Artwork by Vasu Arora A few years have passed since my grandmother died, but her house in Whitestone, Queens, still feels alive with her routines. The faint smell of espresso lingers in the kitchen, and her large wooden rosary beads hang from the portico, just where she left them. On my last visit, while opening the junk drawer to find Werther's Originals, I came across a stack of old restaurant menus. They were soft at the edges, creased from years of use, and marked with he

There’s a saying that goes something like, “I’m eating sleep for dinner.” I must admit I’ve tried my hand at this cuisine. It’s not my first choice, it’s not a punishment, and it’s not abnegation. I am merely easily distracted in the evening. By nine or ten, I lack the energy to cook, an appetite for cereal, and interest in take-out. Stomach grumbles disturb my rest, and in the morning, I’m emotional. I wouldn’t recommend it. I’d rather recommend a more literal approach. You

Artwork by Ruby Mae Colson @ruby__doll Ever since I can remember, I have been drawn to fake desserts. As strange as it is, there’s something desirable about an object that looks delectable when in reality it’s made from plastic and clay. I I’m not the only one who is drawn to fake foods as there are many fashionists that incorporate desert motifs, chimes and accessories into their wardrobe. I am inspired by the Japanese craft sweets Decoden. What is Decoden? Originating in J

Artwork by Anniella Victoria From the era of colonialism to the era of social media influencers, the West has been profiting off of Eastern culture– or at least part of it. It used to happen through direct economic exploitation, when British colonizers dubbed Indian diets as “unclean” while simultaneously exporting and gaining money from said spices that they so desperately needed. Tea that was once an Indian crop is now a staple in British identity. Now, the exploitation is

Artwork by Emma Szabo While New Yorkers have had to grapple with an affordability crisis over the past decade, the city has seen a rise in luxury grocery stores. As well as being vital to our existence, food has always been an essential part of human social life, serving as a symbol of celebration and community. The latest social media and lifestyle marketing trends, however, show that food has also become a status symbol and the ultimate luxury item. There isn't a more sign

Artwork by Jordan Baker There’s so much you can say by staring at someone while eating a hot dog. It can be flirty, or threatening, tender or humiliating. And Luca Guadagnino understands this better than any working director today. In Guadagnino’s work food is given power and glory. It isn’t treated as a mere prop. It performs, brings characters together, or helps them make discoveries about themselves. In his films, food becomes a vocabulary for longing and restraint, for

Over a phone propped up on the crowded counter of a kitchen dorm, a daughter interviews her restaurateur Mom (who also doubled as an elementary school lunch lady). Growing up in the restaurant business, she cooks up boiling stories and tasty opinions to share. Daughter: “For many people–myself included–our parents are our first chefs. From cooking three-course holiday dinners to plating pop-tarts, mothers have their own cooking style and skill. My mom, who I have on call wit

Artwork by Rachel Genito Make America Healthy Again , or MAHA, is a Trumpian health initiative, spearheaded by RFK Jr.—a staunch anti-vaccine advocate and conspiracy theorist. MAHA began in the summer of 2024, before Trump was elected, when siblings Casey and Calley Means appeared on The Tucker Carlson Show to discuss privatized health and America’s health crisis. Their points were relatively sound—they claimed that the system is rigged against the patient, and that modern m

Artwork by Oyku Derin Ersoy @oders0y

Artwork by Adetutu Ayodele @lessthantutu

Artwork by Chassidy Stephenson What happens when there is no longer any ‘food’ to supply the thought? In 2015, two of Silicon Valley’s sweethearts, Sam Altman and Elon Musk (sigh), teamed up to spawn a love child from their shared hubris that the hard task of making the world a better place was vested upon them. This love child is generative AI, and in December of 2015, OpenAI was born. Generative AI, which we are now unfortunately all too familiar with, is defined by Merri

Artwork by Sasha Lerman “Doesn’t soy mess with your hormones?” When my friend asked me this question while we both perused the alternative milk aisle at Trader Joe’s, I did a double take. Seven or eight years ago, “soyboy” was an insult commonly directed towards left-leaning men, implying that their consumption of soy had feminized them, and made them less deserving of respect. The primary concern around soy was its possible effects on testosterone in men. The science that w