Oakland’s Protracted It Moment

From Cal-Med to kimchee and much more: Oakland's culinary diversity. Photo: Courtesy CHOW

Everywhere you turn the media is singing the praises of Oakland, from Ebony to the New York Times, unfortunate bicoastal (and some might say tone deaf) comparisons aside.

San Francisco even devoted an entire issue to the city, dubbing it “our new cultural capital.”

Naturally, stories about the town’s sizzling dining evolution are in demand. I’ve covered the city’s edible uprising — from urban farms and food trucks to small grub hubs and large independent restaurants — for the past five years.

This month CHOW asked me to weigh in with 10 Reasons to Hella Love Food in Oakland Right Now. As you’ll see, I pack in way more than 10 highlights in this culinary destination.

And San Francisco, which ran its own guide to the city’s edible riches, asked me to revisit the women chefs of note — there are many and more coming.

Over at Edible East Bay, I take a deep dive into the funding sources helping to fuel the new wave of restaurants here. A variety of financing models are behind the boom and this story profiles the people with the means to bankroll these businesses and the chefs and restaurateurs who are thriving as a result in this new food frontier.

For my money, one of the standout stories on Oakland’s changing landscape and accompanying narratives comes from a child of the city who has some pretty fond food memories of her own — and some frank advice for newbies to the ‘hood.

Poet/playwright Chinaka Hodge‘s personal essay is a must-read for anyone who truly wants to understand Oakland today — and its recent history. And if you have a chance to see her new play Chasing Meheserle, just do it.

Featured restaurants in Edible East Bay's Behind the Boom: Duende, Nido, Penrose & The Cook and Her Farmer. Photographed: The chefs and their financial backers. Photos: Stacy Ventura