Chef Tara Thomas is Using Organic Food to Educate and Decolonize it’s Oppressive Nature Towards People of Color
ES: Where are you from?
TT: Portland, Oregan. I’ve been in New York for 3 years. I moved to Brooklyn in search of a diverse community. I’m vegan and Portland has a big vegan population but it didn’t spread to communities of color so I left in hopes to make an impact in my community.
ES: How are you making an impact in your community through food?
TT: I’m Gen Z so the internet is one way I use to communicate with people through social media. I often share what I cook through while educating the audience on the importance of organic food. I run a non-profit, Breaking Bread, which is focused on supporting families through food donations. We’ve raised over $30,000 with the support of the community and have fed 100 families with weekly CSA bags since winter 2020. We also recently partnered with Eataly to re-dispute food waste because restaurants usually throw them food away, now we give it to people facing oppression, inequality, and food insecurity. These are just a few ways I’m exercising my values.
ES: Why Cooking? Why Food?
TT: I’ve always loved food and cooking but I didn’t pursue it til I was 19. I was focused on Stem in college but didn’t feel connected to it so I’m on a much needed hiatus. I went vegan when I was 17 and experimented with food which was when I started to learn about the value of plants and why it was seen in a certain perspective in certain communities, especially communities of color. Now that vegetables and food as a whole is the most valuable source of vitality, I’m using it as a way to decolonize the western idealization of it’s origins while debunking capitalist systems that are set up to oppress people of color from accessing healthy food.
ES: You volunteer at Phoenix Farm? Why is it important for people of color have access to fresh food?
TT: It goes back to decolonizing food and educating people on the origins of food while giving power back to the people it belongs to. I volunteer at the Ocean Hill Community Garden because I want to practice honesty in where food comes from while supporting businesses where there’s equity in the land. It’s easy to go to Starbucks and get coffee but I feel much better knowing that the coffee is ethically sourced from a farm in Ethiopia and housed through my local garden. It’s also important for people of color to have access to fresh food because it’s healthier, much more affordable, and sustainable.
ES: Who inspires you in the food community?
TT: My friends. Everyone at the Garden, there’s such a diverse mix of people there. Lani Holiday is a good friend of mine, she’s an exceptional baker. Chef Woldy Reyes, a Filipino American Chef. Eric of Ursla Brooklyn who uses his restaurant to create space and equity for queer folks. Edna Lewis is phenomenal, she is creating a narrative around the preservation southern food and it’s culture. And also…my grandmother.
ES: How did the pandemic impact you and the business?
TT: The pandemic allowed me the time to reflect and put energy into things I care about. I spent a lot of time at the garden. I think the pandemic was beautiful because it confronted the violent capitalist system that we live in. It also allowed white people to see their privilege and be confronted with what to do with it. My business was at a standstill but it was good for me because it helped me slow down to be more compassionate while building relationships over food.
ES: What do you for fun?
TT: Cleaning my house. Hanging out with friends. Hanging out at the garden. Traveling. Eating food. Being served food.
Photo Credit: Tara Thomas
ES: Favorite food to eat? And to cook?
Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes.
ES: Favorite restaurant?
TT: To be determined.
