“When I was thinking about the language around the food I was creating in the cookbook, I had to keep in mind that perspective as someone with a history of an eating disorder: I’m a little more conscious to verbiage when it comes to how we talk about food. I really wanted to stay away from things like “oh this is clean” ... Language can really reframe the way that you think about food, and so instead, it’s “oh this is very simple, whole food ingredient recipe, that’s easy to make” and making sure there’s no emphasis on diet or skinny this/that. That was really important to me. ”
Thinking about “typical” types of veganism can reveal a lot of fascinating Western stereotypes or biases around what it does and doesn’t entail. And yet so many cultural cuisines from around the world are rooted in plant-based meals that have been passed down through generations to shape contemporary ethnic cuisines. So what happens when someone adopts a vegan diet and lifestyle, in terms of navigating heritage, identity, and family connection?
My guest this week is popular recipe developer and creator Remy Park from Veggiekins, who is here to explore these themes and discuss her beautiful debut cookbook, Sesame, Soy, Spice: 90 Asian-ish Vegan and Gluten-free Recipes to Reconnect, Root, and Restore. Originally from New York/New Jersey area with an international upbringing, she shares vibrant plant-based recipes that take inspiration from her three cultures: Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese, and all the countries she’s lived in. Remy is also a certified yoga and meditation teacher as well as a holistic nutritionist. Her work has been featured in a variety of publications, including Shape Magazine, British Vogue, BuzzFeed, Elle Vietnam, CBS News, and ABC News.
Within the cookbook, Remy’s personal wellness journey is woven throughout her accessible plant-based takes on international and Asian-ish dishes. In our conversation today, we explore the traditional flavours and diets of her Asian cultures, and how the book formed a love letter to Remy’s family heritage, how she navigates food as communication across American and Asian understandings of snacks and salads, and the power of language in recipe development when healing from eating disorder experiences.
Learn More About Remy:
Veggiekins Website: https://veggiekinsblog.com/
Instagram: @veggiekins
TikTok: @veggiekins