What's your first food memory?

May 29, 2026 • Read in 2 minutes

Dear Hyphenly Readers,

I've been seeing videos about what people do instead of "doomscrolling" all over my social media lately. And I really wonder if these types of videos help others wean off the algorithm? Do you ever stop scrolling and just read an essay on Substack because of a video recommendation? Because I certainly don't.

As I'm approaching my thirties, I'm realizing I just need to cultivate more hobbies that don't need a screen. That's really the only way I avoid social media – when I'm not near my phone.

One of my favorite things to do is cooking. In my free time, I'm always trying new recipes for focaccia, recreating childhood dishes, or browsing cookbooks to add more technique to my repertoire.

So, I’m very pleased to hear that Immigrantly Media is launching Bitefully, a new original podcast series hosted by award-winning chef and television host Claudia Sandoval, premiering Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026

Listen to the trailer on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Launching June 3, 2026

Chef Claudia Sandoval is an award-winning chef, bestselling author, TV host, and executive producer, internationally recognized for her modern approach to Mexican cuisine and her deep commitment to community. After becoming the first Latina winner of MasterChef U.S., Claudia built a career rooted in storytelling, culture, and connection. Bitefully is about sitting down with people who are building meaningful things and sharing the kinds of stories and memories we don't often get to hear in traditional food media.

On the podcast, each guest is asked: “What’s your first food memory?”

I was lucky because I grew up with a mother who loved experimenting in the kitchen. Although we were brought up in a Jain household (i.e., no meat, eggs, or alcohol), innovation in the kitchen was never lacking. My mom watched Nigella Lawson and Kylie Kwong religiously. She owned a lot of cookbooks and tried recipes from all over the world. Her best friends growing up were from Punjab and Tamil Nadu, so she incorporated those cuisines into our weekly rotation. Every birthday, she would make me a big chocolate cake covered in fresh strawberries and icing. 

Today, I carry the same experimental spirit with me. I love making dishes from other countries or different parts of India. I’m one of those rare breeds that saves recipes to their Instagram and actually makes them later. My favorite way to hang out with friends is to have a big dinner party where I get to give them a little sliver of home.

My earliest food memories will reveal that I’m just a regular North Indian kid at heart. Our meals consisted of roti, vegetables, rice, yogurt, and all kinds of pickles. My brother, who was a picky eater, liked to eat only bhindi: a fried okra dish that is beloved in most North Indian homes.

On the other hand, I enjoyed rajma chawal (kidney beans and rice) and palak paneer (spinach and cottage cheese).

I loved traveling all over India and ordering a thali to sample all the local delicacies. My best memories of food were eating on highways on long trips or in the coastal states like Goa. Nothing can beat the freshness of sol kadhi, fried fish, calamari, and rice.

Every year, I ache to go back home to eat the vegetables and fruits that I can’t find here in the US. I wish food outside of North India was more popular here because we really are so much bigger than butter chicken and garlic naan. But it makes me happy when I get to feed someone a new dish they’ve never heard of, because that’s what my mom did for me.

I can’t wait to dive into Bitefully and hear people’s first food memories. What’s the first food memory you can remember?

Until next time,
Team Hyphenly

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