen store. I appreciate hearing your perspective as a brown male non-foodie in a white foodie world.
Nikki
September 15, 2016
Loved reading this! I second the awesome captions comment :) I too grew up in a bilingual household and love reading about others' experiences navigating life between two cultures.
HalfPint
September 15, 2016
Welcome! I agree with you that most of the food media in this country skews towards white. I love many blogs and food websites like Food52, but as an Asian, I truly appreciated having other perspectives and cuisines that are not "white". I enjoyed the article on Muslim holidays and look forward to more like it.
Rascher A.
September 15, 2016
So refreshing! Welcome to the foodie world. From a person who cannot say no to any dumpling and indiscriminate cookbook hoarder.
Alexandra V.
September 15, 2016
I find your vulnerability very brave. I to had many ignorant teachers through the years, I think being misunderstood is a great premise for creativity. I am a "food person" but I think maybe deep down you are as well. Cheers to your new adventure.
Veronique
September 15, 2016
I started out just like you and years later, I want to make that vertical cake that is giving you an aneurysm. All the best to you and - where's the recipe ?
Mayukh S.
September 15, 2016
Heh, thanks, Veronique! We'll see if that happens in a few years. It's right here: https://food52.com/blog/12642-learn-to-love-and-to-make-roulade
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