Hello and welcome to The Flavour Narratives. Pull up a chair and tuck in.
This is all about the stories behind the plate, delving into the people, places, and produce that make up our world. By looking into the most human experience of eating and sharing food we can reflect on what seems familiar, to find a common humanity through the page and the plate.
This is my portfolio website - a collection of my writings across different countries, styles and subjects. For more regular articles, please check out The Flavour Narratives on Substack.
Sorting dates in Bani Hayoune, southern Morocco, 2023, photo Linde de Greeff
But who am I?
Hi, I’m Rachel. Really I’m a bit of a nomad happiest taking shelter in unexpected kitchens.
I started university studying history, the subject I had always done best in. After first year, though, I realised that there was a problem - I couldn't talk to these people to ask them about their decisions, to understand how they felt. Second year, I switched to social anthropology.
During these years I started becoming interested in everyday life abroad, especially in areas of conflict and post conflict. This led to 3 months living in Sri Lanka, another 3 months in Kosovo and the same again in West Bank. When it came to writing my dissertation, and our only guidance was do something that you love, the everyday realities of cooking in the West Bank was a clear choice.
Playing cards eating mujaddara in the West Bank, summer 2018
What followed was time working in the international humanitarian sector focussing largely on the accessibility of rehabilitation for people with disabilities and the protection of civilians in conflict. Then there was a chapter learning French in France and Senegal, being published in Feminist Food Journal, getting an extract in The Guardian, and working at Fisherton Mill in Salisbury.
Starting The Flavour Narratives was, then, a long time coming. So far it's been worth that deep breath it took to begin with. We've had adventures in Spain, Morocco, Portugal and then UK, as well as writing more about Palestine. There are many more stories planned, and I'm always looking for opportunities to learn, write, and share with others.
Taking notes in Lisbon, Portugal, 2023. Photo by Alex
Food Stories and Me
Sharing stories is a privilege, one that I recognise and respect. It is precisely because there are so many food narratives that aren’t mine that I have fallen in love with this space.
At the beginning of Falastin, Tara Wigley’s place in the Palestinian story is explored. Not being Palestinian, there are many ways that her connection to the Palestinian experience could be considered. Instead, this is recognised - “This is not Tara’s story to tell, but it is her adventure.” These, then, are not my stories, but they are my adventures, and I’m excited for you to come along on my culinary explorations. You can read more about my thoughts behind this project in this blog post.
Walking into Essaouira Sunday suq, Morocco, 2023
The Flavour Narratives and you
Having worked the majority of my career in the humanitarian sector, this is a new venture for me. Hang tight - I promise things are on the up. Any thoughts or ideas, please do ping them over on my contact page. This is, after all, all about your stories.