Some Thoughts on L.A. & How I'm Thinking about Food in 2025
Your Friend in Food #20: January 20 2024!
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Considering this is the first letter of 2025, I’m going to say Happy New Year even though the phrase is probably outdated by now. I hope that your year has been off to a promising start and if you’re someone who uses this time to start anew, I hope that you are working towards your goals and pursuing your dreams.
I want to start this newsletter by sending love and courage to those affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires that decimated Los Angeles in the past few weeks. Next to N.Y, L.A is the second most popular base for readers and also one of my favourite cities to visit and eat in. I’ve found respite hiking on trails in the Altadena area, have spent time in the dining rooms of friends in Pasadena, and have driven to the Pacific Palisades admiring the homes and stores while basking in its quintessential Californian charm.
It’s been heartbreaking and gutwrenching watching neighbourhoods and bastions of culture, community, and family amount to nothing. The kitchens where families started their days, the cafeterias where kids socialized, and the dining rooms where meals were shared are merely distant memories. Sitting here feeling both anxious and helpless because I’m so far away, I’ve been reaching out to as many loved ones as I can, donating to as many causes both big and small. I can’t help but think about the families and small businesses and their paths to restoration and healing. I keep coming back to Mr. Roger’s quote where he encourages us to “look out for the helpers’ and in times of destruction, the silver lining is how community can rally together to support one another.
In the meantime, here are a few L.A.-based folks who I’ve been looking to as guides on how to tangibly support and stay informed.
I’ve been really inspired by the work of friend of the newsletter
. She has been tirelessly doing Costco and Target runs for essential items, dropping off and making meals with World Central Kitchen and other L.A.-based chefs. Chloe has been collecting Venmo donations and is dispersing them to on-the-ground efforts as needed. If you have the means, send some money over!
Journalist
put together an impressive list of resources, donation links, and volunteer opportunities along with that they are frequently updating.In terms of organizations, World Central Kitchen, Walk Good LA, Altadena Girls and Boys, Sorella Collective, and Mutual Aid L.A. Network are all working tirelessly and endlessly to restore communities with clothing donations, meals, and other services. They are all testaments to the power of community efforts and have been exceptional in compiling resources and ways to support.
There’s also this detailed spreadsheet with GoFundMe links for Black and Latinx families who have been displaced by the fires. For many of them, their homes were symbols of generational wealth and legacy creation and they will have to start anew.
On Saturday, January 25 at 10 AM, Brooklyn bookstore Archestratus is hosting a bake sale at 10 am. Expect to see some of your favourite NYC-based bakers there!
In Los Angeles, Netflix TV show Chef’s Table is hosting a special dinner series in support of LA Fire Relief with tickets and more information to be released on Wednesday. My hunch is that chefs around the U.S. who have been featured on the show will be hosting dinners. I’ll post more info as I see it.
Additionally, local journalism has never been more important, especially in a time of crisis. Mona Holmes and the team at Eater Los Angeles are constantly sending updates in regards to the restaurant scene, Tejal Rao at the New York Times is doing some exceptional reporting and L.A Times has been sharing information as well as stories of different demographics who have been impacted. Follow their work and if you have the means, subscribe and support them.
If you’re like me and turn to words to find comfort in trying times, this essay by friend of the newsletter
Tyson and this one by homie of the newsletter have been wonderful to meditate on and inspire the course of action I want to take going forward.If you know of any folks doing stuff, let me know in the comments below and if you’re in L.A. and in need of something, please let us know. This community of friends in food are here for you and ready to support you!
And now, let’s talk about how we’re eating in 2025!
This post is too long for email and might be more enjoyable in the Substack app!
I’m big on reflection and love designating certain moments throughout the year to take stock of how I’m feeling, what I’ve accomplished, and what I’m aiming towards. As I step away from resolutions and focus more on building core guiding principles, I wanted to reflect on one of my posts from last year: How I’m Eating in 2024.
In this piece, I highlighted 12 themes or principles that I felt were important in guiding how I consumed food last year, both literally and metaphorically.
Rereading the piece, I wanted to dedicate time to reflect on how I incorporated that principle into my life, highlight any key takeaways I had, and also reshape how I want to move forward with that principle in 2025. As a washed-up teacher’s pet, I needed to come up with a quirky grading system to reflect my performance. So I’m rating myself on a scale of 1 honey pot (just didn’t try) to 5 honey pots (exceptional effort).
Last year, I generated images on Midjourney for each theme but we’re taking it back and I’m pulling relevant images that I’ve saved over the years.
Okay, let’s dive in!
KNOW YOUR GROWERS
2024 RATING: 🍯 🍯
Living in a major metropolitan area, it’s incredibly easy to access food but often in spaces where you can remove and detach from the producers and purveyors who work tirelessly to get food on our shelves. Connecting with those who grow with our food is a great way to understand food systems and also support local businesses. Most farmer markets don’t allow food that isn’t at most 100 miles from the centre of shopping.
In 2024, I’m ashamed to say that I flopped at knowing my growers. I lived right around the corner from a mega-chain grocery store and resorted to going there for quick runs or weekly stock-ups. Once in a while, I would order a produce box from a local farmers collective here in Mexico City and buy poultry and fish from speciality stores but in my defense, I was on the road a lot for most of the year.
In 2025, I’m going to get back into the habit of thoughtful grocery shopping. I’ve eagerly signed up for a monthly CSA back in New York which is accommodating to my whirlwind schedule and I hope to go on farm visits and attend more workshops and discussions centered around the work of farmers. Also by planning more of my meals, I can frequent more farmers’ markets during the week to pick up everyday veggies, fruits, and some canned goods.
Speaking of workshops, Brooklyn-based Farm to People is hosting Know Your Food, a series where co-founder Michael Robinov will be in conversation with farmers, entrepreneurs, and writers on the importance of local agriculture. It’s running every Tuesday from now until March. Featured speakers include Ethan Frisch, writer
, John Ng of Hudson Valley Fisheries and more. Tickets are $10 and they’ll definitely sell out quickly.
LEAVE IT TO THE PROS
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯🍯🍯
What’s been fascinating about food culture, especially in the post-pandemic era, is how much gastronomes leaned into becoming experts in their hobbies. I watched casual bakers transform into sourdough experts, slinging crackers and loaves. I even watched friends casually cure salmon, make cheese and yogurt, and even start to cure their own meats. While I admire their enthusiasm and their commitment, I still think there’s something about purchasing goods from speciality producers.
In 2024, I definitely left it to the pros. I found a lot of joy in the routine of picking up baguettes from my local bakery as well as bagels and whitefish salad from the local Jewish deli. I even started to do monthly fresh pasta pickups to make weeknight dinners more enjoyable and became friendly with the local chicken butcher.
In 2025, I hope to continue with this same energy. I’m moving soon and I’m excited to be acquainted with the local baker, making weekly runs for bread and other pastries. I hope that I connect with more speciality purveyors, especially for cheese, meat, and fish. I still have a lot to learn in those departments and can rely on the wisdom of experts to expand my knowledge.
GROCERIES WITH ADVENTURE
2024 RATING:🍯🍯🍯🍯🍯
I don’t know about you but each time I visit a grocery store, I’m constantly amazed by how much stuff is available to us. Shelves and shelves full of familiar foods and new things to try. In 2024, I became good at adding a few things to my cart just to bring new life and energy to the often mundane act of grocery shopping. I travelled a lot this year as well and made a habit of stopping at some of the coolest grocery stores that I’ve experienced. I think grocery items make for the best souvenirs. I fell in love with yuzu butter, chestnut paste, basil oil, and rhubarb jam using them to liven up breakfasts, sauces and midnight treats.
In 2025, I want to find more variety in the aisles especially visiting international speciality stores learning more about particular cuisines one condiment, sauce, or ingredient at a time. I can’t wait to keep visiting cool grocery stores and speciality shops discovering new snacks, pantry staples, and drinks that I’m going to love.
LEAN INTO THE SEASONS
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯🍯
Growing up with an agricultural economist dad, the seasonal produce calendar was just as important as the Gregorian one. I have fond memories of my dad bringing summer cherries and corn home from work, telling us which winter vegetables were in season at the farmers’ market, and spending weekends picking apples and pumpkins at orchards all across Ontario. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve only come to appreciate produce at its peak more perhaps as a way to connect with their childhood.
I did a decent job in 2024 eating in season. Luckily, my big box grocery store was good about stocking relevant produce but I definitely should have been purchasing more produce from local purveyors. In 2025, I think spending more time getting to know my growers will encourage me to eat more in season and find creative ways to incorporate new produce into my rotation. It’s one thing to know about the popular seasonal fruits and vegetables but I also want to try produce that have short windows and are specific to certain regions.
THE FRIDGE IS YOUR OYSTER
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯🍯
My mom jokes that I’m an iPad cook reaching for my NYT cooking app in a Pavlovian sense anytime I want to make a big meal. Don’t get me wrong, I love recipes and really appreciate the work of developers but sometimes your intuition and some hunger should guide you into creating sustaining meals for yourself and for your loved ones.
In 2024, I perfected the art of the fridge clean out lunch and dinner. Lunches were a rotating variety of rice bowls and salads in mixing bowls, I got good at cooking proteins relying on cues and intuition to suss out their readiness, and became great at just tossing things into pastas or stews without feeling guilty.
In 2025, I want to be more creative while also leaning into my intuition. Perhaps trying something new with rice like congee, ditching pasta and maybe trying more grains like teff and fonio, and adding more experimental marinades to my current roster of proteins.
LITTLE TO NO WASTE
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯🍯
I think this theme goes hand in hand with the previous theme in that the more thoughtful you are with your shopping, the less that you’ll end up wasting. This past year, I wasn’t much of a home cook but I got really creative with scraps and also with the way in which I was stocking up my fridge and pantries. Buying more canned goods, like vegetables, makes it easier to add to pasta and soups without worrying about their freshness. Also making a freezer bag of scraps came in really handy for soups and stocks which I then froze to add to lots of different dishes. I’ve now become a pro at making shrimp stock risotto.
In 2025, I want to be better at reducing waste in my kitchen especially when it comes to plastic containers and paper towels. It’s a lofty goal but I’ve been really inspired by Dana Cowin’s Instagram videos showcasing the different ways in which she is incorporating sustainable actions into her kitchen. Who knew that you use coffee filters to dry off your meat?
REDEFINE YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO MEAT
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯
I love chicken! I will never get sick of it and I feel like I need to eat it every day just to feel something. As I’ve gotten older, I realized that dialling back on my meat consumption is one of the few things that I can do as a conscious consumer. In 2024, I did an alright job when it came to rethinking meat. I rarely purchased red meat for home cooking, saving that consumption for burgers and tacos. I did my best to buy organic, free-range chicken and also purchased more sustainable fish and seafood. Tinned fish became a core part of my diet and also stocking up on legumes was another great to get more protein in my diet.
In 2025, I need to figure out how I really feel about meat. I love eating it and feel like I could never go cold turkey because it can limit the foods that I can experience. Maybe it means buying less meat and when I do buy it, I’m purchasing organic and sustainable options. I do want to get over my fear of cooking red meat so maybe saving it for special occasions. For any friends who have significantly reduced their meat consumption, please share your insights!
HELP OTHERS EAT WELL
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯🍯
It’s such an immense privilege to never worry about where your next meal comes from or do the mental gymnastics to figure out how to fill your fridge. I had a habit of making donations to reputable organizations for special occasions and during holiday giving but felt like it wasn’t enough. In 2024, I started making monthly recurring donations to organizations whose causes I greatly admired, I casually filled up community fridges when I saw them and volunteered for a few days thanks to friends who organized days supporting soup kitchens.
In 2025, I want to not just offer financial support but also my time. Volunteering once in a while to organizations that serve communities in need, continuing to stock up community fridges when I make grocery runs, and also dropping off meals to neighbours who are in need are just a few of the activities that I can do to meaningfully give back in my community.
COOK FOR OTHERS
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯🍯
I love cooking but hate cooking for myself. When left to my own devices, I make the most basic dishes as a means to sustain myself. It’s a different story knowing that there’s an audience to appreciate and enjoy your food. There’s something really special about putting together a menu, setting the table, and being a source of comfort for your loved ones.
In 2024, I wished I cooked more for my loved ones at home but didn’t feel like my space was inviting. When I did see friends, we mostly spent time at restaurants and bars sampling some impressive food by the pros. This was also the first year I took a swing at staging, day-long trials cooking in professional kitchens. I learned so much and have slowly been incorporating chef techniques into daily cooking.
In 2025, I want to find more creative ways to cook for others that doesn’t necessarily involve hosting people in my home. I could attend cookbook clubs, make dinner for friends, and keep cooking for my pals during friend trips. Also, staging has been such an enriching experience and hope to try my hand at professional cooking in a few more kitchens. I did my first stage of 2025 last weekend and can’t wait to share a recap.
EAT OUT MORE
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯🍯🍯🍯
If I haven’t made it clear in 2024, I was outside. This was the year that I really ate out getting to try new restaurants, visit familiar places, and spend time working in kitchens. There’s never been a better time to be a diner, especially if you live in a major metropolitan city. I feel like in both New York City and Mexico City, there’s been a vibrant and dynamic energy to the restaurant scene with lots of new restaurant openings featuring new expressions of various cuisines.
In 2025, I want to dial back on eating out because I want to make more room for cooking at home. While it’s an amazing way to support chefs, sommeliers, and the restaurant industry, I think reserving eating out a few times a month will make me appreciate each meal and the culinary craft way more. Having a dining club, S/O Restaurant Rizz Club will also bring a fun energy to enjoying NYC’s dining scene. Also, I want to double down on finding a few places where I can become a regular. There’s something special about a place where everyone knows your name and they’re always glad you came. And how cool would it be to frequent a place enough where you’ve tried everything on the menu?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
2024 RATING: 🍯🍯🍯🍯
In an age of endless information, it can feel overwhelming trying to keep and consume all of the food content that’s available. It’s important to maintain an intentionally curated and diverse set of voices offering thoughtful commentary and compelling storytelling about food. By reading more, I find that I become a better writer, a more thoughtful consumer, and a happier eater.
2024 was a great year of food-themed cultural commentary. Most of the books I read were memoirs from some of my favourite food entrepreneurs, cookbooks with a refreshing perspective, and history books on particular themes and demographics that have transformed and shaped our global food scene. I also got really into reading more Substacks and loved the works of folks like
, , and just to name a few. I listened to great podcasts like This is Taste, Monocle’s The Menu, KCRW Good Food, and friend of the newsletter Dana Cowin’s .Offline, I continued to appreciate the works of some of my favourite journalists like Luke Fortney, Ella Quittner, and the works of New Yorker food critics Helen Rosner and Hannah Goldfield as they offer colourful commentary, thoughtful critique, and a deep appreciation for food culture. I also really got into purchasing more print last year from the likes of Cake Zine, Synonym, and Produce Parties. For magazines, I’ve come to appreciate Moncole’s thoughtful commentary, Fuet offers a more global perspective, and I’m so glad Saveur is back with great stories and awesome product recommendations.
In 2025, I hope to keep up this same energy but focus on making time to read more offline. I aim to read more works from the original culinary commentators and discover new voices. I also want to go back through the cultural archives looking for thoughtfully written essays on food shapes and moves us. I also want to dig into rabbit holes, especially academic ones. I feel like food history is an important part of culinary literature that isn’t revered and I want to read more journals and papers about many facets of food life.
I also want to contribute more of my thoughts and opinions on how I observe and perceive food culture. Through random musings, thoughtful essays, and themed curations around my favourite products, I hope to strengthen my skills and build more trust as your friend in food. I want to moderate more panels, cookbook talks, and conversations especially as they relate to Indigenous, Black, immigrant, and female voices.
Reflecting on these principles and how I fared, I don’t think that’s there any that I want to take away. Rather, I want to really double down on cooking more at home, taking inspiration from what I’ve learned in my limited time in kitchens and a frequent patron of restaurants. Also, I think I want to carve out more time reading and synthesizing insights from some of the impressive authors I made as well as discovering voices that are new to me. You’ll most certainly reading about these in future newseltter additions. I’ll definitely continue to enjoy restaurants, give back as much as I can, and foster more community with local purveyors and artisans who make the world so wonderful. Can’t wait to grade myself again in 2026!
Really curious to hear what principles and themes you want to incorporate into the culinary aspects of your life. Let me know in the comments below!
Eat well and be well!
Cheers,
Your Friend in Food, Abena
You are a beacon! and I love all of these.
❤️