On the 'Grandma Rule', Hyper-masculinity in food and the Delights of plant-based cooking with Alicia Kennedy

In the season finale, I am joined by Alicia Kennedy, a food and culture writer from New York. She is the creator of From The Desk of Alicia Kennedy , a weekly newsletter covering food culture, media, and politics. Alicia's first book, titled No Meat Required: The Cultural History and Culinary Future of Plant-Based Eating , was released in August 2023.

During our discussion, we dissect On the 'Grandma Rule, a newsletter edition in which Alicia utilises the late chef Anthony Bourdain’s concept of the Grandma Rule to explore topics such as culinary tourism, food media, and personal choices regarding food.

Alicia and I delve into navigating projections from omnivores, abstaining from cooking as a form of protest against patriarchy, the ways plant-based eating has enhanced her culinary skills, and the prevailing dominance of restaurant chefs as arbiters of food trends.