Identity

Legacy in Action

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 13:42:59 GMT

The Loiseau sisters carry forward the legacy of their father Bernard Loiseau, the legendary French chef who transformed a crumbling restaurant in rural Burgundy into a three-Michelin-star powerhouse—then taking his own life at the height of his success in 2003.

Blanche and Bérangère’s mother kept the flame alive after tragedy. Now, they’ve now taken the helm of a hospitality group that spans 6 restaurants, 2 hotels, and 130 employees. Their approach differs from their father’s obsession with Michelin stars—they’re building a more sustainable vision still in his timeless values: excellence, authenticity, innovation.

Bernard Loiseau’s ‘cuisine des essences’—bringing lightness and freshness through produce—changed French gastronomy forever. Now his daughters are honoring his legacy while carving out space to breathe and grow.

The Art of Staying Engaged

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 07:43:03 GMT

At the age of seven, Chido Govera was left orphaned, caring for her grandmother and little brother in rural Zimbabwe. At ten, she refused an arranged marriage—choosing instead a path that took her from foraging for survival to building something extraordinary.

The Future of Hope Foundation has now transformed over 10,000 households in Zimbabwe and beyond through mushroom farming. What started with learning to grow oyster mushrooms from corn stalks has become a movement rooted in Ubuntu philosophy—“I am because we are”—where communities solve their own problems with the right knowledge and support.

Everytime she speaks with MAD, Chido shows us the power of working “one mushroom at a time”—turning complex agricultural science into something rural communities can master themselves. Sometimes the most radical act is simply believing people are capable of more than their circumstances suggest.

What Happens When We Don't Kick The Ladder Away

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 08:09:18 GMT

Asma Khan entered the restaurant world at 45. Then she became the first British chef on Chef's Table.

At MAD7, she shared how her London restaurant, Darjeeling Express, came to life. She made the bold decision to open a restaurant staffed by grandmothers and mothers—home cooks who had never worked in professional kitchens, armed with "terrible knife skills but huge hearts." 

Chefs constantly credit their mothers and grandmothers as their biggest culinary influences. But these women are rarely part of the restaurant team. Asma built her kitchen differently, bringing softness to an industry obsessed with toughness. She’s proven that kindness is a form of strength. 

How to Build to Last

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:11:15 GMT

For Arianna Occhipinti, talking about wine is like talking about love.

Both require the right tools to avoid repeated failure. Both have the power to transform obstacles into meaning.

At 22, Arianna started making wine in Sicily's Cerasuolo di Vittoria region. Today her biodynamic methods—wild fermentations, no filtration, cover crops mixing 15+ plants—yield over 120,000 bottles per year. SP68 Rosso, her signature blend, combines native Frappato and Nero d'Avola grapes.

Building her story piece by piece, Arianna shows how individual vision can reshape an entire industry's approach to sustainable winemaking.

Thomas Keller & René Redzepi in Conversation

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:13:39 GMT

In this conversation between Thomas Keller and René Redzepi, who worked under him early on at French Laundry, they discuss what it means to be part of an interconnected culinary lineage. Keller traces his path back to his mother getting him that first kitchen job, which led to his focus on making people happy through food.

They cover mentorship, sleep over burnout, nurture over ego and building leaders who surpass you. Plus, Thomas Keller meets Thomas the Goat—you'll have to watch for that one.

How to Take Over Your Parent's Restaurant in Five Easy Steps

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Following his father suffering a debilitating stroke in 2019, Justin Pichetrungsi made the daunting decision to take over his family’s 43-year old restaurant, Anajak Thai, in Los Angeles, California.

From working as an art director at Disney to deciphering his family’s recipe cards, he reflects on what it means to inherit something sacred. And how, apparently, it all starts by arguing with your parents.

Preserving Identity Through Coffee Traceability | Arthur Karuletwa

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Arthur Karuletwa is a native of Rwanda, but lived as a refugee in Uganda and Kenya in the 1990's. Today, he sees coffee as a source of healing and empowerment, and has developed a program to trace coffee beans from the point of origin through the supply chain.

In surviving the horrific genocide of his people and murder of his family, Karuletwa was stripped of his identity. As a immigrant in America, he has dedicated his life to preserving the identity of others. Waging a war on poverty through agriculture and traceability, Karuletwa points to our food and drink as a reflection of our identity and culture, something we must understand to better act as agents of global development.