Flavors of Oakland

Flavors of Oakland will take you on a culinary tour through one of America's most vibrant cities. In each of the 20 chapters you will meet an Oakland resident who shares their story and a treasured recipe from their culture. Magnificent photos of the people and recipes bring the Flavors of Oakland to your own kitchen wherever you may be.

WHAT IS FLAVORS OF OAKLAND? We traversed Oakland, interviewing regular people from all different cultures, learning about their lives, cooking with them, photographing them, and recording their favorite recipes.

We have conveyed in book form what it can be like to sit down to dinner with 20 different Oakland home cooks from twenty different cultures it s a portrait of what we think is beautiful about Oakland.

These stories are shared through written biographies, recipes, and photographs, to truly capture the essence of each flavor of Oakland. The project aims to use food as a means to bring people together over a meal, and break down barriers between the many cultures represented in Oakland.

THE IMPACT

Flavors of Oakland uses food as a means to bring people together over a meal and break down the barriers that promote separation and miscommunication in our city. Through the process of interviewing and cooking with Oakland residents we have heard many stories of upheaval and strife. The one thing that consistently connects people to their culture is food! We have set out to celebrate the cultural pride that exists in this one-of-a-kind city.

To spread this pride, we have donated copies of the book to all of the public schools and libraries in Oakland.

In an attempt to make a tangible difference, in addition to community building, we have supported local businesses throughout the development of this book, scouting Oakland printers, designers, and vendors.