GAME CHANGERS
Food & Wine|July 2023
Meet the 15 people and companies changing the way we eat and drink for the better.
GAME CHANGERS

THEASTER GATES

The acclaimed artist has created a visionary incubator for aspiring Black and brown culinary professionals in Chicago.

BY ANGELA BURKE

Just after the final bowl of soup was served at Retreat at Currency Exchange, a café and culinary incubator located in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood, the dining room turned into a dance floor flooded with tunes from the late house-music pioneer Frankie Knuckles. Knuckles' record collection is one of many noteworthy archives that have been entrusted to Theaster Gates, the artist who has breathed new life into this space. A trained urban planner, Gates transforms fading structures in predominantly Black neighborhoods into cultural hubs.

"The culinary and music communities are allies and part and parcel to my work," says Gates. Retreat at Currency Exchange, an offshoot of Gates' artist-focused charitable organization, Rebuild Foundation, has been a launchpad for local food and drink professionals. "I'm an enabler. I'm a platform-maker," Gates says. "It's an opportunity to do what Rebuild does in general, to celebrate the local. Invite everybody in, and then through that period of incubation, people will be better than they were before. That's my hope."

Residents of the six-month program receive funding, professional development, and ongoing mentorship while navigating the next steps to restaurant ownership or starting a food business. The approach is modeled after Gates' retreats for Black visual artists and has been designed as an oasis for a segment of the hospitality industry that is routinely overlooked and under-supported. At Currency Exchange, being vulnerable, taking up space, and exerting creative license while being Black or brown are celebrated.

Bu hikaye Food & Wine dergisinin July 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Food & Wine dergisinin July 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

FOOD & WINE DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Start Small, Think Bliss Partnering with the James Beard Foundation makes Windstar's cruises a delicious route into French Polynesia.
Food & Wine

Start Small, Think Bliss Partnering with the James Beard Foundation makes Windstar's cruises a delicious route into French Polynesia.

ASI SIPPED A ROBUST CUP of French roast while leaning against the bow railing of our yacht, we glided into the sapphire waters of Taiohae Bay, deep in the South Pacific.

time-read
3 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
HOME SWEET HOME
Food & Wine

HOME SWEET HOME

An all-butter gingerbread and a streamlined, stylish design are the secrets to these modern gingerbread houses. We've got the recipe and plans you need to get your (gingerbread) house in order.

time-read
7 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
SHÖGATSU
Food & Wine

SHÖGATSU

The Japanese New Year starts off with a simple bowl of soup.

time-read
4 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
KWANZAA
Food & Wine

KWANZAA

Seven days of celebration offer endless opportunities for connection and creativity.

time-read
3 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
ST. LUCIA'S DAY
Food & Wine

ST. LUCIA'S DAY

Fragrant, pillowy saffron buns add sweetness and warmth to the Scandinavian holiday.

time-read
4 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
HANUKKAH
Food & Wine

HANUKKAH

For Italy's Jewish communities, the festival of lights means one thing: lemony fried chicken.

time-read
2 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
CHRISTMAS
Food & Wine

CHRISTMAS

South India is home to one of the world's oldest Christian communitiesand distinct, delicious traditions.

time-read
4 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
NOCHEBUENA
Food & Wine

NOCHEBUENA

Christmas Eve means big gatherings, big meals, and beloved traditions for Latino families around the world.

time-read
4 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
YALDA NIGHT
Food & Wine

YALDA NIGHT

For this Persian celebration of the winter solstice, late-night snacks are in order.

time-read
3 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
A FAT AFFAIR
Food & Wine

A FAT AFFAIR

Life lessons from the richest—and Frenchest—holiday tradition on earth

time-read
7 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025