Closed Loop Cooking Weekly Newsletter 6.30.23

June 30th, 2023

Hi friends,

In the vein of forced rhubarb, I too do well out of the sun, with several kindred stalks to keep me company. Aside from pairing well with strawberries, I’m ideating on the evolution of a chef and taking comfort in the fact that even René Redzepi struggled in his post-Noma transition. My inherent desire for control serves me well in menu creation but the fluidity of career path and acceptance of unsuccessful projects still requires a learning curve.

I am a chef in motion. And this fact validates that, unlike sheltered rhubarb, I am apt to grow in any direction given the opportunity. Resilient, seeking light, and creating an ecosystem unto myself. My definition of chef will adapt as I allow myself the space to explore, and more often than not, fail. 

For now, that looks like a new identity for the pop-up series. (Courtesy of yours truly at CLS.) Scrap Supper has sustained a quiet need to be in the kitchen and it’s time to transition to the next iteration of this practice. A monthly, plant-based pop-up relaunching this fall. New name, new newsletter, same obsessions. I’ll be sharing progress over the next few months and hope I can bring y’all along for the ride. Stay tuned and if you’re interested in early pop-up newsletter access, give a shout! (Or the sounds of rhubarb.)

Stay hungry,Hawnuh Lee | Founder, Closed Loop Cooking

Pop-up notes, always changing.

The dish >>

• Using up all the excess zucchini with an easy roasted summer squash and reiterating rhubarb galettes, obv.

• Yeast and mold nerds apply within. (Dream job alert.)

• Enamored with honeycombs frames.

• This roundup of upcycled food businesses is dangerously encouraging.

• Thoroughly enjoying Hungry from NYT food critic turned road trip buddy to Rene Redzepi, Jeff Gordinier.

• Most epic plastic recycling 3d system.

• Who else is vertical gardening with me?

• A bewildering conversation on rewilding with Camille Dungy. 

• Adorn me in berry basket jewelry.

Cookbook corner

Roundup by Hawnuh Lee

In my pop-up naming endeavors I’ve returned to my favorite digital corner–the Internet Archives. Rabbit holing down cookbooks of bygone eras, I’m discovering new inspiration from these historical texts. Snapshots in culinary time that connect readers back to the table and spark menu ideas for a new dining experience. I stumbled upon Diet for a Small Planet, a 1970’s treasure from Frances Moore Lappé touching on the benefits of mindful eating and sustainable methods of preparation. What really captured my attention was the ornate illustrations accompanying the text. Detailed studies by Kathleen Zimmerman and Ralph Iwamoto, I’ve compiled a snapshot gallery from the cookbook for you to enjoy and hopefully gain some inspiration of your own.

Of equal importance though–

A visual treat!

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Have an idea we should feature in the newsletter? Want to work with us? Drop a line at [email protected]. We can’t wait to see what y’all cook up next! #closedloopcooking