Michael Martin

My inspiration comes from a sense of community. It is incredibly powerful to be able to tell the story of farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and foragers through a meal prepared by a community of culinarians. This shared sense of community tells the story of how, why, and what we eat and gives meaning to an otherwise everyday experience.

My absolute favorite dish to make is shakshouka. As is the theme in my cooking it’s a dish that’s better with friends. At its core shakshouka is eggs poached in a tomato and pepper sauce, but it is a dish that can vary between communities and can be spiced up the way you like best. Did I mention you eat it with fresh pita? In my family we make a green version that’s absolutely gorgeous. Hard to beat what I consider comfort food!

I would use $25,000 to start my pop up series Due West which is focused on telling the story of migration to the western United States. It would help me to secure venues, staffing, and quality sourcing to run a successful pop up while giving me the confidence to be able to provide equitable work conditions for all. I also have always been someone who is charitable and feel that this cash flow would allow me to figure out the charitable piece of the pop up.