Growing up, my mother used to ask me “What are you craving?” and magically, the dish I longed for would appear before my eyes. She worked six days a week and the one day she was off, she spent all day cooking beautiful meals for us. My umma was the first person to teach me that food is love. Cooking what my sisters and I craved was her way of connecting with us. Cooking what she craved was her way of reconnecting with the mother she left behind in Korea.
Like my umma, I now find myself chasing cravings with my daughter. The recipes you see here are a collection of my family’s cravings which are inspired by our favorite places, experiences and childhood memories. They are my heirlooms for my daughter and my homage to my mother. I hope these simple recipes satiate your own cravings. I hope they also give you an opportunity to connect with your loved ones because there’s something magical about sharing a meal that’s a hug in every bite.
Storytelling and food has always been a passion of mine. I spent most of my career consulting fashion and luxury brands on how to tell their stories through analog, digital and immersive media. When I needed to escape, I was in the kitchen for hours trying to replicate or perfect a dish I remembered having at some point in my life. The pandemic fortuitously married my storytelling craft with my culinary creations. What started out as a couple of instructional cooking videos on TikTok and Instagram has now become Chasing Cravings. My recipes have been featured on TheFeedFeed, Tastemade and Buzzfeed. There would be no Chasing Cravings without you so thank you for stopping by and for being on this journey with me.
