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I’M KASSATA BOLLMAN. 

TODAY MY GUEST IS CHEF DEBORA FADUL.

SHE JOINS US FROM GUATEMALA CITY…

WHERE SHE’S CURRENTLY CHEF-OWNER OF DIACÁ. 

BEYOND THAT….CHEF FADUL IS ON A MISSION TO SHOWCASE INDIGENOUS PRODUCE AND FARMERS IN GUATEMALA….SHE RUNS ESTUDIO DIACÁ…A LAB AND COLLECTIVE THINK TANK….THAT EXPLORES INGREDIENTS THROUGH A ‘SENSORY ECOSYSTEM’...

I’LL OPEN OUR CONVERSATION…BY ASKING YOU TO REACH INTO YOUR MEMORY…

HERE…. “HAVE YOU EATEN YET ?”....IS FOCUSED MORE ON THE GREETING…IT’S A CHECK-IN OF SORTS….

WE’RE TWO MINDS…. ABOUT TO TAKE A TRIP INTO YOUR LIFE….

SO THIS IS AN OPENING… FOR US TO CONNECT…THROUGH FOOD….

THIS CAN BE A MEAL FROM ANYTIME IN YOUR LIFE….THE HOPE IS WHATEVER MEAL YOU CHOOSE TO TALK ABOUT…. IS MEANINGFUL….THAT IT BRINGS UP A  MEMORY…..OR EMOTION….

ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF A MEAL…HAPPENS LONG AFTER THE ACTUAL EVENT….THOSE MEMORIES CAN BE POWERFUL….AND WE LIKE TO HONOR AND EMBRACE THAT CONCEPT HERE….CHEF FADUL…. I’LL LET YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE….

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

GUATEMALA

GUATEMALA IS KNOWN AS ‘THE LAND OF ETERNAL SPRING’....THE COUNTRY HAS MINERAL-RICH VOLCANIC SOIL….A HUMID TROPICAL CLIMATE YEAR-ROUND…

I WANT TO DIVE INTO ONE OF YOUR PASSIONS…WHICH IS SHOWCASING INDIGENOUS PRODUCE AND FARMERS IN YOUR COUNTRY…

I HAVE NOT BEEN TO GUATEMALA YET…I’M SURE THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE LISTENING THAT HAVEN’T BEEN EITHER….WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY…WHEN IT COMES TO THE PRODUCE…THE FOOD SCENE…AND HOW IT’S ALL INTERCONNECTED ?

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

ESTUDIO DIACÁ

YOU RUN ESTUDIO DIACÁ…A LAB AND EXTENSION OF THE RESTAURANT….THAT EXPLORES INGREDIENTS THROUGH A ‘SENSORY ECOSYSTEM’.... 

YOU CONNECT THE SOIL HEALTH, ANIMALS, CROPS AND SEASONAL SHIFTS…..ALL TOGETHER…TO TELL STORIES THROUGH TASTE, AROMA AND TEXTURE…

PLEASE EXPAND ON WHAT ESTUDIO DIACÁ IS CURRENTLY DOING….AND WHAT THIS PROJECT MEANS TO YOU …

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

FAVORITE QUOTE

THIS IS MY FAVORITE QUOTE OF YOURS….FROM A PREVIOUS INTERVIEW …QUOTE 

“THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY MUST GIVE, HEAL, REGENERATE, AND CONNECT….NOT TAKE OR DICTATE. 

WE SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE….ADAPTING TO NATURE INSTEAD OF FORCING IT. 

AS CHEFS WE HAVE A PROFOUND ROLE IN SOCIETY…WHICH WE ARE STILL BEGINNING TO DEFINE AND DISCOVER.”

WHERE ARE WE AS AN INDUSTRY TODAY ? ARE WE GOING BACKWARDS ? IN TRANSITION ? IMPROVING? 

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

ADVICE

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU'VE EVER BEEN GIVEN ?

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

TRIP

WHAT’S ONE TRIP THAT YOU’VE BEEN ON THAT HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED YOUR LIFE…THIS COULD BE AN ACTUAL TRIP….. OR….MAYBE IT’S A GOOD MEMORY….LIKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE…OR...IT COULD BE A PSYCHEDELIC TRIP…

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

CULTURE

WHEN IT COMES TO DIACÁ…AND HOW YOU’RE RUNNING THE KITCHEN THERE….WHAT’S ONE THING THAT YOU LOVE OR ADMIRE ABOUT THE CULTURE…THAT YOU FEEL GOES UNNOTICED OR ISN’T TALKED ABOUT AS MUCH ?

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

INSPIRATION

HOW DO YOU TAP INTO INSPIRATION …..AND KEEP THAT ENERGY FLOWING THROUGH YOUR LIFE ?

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

TAKEAWAY

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM WITH US …

I BELIEVE THAT THE JOURNEY…. IS ALWAYS GREATER THAN THE DESTINATION. 

IT’S ON THE PATH THAT WE LEARN….EVOLVE AND….. ENCOUNTER LESSONS…. THAT SHAPE US…. INTO OUR BEST SELVES.

I ALWAYS LIKE ENDING…. BY ASKING…. IF THERE’S ANY TAKEAWAY THAT YOU’D LIKE TO LEAVE WITH LISTENERS…..THAT CAN POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THEIR LIVES.

IT COULD BE SOMETHING WE JUST TOUCHED ON…. A LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED ON YOUR JOURNEY…. OR GENERAL ADVICE THAT YOU LIVE BY...

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

AND WHERE OR HOW …..IS THE BEST WAY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT…. OR GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU  ?

[[CHEF DEBORA FADUL DISCUSSES]]

OUTRO

THANKS FOR LISTENING….AND IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY….... FOLLOW  “HAVE YOU EATEN YET?” ….WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS….

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