TimesTalks with Questlove

We had a few days in Berlin. I hit a few of my old 2006 haunts but also discovered a new and vibrant food scene. Yes in the restaurants but more so in the community. Case in point is Sarah Go’s Feast Meetups. She aims to bring together “foodpreneurs”. She welcomes food designers, trend researchers, editors and gastronomy makers to connect and collaborate on all aspects of the culinary industry booming across the globe. Berlin’s no stranger to creativity, innovation and change. With those two backgrounds, I’m sure her next meetup and Feast’s mission will foster this culinary community well.  We, unfortunately, didn’t get to hook up with Sarah while in town but if you live in Berlin or are planning a visit, check out the calendar and pop into an event. The last one was a viewing on ‘The Chef’s Mind’ with snacks. No “brainer” right?

Where would we food lovers be today if we didn’t have a little something to sustain us between feedings? What would happen to us without that extra boost from a new recipe to keep us going when we run out of good snacks? Without that chef interview to calm us when we can’t get a coveted rez? Without that mouthwatering photo spread to get us over the mid-week, nothing-in-the-fridge hump? One thing’s for sure: it wouldn’t be pretty. This, my friends, is why we at FTHQ are committed to bringing you the latest of the latest in gastro-centric buzz. And why we’ve got nothin’ but love for our print-happy peers, the NYC-born-and-bred foodie mags that have been making waves in the industry: Cherry Bombe, Gather Journal, and Lucky Peach. This week, join ‘em at Food Magazines of New York, a night of discussion and drinks with the movers and shakers of these print powerhouses. Added bonus? Admission scores you some free mags, so make room on that bookshelf for some pages delicious enough to eat. October 20 in Brooklyn.

We live in concrete jungles. They are only getting denser but theirs a new “canopy” forming across many of the largest urban cities. The Urban Permaculture Farming Around the World lecture series will shed light on the movement. From rooftop farms to irrigation innovations to composting methods, we guarantee you’ll leave this event with a new perspective on agriculture and food. Friday, May 13 @ 6:00pm in Brooklyn.

Knights of the Raj NYC is an immersive peek into the history of NYC curry cuisine. To understand why this is a fascinating visit to Brooklyn’s MOFAD that will feed your mind as well as your stomach, we need to back up to the origins of the Knights of the Raj and the curry uprise in Britain. The “Knights” started as an homage to those who are responsible for bringing curry to Britain in the first place, the Bangledeshis. aka, the East Pakistanis or British Indian Muslims, depending on what year you are focused on when discussing the topic. A short history of India seems necessary. The British Raj, as Britain was known, occupied India between 1858 and 1947 until “partition” emancipated India and Pakistan from British rule. The handy work of Brit Cyril Radcliffe drew new borders with the goal of dividing Pakistan and India so that the Muslim and Hindu populations were not disturbed. FAIL on Cyril’s part. Known as the Radcliffe line, this ridiculous re-bordering made a split country of Pakistan creating two wings, east and west, with India in the middle. This also caused 14 million Muslims and Hindus to flee across new borders when they discovered they were in the wrong country. This duo of Pakistans only lasted until 1971 when a revolution in East Pakistan due to civil disobedience led to the war of independence resulting in the new state of Bangladesh. Whew, ok…That brings us back to Banglideshis migrating from their newly formed country that was experiencing famine, poverty and military coups to Britain. Along with this they obviously brought their food and curry started to make its way into the British culture as an exotic dish. Fast forward to modern day and Britains national dish declared curry and rice, you can image the impact the Knights of the Raj have had in a short 50 years. With 30,000 Indian restaurants in the UK, The Knights stories start with the first Bangladeshis settling in Birmingham and spreading across Britain. Curated by artist Mohammad Ali The Knights of the Raj NYC is a continuation of the British story and Bangladeshis landing in New York. Included in the visit are Immersive Arts Experiences, Walk-In Diorama, Live Performances, and a Three-Course Sampler Menu of Bangladeshi Street Foods and British-Style Curries. July 20th – August 5th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm in Brooklyn, NY