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'Born And Raised' Podcast: How Food Shapes 2nd-Generation Canadians' Identities

We're serving up tasty stories about food, family, and culture.

Listen to "Born And Raised" on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

HuffPost Canada is serving up culture on a plate in a new podcast series.

"Where are you really from?" is a loaded question for children of immigrants in Canada. Part reflection, part storytelling, the "Born And Raised" podcast digs into our experiences and connections with identity, family, and culture.

We dig into the ways food fuels identity, family and culture for second-generation Canadians in our "Born And Raised: Food" podcast.
HuffPost Canada
We dig into the ways food fuels identity, family and culture for second-generation Canadians in our "Born And Raised: Food" podcast.

In this first season, host Angelyn Francis and reporter Al Donato focus on food, taking us through the childhood kitchens and family restaurants that second-generation Canadians called home, to discover the unique ways they negotiate their identities through what they eat.

Hungry? Episodes one and two are out now on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

Episode 1: That One Dish

We all have favourite foods, but there's always "that one dish" that transports us into childhood memories, reminds us of people we care about, and can play a role in fostering who we are.

From left to right: Amir Ahmed, Paul Taylor, Kumari Giles speak about their favourite cultural dishes.
HuffPost Canada
From left to right: Amir Ahmed, Paul Taylor, Kumari Giles speak about their favourite cultural dishes.

Guests

More from this episode: show notes, transcript and photos

Episode 2: The Family Restaurant

Restaurants have helped many immigrant families make a living in Canada. Parents work long hours in the kitchen and on the floor serving tables so their children can have better opportunities. We investigate what happens when the kids want to get into the food biz themselves.

From left to right: caterToronto founder Vanessa Ling Yu, Tuk Tuk Canteen co-owner Mike Tan, Black Foodie founder Eden Hagos.
HuffPost Canada
From left to right: caterToronto founder Vanessa Ling Yu, Tuk Tuk Canteen co-owner Mike Tan, Black Foodie founder Eden Hagos.

Guests

More from this episode: show notes, transcript and photos

Episode 3: Lost In Translation

How immigrant families make and eat food is important. But what about the ways we talk about it? We explore what it means when food gets lost in translation between generations, and why fully understanding the meaning of the dishes we eat can be especially significant for the children of immigrants.

Filmmaker Carol Nguyen and journalism student Adam Chen share their food and language stories in episode 3 of HuffPost Canada's "Born And Raised: Food" podcast.
HuffPost Canada/Al Donato
Filmmaker Carol Nguyen and journalism student Adam Chen share their food and language stories in episode 3 of HuffPost Canada's "Born And Raised: Food" podcast.

Guests

More from this episode: show notes, transcript and photos

Episode 4: Mom's Cooking

Mom knows best, especially in the kitchen. There's just something magical about what she does that makes her food taste better than anyone else's. But is it possible to adapt our immigrant mothers' recipes and cook as well as she does ... or even better?

From left to right: Episode guests Tasha Stansbury, Preena Chauhan, Ben Lootens, whose immigrant moms all have a unique take on their cultures' food traditions.
HuffPost Canada/Al Donato
From left to right: Episode guests Tasha Stansbury, Preena Chauhan, Ben Lootens, whose immigrant moms all have a unique take on their cultures' food traditions.

Guests

  • Tasha Stansbury, law student
  • Preena Chauhan, Arvinda's co-founder and class instructor
  • Ben Lootens, chef

More from this episode: show notes, transcript and photos

Episode 5: Fitting In

We all want to belong. Many second-generation Canadians can recall how their "stinky" immigrant lunches red-flagged them as "different" at school. "Fitting in" gets complicated when it feels like you have to choose one culture over another. But food helps us finds our way.

From left to right: "Born And Raised: Food" episode five guests: Mark Furukawa, Natalie Ramtahal, Mark Ramtahal, Jusep Sim.
HuffPost Canada
From left to right: "Born And Raised: Food" episode five guests: Mark Furukawa, Natalie Ramtahal, Mark Ramtahal, Jusep Sim.

Guests

More from this episode: show notes, transcript and photos

All "Born And Raised: Food" episodes are available on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. Subscribe to enjoy this season and for our next instalment, coming in 2019!

Meet the team:

From left: Born And Raised reporter Al Donato, host Angelyn Francis and producer Stephanie Werner in HuffPost Canada's Toronto studio.
HuffPost Canada
From left: Born And Raised reporter Al Donato, host Angelyn Francis and producer Stephanie Werner in HuffPost Canada's Toronto studio.

Hosts:

  • Angelyn Francis: Jamaican/Chinese roots, born and raised in Toronto. Comfort food: red-pea soup
  • Al Donato: Filipino roots, born and raised in Toronto. Comfort food: palabok

Producers:

  • Stephanie Werner: German/Chinese roots, born and raised in Vancouver. Comfort food: potato dumplings
  • Al Donato

Executive producers:

  • Lisa Yeung: Chinese-Trinidadian roots, born and raised in Toronto. Comfort food: callaloo and stew chicken
  • Andree Lau: Chinese roots, born and raised in Vancouver. Comfort food: congee
HuffPost Canada

About Born And Raised:

HuffPost Canada's "Born And Raised" is an ongoing series featuring the stories and perspectives of second-generation Canadians. Want to join the conversation? Email us at bornandraised@huffpost.com

Other podcasts you might like:

Follow-Up: A politics podcast hosted by HuffPost Canada's Ottawa bureau chief Althia Raj.

Make It Reign: Elizabeth Di Filippo and Hilary Hagerman, Yahoo Canada editors and show hosts, give their weekly take on all things royal.

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