Holy shit, it’s like The Platform. If you haven’t seen that movie, beware, because it’s brutal: In this prison, each day a sumptuous spread is provided on a platform that moves from the upper levels (where prisoners stuff themselves) down to the bottom levels (where only bones and crumbs are left).
ALSO, I do some pretty serious cooking in a kitchen we built largely by hand, wrestled from free scrap wood. And as someone whose topic is economic inequality, and who often talks about cooking from scratch and baking sourdough from wheat I grind at home, this piece couldn’t be more perfect for me.
I’ve never cooked in a fancy kitchen in my life. But as in life in general, cooking in my cramped little kitchens has been made much more doable by the fact that I was taught to cook by my mom and grandmother, who knew how to make amazing dishes using simple ingredients and basic tools. And I didn’t have to worry about being evicted, either.
I see people who have had advantages other than money, judging folks who have not— it’s not just your material surroundings, it’s all the intangible advantages, or lack thereof.
love that, and it's too true - all of the kinds of resources matter. I've also never had a great kitchen and I've made do perfectly well and produced many things, large and small!
I've never quite understood the allure of baking shows!
But I have to argue with one thing you've said: "That’s inheritance for you - the abundance or absence of generational wealth is sheer luck, based on neither talent nor labor."
Is that really true? Aren't you likely to be a lot more "lucky" depending on your race? Or zip code? Or recency of arrival in the US? Etc.
Maybe one form of obfuscation imparted by this show is the notion that the contestants in the great game of life are randomly sorted into the starting strata ...
I have not seen this show. I'll have to find it. This is fascinating. Something which tends to happen with art and performance is the audience doesn't always get the takeaway right. I think there is a good chance, unless the directors of the show are not careful, that the audience will decide the basement kitchen "deserves it".
Holy shit, it’s like The Platform. If you haven’t seen that movie, beware, because it’s brutal: In this prison, each day a sumptuous spread is provided on a platform that moves from the upper levels (where prisoners stuff themselves) down to the bottom levels (where only bones and crumbs are left).
ALSO, I do some pretty serious cooking in a kitchen we built largely by hand, wrestled from free scrap wood. And as someone whose topic is economic inequality, and who often talks about cooking from scratch and baking sourdough from wheat I grind at home, this piece couldn’t be more perfect for me.
ok, I just looked up the movie - on Netflix and I’m going to watch it tonight! Completely on point! What a concept.
And amazing about your kitchen. I love what you’re doing there and I love baking!
The parallels you drew between the show's setup and the economic system setup make this show a must-watch now. Fascinating.
Watching tonight.
Enjoy!! Watch poor Nikki freeze every time the platform goes by 😅
This reminds me of The Platform. Thank you for writing this fantastic piece!
yes! I’m clearly going to have to watch that!
I’ve never cooked in a fancy kitchen in my life. But as in life in general, cooking in my cramped little kitchens has been made much more doable by the fact that I was taught to cook by my mom and grandmother, who knew how to make amazing dishes using simple ingredients and basic tools. And I didn’t have to worry about being evicted, either.
I see people who have had advantages other than money, judging folks who have not— it’s not just your material surroundings, it’s all the intangible advantages, or lack thereof.
love that, and it's too true - all of the kinds of resources matter. I've also never had a great kitchen and I've made do perfectly well and produced many things, large and small!
...and delicious!!
I've never quite understood the allure of baking shows!
But I have to argue with one thing you've said: "That’s inheritance for you - the abundance or absence of generational wealth is sheer luck, based on neither talent nor labor."
Is that really true? Aren't you likely to be a lot more "lucky" depending on your race? Or zip code? Or recency of arrival in the US? Etc.
Maybe one form of obfuscation imparted by this show is the notion that the contestants in the great game of life are randomly sorted into the starting strata ...
yes- that’s unclear, I mean the luck if what family you are born into!
I have not seen this show. I'll have to find it. This is fascinating. Something which tends to happen with art and performance is the audience doesn't always get the takeaway right. I think there is a good chance, unless the directors of the show are not careful, that the audience will decide the basement kitchen "deserves it".
yes- I agree! It’s very possible and exactly the wrong take-away!
Ok—now I have to watch!
yes! let me know what you think!