Serving Up is a thought-provoking and enlightening collection of essays that explores the rich intersection of food, identity, and culture. Featuring a diverse range of authors and essay lengths, this anthology offers pieces that are both deeply personal and illuminating. There is so much about the food industry that lives behind the galley doors that the servers pass through and that keeps so much hidden from the diners and the general public. This book held open those doors and gives the reader a glimpse into that world. Each essay invites readers to reexamine the food that we eat—not just as mere sustenance, but as a cultural artifact and mirror to the world we inhabit.

Through reflections on race, gender, sexuality, mental health, and systemic inequities, Serving Up challenges us to consider who gets to shape the narratives around dining, cooking, and belonging. This is essential reading for anyone who eats out, works in food spaces, or simply wants to understand the stories that have long been underrepresented in culinary conversations.

This was an interesting read for me. We all tend to take food around us for granted - in the UK we are fortunate enough to have a melting pot of cuisines available day and night. But very rarely do we give any thought to the cultures behind them - or the how and why those foods became staple dishes of the areas, or whether other cultures should "steal" the recipes and the cultures, as is often done.

This book is selection of essays which goes someway to answering these questions, and for me, has made me want to read more about the topic, I want to understand the provenance of the recipes and the cultures in which they were developed.

A book of essays is often difficult to read in a linear fashion, and I found this book the same: I have dipped in and out of it for the past month. Every essay is a worthwhile and thought-provoking read.

This is so applicable to my future plans too: I am setting up a food blog, where most of the recipes will be veganised, and I have a core list of ingredients - chilli, coconut, lemon, lime, chocolate, pineapple and coffee - none of which are UK ingredients - so I will now be researching the provenance of ingredients and recipes and educating my readers (and myself!) so that a fuller understanding of the culture, reason and meaning behind each recipe is gained. Previously I was planning to do that with the veganising side, now it will encompass ingredients and recipes too!

This series of essays written by food professionals delves into topics such as culture, identity, belonging. They often highlight the lack of inclusivity in professional kitchens and the need for reform in this field.

I would recommend dipping in and out of this book as I found it difficult to read in one stretch (as collections of essays often are).

A recommended read for those who want to learn more about food culture and current issues in the hospitality industry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boundless Publishing Group for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy*

A series of essays that focus on food and community- You might have peeped some similar discussions either in other books or online, but this book is a nice blend of everything all in one go. Deeply personal and introspective, I thought it was a nice collection.

I loved everything about this book. The essays are all so different but also informative, well written, educational and overall it gave me something to think about after reading each one. I would love if this book is expanded into a series, I would definitely read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Unbound for a free advanced copy of Serving Up in exchange for an honest review.
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The essays making up this collection focus on culture, identity, and food, with many essays overlapping in content while still adding something new to the conversation.
Having a partner in the restaurant industry (who I must thank for the photos), the troublesome foundations of racism, sexism, homophobia and transphohia never occurred to me, nor did the lack of mental health care for restaurant workers. This book opened us up to a lot of important conversations I wish we had been having before.
I loved that, even while talking on similar topics, each author brought their own unique voice and personal experiences to the table. It added layers to the writing and really exemplified the universal nature of these systemic changes, while offering the hope for a better future for the industry.
I can't wait to read more from any of these authors.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was ready to give "Serving Up" a solid 4 star rating but then... I read the afterword.

Up to this point it's been quite an interesting and perspective-broadening read. A collection of essays written by food professionals touching on culture, identity, belonging and (mostly) lack of inclusivity in the kitchen environment, but also a reminder of how much the restaurant industry is in need of a reform. It was a good mix of international voices, without a strong emphasis on the US-centrism.

Here comes the but... Zoe Adjonyoh decided to go full transparency in the afterword, disclosing that some of the contributors were kind of not the first choice for this publication. She complained how some people didn't meet the deadlines and this is why she needed to find new authors and delay completion of the book. On some level, it felt awkward to me, knowing that some of the excellent voices were not even the author's priority. Yikes. It also felt like on some deep level it reflected the situation of BIPOC people in the restaurant industry-invited only after the star players declined their spot. I think this sort of information is not something one should share in terms of, let's put it blandly, protecting the wellbeing of those who made the cut, regardless of circumstance.

Throughout reading this it became clear that this his isn’t just a cookbook it’s a love letter, a protest, and a party all at once. From recipes to reflections, Serving Up serves identity, heritage, and joy with serious flavour.

I always find food writing interesting and Serving Up is no exception. It adds a totally different slant on food and what it means to different cultures and times in one's life. It's a book to savor and reflect on as one reads.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's a great addition to the genre.

Serving Up is a really interesting collection of essays centering BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ food writers, chefs and hospitality workers, all reflecting upon how food has shaped them and their careers. The diversity within the collection provides an exploration of a variety of cultures as well as delivering much needed critique on how the hospitality industry is exclusionary towards anyone who isn’t White, male, cisgendered and heterosexual.

Food for thought: We all deserve a seat at the table

“A good recipe can read like a good story, and it can shape narratives through a medium we can all relate to: a really good meal.”

I wanted to read this collection based off the cover and title and I’m pleased to report that it lived up to my expectations. I laughed, I gasped, I raised an eyebrow and I got downright angry. I enjoyed majority of the essays and learned quite a bit about the hospitality industry and food media. I know what it’s like to work in a hectic kitchen at a busy restaurant so a few of the essays are relatable.

It’s interesting and eye opening to read about the experiences of those from various backgrounds and positions in the industry. Each essay is written with passion, love, and valid criticism with questions such as, “Who are you to say my food is too spicy?, Who are they to decide that Chinese food needs an update?, How can this White person trademark a traditional dish that isn’t part of his culture?” (major side eye to Aloha Poke Co.😒)

Serving Up is a groundbreaking collection of essays about food and its powerful link to identity, culture, and community. Some of my favorites are: Columbusing Food And What It Looks Like by Lenore T. Adkins, Un Asiento En La Mesa: Musings On Food And Cinema by Yoshivel Elise Chirinos, ‘It’s Too Spicy’ And Other Such Bullshit by Fatima ‘Fatti’ Tarkleman, The Things We Could Not Swallow by Cynthia Greenlee, Why Black Spaces Are Needed In An Industry by Selasie Dotse, and Find Your People by Mavis-Jay Sanders.

I would’ve loved an essay on the rise of social media food influencers and how it affects the industry or those who’ve been doing the work for years. But this is a great read, highly recommend! Thanks to Netgalley and Unbound for the arc!

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. Despite my long list of allergies I always felt a connection with food. Food isn't just about sustenance, it's life giving in many ways. But living in Europe I am overfed on Western ideas of food. Learning from other people's connections with food, as well as how it connect with culture and identity was so interesting to me. I can't recommend this enough.

A great collection of tales and stories surrounding worldwide food and its production. This was much more engrossing than I had expected , I thought I would just dip in and out of the stories. Once I had started I did not put it down , except to eat..it did make me hungry.

If you like thoughtful food writing, you will love this book. These essays explore food culture, and the food industry, from a lovingly critical lens. The authors examine various aspects of food culture; cultural appropriation, who gets to work in the industry, who gets respect, what food is valued, creating community through food, and the mental Health issues that come with working in that industry. it a critically loving celebration of a complicated culture,

A diverse cast of writers and food.
Interesting accountings of food, culture, politics, social, personal and several other areas of life.
3.5 stars

"Serving Up" is a veritable miniature banquet of food for thought, with its collection of essays providing a great variety of perspectives and takes on an evne richer away of issues that will leave one chewing on them long after they've finished the book.

A collection of essays about food, identity, culture, and society. While the essays are decently written and cover important topics, and I do not doubt the sincerity or authenticity of any of the authors, this collection was ultimately neither entertaining nor engaging. With one or two exceptions, I did not find it an enjoyable read, It felt like homework.
I recognize that this collection is perhaps not meant for me.