By: Sarah Thomas
When Derek (my co-founder) and I started Kalamata’s Kitchen, we did it with the genuine belief that inspiring kids to learn about the world through food would create more curious, courageous, and compassionate people. That teaching kids to keep their minds open to new experiences would in turn make them more likely to face the unfamiliar with a sense of curiosity rather than fear, which in turn would lead to greater empathy. Food is the perfect medium for connection, serving as a handshake into someone else’s life— and it’s a way to find joy in something we do every single day. We center the fun for kids around characters, a little girl named Kalamata and her alligator pal, Al Dente. Together, they experience the world through adventures with food. We introduce these adventures through books, the second of which, Taste Buds in Harmony, will be published this summer, and is inspired by the food memories of my friend, Chef Kyo Pang.
We started our company with our mission as our north star in 2017, knowing that it was something that the world needed. That need was never highlighted more profoundly in all of our lives than during the start of the pandemic in 2020, and the global reckonings of racism and inequity that had long been simmering but were pulled starkly to the forefront after the murder of George Floyd. During this time, sadly among many other incidences of discrimination, we observed the precipitous rise in violent anti-Asian sentiment. I thought about what this does to kids, who do not inherently feel “othered” until someone else makes them. I wanted to talk to Kyo about how she was feeling, and how her restaurant, Kopitiam, had been affected. The time we spent chatting about her life, her food, and Baba Nyonya philosophy was inspiring, joyful, and humbling for me all at once. Despite facing overwhelmingly difficult and daily-changing circumstances, Kyo was so generous with her time, and so gracious, never complaining but instead sharing her philosophy on zen, love, and harmony that remained firm despite everything in the world seemingly working against those ideals. So much of what she said stood out, but particularly this observation of the overarching philosophy. “Baba Nyonya people,” she told me, “believe in creating a harmonious way with each other, and that is directly reflected in our food as well. Each ingredient has its own characteristic and character, and each character is unique— but they work perfectly with one another if you understand them well.” I was so grateful to Kyo for articulating this idea to me through the metaphor of food, particularly at such a difficult time. It’s a simple idea, and yet clearly needs to be said repeatedly, and loudly, and in as many ways as possible— the world needs more respect for strengths and differences of others, and more interest in finding communal harmony. I could have told ten different stories based on our time together, but this simple idea of harmony seemed the most immediately relevant, and the most important. I was struck by how actionable it was— how through the metaphor of bringing disparate flavors and ingredients together, you could create something greater than the sum of its parts— and how applicable that message could be in any part of one’s life.
As specific to Kyo’s life as Taste Buds in Harmony is, the theme is relevant to every single person on the planet. Harmony is universal, even when specific ingredients are not. Food has the power to transcend the boundaries that we’ve created. And as important as this message is, there’s so much in the story that is exciting and joyful and fun for kids. My incredible illustrator Jo Kosmides Edwards brought Kyo’s story to life with such vibrant, energetic colors and patterns, and Al Dente gets into some of his silliest hijinks yet. Kal and her pals know that they can find the solution to their problems, and they do it by harnessing their own imaginations and experiences. The kids are in charge, and ultimately successful, because they’re all empowered to believe in themselves. No child should ever feel like they have to hide themselves from the world. Kalamata is a character I wish I had when I was a little girl. It would have meant the world to me to see a fellow brown girl with big hair and a big appetite love herself and those around her. Furthermore, I want Kalamata to serve as an inspiration for all kids to be proud of themselves, and celebrate their experiences and their culture. I hope that this story reminds kids to feel joy in who they are, and to remember that it takes sharing their unique gifts with others to really understand how we can all fit together in this world.