Ruth Reichl Talks Food and Country

Food Network Obsessed

Ruth Reichl reflects on receiving the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award with gratitude, noting how it has motivated her to support young journalists. She recounts her diverse food experiences growing up in New York City and Montreal, including visits to her classmates’ homes, which exposed her to various cultural cuisines. Ruth reminisces on her mother's unconventional approach to cooking which led Ruth to begin cooking at a young age. She discusses how food television has transformed American food culture, creating a new generation that is passionate about cooking and ingredients. The food critic shares her experience at one restaurant, where she went undercover and received vastly different levels of service depending on her appearance, highlighting the biases in the dining industry. Ruth also expresses her love for visiting food markets, explaining how they provide a more authentic glimpse into a culture than restaurants. She recounts one of her most unusual meals, involving silkworm larva in Laos, and the memorable challenges of eating unfamiliar ingredients. Ruth discusses her documentary Food and Country, filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which captures the struggles of farmers, fishermen, and ranchers. The writer emphasizes that her goal for this project is to raise awareness about the challenges of producing nutritious food in America and stresses the need for policy change to support the country's food system.

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