Tracing Ancestral Wisdom through Food, with Kia Damon

In this episode, Niki interviews Kia Damon (@kiacooks), an emerging multifaceted Chef and the Culinary Director for Cherry Bombe. They discuss what it means to be self-taught, young, gifted, queer, and Black in an industry with harsh labor expectations and a culture that particularly de-prioritizes self care and mental health. Tracing ancestral wisdom through food, Kia offers a unique perspective into the culinary world and what is possible when we step out of the rigid eurocentric and capitalist box of "success" and "validation".Kia's groundbreaking work was recently featured in a New York Times article, 16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America. Her work has also been featured in Vogue, Refinery29, Milky Mag, and elsewhere. Music courtesy of Magic City Hippieswww.venusroots.com@venusroots ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★